GE Security VSR-4, VSR-4-600, VSR-4-300 User Manual

GE

Security

VSR-4

User Manual

Copyright Copyright © 2005, GE Security Inc. All rights reserved.

This document may not be copied in whole or in part, or otherwise reproduced except as
specifically permitted under US copyright law, without the prior written consent from GE.

Document number/revision: 0150-0304A.

Disclaimer The information in this document is subject to change without notice. GE, in keeping pace with

Trademarks and patents GE and the GE monogram are registered trademarks of General Electric.

Software license agreement GE software supplied with GE products is proprietary and furnished under license and can be

Intended use Use this product only for the purpose for which it was designed; refer to the data sheet and user

technological advances, is a company of product innovation. Therefore, it is difficult to ensure
that all information provided is entirely accurate and up-to-date. GE accepts no responsibility
for inaccuracies or omissions and specifically disclaims any liabilities, losses, or risks, personal
or otherwise, incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use or application of any
of the contents of this document .

This publication may contain examples of screen captures and reports used in daily operations.
Examples may include fictitious names of individuals and companies. Any similarity to names
and addresses of actual businesses or persons is entirely coincidental.

The VSR- 4 product and logo are registered trademarks of GE Security.

Other trade names used in this document may be trademarks or registered trademarks of the
manufacturers or vendors of the respective products.

used or copied only in accordance with the license terms.

THE ENCLOSED PROGRAM IS FURNISHED SUBJECT TO THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS
AGREEMENT. RETENTION OF THE PROGRAM FOR MORE THAN 30 DAYS, OPENING OF THE
SEALED WRAPPER, IF ANY, SURROUNDING THE PROGRAM, OR USE OF THE PROGRAM IN ANY
MANNER WILL BE CONSIDERED ACCEPTANCE OF THE AGREEMENT TERMS. IF THESE TERMS ARE
NOT ACCEPTABLE, RETURN THE UNUSED PROGRAM AND ANY ACCOMPANYING DOCUMENTATION
TO GE FOR A FULL REFUND OF THE LICENSE FEE PAID. (FOR INFORMATION REGARDING THE
RETURN OF PROGRAMS ENCODED OR INCORPORATED WITHIN EQUIPMENT, CONTACT THE
NEAREST GE SALES OFFICE.)

documentation. For the latest product information, contact your GE sales representative or visit
us online at www.gesecurity.com.

FCC compliance This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital device,

Contact Direct all inquiries about GE’s legal policies with regard to this product to:

pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable
protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial
environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if
not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual, may cause harmful
interference to radio communications.

You are cautioned that any changes or modifications not expressly approved by the party
responsible for compliance could void the user's authority to operate the equipment.

Director of Legal Services
GE Security
12345 SW Leveton Drive
Tualatin, OR 97062-9938 USA

Contents

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

VSR-4 Connectors and Indicators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Connection Diagrams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12

Installing and Configuring the VSR-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14

WebServer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

iii

Conventions used in this document. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Safety terms and symbols . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1

Product Description. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Features . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Product Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Installation Environment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Associated Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4

Passwords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Default IP Addresses. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5

Front Panel Controls and Features. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6

Back Panel Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7

I/O Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Ethernet Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8

Power Connector . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Audio Inputs and Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

RS232 Port . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Camera Inputs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Composite Monitor Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

SVHS (Y/C) Monitor Output . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Minimum System Requirements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Installing Video Navigator from CD-ROM. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Starting Video Navigator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Starting VSR Keyboard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

The VSR Keyboard Menu Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Keyboard shortcuts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Making a Serial Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Making an Ethernet Connection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

To access the web interface: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Network Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

Streaming Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Streaming Video Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Streaming settings for UDP unicast or TCP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Streaming Settings for UDP multicast. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

MPEG Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

iv

VSR-4
User Manual

Display Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Password Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Email Configuration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

User Operations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Recording (R). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Playback . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

The Removable Hard Drive . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Removing the Hard Drive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

The Search Interface (F) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Specifying Search Parameters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

The Menu System . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

How to use the Menu system. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Main Menu Setup. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Main Menu / Time/Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Main Menu / Sequencing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

Main Menu / Alarms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Main Menu / Record Timer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Main Menu / Record Settings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Main Menu / Camera Title . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Main Menu / Display Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Main Menu / Advanced Menu. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Main Menu / About. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55

Advanced Menu Setup . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Advanced Menu / Disk Overwrite Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Advanced Menu / Disk Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Advanced Menu / Auto Delete Mode . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

Advanced Menu / Communications. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Advanced Menu / Adjust Picture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Advanced Menu / Front Panel Lock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Advanced Menu / Factory Settings. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Advanced Menu / Change Password. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Upgrading the VSR-4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Follow the steps below to Upgrade the VSR-4:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71

Factory Defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Menu defaults . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

IP addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Streaming defaults. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Technical Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

General. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Video. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74

Audio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .75

On-screen Video Indicators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Part Numbers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Warranty and Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Factory Service. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Warranty and Return Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Contacting technical support . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .78

Online publication library . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78

v

vi

VSR-4
User Manual

Introduction

This is the GE VSR-4 User Manual for models VSR-4-300 and VSR-4-600. This document includes an
overview of the product and detailed instructions explaining:

• how to install and configure; and

• how to connect to other GE IP devices.
There is also information describing how to contact technical support if you have questions or concerns.
To use this document effectively, you should have the following minimum qualifi cations:

• a basic knowledge of CCTV systems and components; and

• a basic knowledge of electrical wiring and low-voltage electrical connections.

1

Read these instructions and all ancillary documentation entirely before

installing or operating this product.

The most current versions of this and related documentation may be found on our website. Refer to Online

publication library on page 78 for instructions on accessing our online publication library.

Note: A qualified service person, complying with all applicable codes, should perform all required hardware installation.

Conventions used in this document

The following conventions are used in this document:

Bold Menu items and buttons.

Italic Emphasis of an instruction or point; special terms.

File names, path names, windows, panes, tabs, fields, variables, and other GUI elements.

Titles of books and various documents.

Monospace Text that displays on the computer screen.

Programming or coding sequences.

Blue italic Hyperlinks to cross-references, related topics, and URL addresses.

Safety terms and symbols

These terms may appear in this manual:

CAUTION

CAUTION

WARNING

Cautions identify conditions or practices that may result in damage to the equipment or other property.

Warnings identify conditions or practices that could result in equipment damage or serious personal injury.

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Overview

Product Description

The VSR-4 is a 4-channel Video Streaming Re corder that introduces “hybrid” recording that works with both
conventional analog cameras (4) and the new family of GE digital cameras (1). This unique platform provides
a graceful migration path to digital recording – the future of video recording.

The VSR-4 allows users to record full-size images at full speed on every channel. Using MPEG-4
compression, the VSR-4 records at 60, 30, 20, 15, 10, and 5 pictures per second and has virtual triplex
functionality for simultaneous viewing, playback, and recording of video.

The VSR-4 has a form factor that’s one-half rack unit wide by 2U h igh , so i t fits easily into a standard 19-inch
rack. Some models of the VSR-4 are equipped with a removable hard drive caddy, which allows for portable
storage or evidence transfer. In addition, the VSR-4 can be easily networked and recorded video viewed
remotely over Ethernet.

CAUTION

CAUTION

Figure 1. VSR-4-300 and VSR-4-600 models

Caution! Please note that the VSR-4 was not designed for, nor is intended to work with multiplexers.

Features

• View live and recorded video from multiple VSR-4’s using Video Navigator software.

• Advanced MPEG4 video compression.

• 4-channel Composite Video Input/Output connection.

• Over 1 week nonstop recording with outstanding picture quality and audio (Base model).

• 3 video quality settings.

• V irtual triplex functionality.

• Records up to 60 pictures per second (NTSC) of real time video or up to 30 frames per second of

interlaced video.

• Multi-level password protection.

• Continuous Recording in Disk Overwrite mode.

• A simple on-screen menu system.

• Remote configuration over TCP/IP or RS232 using VSR Keyboard software.

• Clock synchronization with Network Server.

• Timed recording.

• Dynamic IP addressing (DHCP).

• Support for Dynamic Domain Name Server (DDNS).

• Local search on time, date, and hardwired alarms.

• Alarm Handling with History Log.

• Alarm notification through email notification.

• Programmable Auto Delete Mode.

• Hard Disk monitoring and testing features.

• Removable Hard Drive on some models.

• Video streaming with UDP (User Datagram Protocol) and TCP (Transmi ssion Control Protocol)

support.

3

Product Contents

The VSR-4 system consists of the following:

• The VSR-4 unit.

• Power supply and (2) power cords (US and EU).

• The VSR-4 user manual.

• The Video Navigator Software CD.

• 3 terminating connectors for alarm wiring.
Check the package and contents for visible damage. If any components are missing or damaged, contact the

supplier immediately. Do not attempt to use the unit. If, for any reason they must be returned, the contents
must be shipped in the original packaging.

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Installation Environment

Power: Ensure that the site's AC power is stable and within the rated voltage of the external power

supply. If the site's AC power is likely to have spikes or power dips, use power line conditioning
or an Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS).

Ventilation: Install the unit in a well-ventilated area. Take note of the locations of the cooling vents

in the unit's enclosure, and ensure that they are not obstructed.

Temperature: Observe the unit's ambient temperatu re specifications when choosing a location space.

Extremes of heat or cold beyond the specified operating temperature limits may cause the unit to
fail. Do not install the unit on top of other hot equipment.

Moisture: Do not expose the unit to rain or moisture. Moisture can damage the internal components.

Do not install this unit near sources of water.

Associated Equipment

Associated equipment you might need:

• Analog cameras (4).

•IP Camera.

• Analog monitor to view video.

• Alarm input devices: Pressure sensors, motion detectors, etc.

• Alarm output devices: Buzzers, Sirens, Flashing Lights, etc.

• A PC connected via ethernet cable.

• Microphones (4) with amplification.

• Speakers to hear audio.

• Symnet encoder/decoder to receive or send video.

For instructions regarding the connection of the associated security equipment in your system, please consult
the instruction manual of the associated equipment.

Passwords

Passwords are provided to limit access to the VSR-4, WebServer, and the Video Navigator software. It is
recommended that the default passwords be changed after installation is complete. As a security measure,
store the password in the administrator's secured files or in a limited access area.

