Blue Iris Configuration Notes

General Notes

When adding cameras…

…always use direct-to-disk recording if possible

…always include a sub-stream with the main stream if possible. When a substream is included, the console and web accesswill show the substream instead of the main stream, greatly reducing the processing power needed.

Each Blue Iris installation has a limit of 64 cameras. That said, processing power may limit it more.

Very rarely I have seen a BI system disarm itelf. When this happens, all recording stops until it is rearmed manually. In the configuration below, I have now included email notifications when this happens.

Camera Setup

(Via it’s own configuration method, usually web-based.)

• Frame Rate (FPS)
  • Main Stream: No more than 15. Key Frame/iFrame should match as closely as possible.
  • Substream: No more than 8. Key Frame/iFrame should match as closely as possible.
  • Status > Cameras: FPS/Key and Sub FPS/Key; Key should be as close to 1.00 as possible. Below .50 or above (1.50?) will result in , the yellow caution symbol will be displayed in the camera’s window header. If the actual frame rate dips below 15% of the max frame rate, the yellow caution symbol will be displayed in the camera’s window header.

Blue Iris System Setup

About

• Add License Key and activate
• Check Register IP address to assist…
• Export settings when finished configuring

Storage

• Set Database path to non-Windows-system drive (contents will be moved automatically
• Set Comp[act/repair DB settings
• Folder
  • New
    • Follow Database path
    • Limit size: 10GB
    • Limit clip age: 7 days
    • Move to Folder: Stored
  • Stored
    • Follow Database path
      • Limit size: use majority of available space
      • Limit clip age: optional
      • Delete
    • Alerts
      • Limit size: 1GB
      • Limit age: Optional
      • Delete

Users

• Add/Edit console/web access administrators/users

Web server

• Check Enable the HTTP web server on port: 80 (this is the standard http port, but any port number not otherwise in use can be used.
• Add Local, internal (LAN) access IP (If web access/smartphone app will be used)
• Add Remote, external (WAN/Internet) access IP (If external web access/smartphone app will be used)
• Check Refresh external IP at startup…
• Check Use an HTTPS port (Stunnel/NGROK) (If Stunnel is going to be used to enable SSL/https access)
• Check Log change as error
• Check HTTPS LAN also (If Stunnel is goionig to be used to enable SSL/https access)
• Remote access Wizard… can be run to assist setting up web access/smartphone app

Startup

• Check Run as a Windows service…
  • Set service login user
• Check Always run as Windows Admin…
• Check Prevent the Windows screensaver while Blue…
• Check Prevent power management from…
• Check Prompt before exiting when not running as a service
• Check Delay a green shield by displaying a yellow shield for: 0.5 min.

Other

• Leave all checked except
  • Disable recording
  • Disable alerts
  • Disable triggers
• Check Log shield state changes

Profiles, Keyboard shortcuts, Macros, Audio, Cameras, AI

No changes

Schedule

• Check Enable
• Action sets
  • On red shield
    • Add email notification
      • Description: System Disarmed
      • Uncheck Motion zones
      • Choose SMTP server profile
      • Add recipient(s)
      • Subject: Blue Iris: systemname System Disarmed
      • Body: Active Profile Number: &PROFILE
      • Server: &SERVER
      • Uncheck everything else
• On green shield
  • Add email notification
    • Description: System Armed
    • Uncheck Motion zones
    • Choose SMTP server profile
    • Add recipient(s)
      • Subject: Blue Iris: systemname System Armed
      • Body: Active Profile Number: &PROFILE
        Server: &SERVER
    • Uncheck everything else

Email servers

• Add and configure new email relay server (e.g. mail.smtp2go.com)

FTP server

No changes

Mobile devices

• Install smartphone app and login

Digital IO and IoT, Joystick

No changes

Camera Setup

General

• Add Name and Short Name
• Add groups if desired. Each camera can be in multiple groups. (e.g. Internal, External, West Bldg, East Bldg) These groups are visible to admin and end users when viewing cameras.

Video

• Select Network IP > Configure
  • Enter IP of camera and http:// or https://
  • Enter User and password
  • Find/Inspect can be used to let Blue Iris try to find the best settings. Usually, trial and error with different models are needed to avoid simple ONVIF connection
  • Uncheck Get ONVIF trigger events usless using ONVIF protocol to connect to camera
• Overlays can be added

Audio

No changes

Trigger

• Check Motion sensor > configure
  • Choose sensitivity
    • CHS:
      • Min. obj. size: 100
      • Min. contrast: 20
      • Min. duration: 0.5
      • Object Detection
        • Object travels: 20 pixels on sub-stream
        • Object size exceeds: 67.0%
      • Use zones and hot spot
        • Deselect areas in the image that shouldn’t trigger the camera. (e.g. roads)

Record

• Check Video
  • When triggered
  • Folder: New
    • Pre-trigger record time: 5.0 sec
    • Uncheck Combine or cut video each
    • Video File format and compression…
      • Select BVR (Blue Iris DVR…)
      • Select Direct -to-disk (H.264/5 IP or…)
      • Check Record Dual-streams if available

Alerts, Post, Webcast, Schedule, PTZ/Control, Watchdog

No changes

Blue Iris Status Window

Log

• Check Save to file
• Browse to Database location and add log folder
• Status alerts…
  • Check Errors
  • News items
  • Software restarts
  • Software updates

Cameras, Connections

No changes

Storage

• Verify all is blue and green with no overallocation

AI, Remote

No changes