Novasub DVR3 User manual
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Index
1NEW & FIXED.....................................................................................................................................................................................3
2TERMINOLOGY ..................................................................................................................................................................................4
3INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................................................................5
3.1 FEATURES..............................................................................................................................................................................................5
4SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................................................................................................................6
4.1 GENERAL...............................................................................................................................................................................................6
4.2 RECORDING INFORMATION .......................................................................................................................................................................6
4.2.1 File name....................................................................................................................................................................................7
4.2.2 File location................................................................................................................................................................................8
4.2.3 File size.......................................................................................................................................................................................8
5CONTROLS.........................................................................................................................................................................................9
5.1 TASKBAR .............................................................................................................................................................................................10
5.2 CHANNEL BAR......................................................................................................................................................................................11
5.3 CHANNEL TITLE BAR..............................................................................................................................................................................12
5.4 VIEW LAYOUT SELECTION .......................................................................................................................................................................13
6HELP ................................................................................................................................................................................................14
7FILE BROWSER.................................................................................................................................................................................15
7.1 LOCAL STORAGE ...................................................................................................................................................................................15
7.2 EXTERNAL STORAGE ..............................................................................................................................................................................17
8PLAYER ............................................................................................................................................................................................19
9ON-SCREEN DISPLAY........................................................................................................................................................................20
9.1 LAYER TYPE..........................................................................................................................................................................................21
9.1.1 Free Text................................................................................................................................................................................... 21
9.1.2 Graphic.....................................................................................................................................................................................22
9.2 POSITION &SIZE...................................................................................................................................................................................23
9.3 FONT..................................................................................................................................................................................................24
10 CHANNEL SETTINGS .....................................................................................................................................................................26
11 BATTERY......................................................................................................................................................................................27
12 BACKUP RECORDING INDICATOR.................................................................................................................................................27
13 SETTINGS .....................................................................................................................................................................................28
13.1 HOME ................................................................................................................................................................................................29
13.1.1 Update ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 29
13.1.2 TeamViewer ............................................................................................................................................................................. 30
13.2 CHANNELS...........................................................................................................................................................................................31
13.3 SYSTEM...............................................................................................................................................................................................32
13.3.1 Network Info ............................................................................................................................................................................ 32
13.3.2 File Sharing............................................................................................................................................................................... 32
13.3.3 Remote Storage .......................................................................................................................................................................35
13.3.4 Backup Record..........................................................................................................................................................................35
13.4 USER CONFIGURATION...........................................................................................................................................................................36
13.5 LAYOUT CONFIGURATION .......................................................................................................................................................................37
13.6 ABOUT................................................................................................................................................................................................38
13.7 TIME ..................................................................................................................................................................................................39
13.8 USERS.................................................................................................................................................................................................40
14 UPDATING DVR3 SOFTWARE .................................................................................................... ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
14.1 UPDATING FROM 26 AND ABOVE ................................................................................................................. ERROR!BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
14.2 UPDATING FROM 25 AND BELOW................................................................................................................. ERROR!BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED.
15 SUPPORT .....................................................................................................................................................................................41
16 WARRANTY .................................................................................................................................................................................42
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1 New & Fixed
In Build 35:
•Improved Free Text typing
•Improved file copying
•Added support for multiple screen drivers
In Build 32:
•Fixed the configuration settings
In Build 31:
•Added support for new screen driver
In Build 30:
•Added a Caps lock notification
•Added <enter> support for password
•Added Support for NSCLD
•Optimized CPU usage
In Build 29:
•Added status symbol for backup recording
•Added PC server share
•Added Secure File Transfer Protocol
•Added status symbol for file sharing
•Fixed Time bug
•Fixed OS-clone bug
•Fixed USB finder bug
In Build 28:
•Set Default recording bitrate from 8 Mbps to 4 Mbps
•Added adjustable camera voltage
•Added Coax or Twisted Pair switch for camera
•Added adjustable recording bitrate
•Added recording backup to USB
•Added option to disable camera & light when shutting the system down
•Added file size while copying
•Added possibility to update via TeamViewer
•Added network info for customer service
•Added bus termination switch
•Fixed copying from the Player to USB
•Fixed the crashing of the Player when a file is clicked too fast
•Fixed the cam/light status at startup
•Fixed change date function
In Build 27:
•Added “Copy Layers”in the On-screen display
•Added support for LUX1MZ
•Added Low battery warning
•Added Stop recording for low battery
•Added visual indicator for the OS version
•Fixed too high volume in the Player
•Fixed slow closing of the Player and Browser
•Fixed the crashing of the Player when a broken file is played
•Fixed recording of files when the disk is full
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2 Terminology
Term
Description
Brightness
The quality or state of giving out or reflecting light
Built
The version number of the DVR3 software
Channel Bar
User interface below a channel with the controls for that channel
Channel Title bar
User interface above a channel that displays information of the channel
Contrast
Differences in color, tone, or shape that contribute to the visual effect of a design or
image
File browser
The interface to manage folders and files
Hue
The attribute of a color by which it is discernible as red, green, and other colors. It
depends on its dominant wavelength and independent of intensity or lightness.
