ADENAcademy · Basics · Lesson 6 of 10

Configuring recording settings on AREC Media Stations

In this lesson we go through the recording settings of AREC Media Stations.

Recording settings for AREC Media Stations

Recording modes and compression profiles

All recording settings can be changed in the “Administrator” web page → “Video” → “Recording”. All current models of AREC Media Stations support three different recording modes that can be selected at the very top of the page, under "Recording mode":

Record mixed video and each video channel as separate video files ("MP4 Mixed video/ Original source")
Record mixed video only ("MP4 Mixed video")
No recording ("OFF")

"Mixed video" is the program output of AREC Media Stations. It is a mix of video layouts, graphic and textual overlays, background images, and all connected and used audio sources.

"Original source recordings" are individual recordings of video channels. Each channel is recorded into a separate video file that contains only the video of a connected video source with a mix of all connected and used audio sources.

While "Recording mode" defines which files will be recorded, "Video compression" defines the resolution, bitrate, and other video parameters. There are 6 predefined profiles (ranging from "Mobile SD" to "Full HD") and 1 customisable profile ("User defined"). Click on the drop-down list under "Video compression" to choose the profile you need. Key profile parameters are listed to the right of "Video compression".

Setting up a custom profile

The "User defined" profile allows customisation. To customise it, select it in the list under "Video compression", then click the ellipsis (...) button that appears on the right.

Configuring the custom profile

Here is what each parameter controls:

Video coding format: video compression standard used for the recording. On the latest AREC Media Stations (e.g., LS-210, LS-310, LS-410), this allows you to choose between H.264 and HEVC/H.265 video compression standards. HEVC is a newer and more efficient compression method that is able to deliver better video quality at the same bit rate. Selecting HEVC imposes a number of limitations:
- The streaming profile will be fixed to H.264, 720p30, and 2 Mbps bitrate.
- Individual channel preview in the Administrator and Online Director web pages is replaced with mixed video.
Resolution: the number of pixels in each frame. Higher resolution offers better quality, but uses more resources and space. The maximum resolution possible on the latest AREC Media Stations is 3840x2160 (4K). Selecting 4K imposes a number of limitations:
- The station can support only two video channels.
- The station can record only the mixed video.
- "Display 1" video output is set to 2160p30.
- "Display 2" and "DP" video outputs' resolution becomes 1080p20.
- Streaming profile becomes the same as recording profile.
- Individual channel preview in the Administrator and Online Director web pages is replaced with mixed video.
Selecting 1080p50/60 imposes two limitations:
- The station can record only the mixed video.
- Individual channel preview in the Administrator and Online Director web pages is replaced with mixed video.
Average bitrate: the average amount of video data per second of a video. Higher bitrates can lead to higher quality video, but also increase file size.
FPS: the number of frames per second of a video. In the latest AREC Media Stations, selecting 60 or 50 FPS restricts recording to mixed video only.
GOP or Key-Frame Interval: the distance in frames between keyframes. Lowering it increases file size and bitrate use, but makes video smoother, especially if there is a lot of motion. Higher values lower image quality and can make videos more jittery, but lessen bitrate and space use.
H.264 profile (if H.264 coding is selected): this defines the set of capabilities, techniques, and algorithms in H.264 coding. The most common profile is "High", and it is supported by the majority of devices. Other profiles can be selected for compatibility with older devices, but they are less efficient, and so they will lower image quality and increase file size.
Audio bitrate: the average amount of audio data per second of a video. Higher bitrates can lead to higher quality audio, but also increase file size.
Audio sample rate: this determines the highest frequency that can be captured. Generally speaking, higher audio sample rate increases audio quality. On the latest AREC Media Stations, this is set to 48kHz, while on previous models (e.g. LS-2, LS-200, LS-300) it is set to 44.1kHz.

Front USB recording

Front USB recording on the latest models

There are a few more settings available on this page. In the latest AREC Media Stations, there is a “Record to USB” drop-down menu. There are three modes available:

Record to USB: recording will be saved only on a USB drive connected to the front panel of the Media Station. It will not be saved on the primary storage.
Copy to USB: recording will be copied to a USB drive connected to the front panel of the Media Station. It will be saved on the primary storage.
OFF: the function is not used.

On the current AREC Media Stations (e.g. LS-210, LS-310, and LS-410), “Record to USB” function works specifically on the USB port that is below the “Overlay” button. Only FAT32, NTFS, exFAT, ext3, and ext4 file system drives are compatible.

There is also a “loop recording” setting. Enabling it allows the Media Station to erase the oldest recorded video(s) to make space for new video recordings. This can be used to automate space management on a Media Station.

Front USB recording on previous models

On the TI-series models (e.g. LS-110, LS-200, KL-3T), instead of “Record to USB” there is “Front USB storage”. This option works similarly to “Copy to USB”. When it is enabled, the Media Station saves recorded files both on the primary storage and on a connected USB drive. Only FAT32 and NTFS file systems are supported, and USB 3.0 and higher drives are recommended. The USB drive must be connected to the front USB port for this function to work on the TI-series models.

The TI-series models also feature the “Loop recording” setting that we described above. It functions the same way on all AREC Media Stations.

Other recording settings

There are 3 more settings available for the latest and TI-series models:

“Add automatically” under “Bookmark settings”: when this is enabled, the station will automatically create a bookmark and take a snapshot when it is recording and the video layout is changed.
“Prefix setting” under “Recording file name setting”: this adds a video title prefix for all recordings that are made on the station.
“Audio shift” under “Audio settings”: this parameter determines the delay of audio relative to video in microseconds. Basically, this means how many microseconds must pass after video is displayed for audio to come. Use this setting to synchronise your audio and video sources and achieve lip sync. Average latency of standard network cameras when connected by RTSP is around 100 to 150ms, and thus the default value of audio shift is 100ms.

That concludes the lesson. You can now test your knowledge and understanding by answering the questions on the lesson's form and watching the linked videos before moving on to the next lesson.

After you submit your answers on the form, make sure to click "View Scores" to see whether you answered correctly. You will also receive an email at the address you used when starting this lesson, containing your answers and a "View Scores" link.