Swann Wi-Fi Pan & Tilt Camera AlwaysSafe App Manual

Getting Started

Adding a Camera

To begin, connect your camera to power using the supplied USB cable and power adapter. The camera will initiate a startup sequence, indicated by rotation. Please wait approximately 30 seconds ⏳ for this process to complete.

Once the camera has finished starting up, it will enter Wi-Fi configuration mode. Follow the voice prompts from the camera to connect your smartphone to its temporary Wi-Fi hotspot. Open the AlwaysSafe app when prompted. Your smartphone should now be connected to the camera's Wi-Fi hotspot. Wait for the Setup box to appear, tap OK, and follow the on-screen instructions to configure your home Wi-Fi network settings for the camera. After successful Wi-Fi setup, the camera is ready to stream live video. It is recommended to set the date and time immediately after setup; refer to the 'Setting Date and Time' section.

Setting Date and Time

From the Devices screen, tap the Settings icon ⚙️ on the camera tile to access camera settings. Then, tap the 'More' button. Navigate to 'Date & Time' and tap it. Select 'Synchronize phone time' to automatically sync the camera's date, time, and timezone with your smartphone's clock. You can also adjust the display format for date and time, and enable Daylight Saving Time (DST) if applicable.

Setting up Email Alerts

Access camera settings by tapping the Settings icon ⚙️ from the Devices screen, then select 'Email'. Ensure the 'Enable' toggle is switched ON. Tap 'Email Settings' to configure the alert. Tap 'Add Sender' to set up the email account that will send alerts. You will need to select your email provider (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook) or choose 'Other' for manual configuration. Enter the SMTP server address and port number if using 'Other'. Provide the Sender Name, Sender Email, and Sender Email Password. Tap 'Add Recipient' to specify up to three email addresses that will receive alerts. You can customize the 'Email Content' (Text, Picture, Text with Picture, or Text with Video) and set an 'Email Interval' (e.g., 5 minutes) between alerts. After configuration, tap the left arrow to send a test email. Check your inbox for the test email. If using Gmail and the test email fails, check your Google account for security alerts and enable 'Less secure app access' if necessary.

Customizing Email Alerts Schedule

In the camera's settings, navigate to 'Email' and then tap 'Schedule'. By default, the camera is set to send emails for motion events at all times, indicated by blue bars on the schedule. To customize this, tap the time bar for a specific day. You can then tap individual hourly bars or drag across multiple hours to define time ranges. For each range, select 'Alarm' (blue) to send email alerts for motion events, or 'None' (grey) to disable alerts for that period. The camera will still record motion events even if alerts are disabled. Save your customized schedule.

Setting up a MicroSD Memory Card

Insert a microSD memory card into the microSD card slot on the back of the camera, with the gold contacts facing down, until it clicks into place. For optimal performance and storage, use a fast memory card (Class 6 or higher) with at least 16 GB capacity. It is recommended to use quality microSD cards from well-known manufacturers. Before first use, format the card by navigating to Settings ⚙️ > More > Storage and tapping the 'Format' button. The camera will format the card and restart automatically.

Sharing Access to your Camera

To share camera access, go to the Devices screen, tap the Settings icon ⚙️, and then tap the 'Share' button. A QR code containing your camera's UID will be displayed. Share this code only with trusted individuals. For them to access the camera, they need to download the AlwaysSafe app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, open it, and tap the '+' icon. They can then scan the QR code displayed on your smartphone. To log in, they will need your camera's admin password. A 'Guest' account can also be created for limited access.

About the App Interface

Devices Home Screen

The Devices Home Screen displays your connected cameras. Key elements include:

• Menu ☰: Access app startup settings and general app information.
• Add Camera +: Manually add a camera by scanning a QR code.
• Devices List: Shows all connected cameras on your network.
• Camera Name: The name assigned to your camera (editable via Settings > Info).
• Settings icon ⚙️: Manage camera settings like motion detection, email alerts, and storage.
• Camera Preview: Tap this window to start live view from the camera.
• Quick Live View ▶️: Quickly start live view of the last watched camera, useful if you have multiple cameras.