Layer Data
Variable of a layer in the On-screen Display, this is the information that appears on the
screen
Layer Type
Variable of a layer in the On-screen Display that controls the data of the layer
NovaBus
Novasub proprietary data bus
On-Screen Display (OSD)
An image superimposed on a channel to display information such as text, time, and
date.
Player
The interface to replay recordings and view pictures
Saturation
The intensity of color expressed as the degree to which it differs from white
Sharpness
The clarity of detail in a video or photo
SMB
Server message block
Taskbar
User interface in the bottom of the screen with general controls of the software
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3 Introduction
The Novasub DVR3 is the 3rd generation video recording software developed by Seascape Subsea. The software is
completely redesigned from the ground up to accommodate better ease of use, new features, and better image quality.
The software now includes support for touchscreens apart from keyboard and mouse. It also has a new user interface
with a taskbar to control all different functions for each diver. These functions include:
•Camera control
•Light control
•Recording
•Clip Recording
•Snapshot
•Quick overlay changes
The system got support for extensive overlay functions, such as text, images, and data. These overlay functions can be
configured for each diver separately to accommodate every situation. The configurations can be saved and restored to
make switching between conditions as smooth as possible.
The system can record in SD and 960H and has an audio input for every channel, recorded within the video file.
The different channels can be displayed in various ways to ensure you have your operation’s best sight. That also
includes the ability to connect to an external monitor on which you can select the channels you want to view.
The system has TeamViewer built into the software so you can share your code with anyone who wants to control the
system remotely. This also makes technical support more convenient and efficient.
The latest feature is the possibility to select a backup device to which the recorded file is copied. This can be a USB drive
or a SFTP link on a local or web based server.
3.1 Features
- 1-4 Channels
- Extensive Overlay Options
- SD & 960H Recording
- Clip recording
- Touchscreen Support
- Layout Configuration
- Second Monitor layout configuration
- Backup recording
First, please read this manual thoroughly to understand all possibilities
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4 Specifications
4.1 General
Operating System
Embedded Linux operating system
System Resource
1-4-channel real-time recording simultaneously
Video Standard
PAL-B, NTSC
Audio bitrate
125 Kbps
Backup Mode
USB backup
Video-Input
1-4ch composite video (SD, 960H)
Video Output
VGA, HDMI
Audio Input
Max. 4 Channels
Audio Output
2 Channels
Recording Storage
SSD
Main display monitor
Selectable channels with different view configurations
External display monitor
1x, with picture display options
4.2 Recording information
Recording
Image Compression
H.264
Audio Compression
MPEG-4 AAC
Recording Mode
Manual
Recording Resolution
PAL: SD (720 x 576)
960H (960 x 576)
NTSC: SD (720 x 480)
960H (960 x 480)
Bitrate (adjustable)
0-8 Mbps (4 Mbps default)
Frame rate
PAL: 25 fps
NTSC: 30 fps
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4.2.1 File name
The file name of the recordings is based on the channel, date and start time. When a recording exceeds its file size or set
file time, then the DVR will automatically create another file with an ascending number. For example:
If above exceeds size or time
then the next file will be named:
If above exceeds size or time
then the next file will be named:
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4.2.2 File location
Each new day a folder is created when you start recording, named to the date. In this folder, each channel has a folder
named to the channel number with the channel name. Each channel folder contains a folder named to the date & start
time of the recording. During recording, all snapshots and clip recordings are also stored in this folder. Each new
recording makes a new folder.
4.2.3 File size
The files are automatically recorded in a maximal file size of 4GB or a set fragment time. How to set this fragment time
can be found in 10 Channel Settings. If either the max file size or the time is reached, the DVR will automatically make a
new file. This file will be named the same as the previous with a number at the back see 4.2.1 File name.
