Amcrest AMDV5M32-6TB User manual

Digital Video Recorder
Quick Start Guide
Version 1.0.0.
January 20th, 2022

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Contents
Front/Back Panel Diagrams & Descriptions.....................................................................3
Hardware Setup..............................................................................................................4
Console Setup................................................................................................................6
Main Menu overview.....................................................................................................12
Motion Detection & Recording Setup.............................................................................14
Setting Up AI Events..................................................................................................21
Accessing Playback ......................................................................................................28
How To Upgrade System Firmware...............................................................................30
Computer Access Setup................................................................................................30
Accessing the Web User Interface ................................................................................32
Web Interface Walkthrough...........................................................................................35
Amcrest View Pro App Setup........................................................................................36
FCC Statement .............................................................................................................38
IC Warning Statement...................................................................................................38
References & Contact Information.................................................................................39

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Welcome
Thank you for purchasing an Amcrest DVR!
This document is designed as a reference tool only for the installation and operation of your DVR.
To access and download the full user manual for your DVR, please go to amcrest.com/support.
Important Safeguards and Warnings
Use of this product should conform to your local electrical safety codes.
We assume no liability or responsibility for any of the fires or electrical shocks caused by improper
handling or installation.
We are not liable for any problems caused by unauthorized modifications or attempted repair.
Improper battery use may result in fire, explosion, or personal injury.
When replacing the battery, please make sure you are using the same model.
Check Packaging
When you receive the system, unpack it, and check all sides of the DVR to see if there is any
damage to the unit. The protective materials used for the packaging of the DVR can protect most
accidental damage during transportation, but to ensure that your equipment is operating as
expected, it is recommended to inspect the product before proceeding further.
On the DVR unit, please verify that the label on the bottomof the DVR is not damaged. The serial
number of the unit is often needed to provide support or other functions such as connecting to the
Amcrest View Pro app.
Front/Back Panel Diagrams & Descriptions
Front Panel
Please refer to the following chart for information on the front panel buttons.
Icon
Name
Function
NET
Network abnormality indicator light
When a network error occurs or there is no network
connection, this light turns red.
PWR
Power indicator
When DVR is on, this light remains on.
HDD
HDD abnormal indicator light
When an HDD error occurs, or the HDD capacity is
below thespecifiedthresholdvalue, thislight turnsred.
USB 2.0 Port
USB 2.0 port: connect a mouse, USB storage device,
etc.

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Rear Panel
Please refer to the following chart for detailed information on the rear panel ports:
Port Name
Function
Video Input Port
Connects to analog camera to input video signal.
Audio Input Port
Receives audio signal output from an RCA microphone DVR.
Audio Output Port
Output’s audio signal to an external RCA speaker.
HDMI Port
High-definition audio and video signal output port. The port outputs
an uncompressed high-definition feed as well as multichannel
audio data to a connected HDMI compatible display.
USB Port
Connects to an external DVR such as, a mouse, keyboard, or
external USB storage DVR.
Ethernet Port
Connects an Ethernet cable to the network.
A/B Port
Connects to a control device such as PTZ. RS-485_A port is
connected by the cable “A” and RS-485_B is connected to the
cable “B”.
VGA Port
Outputsanalog video data to aconnecteddisplay with acompatible
VGA port.
Power Input Port
Inputs DC 12V power.
Ground terminal.
Power Cable Fastener
Use a clamp to secure the power cable on the DVR to avoid signal
error.
Hardware Setup
Before setting up the DVR, you will need the following items.
The items are not included:
A computer monitor or TV with either an HDMI or VGA input
A power strip with room for 4 large power plugs
It is recommended to connect all components of the system as shown below before mounting any
of the cameras. This isto ensure all components are working before any physical installation takes
place. If any components are not functioning, please contact Amcrest Support at
https://amcrest.com/contact or by giving us a call at 888-212-7538.
Setting up the cable connections
The following instructions willshow you how to set up the cables for the DVR, cameras, as well as
a monitor or TV screen.
1. Connect a monitor or TV screen to your DVR. For purposes of this guide, we will use a VGA
connection. Take a VGA cable, and connect one end to the VGA port on your monitor/screen and
the other end to the VGA port on the back panel of your DVR.

