Burn Timestamp into Video

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dmprox
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Joined: Sun Nov 08, 2020 5:27 pm

Burn Timestamp into Video

Post by dmprox »

Is there a setting to burn the Blue Iris Timestamp Overlay to the video so that when I export video clips the timestamp is burned in?

Thanks.
Matts1984
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Location: Maryland, USA

Re: Burn Timestamp into Video

Post by Matts1984 »

So in my experience, the easiest (and you could say the most 'official' for evidence purposes) way is to set an overlay in the camera config itself. Of course your camera time needs to be accurate though which if it has NTP, it should be.

In the 'Camera' properties > Video... you can configure Overlays. In the past I THINK this affected Direct to Disk recording and thus much higher CPU utilization but I do not believe that to still be the case. Because of this though, I currently do the overlays at my cameras anyway.
Blue Iris 5.8.8.x | Server 2022 VM | Xeon X5650 @ 2.67GHz - 12 Cores | 12GB RAM | 7TB RAID | Sophos UTM WAF | 4x SV3C 5MP Bullet A | 1x SV3C 5MP PTZ HX | 1x SV3C 5MP Bullet HX | 1x SV3C 5MP Dome HX | 2x Amcrest 5MP Bullet
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LyndMc
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Re: Burn Timestamp into Video

Post by LyndMc »

I agree with Matts1984, I've found that the timestamp in BI is only for your screen. My Amcrest cameras have overlays built into them that will burn it in. I read on some forums that people disable the overlays in the camera to cut down on wireless network traffic, personally I didn't see any difference, and my network tends to be sketchy, especially on one camera with a 45% signal. I just like the BI overlay because I can reposition it, size it, and configure it.
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terk
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Re: Burn Timestamp into Video

Post by terk »

Blue Iris can overlay the time or other info into the recording but it requires direct-to-disk to be turned off which in turn raises the Blue Iris CPU load significantly. Doing it at the camera level as the others have said is the best method if the camera supports it.
MikeBwca
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Re: Burn Timestamp into Video

Post by MikeBwca »

Needing to Encode to record Overlays is not longer true. BI was modified a while back in regards to Overlays, I think around 5.2.8.1.

BI now includes overlays with Direct-to-disc (d2d). The overlay is separate from the video, but stored in the bvr file as Metadata. When the d2d is played back, the overlay will also be displayed, if it was enabled when recorded. This is an option that can be toggled during playback.

When exported, the overlay will be exported if 'Re-encode' is checked AND 'Add/text/graphic overlays from direct-to-disc BVR' is also checked - regardless if the option to display overlays during playback is enabled/disabled.
HeneryH
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Re: Burn Timestamp into Video

Post by HeneryH »

I know that with newer versions of BI5 we get the benefit of overlays on playback even if we use D2D. Ken saves the overlay data in a database of some sort and regenerates them on playback.

This enhancement single-handedly makes the use of D2D almost the only option ever needed.

Now, I hate to be THAT guy on the internet who questions the OP's initial request but.....

Can I ask why it needs to be burned into the disk recording if it can be regenerated on playback (and I am hoping on export)?
Matts1984
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Re: Burn Timestamp into Video

Post by Matts1984 »

My only thought is it could be a tampering type thing and is there any concern of relying on metadata that is readded later vs the image burned on the original. I'm not a lawyer by any means but have some history of computer forensics and being able to preserve and validate the integrity of the data can be important. Of course there is the assumption that the timestamps on the cameras is accurate BUT at least you can verify that it isn't changed after the fact.

This could all be way overblown for home environments and probably honestly for most installations at all.... but so is my entire home setup.
Blue Iris 5.8.8.x | Server 2022 VM | Xeon X5650 @ 2.67GHz - 12 Cores | 12GB RAM | 7TB RAID | Sophos UTM WAF | 4x SV3C 5MP Bullet A | 1x SV3C 5MP PTZ HX | 1x SV3C 5MP Bullet HX | 1x SV3C 5MP Dome HX | 2x Amcrest 5MP Bullet
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terk
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Re: Burn Timestamp into Video

Post by terk »

MikeBwca wrote: Tue Nov 10, 2020 9:22 am Needing to Encode to record Overlays is not longer true. BI was modified a while back in regards to Overlays, I think around 5.2.8.1.

BI now includes overlays with Direct-to-disc (d2d). The overlay is separate from the video, but stored in the bvr file as Metadata. When the d2d is played back, the overlay will also be displayed, if it was enabled when recorded. This is an option that can be toggled during playback.

When exported, the overlay will be exported if 'Re-encode' is checked AND 'Add/text/graphic overlays from direct-to-disc BVR' is also checked - regardless if the option to display overlays during playback is enabled/disabled.
Good to know, thanks.
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