Ultimate Guide to Saving Video Clips in Blue Iris

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
2. Blue Iris System Settings
   • 2.1 Database Settings
   • 2.2 Clip Storage Settings
   • 2.3 Choosing the Right Drive
   • 2.4 Moving Clips to a NAS
   • 2.5 Configuring Clip Backup
3. Camera Settings and Recording
4. Adjusting Recording Options
5. Adding Redundancy and Off-Site Backup
6. External Storage Options
7. Recommended Surveillance Drives
8. Affiliate Links for Blue Iris and Surveillance Drives
9. Conclusion

Blue Iris System Settings: Managing Clips and Archiving

Blue Iris is a powerful video surveillance software that allows You to Record and manage clips from your security cameras. In order to effectively use Blue Iris and optimize your storage options, it's important to understand the system settings related to clips and archiving. In this article, we will guide you through the various settings and options available, helping you make informed decisions about where your recordings are stored and how long they are retained.

1. Introduction

Before diving into the intricacies of Blue Iris system settings, let's start with a brief introduction to the topic. Blue Iris is a popular software solution for video surveillance systems that allows you to connect and manage multiple IP cameras. It offers a wide range of features, including motion detection, recording, and archiving. By understanding the system settings related to clips and archiving, you can ensure efficient storage management and easy access to your video footage.

2. Blue Iris System Settings

To access the system settings related to clips and archiving, you need to click on the gear icon, located at the top of the Blue Iris interface. This will open the settings menu, where you can customize various aspects of the software. We will focus on the Clips and Archiving section, which is essential for managing your video clips effectively.

2.1 Database Settings

The database is a crucial component of Blue Iris, as it keeps track of the files and folders associated with your video recordings. By default, the database is stored on the fastest storage available on your computer, such as an NVMe drive or an SSD. It is advisable to keep the database on this fast storage to ensure smooth and efficient access to your video files. Blue Iris automatically performs a compact repair of the database at 2 am every night, fixing any issues or deleted clips. However, you can choose a different time for this process if 2 am is inconvenient for you.

2.2 Clip Storage Settings

Blue Iris allows you to specify where your video clips are stored and how long they are retained. By default, the software records new clips to a "New" folder, and after reaching a specified size (10 gigabytes or after 7 days, whichever comes first), the files are moved to a "Stored" folder. After a total of 14 days or 20 gigabytes, the files in the "Stored" folder are deleted. It's important to note that the 14-day period is calculated from the time the clip was originally written to the "New" folder, not the day it was moved to the "Stored" folder.

2.3 Choosing the Right Drive

For optimal performance and longevity of your storage, it is recommended to use a surveillance-rated hard drive for video recording. These drives are specifically designed to handle the constant writing and streaming of video data, making them more reliable and Durable than regular hard drives. Blue Iris allows you to select the drive where you want your clips to be written. If you have multiple drives, it's advisable to choose a dedicated surveillance drive, such as the Western Digital Purple drive, known for its compatibility and reliability.

2.4 Moving Clips to a NAS

If you require additional storage or want to add redundancy to your video clips, Blue Iris offers the option to move clips to a Network Attached Storage (NAS). A NAS is a separate device or server connected to your network, providing centralized storage for your files. To set up a NAS, you need to navigate to the "Aux" settings in Blue Iris. By configuring the path to the NAS folder, you can choose when your clips are moved from the "Stored" folder to the NAS. This allows you to retain footage for a longer period or have an off-site backup for added security.

2.5 Configuring Clip Backup

In addition to moving clips to a NAS, Blue Iris also provides the option to back up clips using FTP (File Transfer Protocol). This feature allows you to send video files to an FTP server, either locally or on the internet. By configuring the FTP server settings in Blue Iris, you can choose the server and folder where the clips will be backed up. This adds an extra layer of protection to your recordings, ensuring that they are stored in a separate location in case of hardware failure or other unforeseen events.

3. Camera Settings and Recording

While system settings play a crucial role in managing clips and archiving, it's important to note that camera settings also influence the recording process. Each camera in Blue Iris can have individual recording settings, allowing you to customize the behavior for specific cameras. By right-clicking on a camera and accessing the camera settings, you can enable recording and choose between continuous or triggered recording options. This allows you to fine-tune the recording behavior Based on your specific surveillance needs.

4. Adjusting Recording Options

In addition to the basic recording settings for each camera, Blue Iris offers advanced options to further customize the recording process. These options include adjusting frame rates, setting up motion detection for triggering recordings, configuring pre- and post-trigger buffers, and defining recording schedules. By navigating through the camera settings, you can optimize the recording options to fit your specific requirements and conserve storage space by only capturing Relevant footage.

5. Adding Redundancy and Off-Site Backup

For enhanced data protection, it's advisable to incorporate redundancy and off-site backup solutions into your video surveillance system. Redundancy ensures that your recorded clips are mirrored or duplicated across multiple drives or storage locations within your system. This reduces the risk of data loss in case of drive failures or other hardware issues. Additionally, to safeguard against catastrophic events or unforeseen circumstances, an off-site backup solution such as a cloud-based storage service or remote NAS can provide an extra layer of security for your valuable video footage.

6. External Storage Options

In some cases, you might require additional external storage options to accommodate your growing video Archive. Blue Iris supports various external storage options, such as SSD drives or external hard drives connected via USB or other interfaces. By connecting external storage devices to your computer, you can extend your storage capacity and easily manage your video clips without the need for complex network configurations.

7. Recommended Surveillance Drives

When choosing a hard drive for your video surveillance system, it's crucial to opt for a surveillance-rated drive that is specifically designed for continuous video recording. Surveillance drives, such as the Western Digital Purple drive, are built to handle the demanding workload and constant writing associated with surveillance applications. These drives offer improved durability, optimized firmware, and built-in error recovery mechanisms, ensuring reliable performance and long-term data integrity.

8. Affiliate Links for Blue Iris and Surveillance Drives

If you're interested in purchasing Blue Iris or surveillance drives, we provide affiliate links below to help you find the right products. By using these links, you not only support our Channel but also ensure that you get genuine and reliable products for your video surveillance needs. We only recommend products that we have tested and trust for their quality and performance.

• Purchase Blue Iris
• Recommended Surveillance Drives - Western Digital Purple

9. Conclusion

Efficiently managing clips and archiving in Blue Iris is essential for a well-organized and secure video surveillance system. By understanding and configuring the system settings related to clips and archiving, you can ensure optimal storage utilization, easy access to your video footage, and enhanced data protection. Whether it's choosing the right drive, setting up a NAS, configuring clip backup, or fine-tuning camera and recording options, Blue Iris provides comprehensive tools to streamline and customize your video management experience. Invest in reliable surveillance drives and consider implementing redundancy and off-site backup solutions to ensure the safety and accessibility of your video recordings. With Blue Iris as your video surveillance software, you can have peace of mind knowing that your security footage is being efficiently managed and archived.