Core Features

Recording & Playback

Save footage locally. Check recording access for your platform and trial phase.

Local recordings are saved on your device or in the recording folder you choose. Optional remote viewing sends live camera video over the internet to your viewing device and may use a relay server.

Event Recording

Automatically record when motion or AI detection events occur.

  1. 1 Go to Camera Settings → Recording.
  2. 2 Enable Record on Detection.
  3. 3 Optionally set Pre-buffer (seconds to include before the event trigger).
On iPhone and iPad, recording is foreground-bound when iOS suspends the app. Background Monitoring can use execution time the system grants, but it cannot guarantee unattended 24/7 recording. Prefer a powered Mac for continuous operation.

Manual Recording

Start and stop recording any time from the live view.

  • → Tap the record button (circle icon) while viewing a camera.
  • → The button turns red while recording is active. Tap again to stop.
  • → File is saved immediately when you stop.

Recording Format

Format
.mp4 container
Video Codec
H.264 or H.265 (passthrough — same as source)
Resolution
Matches selected stream (main or sub)

Storage depends on the camera bitrate: hourly GB ≈ bitrate in Mbps × 0.45. For example, a 4 Mbps stream uses about 1.8 GB per hour before file-system overhead.

Storage Management

SmartRTSP automatically cleans up old recordings so you don't have to.

Retention Period

Check the retention settings on your device. The app can remove expired recordings. Back up clips you need to keep before the retention period expires.

Storage Limit (GB)

Set a maximum storage cap. When exceeded, the oldest recordings are deleted to free space.

Settings: Settings → Storage → Recording Storage

Playback

All recordings are accessible in the History tab.

  • → Filter by camera or date using the controls at the top.
  • → Tap a recording thumbnail to play. Drag the scrubber to seek.
  • → Tap the share icon to export or save to Photos.

Where Are Files Saved?

📱
iPhone / iPad

Saved to SmartRTSP folder in the Files app. Can also be saved to Photos. Enable iCloud Drive to sync across devices.

💻
Mac

Default: ~/Movies/SmartRTSP/. Change the directory in Settings → Storage. Any local folder works, including network drives (SMB/NFS mounted in Finder).

Tips

  • •Use Sub Stream for long-duration recording to save storage (~4× less than Main Stream).
  • •Connect to power when recording continuously — sustained decoding drains battery.
  • •macOS is better suited for 24/7 recording than iOS due to fewer OS background restrictions.
  • •Multiple cameras can record simultaneously — each stream is saved as a separate file.
Live View AI Detection