Send Video Recordings from the DVR to a FTP Server on your PC Introduction: The DVR has a useful feature that allows you to download recordings directly to a FTP server on your PC. This is just another way to have the DVR send video files to a computer within your network or to a computer outside of your network. Please note that a simpler method (and more useful) to have your PC record your video is to use PSS (Please refer to our PSS guides on how to achieve this). But there may be some certain circumstances in which you would prefer to have the DVR send video files directly to an FTP server, if so, then this guide is for you. Sending Video Recordings to a PC within your Local Network (Read this first even, if you decide to send the files to a PC outside your network) Step 1: To begin this tutorial first you will need a FTP Server setup on your computer. We recommend using Filezilla Server because its freeware and fairly easy to use. You can download the server directly from the web address below: (copy and paste it into your web browser) downloads.sourceforge.net/filezilla/filezilla_server-0_9_40.exe Step 2: Once the file is downloaded browse to it on your computer and double click the file to open it. You will be taken through a couple steps to install. When you get to the screen below make sure your settings match the screenshot. The port number is not crucial at this time so please leave it at the default 14147.
Step 3: Once the install is finished you will be presented with a window titled Connect To Server. This window will have an IP address of 127.0.0.1 and the port 14147. Now we must choose an administrator password for the server. This can be anything you decide. For our tutorial we will set the password at test123.click the OKbutton to confirm settings and to open the program. Step 4: Now that the program is open you will be viewing the main screen of the FileZilla Server. First, we must establish a username and password. To begin we will need to click the Edit button at the top of the FileZilla window, then click on Users. This will bring up a new window. Step 5: Now that we are viewing the Users window click the Add button on the right hand side of the window, this will bring up another window where you can type in the name of a user. Type in a username that you prefer, for our tutorial we are going to set the username as "dvr". Once you have a username click the OK button.
Step 6: Now that we have our username we will need to establish a password for our ftp account. Click in the check box next to the password field to enable it, thentype in a password you prefer. For our tutorial we are using the same password as we did when we logged into the FileZilla server, test123. Step 7: Next, we will need to establish a shared folder for our DVR to write to. To begin, click the Shared Folders option on the left side of the window. Then click the Add button, this will bring up a
window allowing you to select which folder the recordings will download to. After you have selected a folder, click OK. Now that we are back at the Shared Folders window we will need to check the box labeled Write under the Files section, then let's be sure to check the box labeled Create under the Directories section. If these two box's are not checked the DVR will not be allowed to write to your PC. After that is complete click the OK button to save Step 8: Now that we have our FTP Server setup. Let's go to the DVR and open up the on screen menu by right clicking. Then click on Main Menu at the bottom. Once you are at the main menu click the Settings icon in the upper right of the window. This will bring up another window, now open up the Network Settings by clicking the Network icon in the upper right. Now that we are viewing the Network
settings you will notice a scrollbar at the bottom of the window. Scroll to the very bottom and there will be the FTP option. Step 9: We will need to retrieve our computers IP that we want the recordings to download on. First, open your start menu by clicking the icon in the lower left. If you are using windows vista or above you should be presented with a "start search" area. This is where we will need to type cmd, then press enter.
Step 10: Now that the command window is open type in ipconfig then press enter. This will display information about your computers IP address. There is only one area we will need to
focus on and it is labeled IPv4 Address. To the right of this is your computers IP address you will need to write down. As you can see in our example below our computers IP is 10.0.0.5. Step 11: Now that we have the FTP option in sight, double click on it to pull up the FTP settings. Let's begin by first inserting the local IP address of the current computer you wish to transfer recordings to. In our example our IP is 10.0.0.5 so we will insert it into the field labeled Server IP. The port for FTP is defaulted to 21 on both the server and DVR so we will leave that at 21. After you have your IP and port inserted, type your username and password we setup under the users section in the FTP server. Our username was set to dvr and our password will be set at test123. Next, we will need to set the Remote Directory to the main drive letter your save folder is on. For example, our save path is C:\Users\Desktop\FTP, therefore our Remote Directory would be C. After typing in your drive letter into the Remote Directory field you will notice the option to the right that says File Length. File Length needs to be set to the size of files you want your recordings saved as. For example: If you set your File Length to 100, you will be recording several 100 Megabyte files to your computer. For our tutorial we will set it at 100.