Live View Screen

The Live View Screen provides real-time video feed and controls:

• Back to Devices ◀️: Return to the Devices home screen.
• Select Cameras: View multiple cameras simultaneously or in separate windows.
• Mute/Unmute Audio ?/?: Control audio playback.
• Stop/Start Video ▶️/■: Control the live video stream.
• Snapshot ?: Capture a still image, saved to your smartphone's 'AlwaysSafe' folder.
• Record ▶️/■: Start or stop recording the live video. Recordings are saved to your smartphone's 'AlwaysSafe' folder.
• Video Quality: Switch between 'Fluent' (smoother motion) and 'Clear' (higher quality). Note: 'Clear' quality may limit streaming to one camera at a time.
• Color Setting: Choose between Color, Black & White, or Auto.
• Landscape View ?️: Display the live view in fullscreen mode.
• Talk ?️: Enable two-way audio communication.
• PTZ ?️: Access Pan, Tilt, and Zoom controls.
• Playback ▶️: Access recorded motion events.

Live View Screen: Using Pan & Tilt Controls

Tap the PTZ button ?️ on the Live View screen. Use the on-screen joystick to pan and tilt the camera. Quick drags provide incremental movements, while dragging and holding allows for continuous pan or tilt. You can also activate a 60-second auto-pan by tapping the 'Auto' icon; tap it again to stop. Do not manually force the camera's movement, as this can cause damage.

Live View Screen: Saving & Calling Preset Positions

You can save specific camera views as preset positions. To do this, pan and tilt the camera to your desired position, tap the 'Mark' button, and assign a name to the preset. Saved preset positions will appear at the bottom of the screen. Tapping a preset name will automatically move the camera to that saved view. To delete a preset, tap the delete icon and then tap the preset you wish to remove. Tap 'Done' when finished.

Live View Screen: Using Two-Way Talk

To use the two-way talk feature, tap the 'Talk' button ?️ on the Live View screen. Then, tap the microphone icon ? to begin speaking. Tap the microphone icon again to stop talking.

Playback Screen

The Playback screen allows you to review recorded motion events. From the Live View screen, tap the 'Playback' icon ▶️. You can select different cameras, mute/unmute audio, and start playback of motion events for the day. A timeline allows you to skip forward or backward within a clip. Other icons allow for taking snapshots ?, starting/stopping recordings, changing video quality, and maximizing the view ?️. Use the calendar ? to select a different date. The history timeline shows motion events, with blue segments indicating recording periods. Tapping an event plays it; tapping again allows downloading clips (up to 30 seconds). You can drag the timeline to view different periods.

Device Settings Screen

The Device Settings screen provides access to various camera configurations:

• Info: Edit camera name and view technical details.
• Share ➡️: Generate a QR code to share camera access.
• Push ?: (Swann DVR models only) Enable/disable push notifications.
• Wi-Fi ?: View current Wi-Fi network and connect to others. Supports 2.4GHz and 5GHz.
• More ...: Access advanced settings like date & time, video standard, and user management.
• Display ?️: Adjust image and video display settings.
• MD Settings: Configure motion detection sensitivity and create motion zones.
• Record ?: Set up recording schedules, overwrite settings, pre-motion recording, and post-motion recording duration. Requires a microSD card.
• Alarm Sound ?: Enable and schedule the camera's siren.
• Email ✉️: Enable and configure email alerts, including schedules.
• Record Audio ?: Toggle audio recording on/off.
• Infrared Lights ?: Toggle infrared LEDs on/off (affects night vision).
• Delete: Remove the camera from the app. A factory reset is recommended for complete network removal.

Device Settings: Display

Within Display settings, you can adjust the camera's visual output. 'Rotation' allows flipping the video orientation. You can also change the position of the camera name and date/time display, or hide them. 'Advanced' settings include:

• Anti-flicker: Adjust refresh rate (50Hz/60Hz) for flickering lights.
• Exposure: Set auto or manual exposure for optimal brightness.
• White Balance: Adjust color reproduction for natural tones.
• Day and Night: Manage color and infrared LED behavior for different lighting conditions. 'Color' mode attempts color night vision with sufficient ambient light.
• Backlight: Improve image clarity in high contrast scenes.
• 3D DNR: Digital Noise Reduction to clean up image noise, especially in low light.

