Alien alienHero 4 User manual

™
...Quick Start Guide
4, 8 & 16ch alienHero Models
QS-ALIENHERO
Vol 1 / Version 3
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Everyone loves a Hero!
NEW IP
Postcode -
Free dynamic
DNS as
standard

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Introduction ™
The alienHERO is a DVR (Digital Video Recorder) that allows
users to view, record & playback CCTV footage store on a
hard drive.
It has FREE software and phone apps for linking to a Router so
that your CCTV cameras can be viewed over the Internet and
even on your mobile!
The alienHERO is really easy to set up thanks to its built-in help
menus to get you up and running as quickly as possible, it even
has an Autoport feature that con gures your Router for you. The
new IP Postcode service gives you a FREE dynamic DNS which
means you can connect to the Internet without having to fork
out for a static IP address too.
Timed relays and the Kontrol & Kommand function allow you to
control lights, gates, loudspeakers and many other 3rd party
devices over the Internet using your HERO as the control device.
Plus Instant Detective Video Analytics allow you to quickly
search through hours of recorded footage in just seconds to
 nd the event you want so no more watching hours of pointless
recordings.
With intelligent operating system and client software that allows
endless possibilities for the user, the alienHERO really has
“all the features but none of the price”.
Available in 4, 8 or 16 channel models
AlienHero DVRs are designed for installation by
a professional CCTV installer, for further support,
please contact:

The full instruction manual can be found on the CD which accompanied the DVR.
Introduction 2
FAQ - Fast Answers Here 4
Front Panel 6
Rear Connections 8
System Setup Diagram 11
Step By Step Setup 12
Ways To Control The alienHero 13
Main Menu 16
Power Up & Shutdown 17
Live View 18
Smart Setup 20
Play Submenu 22
Playback Toolbar 23
Tools Submenu 25
Setup Submenu 26
Video Submenu 27
Schedule Submenu 28
Drives Submenu 29
Instant Submenu 30
Backup Submenu 31
How To 32
Instant Detective - Explained 48
Software Solutions 49
Accessories 52
Specification 56
Contents ™
56

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FAQ ™
What is the default username & password?
The default username for your alienDVR is ‘admin’and
the default password is ‘12345’.
1
How do I set it up to record?
There are multiple ways to set the DVR to record. The
simplest way is to do it during ‘Smart Setup’ on page 20.
For information on recording in ‘Live View’ see page 18.
To setup a recording schedule see page 28. Finally for
instant recording see page 30.
5
Can I add alarm inputs to my alienDVR?
Yes you can add alarm inputs such as PIRs, door contacts,
break beams or any NO/NC relay to trigger an alarm.
For wiring information, please refer to our ‘How To - Add
Alarm Inputs To Your Hero DVR’ guide on page 45.
8
How do I back up an incident for the Police?
It is easy to back up recorded footage onto a CD or USB
drive either at the DVR itself or using CCTVwindow software
on your PC (locally or remotely). Find out ‘How To -
Backup Recorded Footage’ on page 43-44.
7
How long can I record for?
Recording times depend on the Hard Drive you have tted
and some of the record settings on the DVR. It is easy to
record for over a month on an alienDVR but to calculate
your exact drive requirements, try using the HD Calculator
tool at aliendvr.com.
6
How do I change the default admin password?
The easiest way to change the default admin password is
during ‘Smart Setup’ on page 20. It can also be changed
in the ‘Setup’ menu under the ‘User’ tab page 26.
2
Where is my CCTVwindow licence key?
You will nd this on the CCTVwindow software CD itself.
3
How many PCs can I activate with my CCTV
licence key?
You can activate up to 5 PCs with your licence. Additional
licences can be purchased via your installer or through
resellers on the aliendvr.com site.
4
The following questions are some of the most commonly
asked when setting up and operating an alien DVR.
Hopefully the answers given on these pages and
information supplied throughout this quickstart guide can
resolve any problems you may have.