The size per hour of the files is controlled with the channel's Bitrate. The Bitrate can be set in the channel settings. A
higher Bitrate results in a higher quality recording. The files will have the following size/hour per Bitrate:
Bitrate (kbps)
Size/hour (GB / hour)
1000
0,5
2000
0,9
3000
1,4
4000
1,8 (default)
5000
2,3
6000
2,7
7000
3,2
8000
3,6
9000
4,1
10000
4,5
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5.1 Taskbar
The Taskbar is a bar at the bottom of the screen. This bar is mainly used for navigation through the DVR.
Name
Button
Activated
Description
Record all
Button to start recording all channels. These recordings are saved for each
channel separately. Solid red means that it is recording.
File Browser
-
Button to open the file browser. See 7 File Browser
Player
-
Button to open the Player. See 8 Player
View Layout 1
-
Button to change the Layout configuration on the main monitor to the next
configuration. See 5.4 View Layout Selection
View Layout 2
-
Button to change the Layout configuration on the second monitor to the next
configuration. See 5.4 View Layout Selection
Help
-
Button to open the Help function. See 6 Help
Backup
Recording
-
This indicator shows the status of the backup recording. You can click on
the icon to see a description of the status. This indicator is only visible when
the backup record is enabled in the System settings. See 12 Backup record
Battery Status
This indicator will show the battery status of the system. Blinking and
without a thunderbolt means that it operates on a battery. A thunderbolt
implies that it is receiving external power. See 11 Battery for a full
description.
System Time
14:23:57
-
Current system time. It can be set in the “Time”settings. See 13.7 Time
Main Setting
-
Button to open the Main Settings. See 13 Settings
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5.2 Channel Bar
The Channel bar is a bar above the Taskbar. This bar is used for channel-specific commands and settings
Name
Button
Activated
Description
Record
Button to start recording for this channel only. Solid red means the system is
recording.
Pause
Button to pause recording, the button itself changes to a play button. When you
press the play button, the recording will continue in the same file.
Snapshot
Button to create a picture of the video. The button flashed red as it takes the
picture. It can be done simultaneously with recording.
Clip Record
Button to start a clip recording; this is a recording of 10 seconds. The button will
become red as it is making the clip. It can be done simultaneously with recording.
On-screen
Display Settings
-
Button to open the “On-screen Display Settings.”See 9 On-screen Display
Camera
Button to switch the camera on/off. When it is black, the camera is OFF. When it
is green, the camera is ON. This button only works in combination with a Novasub
camera & light control system. See 13.2 Channels
Light
Button to switch the light on/off. When it is black, the light is OFF. When it is
yellow, the camera is ON. When pressing the button, it will also show a brightness
slider that can adjust the brightness. This button only works in combination with a
Novasub camera & light control system. See 13.2 Channels
Channel
Settings
-
Button to open the Channel Settings. See 10 Channel Settings
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5.3 Channel Title Bar
The channel title bar is at the top of the screen. This bar is mainly used for displaying channel information. Every channel
has this bar, and all information in it only applies to that channel.
Name
Description
Channel
This displays the channel number ranging from 1-4.
Channel Name
This displays the channel name. This name can be set in the “Channels”settings. See 13.2
Channels
Depth
This displays the depth of the channel. This only works with the addition of NovaBus depth
data. This can be set to show or hide in the “Channels”settings. See 13.2 Channels
Dive Time
This displays the dive time of the channel. This only works with the addition of NovaBus depth
data. This can be set to show or hide in the “Channels”settings. See 13.2 Channels
VU-meter
This displays the audio input into the system. This can either be from an implemented
communication system or an external audio input. Its orange bar shows how much audio is
coming in. This can be set to show or hide in the “Channels”settings. See 13.2 Channels
Recording file name
This displays the file name of the recording that the system is currently recording too. The
recording can later found in the Browser under this name. See 4.2.1 File name
Recording Time
This displays the time the current recording is running.
Recording file name
Recording time
Channel
Channel
Name
Depth
Dive Time
Can be set to show or hide
Shows up when you are recording
VU-meter
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5.4 View Layout Selection
There are different layouts for the channels available. These can be set up in the settings. See 13.5 Layout Configuration.
