Does Canary Offer Continuous Recording? Understanding Your Timeline
A common point of confusion for Canary users is how the camera records video. You might look at your timeline and see a series of short clips, leading you to wonder: "Why isn't my Canary recording continuously?" It's a valid question, and the answer lies in how Canary's service is designed.
This guide will clarify how Canary recording works, explain what Continuous Video Recording (CVR) is, and help you understand the features available with your service plan.
Canary's Standard Recording Method: Motion-Activated Clips
For the vast majority of users, Canary cameras are not designed to record 24/7. Instead, they operate on a motion-activation basis.
- How it Works: The camera is always watching, but it only begins to record a video clip when its sensors detect motion.
- Your Timeline: The timeline you see in the Canary app is a history of these motion-triggered events, not an uninterrupted stream of video. This is why you see distinct clips with timestamps rather than a continuous feed.
- The Benefit: This method saves a tremendous amount of internet bandwidth and cloud storage space, and it makes it easier for you to find important events without scrubbing through hours of empty footage.
If your camera is creating clips when it detects motion, it is working exactly as intended under the standard service plans.
What About Continuous Video Recording (CVR)?
Continuous Video Recording, or CVR, is the technical term for 24/7 recording. This is a premium feature that has, at times, been available for certain Canary devices but comes with specific requirements and limitations.
### Is CVR Available for Your Device?
- Legacy Feature: CVR was more commonly associated with older Canary models. Newer devices and service plans may not offer it at all, focusing instead on enhanced AI-driven motion alerts.
- Subscription Dependent: CVR, when available, is always part of Canary's highest-tier premium subscription. It is not included with basic or standard plans.
- High Bandwidth Requirement: Recording and uploading video 24/7 uses a large amount of internet bandwidth. CVR is not recommended for homes with slow or data-capped internet plans, as it can significantly impact your network's performance.
Troubleshooting Your Recording Issues
Now that we've clarified how recording works, let's troubleshoot common problems.
Problem: My camera isn't recording any events at all.
If your timeline is completely empty even when there has been activity, this points to a problem with motion detection, not the recording method.
- Check Your Mode: Ensure your Canary is in 'Away' mode. In 'Home' mode, you may have recording disabled for privacy. In 'Disarmed' mode, recording is off by default.
- Increase Motion Sensitivity: In the camera's settings, find the motion sensitivity slider and increase it. It might be set too low to detect the activity.
- Check for Connectivity: Make sure your camera is online and connected to Wi-Fi. An offline camera cannot record or upload clips.
Problem: I believe I have CVR, but it's not working.
If you have confirmed that you subscribe to a premium plan that explicitly includes CVR for your specific camera model, but it's not functioning, follow these steps:
- Reboot Your Camera: Unplug the Canary from power for 60 seconds, then plug it back in.
- Reboot Your Router: Restarting your home's Wi-Fi router can solve connectivity issues that may be preventing the high-bandwidth stream required for CVR.
- Contact Canary Support: If the feature is still not working, there may be an issue with your account's provisioning. Contact Canary's support team directly to have them verify that the CVR service is active on their end for your device.
For most users, understanding that Canary is an event-based recording system is the key. By ensuring your motion detection is properly configured, you can have confidence that your camera is capturing all the important moments as designed.