5
The full instruction manual can be found on the CD which accompanied the DVR.
FAQ ™
Can I control other devices using my alienDVR?
Yes even over the Internet, the Hero can control 3rd party
equipment such as lights, sirens, gates and the popular
VoiceOff loudspeaker. The Kontrol & Kommand timed relay
allows for control of up to 248 different devices. Find out
‘How To - Control 3rd Party Equipment’ on pages 46-47.
13
What do I need to view my CCTV footage
over the Internet?
You’ll need a network cable (straight patch not crossover)
and a router. See ‘How To - Network Your DVR’ on
page 33.
11
How do I set up my Router for port forwarding?
The alienHero has an Autoport feature which sets up port
forwarding for you on compatible routers. Find out ‘How
To - Configure Your Router Using UPnP’ on page 34 .
To manually set up port forwarding you need to logon to
your router and create three new services/applications, set
the port type to TCP and set the port numbers as followed:
Server port 8000 (Vital for any remote monitoring)
HTTP port 80 (For monitoring via a web browser)
RTSP port 554 (Required for real time video streaming)
For more information on setting up port forwarding see
online Tip 58 for Netgear routers or Tip 216 for BT routers.
14
Do I need a static IP address?
No, alien DVRs come with free dynamic DNS as
standard so this will save you the cost and hassle of
setting up a static IP. Find out ‘How To - Configure
AlienDDNS’ on pages 35-36.
12
What is Instant Detective & how does it work?
Instant Detective is a great video analytics tool that lets
you fast search through already recorded footage to see
if movement occurred in a certain area on your camera
screen. Find out how it works on page 48.
9
Can I get a phone app to view my
CCTV footage?
Yes alienDVR have both Android, IPhone and iPad apps
so you can view your CCTV footage from anywhere in
the world. Find out ‘ How To - Setup The Mobile App ’ on
pages 39-41 .
10
Can I install a bigger Hard Drive?
Most alienDVRs take a minimum of a 4TB drive and some
models take more than one drive. Find out ‘How To - Install
A 3.5” Sata Hard Drive’ on page 42 of this guide.
15

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No. Name Function / Description
1 POWER Power indicator turns green when powered on.
2 STATUS Green when controlled by an IR remote or IR remote and keyboard together.
Red when the SHIFT button is used. (6)
Orange:
A. When controlled by IR remote and keyboard at the same time and the SHIFT button is used.
B. When controlled by IR remote and the SHIFT button is used.
3 TX/RX Indicator blinks green when network connection is running.
4 USB INTERFACE USB for mouse or memory stick.
5 1/MENU Enter number “1” / MENU - Access the main menu interface.
2/ABC/F1 Enter number “2” / Enter letters “A,B,C” / F1 - Selects all items on the list /
Zooms out (zoom-) the PTZ camera / Switches between main and spot video output.
3/DEF/F2 Enter number “3” / Enter letters “D,E,F” / F2 - Zooms in (zoom+) the PTZ camera /
Cycles through tab pages.
1
2
3
4
5 6 7
8
Front Panel ™
alienHero Front Panel (4ch Shown)

