5.2.8 - May 20, 2020 - Direct-to-disc BVR recording will now include metadata for video overlays

Tinman

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Blue Iris does not sync anything time related. All it does is place a display, based on the PC clock, on each camera and is not syncing the internal clock in the cameras in any way. If you want to actually sync the cameras the only way to do that is to use a time server, set and use the time overlay from the cameras. In terms of evidence for court purposes this is the only way that is acceptable.
So are you saying that if you do not use direct to disk recording your videos are worthless in court ?
 

sebastiantombs

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Yes. The reason being that the evidence, the recording, is modified AFTER it leaves the camera rather than being directly written as data. If it is modified in that way, it can be modified in other ways. In short it is not a direct representation of what comes from the camera. Lawyers get rich using little details like this, but that's their job.

Additionally, adding that overlay does add CPU utilization to one degree or another. The more cameras you have, the more is added because every stream needs to be modified. With substreams, now, that may not be very significant, but in terms of evidence it can be a disqualifying factor. A time server, running on the same PC uses next to nothing and will keep all the cameras truly synced in terms of time.
 
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Tinman

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Yes. The reason being that the evidence, the recording, is modified AFTER it leaves the camera rather than being directly written as data. If it is modified in that way, it can be modified in other ways. In short it is not a direct representation of what comes from the camera. Lawyers get rich using little details like this, but that's their job.

Additionally, adding that overlay does add CPU utilization to one degree or another. The more cameras you have, the more is added because every stream needs to be modified. With substreams, now, that may not be very significant, but in terms of evidence it can be a disqualifying factor. A time server, running on the same PC uses next to nothing and will keep all the cameras truly synced in terms of time.
I see your point and can tell this can be debated many ways. First off, let me say I have used Nettime for years and also had all my cams overlay enabled. I could never get "to the exact second" all my cams to be synced. (due to different brands or models of cameras)
So now I still use direct to disk but just let BI handle the timestamps. They are all the same format and are perfectly synced to each other using the PC's system clock, which is synced of course to a time server.
So lets say I want to show the police a clip. I can leave the file in BVR format and they can play it on their PC without any re-encoding...AND it will show the timestamp, just as it does when I view a clip in BI. Of course they will need the BI player installed to accomplish this, but it will be in the un-altered BVR file recorded directly from camera.

So, how would you show a clip in court ? Btw thanks for your comments, like I said I see your point, but mostly what I read is the main thing is that the time stamp is correct.
 

sebastiantombs

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My point is that the defense attorney might argue, successfully, that you are modifying the video stream.
 

Tinman

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My point is that the defense attorney might argue, successfully, that you are modifying the video stream.
But how do you supply the clip then ? It would be in its un-modified form in the BVR file. I also read the best way is to supply the PC or NVR and do not copy any files from there original location from the recording device. Hopefully I don't ever need to find out :)
 
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I have given mpg files to our local police.

When I was a LEO, @sebastiontombs statement that if the clip is modified that the lawyers will attempt to get it thrown out is correct. The first question of the witness supplying the clip is usually: “Has this clip been modified in any way?”
 

Tinman

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I have given mpg files to our local police.

When I was a LEO, @sebastiontombs statement that if the clip is modified that the lawyers will attempt to get it thrown out is correct. The first question of the witness supplying the clip is usually: “Has this clip been modified in any way?”
Yes, police don't give a crap, they just want to see the content. But i'm still wondering how you would actually prepare a file from BI to hold up in court. I still say if you played the clip using BI on the computer it was captured on you could answer "NO" it has not been modified. Just like the politicians do :)
 

Tinbum

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Did you ever get this figured out? I've been getting them for a long time, finally annoyed as to what they are and how to fix it.
Wow that was a long time ago. I can't remember and cant find anything. It doesnt do it now.
 

erkme73

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Yeah, I saw. Was worth a shot before contacting tech support.
Hate to a be a necromancer, but did you ever get an explanation as to what the error means? I too am getting them sporadically after a restart. It'd be nice to finally nail down what it means.
 

cr8tor

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Hate to a be a necromancer, but did you ever get an explanation as to what the error means? I too am getting them sporadically after a restart. It'd be nice to finally nail down what it means.
Same here. Perhaps a new issue then?
 
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