Table 1. Default software passwords

Password name Program Changeable by user Default password

Admin Password WebServer Yes, through the webserver admin

5

Log In Password Video Navigator Yes, through the Security

menu

Table 2. Default hardware passwords

Password name Function Changeable by user Default password

Advanced Menu

Password

Factory Password

Ethernet Password Limits access over Ethernet

Ethernet Access Reset

Password

DDNS Password

Provides access to the

Advances menu for the

installer

Restores the unit to the

factory defaults

Resets the Ethernet

password

Provides access to the

Domain Name Server

See page 68

No 8 1 1 1

See page 68

No 1 1 1 1

See page 68

12345

0 0 0 0

No default password

2 2 2 2

Default IP Addresses

These settings provide access and control of the VSR-4 over an IP network.

Table 3. VSR access

Address name Changeable by user Default user

IP Address Yes 3.112.55.10

Subnet Mask Yes 255.255.254.0

Gateway Address Yes 3.112.54.1

Note: These IP addresses should be changed before you connect to your IP network. Contact your network administrator to

obtain your network specific addresses.

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VSR-4 Connectors and Indicators

This section deals with the various physical features, connectors, and indicators of the VSR-4.

Front Panel Controls and Features

Figure 2. Front Panel: VSR-4-300 shown

1. Removable Hard Drive (certain models only): Pull the latch, unlock with key and slide the hard

drive out.

2. Video Loss LEDs: Indicates video loss on analog video channels.

3. Alarm LEDs: Indicates an alarm condition on analog video channels.

4. Hard Drive activity LED: Indicates hard drive activity.

5. Record LED: Indicates when the unit is recording.

6. Power LED: Indicates ON/OFF power condition.

Back Panel Connections

Figure 3. Back Panel

7

1. I/O Connector: 30-pin connector for alarm input and output.

2. RS-485 Port: Not used at this time.

3. Ethernet Port: For connecting to a LAN or WAN. Used for operating the unit over the Internet with

the VSR keyboard software.

4. Power Connector: For connecting the power cord.

5. Audio In: 4-channel line-level audio input with RCA style connectors.

6. Audio Out: Line-level audio output with RCA style connecto r.

7. RS-232 Serial Port: Connects to a PC’s serial port and can be used to configure the VSR-4 with the

VSR keyboard software.

8. Video In/Out: Composite video input/output with BNC style connector.

9. Composite Monitor A output: Composite video output with BNC style connector for monitor A.

10. SVHS Monitor A output: SVHS video output with for monitor A.

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I/O Connector

Three 10-pin connectors (P16, 17, and 18) on the back panel provide the connections for the alarm inputs,
outputs, and other data lines. Connect the wires to the 3 terminating connectors provided with the VSR-4. See
the table below for a description of the pinouts.

Table 4.

P16 P17 P18

Pin Signal Pin Signal Pin Signal

1 Alarm Relay 1 N/Open 1 Alarm Input 3 1 Not used

2 Alarm Relay 1 Common 2 Alarm Input 4 2 Not used

3 Alarm Relay 2 N/Open 3 Alarm Reset 1 3 Not used

4 Alarm Relay 2 Common 4 Alarm Reset 2 4 Not used

5 Not used 5 Alarm Reset 3 5 Not used

6 Not used 6 Alarm Reset 4 6 Ground

7 Not used 7 Not used 7 Disk End Output

8 Not used 8 Not used 8 Ground

9Alarm Input 1 9Not used 9 Alarm Output

10 Alarm Input 2 10 Not used 10 Ground

Note: Do not attempt to wire accessories directly to the I/O connector.

Ethernet Port

The cable connection configuration for the ethernet port depends on your network configuration:

• For a VSR-4 that connects directly to a hub, use a straight through connection.

• For a VSR-4 that connects directly to a PC, use a cross-over connection.

Consult with your network administrator or IS professional for the specific type of configuration. See x
information about configuring the Ethernet settings in the menu system

Ethernet 10/100Base-T, auto sensing

Wire type Cat 5

Connector type RJ-45

Max cable length 300 meters

for

Minimum cable length 6 feet/1.8 meters

Hub wiring configuration Straight through

PC wiring configuration Cross over

Table 5. Ethernet RJ45 pinouts

Pin Use

1TX+

2TX-

3RX+

4Not connected

5Not connected

6RX-

7Not connected

8Not connected

Power Connector

Plug the power cord into the power cord connector and then into a properly rated wall socket. Once power is
applied to the unit, it will begin its power-up procedure. The unit will begin by displaying the software version
on Monitor-A, then the unit will begin recording automatically.

9

Table 6. Power supply rating

Power supply

Voltage 100-240 VAC 50-60 Hz, auto-ranging

Amps 1.65-0.85 A

Audio Inputs and Output

The unit is equipped with 4 audio inputs and 1 audio output. Both audio outputs and the audio input are line­level.

Audio input RCA jack, 315 mV, 40k Ohms. Unbalanced

Audio out RCA jack, 315mV, 600 Ohms. Unbalanced

Note: Line-level audio requires amplification.

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RS232 Port

The RS232 port is provided for external control of the VSR-4 from a PC via the PC’s serial port. This requires
the use of a DB9-F to DB9-F null modem cable (or DB25-F depending on the type of RS232 port on the PC).

Table 7. RS232 port pinouts

Pin Use

1DCD

2RX

3TX

4DTR

5Grounded

6Not connected

7RTS

8CTS

9Not connected

Camera Inputs

There are two BNC jacks for each camera. Either jack can receive a camera signal. The signal is looped
(directly connected to the other jack), making the camera signal available to other equipment.

The camera input connectors are auto terminating.
This means that the input signal will automatically be terminated with 75-Ohms unless a 2

nd

to the 2

BNC connector of the same camera input. Make sure there is 75-Ohm termination at the end of the

video line if the signal is looped through the VSR-4.
Time base correction is performed during digital capture. As a result, cameras do not require synchronization.

Cable 75-Ohm coaxial

Connectors BNC

Auto terminating Yes

Passive looping Yes

nd

cable is connected

Composite Monitor Output

When connecting directly from the VSR-4 to the monitor , select the 75-Ohm impedance setting on the monitor.

If an additional device is connected to the monitor’s looping output, set the termination of the additional device
as 75-Ohm, and set the termination of the monitor as Hi-Z (High Impedance).

Cable 75-Ohm

Connectors BNC

SVHS (Y/C) Monitor Output

Connect a composite monitor capable of accepting a SVHS video signal. SVHS video output has a 4-pin mini­DIN style connector. This style of connection is also referred to as Y/C.

11

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Connection Diagrams

Use the figures on the following pages a guide to connect the various peripherals to the VSR-4.

Figure 4. Connection diagram

Figure 5. Typical network setup

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Installing and Configuring the VSR-4

Before any operations can begin with the VSR-4 the Video Navigator and VSR Keyboard software must be
installed. Make sure all connections are completed, at a minimum the power cord and the ethernet cable must
be connected.

Minimum System Requirements

The following minimum system requirements must be met before software installation.
Windows® 2000/XP and Direct X are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Table 8.

Hardware Specification

CPU Pentium 2.8 GHz or faster

RAM 512 MB

Hard disk drive 50 MB free hard drive space

Monitor SVGA, 1024 X 768, 24 bit color

Video AGP or PCI Express, 128 MB DDR Memory

Direct X Version 9 or higher

Operating system Windows® 2000 SP4, XP SP2

Installing Video Navigator from CD-ROM

To install Software on your hard disk from a CD:

1. Place the Video Navigator CD in the CD-ROM drive of a PC that meets the minimum system
requirements.

2. Follow the instructions for installation as they appear.

3. Both Video Navigator and the VSR Keyboard should be installed when the installation is completed

Note: If Autorun is not enabled on your PC, choose Run from the Start Menu, then type d:\setup.exe (where “d” is the drive

letter of your CD-ROM) and click OK. Follow the instructions as they appear on your screen.

Starting Video Navigator

To start the Video Navigator, double-click on the Video Navigator desktop icon or choose Programs
from the Start menu and then select Video Navigator. The Main window of the Video Navigator program will
appear. For operating details, please see the Video Navigator manual.

Starting VSR Keyboard

To start the VSR Keyboard program, double-click on the VSR Keyboard desktop icon or choose
Programs from the Start menu and then select VSR Keyboard. The Main window of the VSR Keyboard
program will appear.

Figure 6. VSR Keyboard buttons

15

This program acts as a virtual front panel for the VSR-4. The following describes each of the controls and a
brief description of their function.

1. Analog Camera Buttons 1-4: Selects an analog camera to display on monitor A.

2. Digital Camera Buttons 1: Selects the digital camera to display on monitor A.

3. Record Speed Buttons: Increases or decreases the recording speed.

4. Record Button: click to begin recording.

5. Pause Button: click to pause recording.

6. Search Button: click to launch search interface.

7. Menu Button and Playback control cluster: These buttons are used for playback control (fast

forward, rewind) and menu access and navigation.

8. Enter Button: Used to select and confirm menu item selections.

9. 4-way Multiscreen: Used to select a 4-way multiscreen on monitor A.

10. Alarm Button: Used to silence audible alarms. It does not turn off the alarm condition.

11. Sequence Button: Use this button to sequence through all camera displays.

12. Reverse Play Button: Runs playback in Reverse.

13. Stop Button: Stops playback and returns to Live mode.

14. Play Forward Button: Begins Playback.

15. Power Indicator: Indicates power on/off condition (Ethernet connection only).

16. File Menu: Has various drop-down menus for the configuration of the program.

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17. Connection Type Menu: Use this menu to select between RS232 or Ethernet connection.

18. Address Menu: Select from a list of found VSR addresses or COM ports if RS232 is selected as the
connection type.

19. Ethernet Serial Number: Enter the unit’s Ethernet serial number. The default is 1111.

20. Connect/Disconnect Button: Click this button to connect the VSR address selected.

The VSR Keyboard Menu Bar

The following menus are available on the menu bar.

The File Menu

The file menu contains the exit command. Click on this command to exit the VSR Keyboard. You can also exit
by holding down the Ctrl key and pressing x (Ctrl-X).