7
The full instruction manual can be found on the CD which accompanied the DVR.
No. Name Function / Description
5 4/GHI/ESC Enter number “4” / Enter letters “G,H,I” / ESC - Exit and back to the previous menu.
5/JKL/EDIT Enter number “5” / Enter letters “J,K,L” / EDIT - Delete characters before cursor /
Select the check-box and ON/OFF switch / Start/stop record clipping in playback.
6/MNO/PLAY Enter number “6” / Enter letters “M,N,O” / PLAY - Direct access to playback interface in playback.
7/PQRS/REC Enter number “7” / Enter letters “P,Q,R,S” / REC - Manual record, direct access to manual record
interface, manually enable/disable record.
8/TUV/PTZ Enter number “8” / Enter letters “T,U,V” / PTZ - Access PTZ control interface.
9/WXYZ/PREV Enter number “9” / Enter letters “W,X,Y,Z” / PREV - Multi-camera display in live view /
In Tag playback interface, this button can be used to delete the selected tag.
0/A Enter number “0” / A- Switch between input methods (upper and lower-case, symbols and numeric) /
In Playback mode, this button can be used to add the default tag.
6 SHIFT Switch between number/letter input and functional control. e.g. Play, Esc.
7 DIRECTIONS Navigate between different fields and items in menus.
Mode Function
All Playback Modes Up and Down buttons used to speed up and slow down recorded video.
All-Day Playback Left/Right button selects the recorded video of next/previous day.
Playback By Normal Video Search Left/Right button selects the next/previous recorded file.
Live View Mode Directional buttons cycle through channels.
PTZ Control Mode Controls the movement of the PTZ camera.
ENTER Confirm selection in any menu. It can also be used to tick check-box fields.
Play or pause the video in playback mode.
ENTER button will advance the video by a single frame in single frame playback mode.
Stops/starts auto switch in Auto-switch mode.
8 IR RECEIVER Receiver for IR remote.
Front Panel ™

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No. Name Function / Description
1 RS232 Connector for RS232 devices such as the VoiceOff (see pg53).
2 VIDEO IN BNC x 4 connector for analogue video input.
3 VIDEO OUT BNC x 1 connector for video output.
4 USB Interface Connects USB mouse or USB flash memory devices.
5 HDMI HDMI video output.
6 Alarm In/Out Connection for 4 alarm inputs and 1 alarm output.
7 VGA DB15 connector for VGA output. Display local video output and menu.
8 AUDIO IN RCA/Phono connector for audio input.
9 AUDIO OUT RCA/Phono connector for audio output.
10 LAN Interface Connector for LAN (Local Area Network).
11 RS485 Interface Connector for RS485 devices. Connect the D+ and D- terminals to T+and T- of PTZ receiver respectively.
12 12V 12VDC power supply.
13 GND Ground (needs to be connected when DVR starts up).
14 POWER Switch for turning the device on/off.
1 2 3
4 5 7 9 10 11 12 13
814 6
Rear Connections - 4ch ™
alienHero 4ch Rear Connections

9
The full instruction manual can be found on the CD which accompanied the DVR.
No. Name Function / Description
1 VIDEO IN BNC x 8 connectors for analogue video inputs.
2 VIDEO OUT BNC x 1 connector for video output (main composite multi-channel).
3 RS232 Connector for RS232 devices such as the VoiceOff (see pg53).
4 AUDIO IN RCA/Phono connector for audio input.
5 LAN Interface Connector for LAN (Local Area Network).
6 POWER Switch for turning the device on/off.
7 USB Interface Connects USB mouse or USB flash memory devices.
8 HDMI HDMI video output.
9 VGA DB15 connector for VGA output. Display local video output and menu.
10 AUDIO OUT RCA/Phono connector for audio output.
11 RS485 Interface Connector for RS485 devices. Connect the D+ and D- terminals to T+ and T- of PTZ receiver respectively.
12 12V 12VDC power supply.
13 Alarm In/Out Connection for 8 alarm inputs and 4 alarm outputs.
14 GND Ground (needs to be connected when DVR starts up).
1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 12 13 1411
Rear Connections - 8ch ™
alienHero 8ch Rear Connections

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1 2 3 4 5 6
No. Name Function / Description
1 VIDEO IN BNC x 16 connectors for analogue video inputs.
2 VIDEO OUT BNC x 1 connector for video output (main composite multi-channel).
3 RS232 Connector for RS232 devices such as the VoiceOff (see pg53).
4 AUDIO IN RCA/Phono connector for audio input.
5 LAN Interface Connector for LAN (Local Area Network).
6 POWER Switch for turning the device on/off.
7 USB Interface Connects USB mouse or USB flash memory devices.
8 HDMI HDMI video output.
9 VGA DB15 connector for VGA output. Display local video output and menu.
10 AUDIO OUT RCA/Phono connector for audio output.
11 RS485 Interface Connector for RS485 devices. Connect the D+ and D- terminals to T+ and T- of PTZ receiver respectively.
12 12V 12VDC power supply.
13 Alarm In/Out Connection for 16 alarm inputs and 4 alarm outputs.
14 GND Ground (needs to be connected when DVR starts up).
7 8 9 10 12 13 1411
Rear Connections - 16ch ™
alienHero 16ch Rear Connections