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2. Connect the included USB mouse to the front of the DVR.
3. Connect an Ethernet cable to your router and connect the other end of the Ethernet cable to the
Ethernet port on the back of the DVR.
4. Plug the included power adapter into the power port on the back of the DVR and plug the power
adapter into a wall outlet or surge protector. Allow the DVR to power up. Please note, the DVR will
beep if a hard drive (sold separately) is not installed, for more information on how to install a hard
drive, please refer to “Hard Drive Installation”.
5. Secure the BNC connection on the coaxial cable to the BNC video connection on the camera
then connect the power connection to the power port of the camera.
6. Secure the other BNC connection fromthe camera to a video (coaxial) ports on the back of the
DVR and connect the power adapter to the power port found on the BNC cable.
- 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.
If this occurs, please follow the steps below.
Procedure using a VGA cable:
1. Connect your DVR to a computer monitor or TV screen with a VGA cable (the HDMI cable
should not be connected during this process).
2. Boot up the unit. On the monitor or TV, please make sure the “input” is set to VGA.
3. When the interfaceloads, you will see the login screen.Enter thelogin credentials foryour DVR.
If this is your first-time logging into your unit, the default username and password will be admin.
4. Once you have logged into your DVR, navigate to the section that says Display. The display
menu allows you to configure resolution and display settings.
5. Then, on the new window, change your resolution from 1280x1024 to 1920x1080. Once
complete, scroll down to the bottomand click on Save to save your display settings. Your DVR will
reset to effect the change.
6. Disconnect the VGA cable and connect your DVRto an HD monitor or TVusing an HDMI cable.
Do not forget to change the input to HDMI on your TV/monitor. The DVR will load, and you will be
able to properly use the unit on your screen.
Hard Drive Installation
A hard drive allows you to configure and store recordings fromthe DVR, this includes playing back
previously recorded footage.
Note: This section only applies to DVRs purchased without a hard drive already preinstalled. Most
‘kits’ or ‘bundles will come with a pre-installed hard drive.

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The DVR has connections for only1 hard drive inside the case and the hard drive must be
no bigger than 10TB (Terabytes).
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.
1. Loosen the screws on
the upper cover and side
panel.
2. Attach four screws in the
HDD (Turn three times.)
3. Place the HDD in accordance
with the four holes on the bottom.
4. Turn the device over
secure the screws.
5. Connect the HDD data cable
and power cable to the HDD.
6. Attach the cover onto the DVR
and secure it using the screws.
Once the hard drive is installed, turn on the DVR. If the hard drive for your DVR was not setup
properly you may hear a beeping noise. This indicates the DVR does not have the proper
connection with your hard drive.
Console Setup
Device Initialization
After turning the system on, the default video display will show multiple windows and a device
initialization page will appear. Follow the on-screen prompts to complete initialization.
Password Setting
The first thing you will need to do in the setup process is create a new admin password for your
device. The password for your device should be between 8 and 32 characters with a combination
of letters, numbers, and symbols are recommended.
Note: Please do not use special symbols like ‘ “ ; : &
Once you have entered a new password for your device, confirm the password in the next field.

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Please note that the system consists of two accounts (out of the box):
Username: admin Password: admin (administrator, local and network)
Username: default Password: default (hidden user)
Lastly, you will be asked to enter a prompt question for your account. This is usefulif you have
forgotten your password and would like an easier means of recovering your password. Please use
a prompt question what will help you remember the password for your device.
After you have completed this section, click Next to continue.
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” to skip this process.

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If you have assigned an unlock pattern, you will need to draw the pattern again to confirm the
validity of your assigned unlock pattern.
Password Protection
Additional means of password protection and retrievalcan be set up in this menu. If you would like
to reset your password via email, toggle the toggle switch to the on position and enter a valid email
address in the Email Address field. The email address will be retained in the system.
If you do not wish to use an email address, you can enter security questions. To enable security
questions, click the toggle switch to the on position in the Security Questions field. Select a
question from the drop-down menus for Question 1, Question 2, and Question 3 and enter the
answers to those questions in the Answer fields.

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Once this section is complete, click on the OK 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.
Note: Every page from the Startup Wizard that follows can be accessed and modified at any time
through the Main Menu. To login to the system, click Next.
Basic
The Basic screen allows you to set a language, video standard and other basic settings for the
DVR. Once you are satisfied with the settings on this screen, click the Next button at the bottom
of the screen.

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Date & Time
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. If you wish to utilize daylight savings time, toggle the
DST toggle switch to the on position. Once you have selected the proper date and time for your
device, click the Next button to continue.

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Note: Make sure to toggle the NTP toggle switch to the off position to avoid syncing your device
to the NTP server.
TCP/IP
The next screen that will appear is the TCP/IP screen. This screen allows the user to 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.
Note: To test the connectivity of the device to your network, click on the Test button. The device
will return a network status. To return to the previous menu, click the Back button.
P2P
Thenext screen that appears is the P2P settings screen.This will be enabled by default.It is highly
recommended to keep this enabled if you want to use, you are the Amcrest View Pro mobile app
or AmcrestView.com to view your cameras remotely.
After enabling the P2P toggle switch, click the Next button to continue.
Audio/Video
This is where you can adjust the video quality settings for your DVR/cameras, including the
compression and frame rate. To access or adjust audio formats, click on the More tab. Click on
the Next button to continue.
Snapshot
Thenext screenthat will appear will bethe Snapshotsettingsscreen.This iswhere you can adjust
the settings for your snapshots. This includes, the image size, quality, as well as interval in which
the snapshot is retained. Once set, click on the Next button to continue.