The Tools Menu

The tools menu contains the options window. This tabbed window has commands for automatically
discovering units on you network and adding them to the drop-down address list.

Figure 7. The discovery tab in the options window

The Ethernet Settings tab contains commands for obtaining and storing a VSR’s ethernet information. You can
also ping the unit, reboot the unit, and launch the web page. When this window first appears only the Read and
Reboot buttons are enabled.

Note: To read a unit’s ethernet information and populate the ethernet fields you must be connected to a PC by RS232. See

Making a Serial Connection on page 18.

Click on the Read button. If you are connected by RS232 the unit’s ethernet information should populate the
ethernet fields and the other buttons should be enabled.

Figure 8. The ethernet settings tab

17

Next, click on the Change button to input the information in the IP profile. The IP profile store multiple unit’s
settings in a drop-down menu. If you are also connected to the unit over ethernet (see Making an Ethernet

Connection on page 19) you can ping the unit or launch the WebBrowser.

The Help Menu

The help menu contains an about window that displays various information about the program such as the
version number and release date.

Keyboard shortcuts

Figure 7 shows the keyboard shortcuts for the VSR Keyboard utility. The shortcuts are not case sensitive. You
can use the upper or lower case letter.

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Figure 9. Keyboard shortcuts

Making a Serial Connection

An option to connect by RS232 is provided for debug purposes and local (not by LAN) menu configuration.
Follow the steps below to make an RS232 connection.

1. Check that the COM port setting on the PC is 9600 baud, 8 data bits, No parity , 1 stop bit, and no flow
control.

2. Turn the power off to the VSR-4 and the PC.

3. Connect the VSR-4 and the PC with a DB9-F to DB9-F (or DB25-F) null modem cable. This cable
should be plugged in the RS232 port on the VSR-4 and one of the COM ports on the PC. A monitor
should also be connected to the VSR-4 on monitor A out.

Figure 10.

4. Power up the VSR-4 and the PC. Wait for the boot processes of both units to complete.

5. Launch the VSR Keyboard application.

6. Select RS232 from the Type drop down menu.

7. Select COM1 or COM2 from the Address drop down menu.

8. Click the Connect button.

Making an Ethernet Connection

To configure the VSR-4 over Ethernet, follow the steps below.

1. Plug one end Ethernet cable into the Ethernet connection on the rear of the DSR. Plug the other end of
the cable into an active Ethernet port. This could be in a router or directly to the Ethernet port on your
computer.

2. Launch the VSR Keyboard application.

3. Select Ethernet from the Type drop down menu.

4. Select IP Address from the Address drop down menu.

5. Click the Connect button.

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WebServer

The VSR-4 has an integrated WebServer interface. The WebServer provides the user the means to remotely
configure, upgrade, and view information about the VSR-4VSR-4. The default IP address from the factory is

3.112.55.10. To get the VSR-4 to stream video, at a minimum the Streaming settings must be configured.

To access the web interface:

1. Launch Internet Explorer (version 5.5 or later) on any local Internet connected PC or laptop.

2. Type in the unit’s IP address (xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx) or hostname (see network settings page) in the address

field and click enter. The Enter Network Password box should appear.

3. Enter the correct Username and Password in their respective fields (the default username and password

is admin). Click the OK button.

4. The VSR-4’s home page window should appear.

Figure 11. VSR-4 home page

On this page you will find links for Configure, Info, and Upgrade.
Clicking on the Configure link will launch the Configuration web page.

Figure 12. Configuration page

On this page you can remotely modify the following settings of the VSR-4:

• Network settings including the IP Address, Subnet Mask, and Gateway Address.

• Streaming settings including setting the unit as a sender or receiver and streaming mode.

• What display options to view.

• Password settings.

• Email settings.

21

Network Settings

This page provides an alternate method of changing the VSR-4’s IP addresses. You can also enable DHCP
(Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) and assign your unit a hostname. DHCP is an Internet protocol for
automating the configuration of devices that use TCP/IP. DHCP can be used to automatically assign IP
addresses.

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Figure 13. Network Settings page

Streaming Settings

These pages setup the video streaming properties of the VSR-4. Video streaming is a new concept to many, so
we have included the following overview. A certain level of IP network knowledge is required to properly set
up video streaming.

Streaming Video Overview

Video Streaming is the process that the VSR family, including SymNet and the IP camera use to listen on a
specific UDP/TCP port for control messages and respond to them. The communication over this protocol can
be between a PC application, such as Video Navigator and any of the above products. The UDP/TCP port is
configurable. The default port setting is 8092. IP Multicast is also supported.

IP Multicast

IP multicast is a bandwidth-conserving technology that reduces traffic by simultaneously delivering a single
stream of information to thousands of recipients. IP Multicast delivers source traffic to multiple receivers
without adding any additional burden on the source or the receivers while using the least network bandwidth of
any competing technology. High-bandwidth applications, such as MPEG video, may require a large portion of
the available network bandwidth for a single stream.

Note: Configured incorrectly IP multicast can become a serious drain on your networks resources! If you are at all uncertain

on how to setup IP multicast , please contact your network administrator or IS professional.

The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) controls the assignment of IP multicast addresses. It has
assigned the Class D address space to be used for IP multicast. This means that all IP multicast group addresses
will fall in the range of 224.0.0.0 to 239.255.255.255. This address range is only used for the group address or
destination address of IP multicast traffic. The source address for multicast video is always the source or
senders IP address.

UDP Sender and UDP Receiver Overview

UDP (User Datagram Protocol), is a connectionless protocol that, like TCP , runs on top of IP networks. Unlike
TCP/IP, UDP/IP provides very few error recovery services, offering instead a direct way to send and receive
datagrams over an IP network. It's used primarily for broadcasting messages over a network. A UDP sender
sends out digital video over an IP network. A UDP sender can be the VSR, VSR-4, IP Camera, or SymNet
(Encoder). A UDP receiver is typically a VSR1, Video Navigator, or a VSR4, which can display and record the
streamed video. The SymNet (Decoder) can also be setup as a receiver, but it can only display the streamed
video since it does not have recording capability.

To prevent a waste of network res ources, the UDP sender does not send out streaming video until a receiver
informs the sender that it is interested in receiving the stream. The UDP receiver sends out a START message
every 30 seconds to the IP address in its streaming settings menu. The streaming settings page is located on the
receiving device's web page.

When a sender receives a START message, it will start streaming out to the receiver's that are requesting it.
When the sender does not receive any START message for one minute, it will stop sending to that device.

To speed up the initialization process after bootup and configuration changes, The UDP sender sends out a
READY_TO_SEND message to the multicast IP address. When the receiver gets this message, it will send out
the START message immediately if it is configured to receive from that sender (It does not wait for 30 seconds).

23

Note: The above information also applies if your Sender and Receiver are configured to use TCP instead of UDP.

Video Navigator

Video Navigator is the next generation of software that supports MPEG4 based video compression. The VSR1,
VSR4, SymNet, and IP Camera all use MPEG4 compression.

Video Navigator also connects to these products using UDP/TCP protocols depending on what is configured.
The default setting is UDP. Changing from UDP to TCP or TCP to UDP is accomplished through the Video
Navigator application.

Video Navigator can connect to a maximum of 4 video streams. This can be 4 separate VSR units with 1
stream each or 2 VSRs with 2 streams each.

Sample Network Setup

We recommend that video streaming is setup on a private network. The following configuration setup is based
on the following network diagram. These settings are implemented through the individual unit's web page. To
access the unit's web page simply launch your Internet browser and input the unit's IP address in the address
bar. Typical numbers are shown for the purpose of illustration. Real addresses must be chosen by the user
based on actual network parameters.

At a minimum the following information must be known:

• The IP addresses of all the units involved in this network.

• The Subnet Masks of all the units involved in this network.

• The Gateway addresses of all the units involved in this network.

• A valid streaming or multicast address.

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User Manual

Streaming settings for UDP unicast or TCP

Figure 14. A sample network configuration

Figure 13 illustrates streaming settings for a UDP unicast from the SymNet to the VSR-4.
The VSR-4 is setup as a receiver in Normal mode with the Receiver Cam Map IP address set at 192.168.10.20

(The IP address of the sender). The SymNet is setup as a sender with the streaming address set at

192.168.10.40 The IP address of the receiver. Once these settings are saved on their respective web pages the

SymNet will begin sending streaming video (once requested) and the VSR-4 will begin receiving streaming
video.

All the settings on the Advanced Streaming settings must match between the sender and the receiver.
In this configuration both the VSR-1 and VSR-4 are able to receive a video stream from the SymNet or IP

Camera.

Figure 15. VSR-4 setup as receiver and SymNet setup as sender

Streaming Settings for UDP multicast

25

Figure 14 illustrates streaming settings for a UDP multicast from the SymNet to the default multicast address.
The default multicast address is 230 for the first field and the balance being the unit’s current IP address.

The VSR-4 is setup as a receiver in Normal mode with the Receiver Cam Map IP address set at 192.168.10.20
(The IP address of the sender) and Use default Multicast Address checked. The SymNet is setup as a sender
with the mulitcast address set at 230.168.10.20. Once these settings are saved on their respective web pages the
SymNet will begin sending multicasting video (once requested) and the VSR-4 will begin receiving streaming
video.

Figure 16. Sample UDP multicast settings

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User Manual

To use a multicast address other than the default, uncheck Use default Multicast Address on both web pages,
click the Advanced command in the mode drop-down menu and enter the same multicast address in the
Streaming Address field.

Figure 17. The advanced mode screen

The advanced mode screen has settings for:

• The Streaming Port

• Streaming Address

• Sender Control Enable

• Sender Control Port

• Receiver Control Enable

• Receiver Control Port

These settings must match exactly between the multicast device and any device which wants the stream.

Note: Configured incorrectly IP multicast can become a serious drain on your networks resources! If you are at all uncertain

on how to setup IP multicast , please contact your network administrator or IS professional.

MPEG Settings

This page provides settings that have to do with MPEG quality and speed. Three quality settings are available;
standard, medium, and high. The MPEG preset settings control the video latency (delay). Selecting the low
latency preset can increase the speed of the video, but the quality will suffer.