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VGA
System Setup & Connection Diagram ™
VGA
Audio Add-on
CCT619
NiteDevil Dome
CAM220
VoiceOff
Audio Alarm Unit
VOX200
22” HDMI
Monitor
LCD822
alienPAD Keyboard
PTZ790
HDMI
Alarm
Outputs
RS232
RS485
USB Mouse
(Supplied)
IR Remote
(Supplied)
K&K Module
Timed Relay
Module
REL008
KitVault
DVR Enclosure
CCT245
PIRs
CCT865
USB Backup
Trigger up to 9999
sounds. Deter, Welcome,
Warn & Inform
Record audio
with Lip Sync
Quality!
BNC, VGA &
HDMI outputs
The alienHero
has Alarm Inputs
for each channel.
Up to 31 alienDVRs &
255 PTZ cameras can be
controlled from just one
alienPAD keyboard!
Use Kontrol & Kommand
modules to take control of
3rd party equipment easily
through the alienHero.
Control:
For timed
relays use...
The KitVault keeps your Hero
locked, cool and secure.
Heating - ON 7am
- OFF 9am
Power - ON 6am
- OFF 5pm
Sirens
Lights
Gates
Cameras 1 - 16
(Depending
on model)
DVR Enclosure
CCT245
DVR Enclosure
CCT245
FREE
CCTVwindow
software with
every DVR
TIP
270
TIP
276
TIP
258
Remote Connect from
laptops, iPhones,
iPads & Android
devices.
More tips as aliendvr.com

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Step By Step First Time Setup ™
Connect Your Monitor
Connect and turn on your monitor. Connecting the
monitor after the DVR is powered up could lead to
the monitor not being recognised by the DVR.
1
Note - Do not turn on the DVR until Step 3! Program Using Smart Setup
When the DVR reboots the ‘Smart Setup’ menu
will be displayed. In this menu you can quickly
congure a lot of the key settings for the DVR.
page 20-21
5
Advanced Programming
Now is a good time to set alarm triggers and
schedules. This is the most effective way to capture
footage. Setting different alarm types and recording
schedules lets you choose when and what to
record. This is done via the ‘Setup’, ‘Video’ and
‘Schedule’ options on the Main menu. page 23-28
6
Network And Remote Monitoring
Networking your DVR allows you to backup
footage using client software, receive email
notications, view real-time video, playback
footage and control the DVR using a PC, mobile or
tablet. Step by step guides on networking, remote
monitoring, DDNS and port forwarding can be
found in the ‘How To’ section of the Main menu.
page 32-47
7
Connect Your Cameras
We recommended that cameras are connected
and powered prior to the DVR being turned on.
2
Power Up The DVR
Once your monitors and cameras are connected
power up the DVR.
3
Live View
The DVR will automatically start up in ‘Live View’
mode page 18-19. Right click the mouse to display
the Main menu. You will be asked to enter the
Admin password (12345). From the Main menu
enter the ‘Setup’ menu and check ‘Smart Setup’.
Click ‘Apply’ and reboot the DVR by returning to
the Main Menu, selecting ‘Turn Off’ then ‘Reboot’.
4

