Keeping downloaded video files from dozens of cameras organized on PC?

[stevenbcr]

I posted this to the "idea exchange" but would prefer to figure something out sooner rather than later - even if it is a workaround.

TL/DR: Need better way to stay organized after downloading thousands of clips daily from dozens of different cameras when their filenames consist of only an epoch string of numbers and nothing else.

I have 80+ cameras split between a few business accounts that are all shared with a single account that I use to monitor camera feeds. Each day, I see around 3,000 to 5,000 individual clips of motion between all cameras. I need to download the files daily for analyzation which heavily relies on what camera the file is from, and the date and time the file/motion was captured.

The "easiest" way for me to do this right now and keep this information in the filename is to use a tablet - but it is extremely tedious, unreliable, and slow. It works...but it is absolutely awful.

Downloading daily files in bulk via computer is ideal and only requires a few clicks of the mouse but is awful for organization. The filenames lack the camera name and the easy to read date/time info that you get from the mobile app. The only way I can keep files on the computer organized is by going through cameras one by one and downloading their clips into specific folders named after each camera. This adds just as much headache as downloading via mobile app.

I really don't understand why the filenames lack the camera name on PC. I can't be the only one who would appreciate knowing what camera the file originates from.

[jguerdat]

I've been supplying someone else's Python script that you can use to automate the downloading of all videos. It has the advantage, after setting some strings up in the script, of renaming the files with a camera name as well as human-readable timestamps based on the original epoch time. I've included full instructions for Windows although other OSes would be similar (others with Mac and Linux computers have successfully used this).

If it seems useful, all I need is for you to PM (don't post it here) me your email address.

[stevenbcr]

That would be awesome!

PMing you now.