Figure 18. MPEG settings screen

27

Display Options

This page allows you to select what type of information to display on the output monitor. You c an als o change
the camera titles here.

Figure 19. Display options screen

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Password Settings

Type in a new username and password on this page. Click Confirm to implement. T o return the username and
password to the default admin, Click on the Reset button.

Figure 20. Password settings screen

Email Configuration

The screen provides options for configuring your email alerts. You must input the mail server’s IP address but
the VSR-4 does not require an account on the mail server.

Figure 21. Email configuration screen

User Operations

The following user operations are implemented through the VSR Keyboard utility.

Figure 22. VSR Keyboard and Keyboard shortcuts

29

Recording (R)

T o begin recording, click the record button or press the R key on your keyboard. RECORD will be indicat ed for
three seconds, near the upper left hand corner of the output monitor. The unit always starts recording at the end
of the previously recorded data.

Recording will continue until:

• The Stop button is clicked.

• The disk is full (In No Overwrite and Overwrite Once modes). See Advanced Menu / Disk Overwrite

Mode on page 56, for details regarding Disk Overwrite modes.

Normal Recording

The normal record speed is indicated on the output monitor, and can be altered using the Up/Down Record
Speed buttons, or page up/page down keys on your keyboard.

For information about altering the normal record speed from the menu system, see Main Menu / Record

Settings / Record Speed on page 51 of the Operator Programming section of this manual.

The normal record speed can be altered while the unit is recording. The unit will continue recording while the
menu system is active.

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Alarm Recording

An alarm condition is indicated in several ways:

• With the word ALARM, displayed on the output monitor, near the up per left hand corner of the screen.

• With the LED Alarm Indicators on the front panel of the unit.

• With the internal buzzer (if activated in the menu system). For information about activating the

internal buzzer during alarms, see Main Menu → Alarms on page x

of the Operator programming

section of this manual.

• By an external device, connected to the alarm output of the unit (if the unit is installed that way).

Disk Nearly Full Notification

A Disk Full. Recording has stopped message will appear on the output monitor to indicate that the unit has
stopped recording, because the disk is full and No Overwrite Mode is selected.

No Overwrite mode: The user must acknowledge the on-screen message by pressing the Enter button.
In this mode the VSR-4 will not record over previously recorded data. To continue recording, the data must be

erased (or deleted) in the Advanced / Disk Maintenance menu.
Overwrite Once mode: The user must acknowledge the on-screen message by pressing the Enter button.
The unit will continue recording again when the user presses the Record button.

Playback

Play Forward (P)

To begin normal playback, click the Play Forward button or press the P key on your keyboard. The unit will
begin playing back data from the beginning of the last recording session.

Playback is indicated:

•As PLAY near the upper left hand corner of the output monitor, for three seconds.

Reverse Play (B)

To begin reverse playback, click the Reverse play button or press the B key on your keyboard. The unit will
begin playing back data in reverse from the end of the last recording session.

Reverse playback is indicated:

•As REVERSE PLAY near the upper left hand corner of the output monitor, for three seconds.

If there is only one recording session on the hard disk, the unit will indicate START OF DATA on the output
monitor.

Fast Forward (Right Arrow)

During playback, click the Fast Forward button or press the right arrow key on your keyboard. The unit will
display images at a higher than normal rate. There are 4 Fast Forward rates. Repeated pressing of the Fast
Forward button will increase the playback speed.

Fast Forward is indicated:

•As FAST FORWARD near the upper left hand corner of the output monitor, for three seconds.

Fast Reverse Play (Left Arrow)

During playback, click the Fast Reverse Play button or press the left arrow key on your keyboard. The unit
will display images (in reverse) at a higher than normal rate. There are 4 Fast Reverse Play speeds. Repeated
pressing of the Fast Reverse Play button will increase the speed.

Fast Reverse Play is indicated:

•As REWIND near the upper left hand corner of the output monitor, for three seconds.

Pause (Pause/Break)

During playback, click the Pause button or press the pause/break key on your keyboard to pause playback,
and display a single frame on-screen.

Pause is indicated:

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•As PAUSE near the upper left hand corner of the output monitor, for three seconds.

Single Frame Advance (Up Arrow)

While in Pause mode, click the Single Frame Advance button or press the up arrow on your keyboard. The
unit will advance a single frame, then return to Pause mode.

Single Frame Rewind (Down Arrow)

While in Pause mode, click the Single Frame Rewind button or the down arrow on your keyboard. The unit
will reverse play a single frame, then return to Pause mode.

Start of Data & End of Data

If the start or end of data is reached during playback, START OF DATA or END OF DATA is indicated near the
upper left hand corner of the output monitor.

The Removable Hard Drive

Some models of the VSR-4 come with a removable hard drive. The hard drive is not hot swappable; meaning
the VSR-4 must be powered down before drive removal.

CAUTION

CAUTION

Unplug the power from the VSR-4 before removing the hard drive. The VSR-4 will not recover if the system is
not powered down during drive removal.

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Hard Drive Front Panel

Figure 23. Hard drive front panel

1 Hard drive activity LED, amber.

2 Power indicator, green.

3 Active handle (shown open).

4 Handle.

5Key lock.

Key Lock

Figure 24. Key lock

1 Power on, drive locked.

2 Power off, drive locked.

3 Power off, drive unlocked. (shown)

Removing the Hard Drive

Figure 25. Removing the hard drive

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1. Stop any operations that the VSR-4 is performing.

2. Unplug the power to the VSR-4.

3. Pull the active handle outward.

4. Use the key provided and place the key lock in position 3 shown above (rotate counter clockwise).

5. Pull the handle outward and slide the carrier body away from the cartridge frame

6. To reinsert the drive perform the above steps in reverse.

The Search Interface (F)

The Search Interface allows the user to search the hard disk for recorded events, such as an alarm condition, or
a previous recording session. For example, each time Record mode is activated, it is considered a separate
recording session.

T o enter the Search Filters menu, click the Search button or press the F key on your keyboard. The first screen
displayed is the Disk Analysis screen. This screen is a graphical representation of the recorded video stored on
the internal hard disk.

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Figure 26. The disk analysis screen

The left and right arrow keys on you keyboard move the two arrow cursors across the representation of the
recorded video. As the cursors move across the screen the corresponding disk time is indicated in the upper
right of the screen. The video representations are color-coded by category. The up and down arrow keys
zooms the display. The Lowest level (most detail) is indicated on screen with an (L). Pressing the Enter button
will start Playback from the cursor location.

The Search Filters Menu

Pressing the Search button a second time brings up the Search Filters Menu.

Figure 27. The search filters menu

Use this to specify:

• The Start and Stop date of the search.

• The Start and Stop time of the search.

• The camera selection is not editable.

• To search for recorded alarms.

Searching for All Recorded Events

Using the Arrow buttons to navigate, highlight [START S EARCH], then press the Enter button. The Search
Results window will appear . For information about selecting a recorded event, see Selecting from the Sear ch
Results, in this section.

Specifying Search Parameters

Selecting a Start and Stop Date

1. Using the Arrow buttons to navigate, highlight the DATE parameter, then press the Enter button. The
unit will enter Edit mode.

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2. Use the Arrow buttons to change the start and stop date values. Use the Arrow buttons to navigate
among the different parameters.

3. To activate the start or stop date parameter, use the Arrow buttons to place an [X] in the check box.

4. Press the Enter button at any time to exit Edit mode.

Selecting a Start and Stop Time

1. Using the Arrow buttons to navigate, highlight the TIME parameter , then press the Enter button. The
unit will enter Edit mode.

2. Use the Arrow buttons to change the start and stop time values. Use the Arrow buttons to navigate
among the different parameters.

3. To activate the start or stop time parameter, use the Arrow buttons to place an [X] in the check box.

4. Press the Enter button at any time to exit Edit mode.

Searching for Recorded Alarms

1. Using the Arrow buttons to navigate, highlight the ALARM parameter, then press the Enter button.
The unit will enter Edit mode.

2. Use the Arrow buttons to activate the alarms search, by placing an [X] in the check box.

3. Press the Enter button at any time to exit Edit mode.

Starting the Search

Using the Arrow buttons to navigate, highlight the [START SEARCH] parameter, then press the Enter
button. The Search Results menu will appear.

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Figure 28. The search results screen

Selecting from the Search Results

Use the Arrow buttons to select a recorded event.
Press the Enter button to select the event, or press the Menu button to exit the Search Results menu.

The Menu System

This section provides a brief overview of the menu system, for complete information about the menu system
and basic setup of the VSR-4, see Main Menu Setup on page 39.

How to use the Menu system

Throughout this manual, there are headings like these.

Table 9.

Heading Meaning

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Main menu

Main menu

/ Record Timer

/ Record Settings → Normal Record Speed

From the main menu, select Record Timer, then click the Enter
button. A pop-up or pull down menu will appear.

From the main menu, select Record Settings, then click the Enter
button. This opens another menu. In this menu, select Normal
Record Speed, then click the Enter button. A pop-up or pull down
menu will appear.

Pull-down Menus

Pull-down menus are the top-level menus. Make a selection in a pull-down menu to enter the appropriate sub­menu (typically a pop-up menu). Changes to the unit's parameters are usually made in pop-up menus.

To exit a pull-down menu, click the Menu button or press the M key.

Pop-up Menus

Pop-up menus usually have a parameter (or several parameters), from which the user can make a selection or
change the value.

Use the Arrow buttons to select a new parameter and to change the value of that parameter.

To Save changes and Exit the menu: Select [OK], the click the Enter button. To Exit the menu without
making changes: click the Menu button or select [CANCEL], then click the Enter button.

Entering the Main menu

Enter the Main menu by clicking the Menu button or press the M key. The Main menu will appear on the
output monitor.

The Arrow Buttons

When in the Main Menu the Arrow buttons are used to navigate and modify field values. The up and down
arrow buttons will increase or decrease the value of a selected field. The left and right arrow buttons select the
previous or next field.

Note: Using the keyboard shortcuts is much easier and faster than clicking on the screen with your mouse.

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Figure 29. The arrow buttons

The Main Menu

The Main menu provides access to all of the operator programmable options. For complete information about
operator programming in the Main menu, see Main Menu Setup on page 39.

