Recording and playing the archive¶

Prepare the streamer (node) disks first, then enable recording for a camera. Sign in as admin or superadmin to configure these settings.

Configure RAID on the streamer¶

Optic uses Sapsan application RAID: recording is distributed across independent disks. Prepare JBOD, with a separate filesystem and mount point for each disk. This setup does not need a separate mdadm array or hardware RAID.

This scheme does not mirror the archive: a failed disk loses its recordings, while available disks continue to be used. Plan archive backups separately.

1. Prepare the archive disk filesystems on the server and persistent mounts by UUID in /etc/fstab. In this example, two disks are mounted at /storage/dvr/disk1 and /storage/dvr/disk2. The streamer service needs write access to these directories and to /storage/dvr for the metadata catalog. Preserve existing filesystems and data when working with existing recordings. For disks with an existing ext4 filesystem, create the mount points:

   sudo mkdir -p /storage/dvr/disk1 /storage/dvr/disk2
   

   Find the UUIDs with lsblk -f and add these entries to /etc/fstab, replacing UUID_DISK1 and UUID_DISK2 with the actual UUIDs. For another filesystem, also replace ext4:

   UUID=UUID_DISK1 /storage/dvr/disk1 ext4 defaults 0 2
   UUID=UUID_DISK2 /storage/dvr/disk2 ext4 defaults 0 2
   

   Mount the prepared disks:

   sudo mount /storage/dvr/disk1
   sudo mount /storage/dvr/disk2
   

2. Check the actual mount points on the server:

   lsblk -f
   findmnt --mountpoint /storage/dvr/disk1
   findmnt --mountpoint /storage/dvr/disk2
   

   Each findmnt must show the separate filesystem of its archive disk. Check that these mounts also return after a server reboot.

3. In the console, open Cluster → Streamers, select the streamer and its settings. Fill in DVR:

   Field	Example value
   Archive root	/storage/dvr
   Disk 1	disk1
   Disk 2	disk2
   Check mount before writing	Enabled

   Use Add disk for the second disk. Disk paths are relative to the root: disk1, rather than /storage/dvr/disk1. The archive root holds the metadata catalog and does not replace the disk list. An empty Catalog path keeps metadata at /storage/dvr/catalog.

4. Click Save changes and wait for the streamer to apply the configuration. Open this streamer in Cluster DVR and check disk availability and capacity.

The procedure is the same for the local streamer in a single-server installation. If a disk is shown as not mounted, fix the mount; keep the check enabled so a missing disk cannot cause recording to fill the system partition.

Enable camera recording¶

1. Open the camera in Streams and check that the RTSP source is running.
2. On DVR, enable Record to DVR.
3. Set Retention (hours), for example 168 for seven days, then click Save.
4. Wait for a recorded range to appear and check Current recording status. The archive window grows from the time recording starts; seven days requires seven days of continuous recording and enough disk space.

On Layout, check which streamer records the archive: that streamer needs storage configured. Cache archive controls the read cache and does not enable camera recording.

Play the archive¶

1. Open the camera in Streams, then Basic Settings with the embedded player.
2. Find a recorded interval on the player's timeline. Move the timeline to the desired time and click a point inside an available recording.
3. Start playback. Check the selected time and picture; select a moment before the live edge to verify archive playback.
4. Click Go live to return to live video.

The player can only play intervals that have been recorded. If no recording is available, check the source and recording status on DVR, then disk availability and free space in Cluster DVR. For write errors, check mounts and the service's directory permissions.

Fast archive navigation index¶

On the DVR tab of a stream or template, enable Fast archive navigation forwards and backwards. DVR recording must be enabled. The index is built from snapshots obtained after enabling the option and is retained with the archive.

• Snapshot interval (seconds) — the minimum time between snapshots; the default is 60 seconds, with a range of 1–86400. When a frame is unavailable, the actual time of the snapshot obtained is retained.
• Frames per GOP — the number of snapshots in an independently playable group; the default is 30, with a range of 1–100. This setting does not change the snapshot interval.
• First index video — becomes available after a group has accumulated. At an hour boundary, the remaining snapshots form a shorter group so a partial hour can also be viewed.

With a one-minute interval, a full day without gaps produces 1440 frames: playing them at 25 fps takes 57.6 seconds. A longer interval reduces the frame count and event search precision; a smaller GOP makes the next complete group available sooner.

Template DVR settings follow the usual rules: a stream's own dvr section replaces the template section as a whole. Existing groups remain unchanged when parameters change; the new parameters apply to unconfirmed groups. Disabling the index stops generation; existing data is deleted with the corresponding archive according to its retention period.

The index is available for unencrypted streams.

The option does not automatically build an index for intervals recorded before it was enabled.

Fast navigation in the player¶

1. Open the stream's Basic Settings and select a recorded point on the timeline for which an index is ready.
2. Click << x32 to the left of pause to browse backwards, or >> x32 to the right of pause to browse forwards. The buttons precede Go live; the selected direction is highlighted.
3. Click Pause to stop on a snapshot. The timeline shows the source time of the frame actually displayed. The play button resumes index playback.
4. Click the highlighted direction button again to open normal video at the selected snapshot. Selecting a normal playback speed also returns to the main video.
5. Click Go live to return to live video.

The x32 label identifies playback of the prepared index. How quickly archive time passes depends on the snapshot interval: with a one-minute interval, a day takes 57.6 seconds to view.

If the index is not ready for the selected time, continue normal archive playback. Index playback stops on the last available snapshot. Index availability does not extend the main recording's bounds.