Live video streaming with Alarm.com Video

Live video can stream from the Alarm.com Website or Alarm.com Mobile app to allow greater awareness of property even when you are away.

Live video and video recordings happen independently of each other. A camera can take a recording based on recording rules or commands even while a user is streaming live video.

For customer privacy, the dealer/service provider does not have access to stream any live or recorded video.

Functionality

Mobile device compatibility

Streaming live video is available on the mobile app available on iOS and Android. Additionally, any web-enabled cell phone with an HTML browser can view real-time live video using the Alarm.com Website. Streaming video is also available on some phones with full HTML browsers. The data charges by the cellular service provider can be significant for using video features on cell phones

  • Note : iPhones and iPads should use the Alarm.com mobile app to display live video. Most mobile browser versions are not able to view live video.

Web browser compatibility on computers

Alarm.com video features are available on Edge, Firefox, Safari, and Chrome on both Windows and Macintosh computers

  • Note : For SkyBell Doorbell Cameras, live video can only be streamed using the mobile app. Saved clips can be viewed using both the Alarm.com Website and Mobil app.

Live video stream time out

Through the mobile app, live view times out within 3 minutes after the live stream starts. However, continuous live-streaming video is available through the Alarm.com Website and these devices/platforms:

  • SVR playback with an external monitor
  • Amazon Fire TV*
  • Apple TV*
  • Android TV*

*The Live Video Connection: Speed Up Remote Connection Initiation feature needs to be disabled to allow continuous streaming on Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, and Android TV.

Continuously stream live video using the Customer Website

To continuously stream live video using the Alarm.com Website, you will need one of the following video devices with firmware 0.6.7.852+:

  • 1080p Indoor Wi-Fi Camera (ADC-V523/523X)
  • 1080p Outdoor Wi-Fi Camera (ADC-V723/723X)
  • 1080p Outdoor Wi-Fi Camera with Two-Way Audio (ADC-V724/724X)
  • Pro Series 1080p Mini-Bullet Camera (ADC-VC727P)
  • Pro Series 1080p Dome PoE Camera (ADC-VC827P)
  • Pro Series 4MP Bullet PoE Camera with Varifocal Lens (ADC-VC728PF)
  • Pro Series 4MP Varifocal Turret Camera (ADC-VC838PF)
  • Pro Series 1080p Dome PoE Camera with Varifocal Lens (ADC-VC847PF)

If the video device is unable to maintain a continuous connection, it will revert to the standard web view with a 3-minute timeout. To confirm the continuous live stream is active, verify Combined-Shape.svg displays when mousing over the live view.

continuous_live_view_combined_shape_icon

Speed Up Remote Connection Initiation

When Speed Up Remote Connection Initiation is enabled, the video loads faster while you are far away from the camera’s location. This feature needs to be disabled to continuously stream from the Alarm.com for TV apps.

To disable speed up remote connection initiation:

  1. Log into the Customer Website.
  2. Click Video.
  3. Click Settings.
  4. Using the Video Device dropdown menu, select the desired video device.
  5. Click Live Video.
  6. Click Speed up remote connection initiation to disable the feature.
    speed_up_remote_connection_initiation
  7. Click Save.

How video devices are listed

Cameras are listed Alphabetically in Alarm.com Website, and mobile app.

Features

Digital zoom

Users can use the video interface to digitally zoom in/out on a live video feed and pan around when zoomed in, but the camera’s video quality and optical zoom level will remain the same.

Note: Digital zoom is not available on saved clips.
Note : On the Onboard 24/7 and SVR Timelines, this feature is unavailable when the live feed is paused on the Alarm.com Website.

Digital and physical pan-tilt-zoom

Integrated digital or physical pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) features use a similar interface to digital zoom that allows users to save and apply preset orientations in addition to the zoom and pan controls. Video devices with integrated PTZ are as follows:

  • ADC-V622/ADC-V622-WELL (digital)
  • ADC-V620PT (physical)
  • ADC-610PT (physical)

Simultaneous viewers

The maximum number of simultaneous viewers of a video device is determined by the series of the video device.

