The point of cameras is reviewing footage when something happens. Efficient review depends on knowing your NVR's search tools.

1. Time-based search

The basic search:

  • Pick the camera and the date
  • Pick a time range (start and end)
  • See a timeline with recorded periods highlighted

This is fine for "show me everything from 9 AM yesterday" but inefficient for "when did someone enter the building?"

2. Event-based search

If you have motion detection or smart events configured:

  • Filter for motion events on that camera, that day
  • See a list of trigger times, not just continuous timeline
  • Click each to jump to the moment

This turns hours of scrubbing into minutes of clicking.

3. Multi-camera review

When multiple cameras might have caught the incident:

  • View all relevant cameras at the same timestamp
  • Most NVRs support quad-view with synchronized playback

Useful for tracking someone moving through the building.

4. Smart playback

Most modern NVRs have a "smart playback" mode:

  • Skip silent / static periods automatically
  • Slow down when motion is detected
  • Speed through empty hours

Cuts review time by an order of magnitude.

5. Export important clips

For sharing with insurance, police, or HR:

  • Mark the start and end of the relevant footage
  • Export to USB or download to your laptop
  • Use a standard format (MP4) for compatibility

Each NVR has slightly different export — check the manual.

6. Watermarks and chain of custody

If footage will be used as evidence:

  • Most NVRs add a timestamp and camera ID overlay
  • Some support cryptographic watermarks proving the footage wasn't altered
  • Maintain a written chain of custody from export to delivery

For court use, the footage may need to be exported by an authorized administrator with logged actions.

7. Bookmarking events

Found something interesting? Most NVRs let you bookmark:

  • Add a note ("vehicle blocking driveway")
  • Useful for case files where multiple events relate

8. Time sync

Footage is only as accurate as the NVR's clock. Verify:

  • NVR clock is synced via NTP (network time)
  • All cameras are synced to the NVR
  • After power outages, verify clock is still right

A 5-minute clock drift can ruin court-case footage.

9. Specific person or vehicle search

Higher-end NVRs offer:

  • Face search — pick a face from a frame, search for other appearances
  • License plate search — find all instances of a plate
  • Object search — clothing color, vehicle type

These usually require Premium or Enterprise license; check if yours has it.

10. Audio (if recorded)

If cameras include audio:

  • Check that audio playback works
  • Be aware of legal requirements for audio recording — varies by jurisdiction and consent

Audio greatly aids review (you hear shouts, glass breaking) but adds legal complexity.

When to ticket

Raise a ticket if:

  • You can't find footage from a date/time when cameras should have been recording
  • Export is failing
  • Multiple cameras don't sync timestamps
  • You need an authorized export for legal purposes

Include the date/time, camera(s), and what you've already tried.