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Basic
The next screen that will appear will be labeled Basic. This is where you can configure your hard
drive settings including, when to overwrite a full hard drive. The device will be set to not overwrite
files by default, however, this can be adjusted using the Custom option. Select custom and use
the number pad to enter the number of days that will be applicable until the expired files are
deleted. Click Next to continue.
Record
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.
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 scheduledyourevents, click on the OK buttonto continue.Follow the on-screenprompts
to finish the setting up the DVR. Once complete the video wall will be displayed. Left click on the
video wall and click on Main Menu to access the main menu.
Main Menu overview
The screenshot below is the main menu screen for the Amcrest DVR console interface:

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Below are short descriptions for each of the menu items on the main menu:
LIVE: Access the live view screen and display a video wall for each connected device.
SEARCH: Search and playback recorded video that is stored on the hard drive.
ALARM: View and configure live alarm information and notifications sent by the device.
AI:This menu allows you to manage and view artificial intelligence features such as, SMD (smart
Motion detection), face detection, face recognition, and IVS&SMD, as well as smart search
features. Please note, due to certain limitation, only one AI mode can be activated at a time in the
DVR. For more information on the features listed in this menu, please refer to section, “Setting Up
AI Events”.
MAINTAIN: View system information, update, and configuration import/export settings, etc.
BACKUP: Search and backup video data via an external USB or flash drive.
DISPLAY: Configure resolution and display output settings.
AUDIO: Schedule, manage, and import audio announcements and files.
Management
CAMERA: Review or edit settings for each camera, including video settings (e.g. quality, bit rate,
color, etc.).
NETWORK: Review or edit network settings for the DVR (e.g. email, DDNS, UPnP, etc.)
STORAGE: Review or edit storage parameters and settings. (e.g. motion detection, alarm, etc.).
Set HDD detection as well as setup FTP settings.
SYSTEM: Review or edit system parameters or configuration, including system maintenance,
factory resets and firmware upgrades.
SECURITY: Review and configure trusted and blocked sites using the onboard IP filter (Firewall).
ACCOUNT: Review admin accounts and add new users to device. (e.g. ONVIF users).

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Connecting an IP Camera
This is optional however, please note, adding an IP camera to the DVR, will conflict with AI
features. The number of IP cameras added to the DVR will be dependent on how many channels
your specific model supports. The DVR will be provided with specific channels for IP cameras,
typically towards the bottomof the channel list and will not replace an active analog channelin the
DVR. To connect an IP camera to your DVR, please follow the steps provided below:
1. Click on the Camera option located in the Management section of the Main Menu.
2. Click on Channel Type and select the IP channels from the IP column of the list.
3. Click on Apply. A prompt will appear, click OK and allow the DVR to reset.
4. Navigate back to the Camera menu and click on Camera List.
5. Click on Device Search to search for the IP camera you want to add and click on the enable
checkbox.
6. Click on the Add button to add the IP Camera to the DVR. If the camera has an inactive status
(red dot) the password may need to be updated
Updating the Password (IP Camera)
Click on the Modify button.
Ensure your camera settings are properly set and enter the password for your newly added IP
Camera. If this is your first time using your camera the username and password will be admin.
Click on Save to save the settings to your camera. If all information was entered correctly, the
indicator icon in the Status field will be green.
Motion Detection & Recording Setup
This section will cover how to set up your DVR’s scheduled recordings for both regular and
motion detection recordings. It will also cover how to set up email alerts with snapshots.
Note:The DVRcan only be set up to save regular and motion detectionrecordings if a hard
drive has already been installed. However, email alerts with snapshots can still work
without a hard drive installed.
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.
The following setup processes will be shown using the DVR console’s built-in interface. However,
these same steps can also be done through the web interface on a computer. Despite the
difference in appearance, the settings pages have the exact same organizational structure.
Setting up recording schedules
1. Log into your DVR with your username and password:
2. Open the MAIN MENU, then click STORAGE in the MANAGEMENT row:
3. Make sure you are on the SCHEDULE > Record page.

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4. Choose a channel (camera) to configure by selecting a channel from the Channel dropdown
menu. If you would like the schedule to apply to all channel, click All.
5. By default, the DVR will have the schedule configured to record 24/7 on each record type.
Please note, the DVR uses military time which goes from 0 to 24 hours.
To change which hours, you would like to record, select the record type you wish to modify, in this
example we are using the GENERAL record type, then click the time blocks in the grid. You can
also click and drag to add or remove multiple blocks at a time. Each block represents one hour.

