Samsara dash cams support multiple video formats for trip review. These formats vary in resolution, duration, and audio availability. Availability depends on the retrieval request and the specific dash cam configuration.
Samsara cameras provide different video formats depending on the length of the requested clip. Each format balances resolution, duration, and audio availability to support different review needs. When audio recording is enabled, both High Resolution Video (HRV) and Secondary Extended Video (SEV) include audio. Hyperlapse Video supports longer retrieval durations and faster processing but does not include audio.
Video format is determined by the length of your retrieval request:
|
Video Format |
Video Length |
Description |
|---|---|---|
|
High Resolution Video (HRV) |
Less than 1 minute |
Highest available resolution. Includes audio if enabled. |
|
Secondary Extended Video (SEV) |
1–10 minutes |
Lower-resolution format optimized for efficient processing and download. Includes audio if enabled. |
|
More than 10 minutes |
Condensed, high-resolution format for rapid review of extended footage. |
Note
For Third-Party Cameras installations, only HRV is supported. SEV is not available.
If available, trip videos must be retrieved using cellular service or Wi-Fi. Video retrieval is subject to the following conditions:
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Video retrieval is available only after a trip is completed. Videos from in-progress trips cannot be retrieved.
A trip is defined as traveling from a starting point to a stop or destination. By default, a trip begins when your vehicle achieves a speed of at least 5 mph and ends when the vehicle speed remains below 5 mph / 8 km/h for 5 minutes or when your vehicle crosses a state or national border.
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By default, dash cams continue to record for an additional 10 minutes after movement is detected. To configure your dash cam settings or to enable Parking Mode to record a longer duration, see Dash Cam Settings for Video, Audio, and Camera ID.
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Samsara does not support the extraction of license plate information from dash cam videos and does not provide tools for image enhancement.
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Both the dash cam and the Vehicle Gateway (VG) must be online and connected for video retrieval to succeed.
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When Dash Cam Storage Capacity is reached, older videos are overwritten to make space for new recordings. After they are overwritten, these older videos cannot be retrieved.
Note
The camera model and selected optional settings can impact video storage capacity. To view or modify your settings, see Dash Cam Settings for Video, Audio, and Camera ID).
To support the use of API-driven video retrievals, Samsara enforces a video retrieval quota that limits how much media an organization can request through the Create a media retrieval request API. This quota ensures system performance across fleets and encourages strategic use of media access. The quota system only applies to API-driven video and image retrievals. Other retrieval workflows—like pulling video from the dashboard—are not affected. For more information, see Create a media retrieval request.
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