13The full instruction manual can be found on the CD which accompanied the DVR.
Icon Function / Description
Symbols
Lower-case/Upper-case
Space
Enter
Backspace
Exit
Ways To Control Your alienHero - By mouse
™
Name Action Function / Description
Left-Click Single
Click
Back to the Main menu.
Menu: Select and enter.
Click &
Drag
PTZ control: pan, tilt and zoom.
Tamper-proof, privacy mask and
motion detection: Select target area.
Digital zoom-in: Drag and select target area.
Live view: Drag channel/time bar.
Right-Click Single
Click
Live view: Show menu.
Menu: Exit current menu to upper level menu.
Scroll-Wheel Scrolling
Up
Live view: Previous screen.
Right-click Menu: Previous item.
Scrolling
Down
Live view: Next screen.
Right-click Menu: Next item.
USB 3 Button Mouse (Supplied)
On Screen Soft Keypad
The simplest way to program and set up your alienHero
is using a mouse, the on screen keypad and the BlueDisc
menu. We recommend you connect the mouse to the rear
USB port of the DVR, leaving the front USB port free for fast
backing up of footage.
For everyday DVR operation the alienHero is supplied with
a free IR remote handset. (Details overleaf)

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2
3
5
7
11
16
18
9
14
15
1
6
4
10
13
17
8
12
No. Button Name Function / Description
1POWER
Power on/off the device.
2 DEV Enables/Disables Remote Control.
3 Alphanumeric
Buttons:
Switching to the corresponding channel in Live view or PTZ Control
mode.
Inputting numbers and characters in Edit mode.
Switching between different channels in All-day Playback mode.
4 EDIT Editing text fields. When editing text fields, it will also function as
a Backspace button to delete the character in front of the cursor.
On check-box fields, pressing the EDIT button ticks the check-box.
During Playback, it can be used to generate video clips for backup.
5 A Switching between input methods (upper and lower-case alphabet,
symbols and numeric input).
6 REC Entering the Manual Record settings menu.
In PTZ control settings, press the REC button and then you can call
a PTZ pre-set by pressing a Numeric buttons.
7 PLAY Entering the All-day Playback menu.
8 INFO Reserved for future programming.
9 VOIP/MON Selecting all items on the list.
In live view or playback mode, it can be used to switch between
main and auxiliary video output.
Ways To Control Your alienHero - By IR Remote Control
™

15
The full instruction manual can be found on the CD which accompanied the DVR.
No. Name Function / Description
10 MENU
Back to the Main menu (after successful login).
11 PREV Switching between single screen and multi-screen mode.
12 DIRECTION/ENTER Navigating between different fields and items in menus.
In Playback mode, the Up and Down button are used to speed up and slow down the playing of
recorded video.
The Left and Right button will select the recorded video of 30 reverse and 30s forward.
In live view mode, these buttons can be used to cycle through channels.
13 PTZ Enter the PTZ Control mode.
14 ESC Back to the previous menu.
Pressing for arming/disarming the DVR in Live View mode.
15 RESERVED Reserved for future programming.
16 F1 Selecting all items on the list when used in a list field.
In PTZ Control mode, it will turn on/off PTZ’s IRs.
17 PTZ Control Buttons Adjusting the iris, focus and zoom of a PTZ camera.
18 F2 Cycle through tab pages.
Ways To Control Your alienHero - By IR Remote Control
™

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Main Menu ™
BlueDisc Menu System
Main Menu - BlueDisc Menu System
Every Hero has our ultra easy to use BlueDisc menu system.
With its clear and simple layout, it’s easy to navigate and nd
all the features the alienHero has to offer.
This quick start guide gives you a brief overview of the
BlueDisc menu and each submenu. For more in depth
information about the Hero’s menu system and settings,
please refer to the full alienHero instruction manual
supplied on the CD with the DVR.
•
Power Up & Shutdown pg17
•Live View pg18-19
•Smart Setup pg20-21
•Play pg22
•Playback Toolbar pg23-24
•Tools pg25
•Setup pg26
•Video pg27
•Schedule pg28
•Drives pg29
•Instant pg30
•Backup pg31
•How To pg32
3 clicks completes most actions!

