Event recording captures video in response to a defined event — an analytic alert (line crossed, object detected), an access-control action, an alarm input, or a point-of-sale transaction. It is the most targeted recording mode: instead of recording on any motion, it records only when something specific and meaningful happens, tying the footage directly to the event that triggered it so the two can be reviewed together.
Its value is precision and context. An event-recorded clip is already labelled with why it exists (this is the footage of the "door forced" alarm, or the "vehicle in restricted zone" detection), which makes investigation and search far faster than scrubbing motion clips. It is the mode that links surveillance to the rest of a security system, recording exactly the moments other systems flag. As with motion recording, a pre-event buffer is essential so the clip includes the seconds leading up to the trigger, not just the aftermath.
The pitfall is that event recording only captures what it is told to. Its coverage is exactly as good as the triggers configured: a gap in the rules is a gap in the footage, and a failed or mistimed trigger means no recording of that incident at all. For this reason event recording is usually layered with another mode — a continuous or motion baseline for general coverage, with event recording adding precisely-tagged clips on top — rather than relied on as the only record. Design the trigger set deliberately, and always buffer the pre-event seconds.
The handbook · 7 volumes
Fora Soft Video Engineering Handbook
Event recording stores only the clips analytics flag, so storage drops sharply but a missed detection means missing footage. Our seven-volume handbook covers the full video stack, and for event recording start with Volume 6: detection, tracking and the ML minimum for product decisions. Volume 1 covers the encoding and bitrate behind each stored clip. Written by Nikolay Sapunov, CEO at Fora Soft.
Switching cameras to event recording without losing footage you will need later?
Share your camera list and the events that matter, and we will design event triggers, pre- and post-roll buffers and a storage estimate per site. 250+ video products shipped since 2005.