Figure 30. The main menu

Main Menu / Advanced Menu

To acces s the Advanced menu:

1. Select ADVANCED MENU from the Main menu, then click the Enter button. The Password Box will

appear.

2. Enter the Advanced menu password. The default Advanced menu password is 0000. Use the Arrow

buttons to select a character, then use the Enter button to complete the selection, and move to the next
character.

3. Clicking the Enter button on the last character will complete the password selection and the unit will

display the Advanced menu.

The Advanced menu provides access to all of the installer programmable options. For complete information
about installer programming in the Advanced menu, see Advanced Menu Setup on page 56.

Main Menu Setup

Main Menu / Time/Date

Figure 31. The time/date menu

Use this menu to specify:

• The time format: 12 or 24 hours.

• The date format: MM/DD/YY, DD/MM/YY, or YY/MM/DD.

• The time.

•The date.

• Set the Region for the Auto Daylight Savings Time feature.

• Setup the Network Time Protocol Controls

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Main Menu / Time/Date / Set Time Format

Figure 32. The set time format menu

To set the Time format, use the Arrow buttons to select the desired Time format. Format the time as either:

• 12 HOUR

• 24 HOUR

Click the Enter button to confirm the selection and exit the menu. or click the Menu button to exit the menu
without making changes.

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Main Menu / Time/Date / Set Date Format

Figure 33. The set date format menu

To set the Date format, use the Arrow buttons to select the desired Date format. Format the Date as either:

• DD/MM/YY

• MM/DD/YY

• YY/MM/DD

Click the Enter button to confirm the selection and exit the menu, or click the Menu button to exit the menu
without making changes.

Main Menu / Time/Date /Set Time

Figure 34. The set time menu

To set the Time:

1. With HH MM SS highlighted, click the Enter button. The highlighting will move to the row of

numbers.

2. Enter the time in Hours, Minutes, and Seconds. Use the Arrow buttons to change the values. Use the

Arrow buttons to navigate among the three fields.

3. Click the Enter button to confirm the selection.

4. To Save the changes and Exit the menu: Use the Arrow buttons to select [OK], then click the

Enter button, or to Exit the menu without making changes: Use the Arrow buttons to select
[CANCEL], then click the Enter button.

Main Menu / Time/Date / Set Date

Figure 35. The set date menu

To set the Date:

1. Click the Enter button. The highlighting will move to the row of numbers.

2. Enter the date in Months, Days, and the Year. Day of the Week will update automatically. Use the
Arrow buttons to change the values. Use the Arrow buttons to navigate among the three fields.

3. Click the Enter button to confirm the selection.

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4. To Save the changes and Exit the menu: Use the Arrow buttons to select [OK], then click the
Enter button, or to Exit the menu without making changes: Use the Arrow buttons to select
[CANCEL], then click the Enter button.

Main Menu / Time/Date / Set Region

Figure 36. The regional settings menu

Use this menu option to set the region for the Auto Daylight Savings Time feature. Choices are:

• OFF: Clock will not be changed automatically.

• USA: DST starts at 02:00 on the first Sunday in April. DST ends at 02:00 on the last Sunday in
October. Includes: United States (except Hawaii, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands,
parts of Indiana and Arizona) and Canada (except Saskatchewan).

• EUR: DST starts at 01:00 GMT on the last Sunday in March. DST ends at 01:00 GMT on the last
Sunday in October. Includes: European Union Countries.

• AUS: DST starts at 02:00 on the last Sunday in October. DST ends at 03:00 on the last Sunday in
March. Includes: South Australia, Victoria, ACT, NSW. Excludes: Tasmania.

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The clock will only be automatically adjusted once on a given time and date. If you manually set the clock
back before the last DST change, the time will not get automatically adjusted again for that same time change.

Main Menu / Time/Date / NTPC

Figure 37. The network time protocol setup menu

Use this menu to enable/disable and specify how often time synchronization should occur between the VSR-4
and the Network Server. The Region /Time Zone must be setup prior to enabling the option.

Update Interval, Select from: Disable, Once per Day, Twice per Day, and Once per Hour
NTP Primary Server: Enter IP Address of Primary Server.
NTP Backup Server: Enter IP Address of Backup Server.

1. To save cha nges and exit the menu: Select [OK], then click the Enter button.

2. To exit the menu without making changes: click the Menu button, or select [CANCEL], and then

click the Enter button.

Main Menu / Sequencing

The dwell time is the amount of time each camera is displayed on-screen (while sequencing) before advancing
to the next camera.

Figure 38. The sequencing menu

Main Menu / Sequencing / Fullscreen Dwell

Use the arrow buttons to change the desired dwell time (from 1 to 30 seconds).
The default is 3 seconds.

1. Click the Enter button to confirm the selection and exit the menu.

2. Click the Menu button to exit the menu without making changes.

Figure 39. The fullscreen dwell menu

Main Menu / Alarms

Use this menu to configure the alarm handling features of the unit.

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CAUTION

CAUTION

Figure 40.

The VSR-4’s primary function is to furnish recorded video. Although the unit has alarm handling and motion
detection functions, these are considered secondary features. This unit should not be the only alarm

device on site.

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Main Menu / Alarms / Input Configuration

Figure 41. The input configuration menu

Configure the alarm inputs as either Normally Open or Normally Closed. Configure as follows.

• Normally Open Zero Potential Relay Contact: Configure in menu as Normally Open.

• Normally Closed Zero Potential Relay Contact: Configure in menu as Normally Closed

• TTL Active High: Configure in menu as Normally Closed.

• TTL Active Low: Configure in menu as Normally Open.

• Open Collector Active On: Configure in menu as Normally Open.

• Open Collector Active Off: Configure in menu as Normally Closed.

Main Menu / Alarms / Alarm Latch

Figure 42. The alarm latch menu

This feature determines how the unit latches alarm conditions.
Select from the following options:

Latched: The alarm is activated until it is silenced and acknowledged by the user.
Transparent: The alarm is active only while receiving alarm input. The alarm condition is canceled when the

alarm input ceases.
Timed Out: The alarm condition is latched for the amount of time selected in this menu, then it is

automatically silenced and acknowledged. If the alarm input exceeds the duration specified in this menu, the
unit silences and acknowledges the alarm when the alarm input ceases. Select the timeout duration, the range
is from 1 to 250 seconds.

Transparent alarms cannot be silenced and acknowledged. If transparent mode is preferred, but the ability to
silence and acknowledge alarms is desired, select Timed Out and set the Alarm Ti meout to two seconds.

Main Menu / Alarms / Enable / Disable

Figure 43. The alarms enable. disable menu

Use this menu to Enable or Disable the alarm inputs. Select from the following:

• Individual Enable: Allow the user to access the Alarm Enable submenu, and enable or disable alarm
inputs on a per camera basis.

• Enable All

• Disable All

Save changes and exit the menu: Select [OK], then click the Enter button.

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Exit the menu without making changes: click the Menu button, or select [CANCEL], then click the Enter
button.

Main Menu / Alarms / Alarm History

Figure 44. The alarm history menu

Use this window to view a list of the 100 most recent alarms. Alarms are displayed 10 at a time. Information
displayed in this window is:

• The alarms number in the list.

• The date of the alarm (month and day).

• The time of the alarm (hours, minutes, and seconds).

• The number of the camera input in alarm.

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Main Menu / Alarms / Buzzer Setup

Figure 45. The buzzer setup menu

Use this menu to configure what actions trigger the internal buzzer. Select from the following:

• Global Buzzer

• Live Alarm Buzzer

• Video loss Buzzer

• Playback Buzzer

• Disk Failure Buzzer

Main Menu / Alarms / Pre Alarm Duration

Figure 46. The pre alarm duration menu

During recording, the unit stores up to 30 seconds of recorded information in a buffer. This data can be
automatically retrieved when an alarm is activated. Select the amount of time just previous to the activation of
an alarm you wish to retrieve.

Main Menu / Alarms / Post Alarm Duration

Figure 47. The post alarm duration menu

Select the amount of time you want the unit to record at the conclusion of the alarm

Main Menu / Alarms / Email

Figure 48. The email notification screen

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This screen allows you to setup the types of events to be notified of, and the email addresses (up to three) to be
notified. Follow the context sensitive on-screen instructions to setup the individual fields. Also, please note
that the Region/Time Zone setting must be set correctly for Email notification to time stamp messages
accurately. If the Notify Alarm or Notify Record fields are enabled you will be notified of the results of the
Disk T est.

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Email Address Format

The format of the email addresses should be entered as follows. If the email address to be notified is

[e-mail]

, then john.doe should be entered in one of the Email User fields and

somecompany.com should be entered in the subsequent Email Domain field.

Main Menu / Alarms / Relay Configuration

Figure 49. The relay configuration menu

Use this menu to configure each relay output as either:

• Normally Open

• Normally Closed

Main Menu / Alarms / Video loss Action

Figure 50. The video loss action menu

Use this menu to configure how the unit responds to video loss.

• Camera: Select the camera you wish to configure.

• Relay 1: If enabled, the unit will activate Relay 1 when video loss

is detected.

• Relay 2: If enabled, the unit will activate Relay 2 when video loss is

detected.

• Buzzer: Use this setting to disable the video loss buzzer activation on a per camera basis. To disable

video loss buzzer activation on all cameras go to the Main Menu → Alarms → Buzzer Setup menu,
described in the previous pages.

Main Menu / Record Timer

Figure 51. The record timer menu

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This menu allows the user to program a timed-recorded event. Use this menu to specify:

• The date, or days on which the recording will occur.

• The start and stop time.

• The record speed.

• The record quality.

• Whether the event is enabled.

Creating a Timed Recording:

1. Using the Arrow buttons to navigate, highlight the DAY parameter of the last line item (indicated with
double dash marks).

2. click the Enter button to enter the Edit mode. EDIT MODE will appear on-screen, in the lower left­hand corner of the Record T i me r menu. The user may click the Enter button to exit Edit mode at any
time.

