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Modify High Quality Video Bitrates
Modify High Quality Video Bitrates

Learn how to manage your camera's video parameters

Updated over 3 weeks ago

In Verkada Command, you can now change the High Quality (HQ) bitrates as simple, present options. You can also configure to show current days of HQ video and impact on HQ days by changing the bitrates. For a list of supported camera models, see Camera Feature Specifications.

This feature is not compatible with the PTZ series cameras.

Change the HQ video quality

  1. In Verkada Command, go to All Products > Cameras.

  2. Select a camera you want to modify.

  3. On the live video page, click Settings.

  4. Under Device, scroll down to HQ Video Bitrate.

  5. Click the dropdown and set the HQ bitrate.

This setting does not impact SQ storage and the SQ video is retained for the camera's set days of retention. Each setting provides an estimated HQ retention in days, calculated based on HQ recording activity.

Considerations

  • Default HQ bitrate presets (Enhanced) utilizes variable bitrate, adjusting based on the scene; scenes with high motion consume a higher bitrate while less complex scenes consume lower bitrate. This provides higher quality video when it’s most needed while optimizing on storage space. In contrast, other presets utilize constant bitrate for HQ video.

  • If you choose a higher video quality, a shorter duration of HQ video is saved for later viewing.

  • The estimator dropdown works based on status state; it uses the existing HQ recorded footage to estimate how much motion has been while the camera has been recording during its retention period. Therefore, if your camera has only been installed for 1 hour, it's not enough time for Command to give an accurate assumption.

For better optimization and in bandwidth-constrained environments, we recommend that you lower the bitrate to preserve network resources. If you have a lot of motion in your camera field (for example, a busy hallway), we recommend increasing the HQ bitrate for better video quality.

SQ and audio bitrates (in Kbps)

Models

SQ Bitrates

Audio Bitrates

CD42, CD52, CH52, CB52-E*, CB52-TE*, CM42, CM42-S, CD32, CD22, CM22, CD42-F, CD42-E-F, CD52-F, CD52-E-F

300

16

CD62, CF81–E, CF83-E, CB62-E*, CB62-TE*

600

16

CD61, CB61–E*, CB61–TE*

600

16

CD41, CD51, CB51–E*, CB51–TE*, CM41, CM41–E, CM41–S, D40, CD31

300

16

CM61, D80*

600

16

D30, D50*

300

16

Cameras marked with * do not support audio.

HQ bitrates (in Kbps)

Dome, Bullet, Multisensor models

Models

Good

Advanced

Enhanced (default)

Ultra

CD32, CD42, CD52, CM42, CM42-S, CD22, CM22, CD42-F, CD42-E-F, CD52-F, CD52-E-F

1,000

1,500

3,000

4,500

CD32-E, CD42-E, CD52-E, CH52-E, CB52-E, CB52-TE, CD22-E

1,000

1,500

3,000

4,500

CD62

2,000

3,000

4,500

6,000

CD62-E, CF81–E, CF83-E, CB62-E, CB62-TE

2,000

3,000

4,500

6,000

CD61, CD61-E, CB61–E, CB61–TE

2,000

3,000

4,500

6,000

CD41, CD41-E, CD51, CD51-E, CB51–E, CB51–TE, CM41, CM41–E, CM41–S, CD31, CD31-E

1,000

1,500

3,000

4,500

CM61

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

Dome series (Gen 1) models

Models

Good

Advanced (default)

Enhanced

Ultra

D30, D50

800

1,000

2,000

3,000

D40

1,000

1,500

3,000

4,500

D80

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000


Need more help? Contact Verkada Support.

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