  • Note: To determine the series of the video device, read the last two numbers on the camera model (i.e., 723, 523X, 622).

Viewer definition

A viewer is anything that requests streaming video from a video device. A viewer can be a local or remote streaming request. All of the following count as individual viewers:

  • A user streaming live or locally recorded footage from the video device using the Customer Website or Customer app
  • An SVR or CSVR streaming live video from the video device to a local display
  • An SVR or CSVR recording footage from the video device

Simultaneous viewers based on video device series

Camera series Maximum simultaneous viewers
'10 Series 5
'20 Series 10
'21 Series 10
'22 Series 10
'23 Series 5
'24 Series 5
ADC-VC726 4
ADC-VC736 4
ADC-VC825 6
Pro Series 5
ADC-VDB770 2*
ADC-VDB780B 2*
ADC-VDB750 2*
SkyBell Doorbell Camera (ADC-VDB101/102/105/106/105x/106x) 2
*Note : These video devices can support up to 2 viewers, but 1 viewer is the recommended use.

View multiple live video streams

Users can view multiple live video device streams at a time on most platforms. The actual number of video devices able to be enrolled on the account is reflected in the service package.

Live video

Streaming source Maximum visible streams
Customer app Depends on the screen size
Customer Website 25
Fire TV, Apple TV, and Android TV 4
Note : If more than four video devices are enrolled on the account, the Fire TV, Apple TV, and Android TV automatically rotate streams in 10, 20, 30, or 60-second intervals.

Continuously recorded playback

Streaming source Maximum visible streams
Alarm.com Mobile app Depends on the screen size
Alarm.com Website (Smart View) 4
Stream Video Recorder local interface 16

Note: Playback speed can affect the maximum number of simultaneous streams.

Video recording

Users can request that the video device record a clip using the live video interface.

Camera groups

Create and edit camera groups from the Manage Camera Groups page, which includes a preview of each camera.

Toggle high definition

Click HD to toggle between high definition and non-HD. High definition offers the best quality resolution, but non-HD allows the user to reduce the quality if bandwidth is a concern.

Search for cameras

Type a name into the camera search bar to find individual cameras.

Note: This option appears while on a camera group containing five or more video devices.

Swipe between live video feeds

Using the Customer app, users can swipe between different cameras on the mobile app dashboard.

Note: This feature requires Alarm.com version 4.5+ for iOS and 4.5.1 for Android.

Adjust the live image quality of a camera

Live video image quality can be optimized for motion and clarity. Increasing the video image quality improves the fine details in the picture — decreasing the video image quality reduces the amount of bandwidth the video device needs.

The quality of the image can be affected by Wi-Fi signal strength, browser performance, and network bandwidth when viewing live and saved video using the Customer Website or Customer app. For the highest quality video, download the clip.

Note : Live video image quality cannot be adjusted for the SkyBell Doorbell Cameras or the '25, '26, and '36 series video devices.

To change a camera’s live video image quality using the Customer Website:

  1. Log into the Alarm.com Website.
  2. Click Video.
  3. Click Settings.
  4. Using the Video Device dropdown menu, select the desired video device.
  5. Click Live Video.
  6. In Image Quality, click to select the desired image quality. These settings options may vary between video devices.
    Live_video_settings
  7. In Live Video Connection, click to select Speed up remote connection initiation if desired. Leave this option unchecked to attempt a local connection even when the camera appears to be on a remote network.
  8. Click Save.

To change a camera’s live video image quality using the Customer app:

  1. Log into the mobile app.
  2. Tap Video.
  3. Tap Settings Gear.
  4. Tap Live Video Camera Resolution.

Important*: Only some video devices’ settings can be changed using the app. If the resolution options are not available for the camera, use the Alarm.com Website to change them.

  1. Tap the camera to be adjusted.
  2. Tap Auto, Low, Medium, or High. The setting saves automatically after selection. These settings options may vary between video devices.

App_video_settings