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Note: Click the eraser icon to the right of any day to clear the entire row of blocks.
6. To add or remove motion detection blocks, click on the checkbox next to Motion, then click the
individual cells on the grid or click and drag for multiple blocks.
7. To the left of each day, there are small boxes which can be marked to “link” different days
together. This is useful if you want to save time by instantly making changes to multiple days
simultaneously.
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.

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8. Anotherway to configurerecordingschedulesis by setting the time periods. Click the ‘gear’ icon
to the far right of any day to open the Period page:
Here, the periods (Periods 1 - 6) must be in specified in chronological order. You can set either
recordtypeto a specifiedperiod.Makesure toclick OKwhen finished.Please note, in this example
we set the general record type to record in 3 periods, the motion detection in 1 period, and the IVS
(AI recording type) to apply to each period.
9. Now that you have finished configuring the recording schedules, you may need to copy these
settings over to other channels (cameras). By default, Channel 1 will be selected when you visit
this page. Unless you immediately selected All in the channel window fromstep4 above, note that
you can copy these settings directly over to another channel by clicking Copy to down below:

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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.
10. 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’ recordings and
distinguish between the two in the playback menu.
1. Log into your DVR with your username and password:
2. Open the MAIN MENU, and click the ALARM tab.
3. In the alarm menu, click on VIDEO DETECTION. This is the main configuration page for motion
detection:
Change your channel (or camera) by clicking Channel and selecting fromany cameras currently
added to the DVR. You can also select All. Make sure theEnable toggleswitch is activated. Then,
click Setting to Region to configure the motion detection areas.
4.You can set up ‘regions’ for motion detection using the region grid on your DVR.
By default, the entire area of view for your cameras will be highlighted with red blocks. This means
that the entire field of view is active for motion detection.
Any red blocks that you click or click-and-drag to remove will not be active for motion detection.
Motion detection will not work for any portion of the screen that is clear.
If you hover your mouse pointer over the top-center edge of this window, another small window
will appear with options to configure sensitivityand threshold settings as well as to choose from
up to four regions.

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Sensitivity - is the measure of how many pixels on the screen need to change before being
considered motion. 0is the lowest value and 100 is the highest.
In plain English: Sensitivity is the difference between asquirrel running up atree, versus abig 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
triggermotion detectionat a lower sensitivity because it takes morechangeor movementto qualify
as motion.
Threshold - is the degree of movement that needs to occur before the motion is defined as a
motion event and is triggered. 0 is the lowest value and 100 is the highest.
In plain English: Threshold is the difference between acar driving quickly by on a street and a car
driving into the field of view, slowing down, and turning into a driveway. The car driving past would
nottrigger motion detection based on a certain threshold setting, but the parking car would trigger
motion detection with that same threshold setting. The higher the threshold, the more time motion
needs to occur before motion detection is triggered. The lower the threshold, the less time motion
needs to occur before motion detection is triggered.
If sensitivity is setto 100 and thresholdto0, motion detectionwillbe triggered most easily by almost
any change in the field of view, large or small. But if sensitivity is set to 0 and threshold to 100,
motion detection will be extremely difficult to trigger.
The four regions are all different colors so you can customize the field of view of any camera to
your highly specific preferences.
5. To choose another region, hover your mouse pointer near the top-center of the region window,
and a small window will appear. Keep your mouse pointer inside that small window and select
either region 2, 3, or 4:
You will be able to click individual blocks or click-and-drag an area with the new selected color to
highlight portions of the screen. Each new region (or color) has its own unique sensitivity and
threshold settings. The different regions/colors can also overlap one another.

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6. You can also adjust the motion detection schedules directly fromthis settings page by clicking
Setting next to Period.
The Schedule page works very similarly to the recording schedule page featured in the previous
section of this guide.
7. Next, if you want to receive email alerts of your motion detection events, check the SendEmail
box.
8. Once you have set up your settings for one channel, you can copy them to another channel. If
you did not select All after clicking Channel as described in step 3, click Copy, select channelsto
copy to, then click OK.
9. Click Apply to save all the settings made on this page.
Setting Up Email Alerts
10. Next,go back to themain menu and click the NETWORK tab on the bottomrow.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. This is useful because then, you do not
have to change any of your own personal email’s settings. Using a Gmail account is also the
easiest way to set up email alerts which could otherwise be somewhat technical and difficult.
This does not mean that you now must log into a second, separate email account just to see your
email alerts - because this email will forward all your email alerts to your personal email.
Regardless, it isstillrecommended tosave youremail and password information forthisnewGmail
account.