Dashcam footage and live viewBeta

This page is for fleet managers. It covers two ways to see what a dashcam sees when no safety event has been sent:

• Request footage: ask the camera to upload a recording from its memory card.
• Live view: watch a camera now.

For reviewing safety events, see Dashcam safety events. For settings such as the monthly data budget and live-view times, see Dashcam video privacy.

Overview#

A dashcam records continuously to a memory card in the vehicle. Nothing leaves the vehicle unless something happens or you ask for it. Footage uses mobile data on the vehicle's SIM, so Vectis shows an estimate before you ask and keeps a monthly budget.

Every request, approval and download is audited. Every live session is logged.

Permissions#

If you don't have a permission, the button or menu item isn't shown.

Requesting footage#

You can start from three places:

• a vehicle's page: Request footage;
• a trip's page: Request footage (the vehicle and start time are filled in);
• Telematics → Footage → Request footage, where you choose the vehicle.

Then:

1. Choose the vehicle

   Choose the vehicle if it isn't already set.

2. Set the start and length

   Set Start, a date and time with seconds. Set Length (seconds). The limit is shown under the box. The default is 2 minutes (120 seconds) per channel.

3. Choose the quality

   • Full quality (main stream): sharper, larger file.
   • Smaller file (sub stream): lower quality, less data.

4. Choose the channels

   Under Channels, tick the cameras you want. A forward-facing channel is ticked for you. The in-cabin channel is never ticked for you, and is greyed out with a reason if cabin recording is off or you don't have permission to view in-cabin video.

5. Check the data

   Data shows the estimated size over mobile data, and "This month: X of Y used". If the request would go over the monthly budget, a warning says a manager must approve it first.

6. Add a reason

   Optionally write a Reason. Approvers and the audit log see it.

7. Send the request

   Select Ask the camera. You'll land on the Footage page, showing your request.

If the vehicle has no dashcam, the page says "This vehicle has no dashcam."

If the camera is asleep#

A camera only talks to Vectis while the vehicle is powered on. The Data section shows when the camera was last seen. If it is asleep, the request waits and is sent when the vehicle next powers on. The request shows "The camera is asleep or out of coverage. This will be fetched when the vehicle next powers on (until ...)."

A waiting request expires after 72 hours by default. An administrator can change this in Settings → Video → Wait for a sleeping camera (hours).

Confirming and receiving footage#

The Footage page (Telematics → Footage) has tabs: Requests, Awaiting approval (managers only) and Library. A bar at the top shows Footage this month.

1. Find your request

   Open Telematics → Footage and find your request in Requests. The page refreshes by itself while the camera is working.

2. Check what the camera has

   When the camera has answered, the request shows On the camera's SD card: the recordings that cover your time range and how big they are. This is a closer figure than the first estimate.

3. Confirm the upload

   Select Upload N MB to confirm. Nothing uploads until you do. Select Cancel if you don't want it.

4. Wait for the upload

   The camera uploads the footage. This can take a few minutes.

5. Watch it

   When it arrives, the request moves to the Library tab and plays there. Download original gives you the camera's original file, if you need it.

You can select Cancel request while a request is waiting or confirmed.

If something goes wrong, the request shows the reason in red, for example if the camera has already recorded over that time.

Approving or refusing a request over budget#

You need permission to manage video settings.

1. Open Telematics → Footage and go to the Awaiting approval tab.
2. Read the request, who asked and their reason.
3. To approve, add an optional note and select Approve. The footage then uploads.
4. To refuse, write why in the note and select Refuse. A reason is required: if you leave it empty you'll see "Say why the request is refused."

The requester sees "Approved by ..." or "Refused by ..." with your note.

A requester who isn't a manager can still select Cancel request while the request waits for approval.

Watching a camera live#

When the Live button is missing#

The Live button shows only when:

• you have permission to use live view;
• live view is turned on for your organisation (Settings → Video → Allow live view);
• the camera is online, which means the vehicle is powered on.

On the phone, if you open live view when it isn't available, you'll see "Live view isn't available" with the reason.

When a session ends#

By default a session ends:

• after 2 minutes without interaction (a click, key press or touch);
• after 10 minutes at most;
• if the camera sends no video for 30 seconds;
• when you select Stop or leave the page.

An administrator can change both times in Settings → Video. The window shows the current values.

Camera limits#

A camera can stream either one channel in full quality or up to three channels in the smaller stream. Others watching the same channel in the same quality share the stream. If your choice would go over the limit, you'll see a message saying why, for example:

• "The camera streams only one channel in full quality, and other channels are being watched. Choose the smaller stream."
• "The camera streams at most 3 channels at once, and that many are being watched."

Sessions are logged#

Each live session is recorded. An administrator can see who watched which vehicle and channel, for how long, and how it ended, under Settings → Video → Live sessions. The end reasons are Stopped, Idle, Time limit, No video and Connection lost.

Troubleshooting#

These are the messages Vectis shows.