Bug Fix Request - Preserve un-transmitted video

Vera Controllers, Services & Devices Vera Controllers & Cameras
#1

From a recent support request, when the Vera controller is uploading a video to cloud storage, if there is a communication interruption the result is that the video is discarded and the camera’s history shows a reference to a non-existent picture. Support’s response was:

“if the camera failed to load the information to the server, then the file is entirely unavailable and cycles out of the camera as there is limited storage on the device”.

I view this as a bug as it is an inappropriate outcome that a security system discards video because its primary storage is unavailable. This happens to about 10% of my videos.

The video upload process should preserve the video file on the Vera controller until it has acknowledgement that the video has been successfully stored in the cloud. Periodic attempts should then be made to re-upload the video. At very least a folder of un-transmitted videos should be maintained on the controller so that the owner can review them and choose to discard them.

#2

Thank you, for your report, Neil.

Unfortunately, Vera doesn’t have enough internal storage to handle the video upload the way you mention it. It only has a few megabytes that are usable by the operating system and the plugins.

I’m not sure how can this be improved but I will present this to the R&D dept.

Thank for your private message as well, it’s being presented to the interested parties as I speak and I will keep you posted.

#3

Thanks Sorin. A couple of thoughts for R&D

  • my Vera Secure is showing 50MB with only 1.5% used. Agreed that’s not much for video storage, and I cannot see the file sizes being generated, but maybe viable as a short-term cache
  • Could it be an option to put a thumb drive in the USB slot and configure it to cache un-transmitted video there?
#4

Hello, Neil

Vera is many things but not an NVR box. The internal storage on Vera is used for logs and real estate for plugin installation, not for video storage. With Vera cameras, the internal storage of a camera or even an micro sd card of the camera is used as a temporary buffer or short term cache until the video is uploaded to the cloud.

#5

Thanks for the reply Sorin,
I knew that Vera is not a DVR system when I bought it, but unfortunately, without reliable video neither is Vera a great security system. Maybe time that Vera paused and reflected on video strategy. Selling expensive unreliable cameras is not a sustainable game plan for a security system. If you want to not just be a home automation box and become a great security system, maybe the answer is to integrate with best in class video systems.