17
Smart Setup ™
The full instruction manual can be found on the CD which accompanied the DVR.
Proper startup and shutdown procedures are crucial for
extending the life of the device. The hard drive spins at
around 7000rpm, cutting power to the DVR stops the hard
drive instantly which can cause damage. When shut down
correctly the hard drive slows down gradually to prevent this.
Power Up
With the DVR plugged into the mains socket, power
the DVR using the switch on the rear.
The power LED on the front of the DVR should show green
indicating the device is getting power.
Shutdown
To power down the DVR, enter the ‘Turn Off’ menu. Click
the ‘Shutdown’ button then click the ‘Ye s ’ button. When
instructed, turn off the Power switch on the rear of the device.
From the Turn Off menu you can also Logout or Reboot
the DVR.
Shutdown Interface
Power Up & Shutdown ™
Default Admin Password: 12345
New Password Reminder
If you decide to change the default password, please
feel free to use this box to write down a password
reminder to jog your memory.
Prevent loss of your recorded footage caused
by power cuts by fitting a UPS with your DVR.

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Live View ™
Live View Interface
Quick Setting Toolbar
Live View Icons
In the live view mode, there are icons at the top right of the
screen for each channel showing the status of the record
and alarm for each channel. This enables you to conrm
when the unit is triggering an alarm/motion and whether
the unit is recording for that channel.
Live view shows you the video image for each camera in
real time. The device automatically enters Live View mode
when powered up. It is also at the very top of the menu
hierarchy, thus pressing the ‘ESC’ button a number of times
(depending on which menu you’re on) always brings you
to the Live View mode.
Icon Function / Description
Alarm (video loss, tampering, motion detection or
sensor alarm)
Record (manual record, schedule record,
motion detection or alarm triggered record)
Alarm & Record
Quick Setting Toolbar
On the screen of each channel, there is a quick setting
toolbar which shows when you left-click the mouse on
the camera.

19
The full instruction manual can be found on the CD which accompanied the DVR.
Live View ™
Icon
Description Manual Record Instant Playback Mute Audio PTZ Control Digital Zoom Image Settings Close
Live View Menu
In Live View mode, right click the mouse button on the window to see the Live View Menu.
Quick Setting Toolbar Explained
In Live View mode, left click the mouse button on any channel to see the Quick Setting Toolbar.
Name Function / Description
Menu Goes back to the main menu.
Single Screen Switch to the single full screen by choosing a channel number from the
dropdown list.
Multi-screen Adjust the screen layout by choosing from the dropdown list.
Previous Screen Switch to the previous screen.
Next Screen Switch to the next screen.
Start/Stop Autoswitch Enable/disable the auto sequencing of the screens.
Start Recording Start all-day normal recording or motion detection recording for all channels.
Quick Set Set the video output mode to Standard, Bright, Gentle or Vivid.
All-day Playback Playback the video from the selected channel.
Aux Monitor Switch to the aux output mode and the operation for the main output is disabled.
Note: If the AUX mode is entered but AUX monitor is not connected, the mouse operation is
disabled and you will need to switch back to the main monitor output with the VOIP/MON
button on the IR remote and then press Enter button.

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Smart Setup
Smart Setup is a quick and easy way to congure some of the
key settings on the alienHero. This is a useful tool when using the
DVR for the rst time.
To enable Smart Setup, start the device and from the Main menu
enter the ‘Set Up’ Menu (page 26). Check ‘Smart Setup’ in the
general tab, click ‘Apply’. Now go back to Main menu and enter
the ‘Turn Off’ menu. From here click ‘Reboot’ to restart the DVR.
Upon restart the DVR will enter Smart Setup.
Settings which can be congured during Smart Setup:
Resolution
Quickly set the output resolution of the DVR. For a monitor
we recommend 1280 x 1024. For a TV we recommend
1920 x 1080 (1080p).
Admin Password
As all our DVRs come with the same admin password, it is highly
recommended that you set your own unique admin password.
Doing this during Smart Setup ensures you DVR is secure right
from the get go. (See Admin Password Setup on the left.)
Time & Date
It is vitally important to set the DVR to the correct time and date.
Recommended Monitor Resolution
Admin Password Setup
Time & Date Setup
™
Default Admin Password: 12345