Under 'Quality', you can select video stream settings:

• Clear: 1080P resolution, 12 fps, 2048 kbps bitrate.
• Fluent: 720x416 resolution, 12 fps, 512 kbps bitrate.

The choice of resolution, frame rate, and bitrate impacts video smoothness and bandwidth usage. For streaming issues, consider lowering these settings or contacting your internet service provider.

Device Settings: MD Settings: Sensitivity

Adjust motion detection sensitivity by dragging the slider (1-50). Lower sensitivity requires more movement to trigger an event. You can enable 'Customized settings' to create different sensitivity levels for various times of the day.

Device Settings: MD Settings: Motion Zones

Use 'Motion Zones' to mask specific areas in the camera's view where you do not want motion alerts. Use the 'Pen' tool ✏️ to draw zones and the 'Eraser' tool ? to remove them. Shaded areas will be ignored for motion detection.

Device Settings: Record: Record Settings

Configure recording behavior. 'Enable' motion detection recording by default. 'Record Settings' allow you to manage how motion events are recorded to the microSD card. 'Overwrite' ensures continuous recording by deleting the oldest files when storage is full. 'Pre-Motion Recording' captures footage before an event (approx. 4 seconds). 'Post-Motion Recording Duration' sets how long recording continues after motion stops (15s, 30s, 1m).

Device Settings: Record: Schedule

Manage the recording schedule to specify times and days for motion detection recording. By default, recording is enabled at all times. Tap a time bar for a specific day to customize its recording schedule.

Device Settings: Alarm Sound

Enable the camera's built-in siren for motion detection alerts. You can also set an 'Alarm Schedule' to customize when the siren is active.

Device Settings: Email

Enable or disable email alerts for motion detection. Configure 'Email Settings' for server details, recipients, and frequency. Use 'Schedule' to set specific times when email alerts should be sent or suppressed.

Device Settings: More Settings

Access additional settings:

• User Management ?: Change admin password and add user accounts.
• Date & Time ⏰: Synchronize with smartphone, adjust formats, and manage DST.
• Storage ?: View microSD card details and format the card.
• Video Standard: Select NTSC or PAL.
• FTP Upload: Configure FTP server settings for transferring clips.
• Upgrade ⬆️: Manage firmware updates (Auto/Manual).
• Restore ?: Factory reset the camera to default settings.
• Reboot ?: Restart the camera.

Appendix

Adding a Camera via Ethernet

If Wi-Fi setup is problematic, connect the camera to your Wi-Fi router using an Ethernet cable as an alternative. Note that voice prompts are not available during Ethernet setup. Open the AlwaysSafe app, wait for the camera to be detected, and tap the 'Uninitialized device' preview. You will then create a login password and name the camera. Select your Wi-Fi network and enter its password. Once initialized, you can unplug the Ethernet cable, and the camera will reconnect wirelessly.

Frequently Asked Questions

• App Download: Available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
• Upside-down Camera: Use 'Display' settings and the 'Rotation' option.
• Night Vision: Infrared LEDs activate automatically in low light, resulting in black and white video.
• Lag/Delay: Can be caused by slow or unstable internet connections. Using Wi-Fi on the same network as the camera is generally faster than cellular.
• Recording without Internet: Yes, the camera will continue to record to the microSD card if scheduled, and playback is available once the internet is restored.
• Turning off IR LEDs: Disable via 'Settings' > 'Infrared Lights' OFF. This may impact night vision quality.
• Copying Recordings: Remove the microSD card, insert it into a USB card reader, and copy the .mp4 files to your computer.
• Stopped Recording: If the microSD card was recently removed and re-inserted, try restarting the camera via 'Settings' > 'More' > 'Reboot'.
• Audio Feedback: Can occur due to environmental noise or proximity. Try using a headset or lowering speaker volume.
• Reconnect Camera (Wi-Fi Change): Reset the camera and set it up again.
• Deleting Camera (Removed from App): Factory reset the camera using the reset button.
• Latest Firmware: Check via 'Settings' > 'More' > 'Upgrade'.

© 2019 Swann Communications. MALWAYSSAFEAPP APP VERSION: 4.14.2.0. Apple and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google, Android, and Google Play are trademarks of Google Inc.