When you need to investigate an incident or review what happened at a specific time, the Search tab in XProtect Smart Client is your primary tool for finding recorded footage quickly and efficiently.
When to Use Search vs. Playback
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Use Playback when you know the approximate time and cameras you want to review
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Use Search when you need to find specific events, motion, or incidents across multiple cameras and time periods
Getting to the Search Tab
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Click the Search tab at the top of XProtect Smart Client
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The search interface will open with filters and camera selection options
What You Can Search For
XProtect Smart Client can search for several types of content:
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Video sequences - General recorded footage
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Video sequences with motion - Footage where movement was detected
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Bookmarked video - Previously saved incidents
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Video sequences with alarms - Footage associated with system alarms
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Video sequences with events - Footage linked to specific system events
Advanced Search Categories (available in XProtect Corporate/Expert):
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Video sequences with people - Footage containing detected persons
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Video sequences with vehicles - Footage with vehicle detection
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Video recorded at specific locations - Footage from geographical coordinates
Basic Search Process
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Select Time Period - Choose from predefined ranges (Last 2 hours, Last 24 hours, etc.) or set a custom interval
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Choose Cameras - Select specific cameras or entire views from the camera tree
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Pick Search Categories - Choose what type of content to search for
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Apply Filters - Narrow down results with specific criteria
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Review Results - Browse thumbnail results and preview footage
Search Results
Search results appear as thumbnail images showing key moments from the footage. Each result includes:
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Camera name and location
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Date and time stamps
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Duration of the sequence
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Preview of the video content
Quick Actions from Search Results
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Preview - Click the play button to preview footage
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Full Screen - Double-click a result to view in full-screen mode
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Export - Add sequences to the export list
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Bookmark - Save important incidents for later reference
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Take Snapshots - Capture still images from the footage
Pro Tips
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Start broad, then narrow - Begin with a wider time range and fewer filters, then refine your search
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Use multiple cameras - Select all cameras covering an area of interest for comprehensive coverage
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Check the timeline - White markers on the search timeline show where results are distributed
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Combine search categories - Use multiple criteria (motion + alarms) for more precise results
Next Steps: