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Amcrest H5 Series Quick Start Manual

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Digital Video Recorder
Quick Start Guide
Version 1.0.0.
th
Revised October 12
, 2018

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Summary of Contents for Amcrest H5 Series

  • Page 1 Digital Video Recorder Quick Start Guide Version 1.0.0. Revised October 12 , 2018...

  • Page 2: Table Of Contents

    Enabling P2P on the DVR ......................47 App setup not working? (troubleshooting steps) ................ 50 Amcrest View Pro interface overview ..................50 8. Amcrest View Web Portal Setup ....................51 Installing the AmcrestView.com browser plugin ................. 51 User method ..........................55 AmcrestView Web Interface Overview ..................

  • Page 3: Front/Back Panel Diagrams & Descriptions

    Many of the setup sections below have corresponding videos on YouTube To access the setup videos, please go to http://amcrest.com/videos Note: This guide is applicable to all 4, 8, and 16 channel H5/XVR model Amcrest DVRs. Some images and setup features may differ model to model. Important Safeguards and Warnings ●...

  • Page 4: Front/Back Panel Diagrams & Descriptions

    Icon Name Function Network When a network error occurs or there is no network connection, abnormality this light turns red. indicator light Power When DVR is on, this light remains on. indicator When an HDD error occurs, or the HDD capacity is below the abnormal specified threshold value, this light turns red.

  • Page 5: Hardware Setup

    It is recommended to connect all components of the system as shown below before mounting any of the cameras. This is to ensure all components are working before any physical installation takes place. If any components are not functioning, please contact Amcrest Support at support@amcrest or by giving us a call at 888-212-7538.
  • Page 6 Connect an Ethernet cable to your router. Then, connect the other end of the Ethernet cable to the DVR. Secure the coaxial extension cable to the camera’s video cable port. Then, connect a power adapter to the camera’s power adapter port and plug the power adapter into a wall socket or power source.
  • Page 7 Secure the coaxial cable port from the camera to any of the video (coaxial) ports on the back of the DVR. Connect the power adapter into the back of the DVR, and then plug in the DVR power adapter into an electrical socket to turn on the unit.
  • Page 8 4-in-1 camera is represented in the image below: Most Amcrest DVRs will require you to set the camera to HD-CVI or Analog (960H) settings and may not be compatible with HD-TVI or AHD. Ensure your 4-in-1 camera's toggle switch is set to the proper setting as indicated in the diagram below.
  • Page 9 Figure 1-1 - PLEASE READ BELOW- Note: Your DVR may not work properly if the following is not accounted for. Every DVR comes preset to a video output resolution of 1280x1024. What this means is that any time an HDMI cable is plugged into an HDTV, it may result with a blank screen even if the DVR is working properly.

  • Page 10: Hard Drive Installation

    5. Then, on the new window, change your resolution from 1280x1024 to 1920x1080. Once complete, scroll down to the bottom and click on Save to save your display settings. Your DVR will reset to effect the change. 6. Disconnect the VGA cable and connect your DVR to an HD monitor or TV using an HDMI cable. Don’t forget to change the input to HDMI on your TV/monitor.
  • Page 11 To install your hard drive, the following is needed: ● A medium sized (regular) Phillips-head screwdriver - not included ● A hard drive - not included (unless you purchased a ‘kit’ that does have one included) ● Four hard drive fastening screws - included Note: Before installing the hard drive, make sure the DVR is powered off and completely disconnected from power.

  • Page 12: Console Setup

    This indicates the DVR does not have the proper connection with your hard drive. If you need further assistance with installing your hard drive, feel free to contact us any time at support@amcrest.com or you can give us a call at 888-212-7538. 4. Console Setup 1.
  • Page 13 2. Unlock Pattern This is an optional security measure for your device. You can also assign an unlock pattern for your admin account. To set an unlock pattern, using your mouse, draw a design which you will remember to access your device. If you do not wish to assign an unlock pattern, you can click “Skip”...
  • Page 14 Once this section is complete, click on the Save button to save your information to the device. Startup Wizard Walkthrough The first page of the Startup Wizard will appear: If you do not want to use the Startup Wizard, or you have already gone through it and do not want it to keep appearing, unmark the checkbox next to Startup and click Cancel.
  • Page 15 General Settings The next screen that comes up is the settings screen. Once you are satisfied with the GENERAL settings on this screen, click the Next button at the bottom of the screen. The next screen that appears will be the Date & Time settings screen. This is where you can set the date and time for your specific location.
  • Page 16 Note: Make sure to toggle the NTP toggle switch to the off position to avoid syncing your device to the NTP server. The next screen that will appear is the Network settings screen. In this screen you can configure the network settings. If you want to set your device up to have a static IP, toggle the DHCP toggle switch to the off position.
  • Page 17 The next screen that appears is the settings screen. This will be enabled by default. It is highly recommended to keep this enabled if you want to use you’re the Amcrest View Pro mobile app or AmcrestView.com to view your cameras remotely.
  • Page 18 After adjusting the encode settings for your device, click on the Next button to continue. The next screen that will appear will be the Snapshot settings screen. This is where you can adjust the settings for your snapshots. This includes, the image size, quality, as well as interval in which the snapshot is retained.
  • Page 19 The next screen you see is the Record settings screen. Your DVR is configured, by default, to record everything on all channels 24/7 (this will only actually happen provided you have a hard drive installed). You can also use this screen to set up motion detection and alarm schedules.
  • Page 20 Once you are satisfied with the settings on this screen, click the Next button at the bottom of the screen. Next you will be able to configure your snapshot settings for your scheduled recordings. You can also use this screen to set up motion detection and alarm schedules for snapshot events. Once you have scheduled your events, click on the Finished button to continue.

  • Page 21: Motion Detection & Recording Setup

    Main Menu overview The screenshot below is the main menu screen for the Amcrest DVR console interface: Below are short descriptions for each of the menu items on the main menu: VIDEO: Search and playback recorded video that is stored on the hard drive.
  • Page 22 A hard drive is included with every DVR ‘kit’ purchased. You can confirm this by looking at the packaging. If bought as a standalone DVR, a hard drive will need to be purchased separately. Once purchased separately, for hard drive installation instructions, please refer to part 3 of this guide.
  • Page 23 4. To choose a channel (or camera) for which to configure the recording schedules, click the number next to Channel, then select either a single channel or All: 5. By default, the DVR will have the schedule configured to record regularly 24/7. Notice the green bars going across each day of the week.
  • Page 24 Click the eraser icon to the right of any day to clear the entire row of all green blocks. 6. To add or remove motion detection blocks to the grid, mark the checkbox next to MD, then click individual cells or click-and-drag for multiple blocks: 7.
  • Page 25 In the below example, Sunday and Monday are linked, so any blocks that are added or removed for Sunday will automatically and immediately reflect the same for Monday and vice versa: 8. Another way to configure recording schedules is by using setting the time periods. Click the ‘gear’...

  • Page 26: Setting Up Motion Detection And Email Alerts

    In the Copy window, you can select individual channels for any cameras you have added to the DVR or select All: Click OK when finished. When finished on this screen, click Apply to save your changes. Setting Up Motion Detection and Email Alerts Your DVR will save motion detection recordings, in addition to scheduled ‘regular’...
  • Page 27 Open the , and click the MAIN MENU ALARM tab. 3. In the alarm menu, click on VIDEO DETECT. This is the main configuration page for motion detection:...
  • Page 28 Change your channel (or camera) by clicking Channel and selecting from any cameras currently added to the DVR. You can also select All. Make sure the Enable toggle switch is activated. Then, click Setting to Region to configure the motion detection areas. 4.
  • Page 29 In plain English: Sensitivity is the difference between a squirrel running up a tree, versus a big dog running up to and barking at that tree. A squirrel would trigger motion detection at a higher sensitivity because it takes less change or movement to qualify as motion. But the dog would trigger motion detection at a lower sensitivity because it takes more change or movement to qualify as motion.
  • Page 30 The Period Settings page works very similarly to the recording schedule page featured in the previous section in part 5 of this guide. 7. Next, if you want to receive email alerts with snapshots from your motion detection events, check the boxes for Send Email and Snapshot: 8.
  • Page 31 9. Click Apply to save all the settings made on this page. 10. Next, go back to the main menu and click the NETWORK tab on the bottom row. In the Network menu, click on EMAIL from the left navigation panel: The recommended method for this step is to create a new Gmail account that is dedicated to sending you email alert snapshots for motion detection.
  • Page 32 In the Username field, enter your new Gmail account’s address. For example: “amcrestemailsme@gmail.com”. Then, enter the password for this account in the Password field. In the Email Address field, enter your own personal email account’s address. For example: “amcrestemailsme@gmail.com”. In the Sender field, enter your email address again. Make sure the toggle switch for the Attachment is toggled to the on position.

  • Page 33: Computer Access Setup

    1. You must access the DVR’s web interface with its IP address. 2. You must install the Amcrest web browser plugin. An IP address is just an identifier given to any devices that connect to a network. People use names, but internet-connected devices use a set of numbers called an IP address to talk to each other.

  • Page 34: Amcrest Ip Config Software Method

    DVR speaks in a way that a computer can understand. That’s what the browser plugin is for. There are 2 ways to access the DVR’s web interface: Amcrest IP Config Software method and the built-in interface method.
  • Page 35 5. You will be asked to allow this program to make changes to your computer with a pop-up window, click Yes. 6. Once you see the first page of the installer wizard, click Next to continue. 7. On the next page, check the box next to “I agree”, then click Install.
  • Page 36 8. After the progress bar completes, if you see a Windows Security Alert popup, click Allow access. 9. This brings you to the main screen of Amcrest IP Config Software. Your DVR will automatically be found on your network and appear in the list (if properly connected with an Ethernet cable to...

  • Page 37: Built-In Interface Method

    “default” web browser to access and log into your DVR. If your default browser is not Internet Explorer, you can write down the IP address from the Amcrest IP Config Software (IP address located above), open Internet Explorer yourself, and type that into the search bar to get to the login screen.
  • Page 38 3. Click the Network option, in management section of the menu. 4. On the NETWORK settings page, you will start on the TCP/IP tab on the left panel list of options. Locate where it says IP Address on the main center page of the window. 5.
  • Page 39 Installing the Amcrest Browser Plugin Once you’ve followed one of the above methods to get to the login screen for the DVR, follow the below steps to install the browser plugin on Internet Explorer: 1. On the main login screen, you should see a popup in the center. Click Install.
  • Page 40 - a link to this will be provided in this guide). For the purposes of this guide, we will cover how to access the DVR through the Amcrest web interface (the most common method).
  • Page 41 UPnP on your router. To view a video on how to setup the DVR for UPnP/DDNS remote access go to http://amcrest.com/videos, click the Videos tab, then find the video titled “HDCVI - Remote Access Setup for PC (UPnP)”.
  • Page 42 From the left-hand navigation panel, click , then locate the HTTP port on the right. CONNECTION It is recommended to ensure the port number is at least 5 digits long to prevent any port conflicts. You can change the port to any 5-digit number that is less than 65535 (e.g. 12345) by clicking the number field and entering a new port number.
  • Page 43 Create and write down the domain name for your device in the Domain Name field. Then, click Apply. Click UPnP from the left navigation panel and select the PAT radio button at the top to the on position. Then, locate row 1 in the PAT Table, where HTTP is written beneath Service Name Protocol, and click the edit icon to change the HTTP Ext.
  • Page 44 In the window that appears, click into the number field next Ext. Port to change it to PORT INFO the same port number that was chosen in step 2 above (e.g. 12345). Then click OK. Now, click Apply, and ensure it says ‘Searching’ in the field next to UPnP Status. Exit this menu to go back to the main menu, then re-enter the UPnP menu, and ensure the UPnP Status says ‘Success’.
  • Page 45 To get more detailed information on other methods to set up remote web access for the Amcrest DVR, please refer to the user manual. Remote access not working? (troubleshooting steps) 1. Re-enter login credentials: Confirm that your username and password for accessing the DVR are correct.

  • Page 46: Web Interface Walkthrough

    To contact Amcrest support, please do one of the following: Visit http://amcrest.com/contacts and use the email form Call Amcrest Support using one of the following numbers Toll Free: (888) 212-7538 International Callers (Outside of US): +1-713-893-8956 USA: 713-893-8956 Canada: 437-888-0177...

  • Page 47: Amcrest View App Setup

    Amcrest systems. The app supports a multitude of features and includes both a plug-and-play setup as well as a manual network setup. For purposes of this guide, we will use Amcrest View Pro, which is free on both the App Store and Play Store.
  • Page 48 1. Download and open the Amcrest View Pro app from the App Store or Play Store. 2. Open the app and tap on the (+) symbol in 3.
  • Page 49 32 characters and confirm the password. Press OK to continue. For setup without establishing a P2P connection in the app you will need to use IP Doman/DDNS setup. For more details on this setup visit, amcrest/com/support...

  • Page 50: App Setup Not Working? (Troubleshooting Steps)

    P2P Setup on your app again. Contact support if you are still unable to gain access. To view a video on how to setup the Amcrest DVR for remote access on a smartphone or tablet, go to http://amcrest.com/videos...

  • Page 51: Amcrest View Web Portal Setup

    8. Amcrest View Web Portal Setup You can access your DVR through a computer using the P2P web portal AmcrestView.com for quick plug-and-play access. It uses the same technology as the Amcrest View mobile app and is an easy, non-technical setup method.
  • Page 52 2. Once you’re on the login page, you will see a message about installing the plugin below the login box. Click Download Now: 3. This will take you to another page where you will need to click the Download Now button: 4.
  • Page 53 5. You may be prompted to verify this download. This software is not harmful to your computer and will not make any unwanted changes. To verify, start by clicking View Downloads: 6. In the View Downloads page, right click the plugin, then click Run Anyway. 7.
  • Page 54 9. You will be taken back to the login page and see another notification from your browser asking you to allow this plugin on this web page. Click the small arrow next to Allow, then click Allow for all websites: 10.

  • Page 55: User Method

    User method The user method requires that you first install the Amcrest browser plugin for AmcrestView.com. Then, you can register for an account to set up your DVR. 1. On the main login screen, www.amcrestview.com, click the Register Now button: 2.
  • Page 56 Check your email, and click the confirmation email from AmcrestView.com: 4. Once you’ve opened the email, click the confirmation link inside to complete your registration: 5. You will be taken back to AmcrestView.com and shown confirmation that your account has been activated.
  • Page 57 6. You will be taken back to the login screen. Enter your new AmcrestView.com username and password, then click Login: 7. A popup will appear from your Windows Firewall. Click Allow access : 8. You will be taken to the main screen of your account. From here, click the Add Device button:...
  • Page 58 9. Now you can enter your DVR’s information. Enter a Device Name (this can be anything). Then, fill in the S/N (serial number) this can be found on the sticker attached to the bottom of your DVR or through the web interface. Enter your username and password for the DVR, not the username and password you just created for AmcrestView.com.
  • Page 59 11. Your browser will give you a notification asking you to allow popups from AmcrestView.com. Click Options for this site, then click Always allow: 12. You will be taken to the live view page and given a notification to allow the plugin to pull the video feed through here.
  • Page 60 14. Now you can enable any of your added cameras to see their live feeds. In the top-right panel, there is a channel list. Click the small square icon to enable your feed for an added camera to see the video feed: Click the “S”...
  • Page 61 1. On the main login screen for AmcrestView.com, click the Device tab: 2. Enter your DVR’s S/N(serial number) into the top field, enter your DVR’s username and password, then click Login. To find your DVR’s login credentials, please refer to part 4 of this guide: Console Setup (Login &...
  • Page 62 4. You will see a popup asking you to confirm that you allow this plugin. Check the box next to Do not show me the warning for the program again, then click Allow: 5. Now you can enable any of your added cameras to see their live feeds. In the top-right panel, there is a channel list.

  • Page 63: Amcrestview Web Interface Overview

    Click the “S” to change it to an “M” which stands for “Main Stream” and will give you a full HD quality video stream. To go back to “Sub Stream”, for lower quality video (that works better on slower internet connections), click the “M” and change it to an “S” again. AmcrestView Web Interface Overview There are two main sections inside of the AmcrestView web interface: the main device list section (for anyone logged in with a registered account) and the live view section (can be...
  • Page 64 This page shows you a list of any added devices and is where you can click the ‘eye’ icon to view your DVR’s live camera feeds. This is where you can , Search, edit, or delete your ADD DEVICE added devices. The next tab is the tab: ACCOUNT...
  • Page 65 Here, you can change your password. Live view section The live view section is where you can see the live camera feeds and playback footage for any cameras added to your DVR. The first tab is the Live tab: Here, you can enable the live feeds for any connected cameras, control PTZ, take snapshots, use 2-way audio, view them in full screen, and more.

  • Page 66: References & Contact Information

    All the designs and software here are subject to change without prior written notice. All trademarks and registered trademarks mentioned are the properties of their respective owners. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact us at support@amcrest.com, or call us at 888-212-7538. FCC Statement This DVR complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules.

  • Page 67: Ic Warning Statement

    Pour se conformer aux exigences de conformité CNR 102 RF exposition, une distance de séparation d'au moins 20 cm doit être maintenue entre l'antenne de cet appareil ettoutes les personnes. Copyright © Amcrest 2018...

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