3 questions about post installation configuration from a novice

[bosun]

I have an x86 Core i5 box with 16GB RAM running a headless Ubuntu Server 22.04 LTS fully updated and Zoneminder 1.36.33. I am successfully streaming a Raspberry Pi 4B with a v2.1 camera via RTPS, at 1920x1080px and 30fps into Zoneminder. Beyond that I am a little lost.

The excellent detailed comprehensive official documentation is an superb resource for anyone with previous knowledge and skill of video streaming IP camera servers and the Dummies Guide wiki provides some clues about how to get started. As a novice I have experience of installing and configuring MotioneyeOS to record garden wildlife with 5 cameras using a frame change threshold of 1.5% for motion detection and movies preserved for either 1 day or one week on a server. The jump to the structure and complexity of Zoneminder for me is very great and I am failing to understand the basics of how configure the system beyond the defaults once a camera is streaming successfully into Zoneminder. I just want to record motion and for all videos to be deleted after a set time.

3 questions:

1) Could anyone recommend a simple guide or article which I can follow, something where the author explains how they have setup a simple system beyond the defaults post-installation - but without describing all the many many dozens of options available?

2) In the introduction to the Filtering Events page https://zoneminder.readthedocs.io/en/st ... vents.html one is provided with the exciting example of "Delete events that are more than 10 days old". I have tried to follow this page many times to automatically delete all videos once they are 24 hours, the only clue I have found is in the FAQ which outlines how to Purge By Age - uploaded my image of this see below - would this be expected to work? I imagine that deleting videos automatically after a set time period is a very common process. I apologise if I am missing something completely obvious!

3) The camera is set in General to Modetect, which I think just records when the image shows motion, and in Storage to Save JPEGS = Disabled' and 'Video Writer = Camera Passthrough'. But it only seems to record in (mostly) 9 second bursts! How can I record a video of all the movement until the movement stops?

Thank you for reading this far!

[Andyrh]

1) Not that I am aware of.
2) My delete by age files is using the start time and less than or equal. Start or end time should have nearly the same results. I am not sure, but less than may require the event to 2 days old. Less than 1 day, but not equal.
3) Each monitor has a buffers tab. On that tab you can adjust the pre and post event frame count. It should be set to the FPS * desired seconds. Most of mine are set to 2 seconds. 10 FPS * 2 seconds = 20.

[bosun]

Thank you so much for replying.
1) Such is life - it has not put me off trying to get Zoneminder to work.
2) I have amended my Delete-By-Age filter.
3) I understand what a buffer is but I do not understand how the buffer setting effects the ability to record movement for only 9 seconds. For example: When a fox wanders around my patio I want it to record the whole time, if it is there for 5 seconds I would like it to record for 5 seconds, if it is there for 2 minutes I would like it to record for 2 minutes. How do I change these values to make this happen? How do users know what to change them too?

Here are my Buffer tab settings:

Code: Select all

Image Buffer Size (frames) (?)	= 3
Maximum Image Buffer Size (frames) (?) = 0
Warmup Frames = 0
Pre Event Image Count = 5
Post Event Image Count = 5
Stream Replay Image Buffer = 0
Alarm Frame Count = 1
Estimated Ram Use	Min: 63.25MB Max: Unlimited

All suggestions gratefully received.

[Andyrh]

The pre and post frame count are where you start. If that does not do the job then the blend rate is next. Mine are mostly set for indoors. The blend speed helps to keep slow moving objects "Moving".
Object size may need adjusted. I use pixels for better control. Make a zone the size of the object you want to catch moving. The zone properties will show a pixel count, that is my starting point for object size. Don't forget to trash the reference zone.

Post if that does not get you to where you want to be.

[bosun]

The pre and post frame count are where you start. If that does not do the job then the blend rate is next. Mine are mostly set for indoors. The blend speed helps to keep slow moving objects "Moving".
Object size may need adjusted. I use pixels for better control. Make a zone the size of the object you want to catch moving. The zone properties will show a pixel count, that is my starting point for object size. Don't forget to trash the reference zone.

Post if that does not get you to where you want to be.

Thank you so much, you have been a great help. I will give all this a try.