3. Use the Arrow buttons to change the values of the DAY setting.

Day (Day of the Month) 1 through 31

Day of the Week Monday through Sunday

Range of Days All Weekdays (Monday-Friday), All Weekend Days (Saturday-Sunday), Monday-Sunday

(Everyday)

4. When finished entering the Date, use the Arrow buttons to navigate the START setting.

5. Use the Arrow buttons to enter the time the recording will begin. The Hours and Minutes are edited
separately . The start and stop times are always configured in a 24-hour clock. When finished entering
the start time, use the Arrow buttons to navigate to the STOP setting.

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6. Use the Arrow buttons to enter the time the recording will end. Entering a time "before" the start time

will cause the unit to record until the indicated stop time on the next day. When finished entering the
stop time, use the Arrow buttons to navigate to the SPD setting.

7. Use the Arrow buttons to enter the record speed in pictures per second (60, 30, 20, 15, 10, or 5

seconds).

8. When finished entering the Record Speed, use the Arrow buttons to navigate to the QUALITY setting.

9. Use the Arrow buttons to enter the record quality (Low, Medium, or High). Higher record quality

settings use more disk space.

10. When finished entering the Record Quality, use the Arrow buttons to navigate to the ON/OFF setting.

11. Use the Arrow buttons to Activate, Deactivate, or Delete the recording.

12. When finished, click the Enter button to exit the Edit mode. Use the Arrow buttons / Arrow buttons

to navigate to [OK], then click the Enter button to complete the selection.

Editing a Timed Recording:

1. Using the Arrow buttons to navigate, highlight the event parameter you wish to edit.

2. click the Enter button to enter the Edit mode. EDIT MODE will appear on-screen, in the lower left-

hand corner of the pop-up menu.

3. Use the Arrow buttons to change the values. Use the Arrow buttons to navigate among parameters

in the same row.

4. When finished, click the Enter button to exit the Edit mode. Use the Arrow buttons to navigate to

[OK], then click the Enter button to complete the selection.

Deleting a Timed Recording:

1. Using the Arrow buttons to navigate, highlight the ON/OFF parameter of the event you wish to

delete.

2. click the Enter button to enter the Edit mode.

3. Use the Arrow buttons to select DEL from the menu.

4. click the Enter button to confirm the selection and exit the Edit mode.

5. Use the Arrow buttons to navigate to [OK], then click the Enter button to remove the selection and

exit the menu.

Main Menu / Record Settings

Figure 52. The record settings menu

Use this menu to specify:

• The record speed when the unit detects an alarm condition.

• The recorded picture quality.

• The percentage of Variable Bitrate Encoding (VBR)

Main Menu / Record Settings / Record Speed

Figure 53. The record speed menu

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Use the Arrow buttons to select the desired Alarm Record Speed.
Record Speeds: 60, 30, 20, 15, 10, 5
click the Enter button to confirm the selection and exit the menu, or click the Menu button to exit the menu

without making changes.

Main Menu / Record Settings / Video Quality

Figure 54. The record quality menu

Use the Arrow buttons to select the desired Record Quality. Select High, Med or Standard.
Higher record qualities use lower compression, requiring more disk space.

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click the Enter button to confirm the selection and exit the menu, or click the Menu button to exit the menu
without making changes.

Main Menu / Record Settings / Variable Bitrate

Figure 55. The variable bitrate menu

This menu allows you to select the Variable Bitrate percentages from 5 to 25%. By default VBR is turned off.
VBR attempts to give each frame the optimum number of bytes while still meeting set constants, such as
the average and maximum peak data rate. The higher the percentage of VBR the greater the savings of disk
space. VBR is only recommended in video without much movement in the frame.

Main Menu / Camera Title

Use this menu to edit the camera title.

Figure 56. The camera title menu

Camera Title Edit Menu

1. With the camera title selected, click the Enter button. The menu will enter the Edit mode and the

character bank will appear in the center of the menu.

2. click the Pause button to select the desired character set.

3. Use the Arrow Buttons to navigate the cursor in the camera title.

4. Use the Arrow Buttons to navigate the cursor in the character bank.

5. click the Rec UP button to insert a blank character or click the Rec Dn button to insert the selected
character.

6. When finished editing the title, click the Enter button to exit the edit mode.

7. Save changes and exit the menu: Select [OK], then click the Enter button.

8. Exit the menu without making changes: click the Menu button, or select [CANCEL], then click the
Enter button.

Main Menu / Display Settings

Figure 57. The display settings menu

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Use this menu to specify what status information will be displayed on the output monitor. Select On or Off, for
the following items.

• The current time and date.

• The remaining amount of time before the hard disk runs out of record space.

• The time and date of the last alarm.

• The Record or Playback Speed.

• During Playback, the time and date the recording was made.

• The Camera title.

Main Menu / Display Settings / Current Time / Date

T o display the current T ime and Date near the upper right hand corner of the output monitor , select ON. Use th e
Arrow buttons to select On or Off.

click the Enter button to confirm the selection and exit the menu, or click the Menu button to exit the menu
without making changes.

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Main Menu / Display Settings / Record Capacity

Select ON, to display the amount of time remaining before the hard disk runs out of record space. The data is
displayed near the upper left hand corner of the output monitor. The unit displays the Record Capacity with
two measures of time, and switches automatically depending on the amount of time remaining:

• Days and Hours

• Hours and Minutes

• Minutes and Seconds

Use the Arrow buttons to select ON or OFF.
click the Enter button to confirm the selection and exit the menu, or click the Menu button to exit the menu

without making changes.

Main Menu / Display Settings / Last Alarm

T o display the time and date of the last alarm, near the upper right hand corner of the output monitor, select On.
The unit will display NONE if there is no previous record of an alarm.

Use the Arrow buttons to select On or Off.
click the Enter button to confirm the selection and exit the menu, or click the Menu button to exit the menu

without making changes.

Main Menu / Display Settings / Record Playback Speed

To display the Record or Playback Speed, near the lower right hand corner of the output monitor, select On.
The unit will display NONE if there is no previous record of an alarm.

Use the Arrow buttons to select On or Off.
click the Enter button to confirm the selection and exit the menu, or click the Menu button to exit the menu

without making changes.

Main Menu / Display Settings / Playback Time / Date

To display the time and date the recording was made (during playback) select On. The data is displayed near
the upper right hand corner of the screen.

Use the Arrow buttons to select On or Off.
click the Enter button to confirm the selection and exit the menu, or click the Menu button to exit the menu

without making changes.

Main Menu / Display Settings / Camera Title

To display the camera title near the upper left hand corner of the output monitor, select On. The unit will
display NONE if there is no previous record of an alarm.

Use the Arrow buttons to select On or Off.

click the Enter button to confirm the selection and exit the menu, or click the Menu button to exit the menu
without making changes.

Main Menu / Advanced Menu

Figure 58. The advanced menu password box

To access the Advanced menu:

1. Select ADVANCED MENU from the Main menu, then click the Enter button. The Password Box will
appear.

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2. Enter the Advanced menu password. The Advanced menu password is 0000. Use the Arrow buttons
to select a character, then use the Enter button to complete the selection, and move to the next
character.

3. clicking the Enter button on the last character will complete the password selection and the unit will
display the Advanced menu.

Main Menu / About

Use this menu to display information about the VSR-4. Select Main Menu / About to display the About
screen.

Figure 59. The about screen

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Advanced Menu Setup

Use this menu to configure the advanced features of the unit.

Figure 60. The advanced menu

Advanced Menu / Disk Overwrite Mode

Figure 61. The disk overwrite menu

Use this menu to specify how the unit will handle disk overwrite issues once the hard disk becomes full.
The unit handles disk overwrite issues in three ways:

• No Overwrite.

• Overwrite Once.

• Continuous Overwrite.

Advanced Menu / Disk Overwrite Mode / No Overwrite

Functions of No Overwrite mode:

• Recording always starts at end of last recording.

• Recording stops when end of disk is reached (when disk is full).

• When the end of the disk is reached, the unit displays an on-screen message indicating that the disk is
full, and the unit has stopped recording. User must acknowledge the on-screen message by pressing
the Enter button.

• Unit will not record over previously recorded data. To continue recording, the data must be erased (or
deleted) in the Advanced / Disk Maintenance menu.

Advanced Menu / Disk Overwrite Mode / Overwrite Once

Functions of Overwrite Once mode:

• Recording always starts at end of last recording.

• The unit overwrites all previously recorded data.

• Recording stops before the unit overwrites any of the newly recorded data (data from the current
record session).

• When the end of the disk is reached, the unit displays an on-screen message indicating that the disk is
full, and the unit has stopped recording. User must acknowledge the on-screen message by clicking
the Enter button.

• The unit will continue recording again when the user clicks the Record button.

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Advanced Menu / Disk Overwrite Mode / Continuous Overwrite

Functions of Continuous Overwrite mode:

• Recording always starts at end of last recording.

• The unit overwrites all previously recorded data.

• The unit overwrites newly recorded data (data from the current record session).

• Unit never stops recording.

• Record Capacity display will not count down.

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Advanced Menu / Disk Maintenance

Figure 62. The disk maintenance menu

The user can perform the following disk maintenance:

• Delete data (with the possibility of restoring it).

• Undelete data (restored if it has not yet been overwritten).

• Erase data (removed with no possibility of restoring it).

• Disk Test: Provides access to the Disk Test Setup menu which features disk test and monitoring

options.

• Protect: A selection of time can be protected from deletion.

• Unprotect: A previously protected selection of video can be unprotected.

Advanced Menu / Disk Maintenance / Delete

T o begin deleting the disk, use the Arrow buttons to select DELETE, then press the Enter button. The Deleting
Disk menu will appear. The unit will begin deleting the oldest recorded information immediately.

To stop the delete proce ss, select [CANCEL] by clicking the Enter button.
Data that was deleted before [CANCEL] was selected will remain deleted unless UNDELETE is selected.

Advanced Menu / Disk Maintenance / Undelete

To restore information that was previously deleted, use the Arrow buttons to select UNDELETE, then click the
Enter button.

To stop the restore process, selec t [CANCEL] by clicking the Enter button.

Advanced Menu / Disk Maintenance / Erase

To begin erasing the disk, use the Arrow buttons to se lect ERASE, then click the Enter button.
To stop the erasing process , select [CANCEL] by clicking the Enter button.
Data that was erased before [CANCEL] was selected will remain deleted permanently.

