What should I document during the acquisition of video evidence from a digital video recorder (DVR)?

  • Type of DVR (e.g. stand alone, hybrid, networked, server based, personal computer)
  • Make, model, and serial number
  • Account username(s) and  password(s)
  • Number of cameras capable of recording and number of cameras connected
  • System time and date and actual time and date
  • System settings:
    • Image quality (e.g. high, medium, low)
    • Frames per second
    • Recorded image/frame size (e.g. 320 x 240)
    • Alarm or motion trigger settings for cameras
  • System logs
  • Whether the cameras have infrared (IR) capabilities