Exploring the Alarm.com Camera Onboard Recording Feature
Posted By Julia RossYou may recall us briefly discussing the Alarm.com Camera Onboard Recording feature when it was announced that the ADC-SVR122 was being discontinued. Today, we're taking a closer look at the feature, what it entails, and how you can get started. Let's check out Alarm.com Onboard Recording!
Simply put, Alarm.com Onboard Recording allows a compatible Alarm.com Camera to record captured footage locally to a MicroSD card that is on board the camera. Since the camera is connected with the Alarm.com servers, the user can access the footage on the MicroSD card remotely using the Alarm.com website or mobile app.
Only footage that is still on the MicroSD card can be accessed. As the camera continues to record and store video, older footage on the card is deleted to make space. You must access and save any important footage on the MicroSD card before it is deleted and lost forever. Many Alarm.com users have found that onboard recording is a nice alternative to using a streaming video recorder (SVR) device.
There are many things to keep in mind when thinking about Alarm.com Onboard Recording. The first thing you should consider is which Alarm.com Cameras support the feature. Alarm.com has expanded compatibility quite a bit since this feature was first released.
Compatible cameras include select indoor cameras, outdoor cameras, commercial cameras, and video doorbells. Remember that you will need a monitoring plan that includes both video surveillance and access to Alarm.com to use any of these cameras. Examples of compatible plans include an Alarm Grid Platinum Level Plan (Self or Full) or an Alarm Grid Video Only Plan. Learn about monitoring plans here.
The following Alarm.com Cameras support Onboard Recording with Smart View. If necessary, the camera firmware is updated automatically when an Onboard Recording schedule is created for it.
| Camera Model | Minimum Firmware To Use Feature |
Maximum SD Card Size And Required Firmware Version |
|---|---|---|
| ADC-V515 | 0.0.5.096+ | 1.5 TB on firmware version 0.0.5.728+ |
| ADC-V516 | - | 1.5 TB on firmware version 0.0.3.104+ |
| ADC-V523/523X | 0.6.1.151+ | 1.5 TB on firmware version 0.8.6.060+ |
| ADC-V723/723X | 0.6.1.151+ | 1.5 TB on firmware version 0.8.6.060+ |
| ADC-V724/724X | - | 1.5 TB on firmware version 0.8.6.060+ |
| ADC-V730 | - | 1.5 TB on firmware version 05009+ |
| ADC-VC727P | - | 1.5 TB on firmware version 0.8.6.060+ |
| ADC-VC827P | - | 1.5 TB on firmware version 0.8.6.060+ |
| ADC-VC847PF | - | 1.5 TB on firmware version 0.8.6.060+ |
| ADC-VC838PF | - | 1.5 TB on firmware version 0.8.6.060+ |
| ADC-VC728PF | - | 1.5 TB on firmware version 0.8.6.060+ |
| ADC-V729/V729AC/VC729P | - | 1.5 TB on firmware version 0.8.6.060+ |
| ADC-VDB775 | - | 1.5 TB on firmware version 04016+ |
| ADC-V530 | - | 1.5 TB on firmware version 0.0.2.066+ |
| ADC-VC7398PA | - | 1.5 TB on firmware version 5.0.1+ |
| ADC-VC8498PA | - | 1.5 TB on firmware version 5.0.1+ |
| ADC-VC8498PA/VC8498PVT | - | 1.5 TB on firmware version 5.0.1+ |
| ADC-VC8295PA/VC8295PVT | - | 1.5 TB on firmware version 5.0.1+ |
| ADC-VDB770* | 02234+ | 512 GB on firmware version 02234+ |
*Note: The ADC-VDB770 is not compatible with audio recording and playback for 24/7 Onboard Recording. Live View and Cloud Recordings still work with audio as expected.
Once you have a compatible camera, you can then start thinking about which MicroSD card you want to use. Alarm.com recommends using a high-quality MicroSD card designed for surveillance. Most supported models can use a card up to 1.5 TB, while the ADC-VDB770 supports cards up to 512 GB. For 4 MP recording schedules, the MicroSD card must be at least 128 GB. For recording schedules using 2 MP and lower resolutions, the minimum supported size is 32 GB. Alarm.com lists the following MicroSD cards as compatible:
- Western Digital Purple MicroSD cards, 64 GB to 1 TB
- Micron Industrial Memory cards, 32 GB to 256 GB
- Samsung Pro Endurance, 128 GB and 256 GB
- SanDisk High Endurance
- SanDisk Max Endurance, 32 GB to 256 GB
- SanDisk Video MicroSD cards, 32 GB to 1.5 TB
- Transcend 460T, 64 GB to 256 GB
Additionally, you should check out the following FAQs from Alarm Grid that show you how to install the MicroSD card for some of the compatible ADC Cameras:
- Installing the MicroSD for the ADC-V515
- Installing the MicroSD for the ADC-V523
- Installing the MicroSD for the ADC-V723
Below you'll see the location of the SD Card slot for each camera model:
| Camera Model | SD Card Slot Location |
|---|---|
| ADC-V515 | Bottom side of the camera near the QR code and MAC address. |
| ADC-V516 | Bottom side of the camera near the QR code and MAC address. |
| ADC-V523/523X | Behind the rubber tab on the bottom side of the camera near the QR code and MAC address. |
| ADC-V723/723X | Behind the door on the bottom face of the camera near the QR code and MAC address. |
| ADC-V724/724X | Behind the SD card door on the bottom face of the camera, next to the speaker and WPS/Reset button. |
| ADC-V730 | Behind the SD card door on the bottom face of the camera, next to the speaker and WPS/Reset button. |
| ADC-VC727P | Behind the door on the bottom face of the camera near the QR code and MAC address, next to the reset button. |
| ADC-VC827P | Under the camera cowl and the MicroSD label. |
| ADC-VC728PF | Behind the door on the bottom face of the camera near the QR code and MAC address, next to the reset button. |
| ADC-VC838PF | Behind the door on the side of the camera, next to the reset button. |
| ADC-VC847PF | Under the camera cowl and MicroSD label. |
| ADC-V729/V729AC/VC729P | Behind the SD card door on the right side of the camera body. |
| ADC-VDB770 | On the back of the doorbell near the bottom, below the battery housing. |
| ADC-VDB775 | On the left side of the doorbell under the SD card slot cover when looking at the doorbell from the front. |
| ADC-V530 | Behind the silicon tab on the bottom side of the camera near the QR code and MAC address. |
| ADC-VC7398PA | Behind the door on the bottom face of the camera near the QR code and MAC address, next to the reset button. |
| ADC-VC8498P/8498PA | Under the camera cowl, in the labeled SD card slot. |
| ADC-VC8295P | Under the camera cowl, in the labeled SD card slot. |
After selecting the proper plan, a compatible camera, and a recommended MicroSD card, make sure your monitoring company enables the "Onboard Recording with Smart View" feature on your account. You will not be able to set up the feature on your account until this option has been enabled. Once you have the Onboard Recording feature set up and running, accessing the recorded footage is very simple. You can use the Alarm.com website or mobile app for this task. We recommend checking out our FAQ on Viewing Alarm.com Onboard Recorded Video from an SD Card for more information.
What do you think of the Alarm.com Camera Onboard Recording feature? Are you glad to see it available for more Alarm.com Cameras? Leave a comment down below, and share your thoughts. And stay tuned to the Alarm Grid Blog for more security system news coming soon!