Advanced Menu / Disk Maintenance / Disk Test

The Disk Tes t Setup menu provides several testing options including the test time, frequency, and duration.

• Disk Test: Options include Disable, Test Now, Test Periodically. The Test Periodically option runs
the Disk Test at the specified frequency . The Disk Tests run in the background and will not interfere
with normal operations.

• Test Frequency in hours: From 0 to 1000 hours between tests.

• Test Duration: This option is for the type of test to run; Fast or Thorough. The Thor ough test will
test significantly more sectors than the Fast test. GE recommends using the Thorough test. The Fast
test can miss some disk failures.

Figure 63. The disk test setup menu

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Use the Arrow buttons to move between the menu fields and the Arrow buttons for the selections within the
fields. When satisfied with the selections select OK and click the Enter button to execute.

The Disk Test will run in the background and will not interfere with normal operations. Once the disk test is
done, a message will appear on the screen indicating the test result.

Figure 64. Disk test results

Click the Enter button to clear from the display.

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Should a disk test fail, several actions will performed:

• An icon will be displayed indicating disk failure. It is displayed on Monitor A on the bottom of

the screen in the middle. This icon will only disappear when the disk is replaced.

• If the Notify Alarm or Notify Record email option is enabled in the Email Screen, an email will be

sent indicating that a disk failure occurred.

Advanced Menu / Disk Maintenance / Protect

Use this menu to select a section of video by date to protect from deletion. Use the Arrow buttons to move
between the menu fields and the Arrow buttons for the selections within the fields. When satisfied with the
selections select OK and click the Enter button to execute.

Figure 65. The protect time range menu

Advanced Menu / Disk Maintenance / Unprotect

Use this menu to select a section of video by date to protect from deletion. Use the Arrow buttons to move
between the menu fields and the Arrow buttons for the selections within the fields. When satisfied with the
selections select OK and click the Enter button to execute.

Figure 66. The unprotect time range menu

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Advanced Menu / Auto Delete Mode

Configuring the unit with the Auto Delete mode from 1 to 99 days prevents the unit from displaying or
archiving any data that is more than the selected number of days old. This feature may be required by law in
some jurisdictions, please consult with the local authorities.

Use the Arrow buttons to select from 1-99 Days or OFF.
click the Enter button to implement the selection.
If the selection is altered from what was previously selected, the confirmation menu will appear.
Rotate the Arrow buttons to select Yes or NO.

Figure 67. Auto delete mode setting menu

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Advanced Menu / Communications

Figure 68. The communications menu

Use thus menu to specify:

• The data transfer rate for the RS-232 serial port.

• Configure the network address for the RS485 network.

• The units Ethernet network connection settings.

• Configure the User Datagram Protocols (UDP) to broadcast and receive data.

Advanced Menu / Communications / Baud Rate

Figure 69. The baud rate selection menu

Use the Arrow buttons to select the Baud Rate.
click the Enter button to confirm the selection and exit the menu, or click the Menu button to exit the menu

without making changes.

Advanced Menu / Communications / RS485

Figure 70. The network address menu

Use this menu to specify the units unique network address.
Save changes and exit the menu: click the Enter button.
Exit the menu without making changes: click the Menu button.

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Advanced Menu / Communications / Ethernet Settings

An Ethernet session is an active network connection between a PC and the unit, with the user viewing live
camera images or accessing data stored on the hard disk.

When Ethernet is first selected, this warning box will appear.

Figure 71. The reset warning box

Select OK to continue.

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Figure 72. The ethernet settings menu

An ethernet connection can be used to connect to the unit from a PC for the viewing of live or recorded images.
Use this menu to configure the Ethernet communications settings. Select from the following:

• Ethernet: Select Enable or Disable.

• DHCP: Select Enable or Disable. Enables dynamic IP addressing. When DHCP is enabled, the IP

address, Subnet Mask, Gateway, and Server fields are dynamically addressed.

• Name Service: Select from Disable, WINS or GnuDIP. Enabling WINS registers the hostname and IP

address within the current Network. This ensures that you can connect to the VSR-4 by hostname
within the network. See x

for information on configuring Dynamic DDS with GnuDIP.

• IP Address / Subnet Mask / Gateway: Consult with a qualified Network Administrator or an MIS

professional to configure these settings if DHCP is not enabled.

• Primary Name Server / Backup Name Server: The IP addresses of the Primary and Backup Name

Servers. Not required if DHCP is enabled.

• HTTP Port: Select the HTTP Port. Select from Port 0 to 65535. Shortcuts are available for port 80

(Camera 1 button) and 8080 (camera 2 button). Consult with a qualified Network Administrator or an
MIS professional to configure these settings.

• Hostname: The default Hostname is the unit’s serial number without the dashes. The user should

modify only when GnuDIP is selected in the Name Service field.

• DDNS Update Time: Select the Dynamic Domain Name Server interval. Select from Disable or from

1 to 1440 minutes.

Dynamic DNS and GnuDIP

In order to use Dynamic DNS with GnuDIP, the user has to configure following in the menus:

• Name Service must be set to GnuDIP (Ethernet Setting Menu).

• Primary Name Server must be set to the IP address of the GnuDIP server (Ethernet Setting Menu).

• Hostname must be set to the required hostname format e.g. ge04.companyname.net. For registration
purposes, the string until the first dot is used as hostname (here: ge04), the remainder is used as domain
(here: companyname.net). The hostname is set via the Ethernet Setting menu and is case sensitive.

• DDNS update time must be set to a reasonable value (e.g. 2 minutes).

• The password for the DDNS server has to be set in the Passwords->DDNS password menu. The
password is 4 digits long (The Enter button can be used for the number 0).

When everything is configured correctly , the VSR will send periodically a Dynamic DNS update message over
TCP port 3495 to the Dynamic DNS server telling the server its hostname. The VSR does not include its IP
address in the message. Instead the Dynamic DNS server extracts the IP address of the VSR via the Ethernet
source IP address. This guarantees that the correct IP address is used even when the VSR is behind a NAT
router.

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Advanced Menu / Communications / Ethernet Advanced

Use this menu to configure the Ethernet Advanced communications settings. Select from the
following:

• Bandwidth: Local bandwidth control, set from 5Kb per second through 250Kb and Unlimited. The
minimum of this setting and the setting requested by Video Navigator will be used.

• TCP MTU Size: Select from 1514, 1400, and 1200. The MTU describes the maximum possible TCP
packet size. 1514 is optimal for most Ethernet network environments.

• Listen Port: The port that the VSR uses to listen to Streaming commands.

Figure 73. The ethernet advanced menu

Advanced Menu / Communications / Streaming

Use this menu to configure the streaming settings. Video streaming is the process that the VSR family of
products including the IP CODEC and IP Camera use to listen on a specific UDP/TCP port for control

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messages. For more information on video streaming, see the Streaming Video Overview on page 22. Select
from the following menu options:

• Streaming Enable: Select from Disable, Receiver, or Sender.

• Streaming Protocol: Select from UDP or TCP.

• Streaming IP Address: Select the IP Address of the unit that you want to connect with. If you set up

your unit as a receiver, then the IP address you enter should be the IP address of the sender.

• Streaming Port: Select the port for the stream. 8090 is the default. Contact your company’s IS

professional for available ports.

• IP Map for Network Camera 5: Select the IP address of the IP camera if connected.

Figure 74. Streaming settings menu

Advanced Menu / Communications / Streaming Advanced

Use this menu to configure the receiver and sender control settings. Both the receiver and senders settings must
match exactly. Select from the following menu options:

• Receiver Control Enable: Select from Enable or Disable.

• Receiver Control Port: Select the receiver control port. 8092 is the default. Contact your company’s

IS professional for available ports.

• Sender Control Enable: Select from Enable or Disable.

• Sender Control Port: Select the port for the stream. 8092 is the default. Contact your company’s IS

professional for available ports.

Figure 75. The streaming advanced setup menu

Advanced Menu / Adjust Picture

Figure 76. The adjust picture menu

Use this menu to specify the Brightness, Contrast, and Saturation of the video input. Adjustments made to the
video input will alter the recorded image.

Advanced Menu / Adjust Picture / Adjust Brightness

Use this menu to increase or decrease the brightness of the image.

1. Use the Arrow buttons to navigate to the numbers.

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2. Use the Arrow buttons to increase or decrease to brightness.

3. To Save the changes and Exit the menu: Use the Arrow buttons to select [OK], then click the
Enter button, or to Exit the menu without making changes: Use the Arrow buttons to select
[CANCEL], then click the Enter button.

Advanced Menu / Adjust Picture / Adjust Contrast

Use this menu to increase or decrease the contrast of the image.

1. Use the Arrow buttons to navigate to the numbers.

2. Use the Arrow buttons to increase or decrease to contrast.

3. To Save the changes and Exit the menu: Use the Arrow buttons to select [OK], then click the
Enter button, or to Exit the menu without making changes: Use the Arrow buttons to select
[CANCEL], then click the Enter button.

Advanced Menu / Adjust Picture / Adjust Saturation

Use this menu to increase or decrease the saturation of the image. Saturation refers to the amount of color
displayed in the image.

1. Use the Arrow buttons to navigate to the numbers.

2. Use the Arrow buttons to increase or decrease to saturation.

3. To Save the changes and Exit the menu: Use the Arrow buttons to select [OK], then click the
Enter button, or to Exit the menu without making changes: Use the Arrow buttons to select
[CANCEL], then click the Enter button.

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Advanced Menu / Front Panel Lock

Figure 77. The front panel lock menu

Use this menu to lock or unlock the virtual front panel.This command prevents unauthorized alterations of the
VSR-4’s settings.

Use the Arrow buttons to select UNLOCK KEYBOARD or LOCK KEYBOARD.
Click the Enter button to confirm the selection and exit the menu, or click the Menu button to exit the menu

without making changes.

Advanced Menu / Factory Settings

Figure 78. The factory settings password box

Use this menu to enter the Factory Password, and restore the unit to the factory defaults. The Factory reset
password is 8111.

Use the Up/Down Arrow keys to select a character, then use the Enter button to complete the selection, and
move to the next character.

Clicking the Enter button on the last character will complete the password selection and return the unit to the
factory default configuration.

