This guide shows how to set a Zosi DVR or NVR to record motion detection or on continuous mode and how to playback the recordings as well. The same instructions are the same across any Zosi DVR, regular NVR, PoE NVR or Wireless NVR.
These instructions work for the following Zosi models:
- 4-Channel Zosi DVRs / POE NVRs / Wireless NVRs: ZR04ZN; ZR04ZM; ZR04FN; ZR04FM; ZR04CN; ZR04CM; ZR04JS; ZR04TS; ZR04TN; ZR04RN; ZR04RM; ZR04EN; ZR04EM; ZR04DS; ZR04MS.
- 8-Channel Zosi DVRs / POE NVRs / Wireless NVRs: ZR08ZN; ZR08ZM; ZR08FN; ZR08FM; ZR08BN; ZR08BM; ZR08CN; ZR08CM; ZR08KS; ZR08TN; ZR08RN; ZR08RM; ZR08EN; ZR08EM; ZR08DS; ZR08DP; ZR08MS.
- 16-Channel Zosi DVRs: ZR16ZK; ZR16JK; ZR16BK; ZR16CK.
How to set motion recording on a Zosi DVR or NVR
Install and Format the hard drive
First of all, make sure you have installed an internal hard drive inside your DVR/NVR. You must use a surveillance hard drive for your security system. The max hard drive size supported by Zosi DVRs is 6TB.
Also, keep in mind that these recorders can’t support the external hard drive to record, and without a hard drive, it cannot record and playback.
Go to the DVR’s Main Menu > Disk Management to format the hard drive.
Tick the hard disk’s ID, then click “Format” to format the hard drive. After formatting,click “Apply” to save the settings.
How to set continuous recording on a Zosi DVR or NVR
If you want the system system to record 24/7 (continuous mode), you need to set up the record manually. Go to DVR’s Main Menu > Setup > Record to enable the channels you want to record. Then click “Apply” to save the settings.
Return to the main menu, you will find the “Start Record” / “Stop Record” button. Select “Start Record“.
After that, you will find a green icon on the channels you selected to record, the system will record all the time.
Record on certain schedule (Schedule Record Mode)
If you want to turn off manual recording, and set the timer for Schedule, you can follow up the below steps to set up. The idea is that you can set the security system to record only on certain time frames that you’re interested in.
Go to DVR’s menu, click “Stop Record“.
Then to DVR’s Main Menu > Setup > Schedule to set up schedule recording.
Select the channel you want to set up schedule recording. Set time period: please click the edit button on the upper right corner, then select the corresponding time to click the grid, you will find the grid is covered with blue. The time that is covered by blue is the time of video recording. The erase icon is to erase the area.
If you want to use the same settings for other channels, select the channel, then click “Copy“. After finishing, please click “Apply” to save the settings.
Or you can move the mouse arrow to the grid area, then double click the left button on the mouse, you will find the schedule, you can add the time period manually.
After that, you will find a blue icon on the channel when it starts recording.
How to set motion detection recording on a Zosi DVR or NVR
If you want to turn off manual recording, and leave the DVR to record only when it detects motion, you can follow up the below steps to the motion recording.
Go to DVR’s menu, click “Stop Record“.
Then go to DVR’s Main Menu > Setup > Alarm > Motion Detection to enable the channel you want to set up motion detection, and edit the area for the channel.
Tick the enable box to enable the motion detection mode.
Go to DVR’s Main Menu > Setup > Alarm > Motion > Trigger > To record and check whether you enabled the record.
Navigate again to DVR’s Main Menu > Setup > Schedule > Motion to check if all channels were
covered with blue. If yes, then there’s no need to change anything. So, selected boxes are marked light blue, which indicates that the DVR will only be recording if motion is detected during the times indicated.
- Channel List: Select the channel you wish you schedule from the drop down list.
- Scheduling Grid: Each box on the grid represents one hour, from left to right, starting at 12AM – 1AM, and ending at 11PM-12AM. Double click on a one hour block to set the schedule for that day. Light blue boxes, as pictured, indicate that the DVR will be recording during that time.
- Copy Button: Copy the settings for one channel to other channels. Select the channels you will copy the settings to by using the “Apply Settings To:” drop down menu. Once you select the channel you will copy the settings to, select the “Copy” button.
- Quick Add/Quick Remove: Located in the top right corner, these buttons are used to quickly add or remove one hour boxes from the Scheduling Box.
You will find a yellow icon and a red man figure on the channel that you set up to motion detection record. If you see those icons, the motion detection is enabled and the machine is recording in motion detection mode.
How to playback on a Zosi DVR or NVR
You can click “Playback” to playback the recording files directly, but you can’t select the specific timeframe that you want to playback.
To playback the exact timeframe you’re interested in: go to DVR’s Main Menu > Search > Time Search to select the specific time frame to playback the recording.
The playback icons explained:
- Icon 1 is to select the channel you want to playback.
- Icon 2 is to select multiple channels to playback at the same time. But four channels is the maximum.
- Icon 3 is to play the recording files.
