The Boring Lab

4 Lesser-Known Tips and Tricks to Become an XProtect Jedi

XProtect is a powerful video management software. And we all know, with great power comes great responsibility.
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Trying to keep your data safe, organized, and accessible can feel like you’re the last Jedi battling against a thousand Imperial ships soaring through the never ending Intergalactic sky.

Okay, maybe it’s not exactly like that… But regardless, we’ve collected 4 of the best lesser-known tips and tricks for Jedi XProtect Masters to level up their VMS.

You’ll learn how to:

  • Turn off notifications for unrecognized devices on XProtect
  • Use the Independent Playback feature to play multiple videos simultaneously
  • Create custom tags for footage to help organize and track it
    Camera Search by Keywords
  • Enable single sign-on (SSO) to streamline your security operations

After all…

“In a dark place we find ourselves and a little more knowledge lights our way.” —Yoda, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith

Protect Video Sequences with Evidence Lock

It’s a Jedi master’s way to protect your system data (or use of the Force).

The XProtect Video Evidence Lock stops recorded video from being deleted prematurely, for example during an investigation. It provides operators with an extra level of security, knowing that the evidence they need will still be available when they need it.

It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3:

  1. On the XProtect Smart Client toolbar, select a particular video and click the Time selection mode on the recording timeline.
  2. Choose the video sequences you want to protect from deletion and select the start and end time. Click Evidence lock > Create.
  3. Give the evidence lock a headline and a description. Then, click create.

Use the Independent Playback feature to play multiple videos simultaneously

Even some of the most proficient XProtect Jedis out there are sleeping on this feature: Independent Playback.

This feature allows instant playback of recorded video while watching live videos simultaneously, which can be helpful when you need to monitor several areas at once, especially during an incident.

The “Independent Playback” icon can be found in the taskbar for a specific camera.

Bookmarks in XProtect VMS

One must never lose control of the Force in XProtect. So create searchable bookmarks for your footage.

A bookmark in XProtect is an easy way to save small video clips for later analysis. When an operator bookmarks an incident, in either live or recorded video, the VMS assigns it and the user who created it an ID. Each bookmark records a few seconds before and after the incident, ensuring that nothing is missed.

To create a custom bookmark, follow these simple steps:

  1. In the camera’s taskbar, select the “Bookmark” symbol.
  2. This ensures that the video is easily searchable afterward.
  3. When searching for the footage, search for “bookmarks” in the search tab.

Bookmarking videos allows for the ability to add notes or instructions on the fly for later investigations.

Camera Search by Keywords (see 22:27 of the video)

t’s like the CTRL + F to find any footage across the entire galaxy…

Search for footage based on specific keywords.

Just follow these steps:

  1. In the Camera section of the management client, on the Info tab we will see a “Description” field.
  2. In the Description area, enter keywords based on the camera you’re trying to find regardless if it’s in the title or not.
  3. Log into Smart Client, in the “search cameras & views” box search for the words you added to the camera description in step 1.

In this article, we discussed 4 simple ways you can make the most out of your Milestone VMS and become a true XProtect Jedi. On top of streamlining your workflow and keeping your business protected, hopefully these tips will save you enough time to rewatch all 9 movies in the Skywalker Saga. 

Team Boring

Your go-to XProtect eXPerts. We learn the technical stuff that will save you time and make it less boring.

Team Boring

Your go-to XProtect eXPerts. We learn the technical stuff that will save you time and make it less boring.

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