Thumbnails on timeline?

[muzicman0]

I am unsure if this is possible, or if I am expecting something that isn't going to happen...I'm also very new (on day 2 of my demo period), but have figured out most things that I need (audio and motion alerts, mobile app, etc).

Is it possible to get thumbnail images on the timeline in the Blue Iris software? At a minimum, maybe when triggers happen?

Here is what it currently looks like:

[YrbkMgr]

Zoom the timeline in. And check the Camera Settings Record tab.

2021-12-23_125140.JPG (64.04 KiB) Viewed 3401 times

[muzicman0]

Thanks. I checked and I am creating jpegs on my 3 camera's, and that option is checked, but still not seeing them. For now I am having them created at a regular intervol.

[YrbkMgr]

The JPEG only shows when you are zoomed all the way in on the timeline.

2021-12-23_203421.JPG (21.31 KiB) Viewed 3386 times

[muzicman0]

I'm clearly doing something wrong! I have one of my cameras to 'record' jpegs when triggered. This is working, because I see the jpeg in the configured folder, but even when I zoom in, it doesn't show on the timeline. It's not a huge deal. So I will let it go. I am having a bigger issue with the Android app that may cause this solution to not work for me (I submitted a support request from the app on that).

[YrbkMgr]

Do you have Deepstack AI enabled? That's where those icons come from.

[muzicman0]

no, I don't, although, it appears that alerts are now showing up on the time line, just not triggers. I currently have it set up to trigger on some cameras, but they don't actually send an alert. One camera is set up to send alerts if audio is detected (dogs barking), and I did get jpegs from that.

[YrbkMgr]

Here's my best advice. Baby steps - BI is exceptionally flexible for a plethora of surveillance needs. That means it's complicated - it's like trying to use Photoshop only not as well documented. Since you're new, like less than a month with the program, regardless of your experience, I would recommend you spend some time looking at the Onboarding materials in this forum and the Blue Iris Support YouTube videos.

It takes a long time for most to get their arms around all of the settings and program options. If you open the help file (blueiris.pdf) in any free reader (not Sumatra), you can do a comprehensive search for terms that can lead to better understanding of various features. I've been using BI since v3, circa 2013. I approached it from the perspective of mission critical functions - Must have vs. Like to have kind of mentality. Still, there are lots that I can't get my arms around - I'm telling you this to manage expectations about plug n play. I'm a digital image editing expert with Photoshop and like I said, BI is complicated like that program.

Since so many functions are dependent on other settings, when someone posts an issue, a lot of assumptions come into play that can lead to confusion. Please know that help is here, but you gotta get yer chops first, so to speak.

[muzicman0]

Thanks, I really appreciate that. I run a support department for a Video Wall software company, so I do understand the basics, but I agree with everything you said. So far, all the "must haves" are there, except the stability of the mobile app. With only 15 days to experiment (which is fine), I have to figure this out quickly. I am currently using my NAS, and it works, but now that I need to add a 3rd camera, I can either but Blue Iris, or get another license for the Synology, and the price is about the same. I would prefer to go with the Blue Iris for obvious reasons, but I just need to determine quickly if it will meet my needs.

Also, I can't seem to get this forum to email me with notifications!!!

[YrbkMgr]

Yeah... the forum needs some administrative attention - no one gets notifications. The forum is relatively new, like circa 2019 so, it's a work in progress as they say. I'm just another Joe like you and use the forum to learn more and help where I can.

Since you clearly have your chops, I'll share my opinion but qualify it with the following. I use BI for my house, don't use the app, and haven't used other surveillance software. I have alerts texted to my phone and my phone is linked with my Galaxy watch. I can look at my watch from anywhere and assess urgency without opening my phone - If I need to see what's happened or happening, I use the UI3 browser interface on any PC. I only need to know if I need to get to a PC - that's my chosen review strategy so a phone app only ties me to the phone and is not ideal for what I would want to know. So for me, the app makes me have to look at my phone instead of my watch - that's my rationale for not spending money on the app.

But from a philosophical perspective, if you are feeling time pressure to evaluate whether or not BI will fit your needs, consider this: if you purchased it, your worst case scenario is being out the price of BI and the app - a not so painful level of buyers remorse. That said, based on my experience, there's little that BI can't do (until one gets beyond small/medium business applications) - it's just not always straightforward on how. BI software was written camera-centric instead of function-centric, and the help file is organized pretty much the same. So the learning curve is... well, you get it.

If I might... as a devil's advocate, why are you considering BI in the first place? Limitations with Synology that you're hoping BI will remedy? The answer to that will help you ask the questions you need to ask so as to assess BI's suitability for you. But in my view, taking it for a test drive for anything beyond camera set up and triggers and notifications, won't be easy.

Here's my general attitude about BI's approach to surveillance - it's more like OpenWRT or DD-WRT for your router instead of stock firmware. More features available to the user. I don't invest my time in DD-WRT, e.g., and use stock firmware on my router. But since surveillance needs are highly specific, I like being able to customize it. I like that it's a small company who has a profit motive but is run by someone who takes user feedback for feature requests and actually implements them if you make your case. My last three suggestions were met with "hey that's a good idea. I'll put it in the next release". He likes polishing it - So there's that.

For me, BI intelligently manages clips and archiving so storage is basically limitless, has smokin' motion detection, AI integration, and users have several review strategies that are quite competent. But it's like Photoshop - learn what sh*t is called and where to find solutions.

If you were my buddy with the same job, I'd tell you that it's hard to lose with BI unless you're super corporate or don't have time to figure things out - hard to lose in my opinion. But know that you WILL need time to figure things out. But BI's been around and there's good help to be found.

A final thought - if you need an extension beyond the trial period, you can ask. Just be specific on what you need to evaluate that requires more time.

The MOST IMPORTANT thing to bear in mind is what I tell my friends when I give my opinion "I ain't sayin' I'm right, I'm just sayin' that's how I see it."

I hope some of this has been helpful.
(You ask me what time it is and I tell you how to build a watch - sorry)