Note: The unit’s current IP addresses will not reset to the factory settings.

Advanced Menu / Change Password

Use this feature to change the Operator, Ethernet, or DDNS passwords.

Figure 79. The password selection menu

Changing the Operator (Advanced menu) Password

To change the passw ord:

1. Highlight the Operator password, then click the Enter button. A password box will appear.

2. Enter the new password using the Up/Down Arrow keys to select the number then click enter to move
to the next field. clicking enter on the last number field will open the confirmation box.

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3. Re-enter the password.

4. Highlight OK, then click the Enter button. The user will be prompted, indicating if the password was
entered correctly and changed.

The Ethernet Password

The Ethernet Password feature limits access to only those users who access the unit using the password feature
of Video Navigator. When the unit is first setup, the default is No Password Pr otection. Meaning, anyone
using Video Navigator and accessing with an ethernet connection can connect to the unit.

Activating the Ethernet Password

1. Enter the new password using the Up/Down Arrow keys.

2. Highlight OK, then click the Enter button.

3. Re-enter the password.

4. Highlight OK, then click the Enter button. The user will be prompted, indicating if the password was
entered correctly and changed.

Deactivating the Ethernet Password

To return the unit to No Ethernet Password Protection, enter the Ethernet Access Reset Password (1111) in the
password box.

The DDNS Password

The DDNS password enables the VSR to contact the Domain Name Server in order to provide IP to Domain
Name translation. You must obtain this number by calling you Domain Name Service. By default this

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password is 2222. This password is only used when Name Service in the Ethernet Settings Menu is set to
GnuDIP.

Changing the DDNS Password

1. Enter the new password using the Up/Down Arrow keys.

2. Highlight OK, then click the Enter button.

3. Re-enter the password.

Highlight OK, then click the Enter button. The user will be prompted, indicating if the password was entered
correctly and change

Upgrading the VSR-4

To properly upgrade the VSR-4 the following preconditions must exist:

1. The Flash upgrade file and path. This file is obtained by calling GE Security Technical Support at
1-888-437-3287. When calling, please have the following information available:

• The model number of the product.

• The serial number and revision of the product

• The current firmware version.

• The date purchased.

• Symptoms of the unit that might require upgrade.

2. The VSR-4 unit connected to a PC equipped with Microsoft Internet Explorer version 5.5 or later via
Ethernet cable.

3. The IP address of the VSR-4.

4. Please exit all non-essential software on the PC.

5. Ensure that the VSR-4 is not currently recording.

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Follow the steps below to Upgrade the VSR-4:

1. Launch your browser software (Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or later).

2. Enter the IP address of the VSR-4 in the address field of the browser

3. The Enter Network Password window should appear. Enter the correct Username and Password in
their respective fields. (The default username is admin and the password is admin. It is recommended
that the defaults be changed as soon as possible). Click the OK button. The VSR-4 home page should
appear.

4. Click on the Upgrade link.

5. Navigate to the upgrade file using the Browse button or type in the correct path and filename. Click
on the Send File button.

6. Click on the Confirm Button. A progress bar will appear. PLEASE WAIT FOR THE PROGRESS
BAR TO FINISH, THEN WAIT FOR CONFIRMATION! Click on the Reboot button to restart the
unit for changes to take effect. If unsuccessful, download the flash file again and retry steps 1-6.

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Factory Defaults

Menu defaults

Function Setting

Time Format 24 Hour

Date Format MM / DD / YY

Normal Record Speed 60 pictures per seconds (NTSC)

Alarm Record Speed 60 pictures per seconds (NTSC)

Record Quality High

Disk Overwrite Mode Continuous Overwrite

Auto Delete Mode Off

Front Panel Locked Off

Brightness 50%

Contrast 50%

Saturation 50%

Display Current Time and Date Off

Display Record Capacity Off

Display Last Alarm Off

Display Record or Playback Speed Off

Display Playback Time and Date Off

Baud Rate 9600

Alarm Buzzer Disabled

IP addresses

Address Type Address

IP Address 3.112.55.10

Subnet Mask 255.255.254.0

Gateway address 3.112.54.1

Streaming defaults

Function Setting

Streaming Mode (Normal Setup) Disabled

Streaming Protocol (Normal Setup) UDP

Streaming Port (Normal Setup) 8090

Streaming address (Normal Setup) N/A

Receiver Cam Map ID Address for camera 4 (Normal Setup) N/A

Sender Control Enable (Advanced Setup) Selected

Sender Control Port (Advanced Setup) 8092

Receiver COntrol Enable (Advanced Setup) Selected

Receiver Control Port (Advanced Setup) 8092

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Technical Specifications

General

Power Supply 100-240 Volt AC, Auto-Ranging adapter

AC Amps 1.65-0.85 A

Operating Temperature Range Operating: 0 to 40 ºC. Storage: -20 to +60 ºC.

Relative Humidity Range (Non-Condensing) Operating: 10% to 80%. Storage: 10% to 95%

Dimensions Inches: 3.4 x 8.5 x 15.7, mm: 86 x 216 x 399

Weight 9.25 lbs. (4.20 kg)

Connections

Accessory I/O Port DB-9 Male. Accessories Port

RS-232 Serial Port RJ-45 Connector, 9600 Baud, 8,N,1, No flow control

Composite Video In BNC Connector

Composite Video Out BNC Connector

Audio In RCA Connector

Audio Out RCA Connector

10/100 Ethernet Port RJ-45 Connector

Video

Video Signal Input 0.7 to 1.4 Volts peak-to-peak, with Automatic Gain Control

Video Signal Output 1 Volt peak-to-peak into 75-ohm

Input Termination 75-ohm

Colors Y:U:V 4:2:2, 16.8 Million Colors

Gray Scale 256 Levels

Horizontal Resolution 720 Pixels

Vertical Resolution 484 Lines

Video Compression Standard MPEG4

Audio Compression Standard MPEG1 Layer 2

Audio

Audio Input: 315mV, 40k Ohms. Unbalanced.

Audio Output: 315mV, 600 Ohms. Unbalanced.

On-screen Video Indicators

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Fast Forward
Last Alarm

Record Speed
Playback Speed

Pause
Play
Record Capacity
Reverse Play

Rewind
Time and Date
Video Loss

Part Numbers

User Manual 0150-0304

All specifications are subject to change without notice. GE Security believes all specifications are correct, but
no liability is assumed for omissions or errors.

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Warranty and Service

Factory Service

WARNING

Do not open the top cover or attempt to service the unit, as this may expose you to dangerous voltages
and other hazards. Programmer maintenance of this unit is limited to external cleaning and inspection.
Refer all servicing to qualif ied personnel.

If the unit requires factory service, contact the dealer who supplied the unit to you for the correct procedures on
returning the unit to the factory or the nearest factory service center.

If the dealer is not available, contact the manufacturer of the unit as detailed below and request a Return
Material Authorization number (RMA). The unit’s serial number must be provided before a RMA number can
be issued. Units returned to the factory for service must have freight and insurance prepaid, and must show the
RMA number clearly on all shipping documents. The failure symptoms must be clearly described by the
operator and enclosed with the unit together with a copy of the original suppliers invoice. Failure to comply
with these instructions will delay service of the unit, and may result in the unit not being accepted by the
Repair Center.

Factory Address

GE Security
Attention: Repair Center
3050 Red Hill Ave
Costa Mesa, CA. 92626
United States of America
Telephone: [phone] (7:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Pacific Time)
In Oregon: 541-754-9133
Fax: [phone]

For warranty information, see the following page.

Warranty and Return Information

GE Security warrants all of its equipment for three years from the date of purchase. This warranty covers any
defects in materials and workmanship. Equipment failures that are due to improper installation, modification,
abuse, or acts of nature will not be covered by this warranty. The repair department will evaluate all equipment
returned for repair to determine warranty coverage. The Tech Support Manager will resolve any questions that
may arise during evaluation to make a final determination.

The warranty specifically covers any defects in material and workmanship and does not cover equipment that
has been abused, damaged, or modified.

For all warranty repairs, GE Security will cover all costs, including parts, labor, and shipping. Repaired
equipment will be returned via the same method of shipment in which it was received. If a customer requests a
faster return shipment, the difference will be charged.

For all non-warranty repairs, the customer will be billed for parts, labor, and shipping. Labor will be billed
in half-hour increments.

Note: Customers requesting an estimate prior to repair will be notified by phone. If they cannot be reached, they will be

notified by fax. If we are unable to reach the contact person for repair authorization after one phone attempt and two
fax attempts, the equipment will be returned without being repaired. We will hold equipment no longer than two weeks.

Advance Replacement Policy

When an advance replacement is required, we will send the customer replacement equipment from our stock
and receive the returned product in exchange. The received equipment will be evaluated and the repair
department will determine whether it is a warranty replacement. If it is non-warranty, see our repair policy
above for details. The following guidelines will be used for all advance replacements:

• Fewer than 45 days from purchase, GE Security will replace the product with new equipment.

• From 45 days to 1 year from purchase, GE Security will replace the product with refurbished
equipment.

• From 1 year to 3 years from purchase, the product must be sent in for repair. Advance replacements
will be sent for a fee of $100.

If you have questions about this policy, plea se contact the GE Security RMA Department at
888-437-3287.

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Contacting technical support

For assistance installing, operating, maintaining, and troubleshooting this product, refer to this document and
any other documentation provided. If you still have questions, you may contact technical support and sales
during normal business hours (Monday through Friday, excluding holidays, between 6 a.m. and 5 p.m. Pacific
Time).

Table 10. Sales and support contact information

Sales Technical support

Phone:

E-mail

Fax

Note: Be ready at the equipment before calling for technical support .

800-469-1676 888-437-3287

[e-mail] [e-mail]

541-754-7162 541-752-9096 (available 24 hours a day)

Online publication library

Another great resource for assistance with your GE Security products is our online publication library,
available to all of our customers on our website. To access our publication library, go to our website at the
following location:

http://www.gesecurity.com

In the Tools area at the top, click the Publication Library link then select Video Surveillance. After you
register and log on, you may search through our online library for the documentation you need.

1

1. Many GE Security documents are provided as PDFs (portable document format). To read these documents, you will need
Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded free from Adobe’s website at www.adobe.com.