The layout depends on the number of channels you have. For the first monitor, you can change between the layouts by
pressing this button:
This will cycle through the different enabled layouts. For layouts with one enlarged channel, you can change the channel
that is enlarged by pressing on a small channel. For example:
For the second monitor, you can change the layout by pressing this button:
This cycles through the layouts AND through the enlarged views. So pressing the button can either change the layout or
change the enlarged view. For example:
Pressing the
small view will
change it to
the large view
Press the button
to switch the
views
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6 Help
The help function is to see all the manuals, Quickstarts and schematics on the software. It can be opened by pressing the
following button:
This will open the pdf viewer, which can be seen below. In this viewer, the manuals, QuickStart’s, and schematics are
listed on the left, these can be opened by clicking on them. You can also zoom in and out of the pdf. See below for an
explanation of all buttons.
Next page
Previous page
Fit PDF to Width
Fit PDF to Height
Zoom in
Zoom out
Close window
Copies All the
help documents
to a USB drive
Button to show
or hide the list
of manuals
below it
Swipe to next or
previous page
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7 File Browser
7.1 Local Storage
The file browser is the way to retrieve files from the system. Files can also be added using this menu. The Browser can be
opened with the following button in the Taskbar:
This will open the Browser, as can be seen below. In this Browser, you can see the local storage on the left and possible
external storage on the right. You also have a quick button to switch between the Player and the Browser. See 8 Player
for more information on the Player. The Browser also shows the free storage space. This storage can be expanded on
request.
Local Storage
External Storage
Quick switch button
between player and
browser
Close browser
Local Storage Space indicator. A 120 GB SSD is
used for 2 channel systems, a 240 GB SSD for 4
Channel systems. The Operating System takes up
28GB.
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You can navigate through the Browser by clicking in the local storage part. Click once to select a folder or file; this will
then become highlighted (orange). Double click to open a folder. To navigate back, you can double click the grayed-out
folder on the top of the list. You can also select which folder you want to go back to in the file path. This bar shows the
folder hierarchy you are currently. To delete a folder or file, select it and press the trashcan on the top left.
File path
The file path is an easy way to see where you are in the Browser. It is also useful for quick navigation. It shows all the
folders that are above the folder you are currently. To navigate the folders, press the folder you want to go to in the file
path. A visual representation of this can be seen below:
Delete selected
file or folder from
local storage
File path
Go back to
folder above
Selected item
(highlighted)
Visualization:
File path:
=
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7.2 External Storage
External storage is connected by one of the USB ports. It is used for retrieving or adding files to the system. Once you
insert the storage in the USB port, it will show up on the right of the file browser. Double-clicking the drive will open it to be
used for further actions. Please note that an external storage formatted as fat16 will not work.
Double click the drive to open it.
2
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Once the drive is opened, you can do some other actions. Navigation is the same as in local storage. The actions include
creating a new folder in the drive, removing files from the drive, copying files to the drive, and copying a file from the drive.
These buttons are specified below:
Create a new
folder in the
external storage
Delete folder or
file from the
external storage
External storage
indicator
Copy highlighted
file or folder from
the external to
the local storage
Copy highlighted
file or folder from
the local to the
external storage
Files and folders have to
be highlighted before they
can be copied
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8 Player
The Player is used to play back recordings that have been made. It can be opened with the following button:
This button will open the Player. Navigation in this Player is the same as in the file browser. In the Player, you can play a
recording by double-clicking it. You can also see some general information about the file on the right side of the screen. There
is also a button to switch to the file browser.
Duration of the
recording and
current moment
Volume button
to open volume
slider to change
Volume
Quick copy to USB button. First select
the external storage you want to copy
to, then select the file or folder you want
to copy and then press the button. only
visible when an external storage is
connected
Pause or
Play the
recording
Quick switch button to
file browser
General information
of the file you
selected
Double click a
file to play it
2
The slider is used for navigating
through a recording. This can also
be used to find a specific part of the
recording since the screen will
show the video as you slide.
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9 On-screen Display
The on-screen display, also known as video overlay, is used for displaying customizable information on the screen and
recording. This information is channel-specific and can be set up in the on-screen display settings; this can be opened with the
following button in the Channel bar. The on-screen display is shown in the way that it will be recorded in the video file.
This will open the On-screen display settings for that channel. In this menu, you can set up the on-screen display settings. At
the top, you can find an easy switch to another channel. The On-screen display is made of 8 different layers that can be
enabled. To change the layer, click on the layer in the layer list, so it becomes highlighted. This will open the settings for that
layer in the layer settings bar.
Button to switch
between channels
“Layer list”, is
used for
selecting layers
Close
window
“Layer settings bar”, all
layer settings can be
changed in this bar
Copies the selected layer to
the same layer number in
the channel that is selected
in “To Channel”
Copies all the
layers to the
channel that is
selected in “To
Channel”
Choose here to
which channel
you want to
copy
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