Step 12: Now that we have the top part of the FTP options set, let's focus on the bottom area. First begin by selecting which channel you want to record from the dropdown box. We have selected Channel 4 to record. Next select either one day of the week to record or select Allto record everyday of the week. Directly under weekday you can set a Time Period to record if preferred. The default settings will record 24 hours a day. Once your options are set be sure and click in the box under General, Motion, or Alarm (depending on what you want)next to the two Time Period slots, this will allow recording for those time periods. As you can see in our examples below we are recording on channel 4, on Tuesday for 24 Hours for general recording. Step 13: Next we will need to test the connection to make sure it can communicate with our server we set up previously. To do so, make sure your server is open on your computer then click the Test button at the bottom of the page on your DVR screen. If everything went through correctly you will get a popup message on your DVR that says "FTP Test Connect OK". If it doesn't through, go back and make sure all your FTP settings are correct on the DVR, especially the IP Address. If it did connect you will notice your server window on your PC has a log of the user that connected, when it logged on, and when it disconnected.
Step 14: Now that we have a successful connection between our DVR and PC click the OK button at the bottom of the FTP window on the DVR to save the settings. Now that we are back at the network options window check the box next to FTP, then click Save. Your DVR should now be recording directly to the folder you've selected on your computer. Next, locate the folder you selected to download into (inside the folder you chose will be a folder with your IP, then a folder with the date of your recording). All these files will be in the DVR s native DAV file format so please ensure that you use the file player to play the files. Note: To turn off the FTP go back into Main Menu-Settings-Network-Scroll to the bottom and Uncheck FTP, then click Save. Sending Video Recordings to a PC outside of your local network Introduction:This guide is similar to the one above but instead shows you how to send the video recordings to a PC that is not on the same network as where your DVR is at.
Step 1: First let's begin by opening the Filezilla server that we have setup previously. Once you have logged in, the Filezilla server you will be presented with the main screen. Now we must retrieve our IP for the network our computer is connected to. To do so we suggest going to http://www.ipchicken.com - This site will display the IP of your current network, write it down as you will need it later in this tutorial. Our current IP came to 74.234.172.248. Step 2: Retrieve your current local computers IP by following steps 9 and 10 from the tutorial above. Our current computers IP is 10.0.0.5. Step 3: Now that we have our networks IP along with our remote location computers IP we will need to forward port 21 to our computers IP address. Every router and network is different, therefore you will need to go into your router settings and forward the port there, if you are not sure on how to forward a port please consult your routers manual or customer service for assistance. Chances are, you already know how to do this when you completed the internet guide. Make sure you input your IP address along with port 21 as the forwarding port. Once complete save your changes. Step 5: Now that we have a port forwarded to our computer we will need to input the network IP address into our DVR FTP settings. To access the network settings screen right click on the main screen of the DVR, select Main Menu at the bottom, then click the Settings icon. You will then be presented with a few options. The one we need to focus on is the network icon in the upper right. Click that to bring you into the network settings for the DVR.
Step 6: Once located inside the Network Settings we will need to scroll to the bottom where is says FTP Record FTP:xx.x.x.x, double click that to open up the FTP settings for your DVR. Step 7: Now that we are viewing our FTP settings we will need to insert our network IP we retrieved earlier from ipchicken.com. This IP address will go into the field labeled Server IP. Insert that into the Server IP field, once complete make sure the Port is set at 21. Next make sure your username and password are correct. If you have not setup a username and password along with a remote directory please refer to steps 4 through 7 on the top guide.
Step 8: Now that we have our server open, our port to our remote location computer forwarded, and our networks IP set in our DVR, it is time to test it out. To test your work click the Test button located at the bottom of the FTP settings page. If everything went smoothly you will receive a message saying FTP Test Connect Okay. Now if you pull up your FileZilla Server you will notice there will be message lines giving you information about your logon to your server. Since this was just a test to see if it would connect, let's make sure we can download a test video to our computer. Make sure your Channel, Weekday, and Time Periods are correct then click the OK button at the bottom of the screen. You will be brought back to the network options. From here we need to check the box next to FTP, once that is complete click the Save button in the lower right. This should begin transferring video directly to the directory you set on your computer.
Step 9: Browse to the directory you chose and your files will be located there. Generally the video files themselves are a few folders deep, one with your DVR's IP, a date, and sometimes located within another folder. Enjoy your remote FTP recording!