How do you sync time with your cameras? I have 15

[TonyR]

I see your point, but it seems more logical to set it to local time. There’s nothing to gain by setting it to anything else.

Logical, yes...but perhaps not practical if you have dozens to adjust at several locations, twice a year.

Therefore, it would be a red flag in my mind if someone told me the time was off...

I think you're overthinking this....an hour later after being set to the 'correct' local time, all devices with deviate +/- a certain amount and will be 'off' a bit as compared to an atomic clock. Does that make their representation of local time 'in error'? They will ALL be 'in error' and 'INcorrect' after a certain period and we, the humans, can outsmart the clocks by taking that fact into account. It's not 'rocket science', right?

It seems lazy to me

Perhaps it is if you have absolutely nothing else to do. And you are entitled to your opinion.

 

[Trax95008]

I still don’t understand why it needs adjustment twice a year. There are settings specifically for DST. You tell it when it occurs, and it does the rest. Set it, and forget it! Another reason to use a proper NVR. All the time settings reside in the NVR. The NVR handles the time on the cameras simultaneously. All cameras are synced perfectly. And it’s easy for the time to be accurate by using googles NTP server

 

[fenderman]

I still don’t understand why it needs adjustment twice a year. There are settings specifically for DST. You tell it when it occurs, and it does the rest. Set it, and forget it! Another reason to use a proper NVR. All the time settings reside in the NVR. The NVR handles the time on the cameras simultaneously. All cameras are synced perfectly. And it’s easy for the time to be accurate by using googles NTP server

The nvr itself still needs to be set to proper dst changes...when you try a vms like blue iris you will see exactly why folks prefer it over an NVR.
it takes exactly 10 seconds to set this up per camera and it holds forever unless you hard reset the camera....saving 10 seconds during camera setup is not a reason to go with a standalone nvr..

 

[Tolting Colt Acres]

I see your point, but it seems more logical to set it to local time. There’s nothing to gain by setting it to anything else. Therefore, it would be a red flag in my mind if someone told me the time was off... configuring the time zone, and DST is easy and just one more step with all the other configuration that happens when setting it up. It seems lazy to me

As a ham radio operator for 30 years, I think in UTC, so for me, it is easier. Just like the clocks in my vehicles are all set to UTC.

In the past two years I’ve provided video to the police 4 times. Never once have they had an issue with the time stamp being in UTC.

 

[slodat]

After unsuccessful attempts to get Windows built in time server to work with my cameras I installed Meinberg NTP. Once installed, I changed each camera to NTP and setup DST rules. It’s working well. Highly recommended.

 

[bigjoe99]

I also use Meinberg - easy to set up and runs flawlessly. I installed on my 2008 server, pointed my cams at it, and done. Haven't worried about time in years. There's no way in hell I'm going to open my cams to the internet, even for time, and having a generic time server is useful for other things requiring a time server. Like, any Windows device not running Active Directory and you also don't want exposed to the internet.

 

[Aengus4h]

don't the Hik NVR's set and sync the camera times?

I note on my generic but hik protocol cameras they get a set time in the logs frequently and all stay in step with the NVR. The NVR syncs to pool.ntp.org and has DST configured and I've not had to amend it manually since first setting it up a couple years back.

 

[Mr_D]

I also use Meinberg - easy to set up and runs flawlessly. I installed on my 2008 server, pointed my cams at it, and done. Haven't worried about time in years. There's no way in hell I'm going to open my cams to the internet, even for time, and having a generic time server is useful for other things requiring a time server. Like, any Windows device not running Active Directory and you also don't want exposed to the internet.

I let my cameras access one public NTP server by IP address and port number. I don't how they could get into trouble unless they shipped with an NTP-specific attack in the firmware.

 

[mat200]

I wonder if it is possible to include the GMT-/+ offset with the embedded time stamp.

i.e. 06-28-15:11:xx GMT-5