Video Retrieval

Samsara dash cams are HD cameras designed to improve fleet safety, exonerate drivers and lower accident-related costs. The Samsara Dashboard supports the remote retrieval of video clips from all generations of dash cams and multi-cams.

The Video Library displays the most recently requested video card at the top of the page. You can access the video library from Safety > Video Retrieval. Each video card displays information about the status of the request—either that the video is in process or that the vehicle is offline and has a cellular or Wifi connection before the request can be completed.

After Samsara successfully retrieves the video in the Request Video workflow, it will appear in the Saved tab as a card with a trip photo still, the vehicle ID, driver name (if known), the name of the person who requested the video, and the location where the segment begins. If you star a video for later review, it will appear under the Starred tab.

Request Video

After a trip is completed, Samsara AI dash cameras will continue to record for an additional 10 minutes when a trip ends. Camera recording capacity is dependent on settings and model (see Customizable Camera Settings). All trip video is stored locally on the cameras and must be retrieved over cellular or WiFi. Additional considerations and limitations to observe when requesting video:

• Selecting a 1 minute segment displays more information about that segment—including a map of where the vehicle was traveling, the addresses, and the assigned driver (if available).

• Video retrieval is not available for in-progress trips.

• The camera and the Vehicle Gateways must both be online and connected in order for video to be retrieved.

• The request must be contained entirely within a single trip. If the selected segment length extends beyond the end of a trip, the clip will be cut at the end of that trip.

• When video storage capacity is reached, older videos are purged to make room for newer videos. The older videos will not be available for retrieval after being purged.

  Note

  Camera model and selected optional settings can impact video storage capacity. To view or modify your settings, see Customizable Camera Settings).

Use the following workflow to remotely retrieve footage from a specific vehicle:

1. Select Request Video to access your camera footage from any of the following locations:

   • Video Library: In your Samsara Dashboard, navigate to Safety > Video Retrieval

   • Proximity Search: In your Samsara Dashboard, navigate to Overview > Proximity

   • Go to your Trip Timeline.

2. Highlight the time range for the video request.
3. The video format available for the time range displays as either a solid bar or a striped bar on the timeline. The solid bar indicates that both hyperlapse and high resolution video is available for retrieval. A striped bar indicates that the video is only available as secondary video. To switch between formats, select from the format dropdown menu.
   

   To allow for longer video retrievals, select a hyperlapse (sped-up) video format or request the video from the secondary video stream.

   Hyperlapse videos can help you to quickly review the footage to identify important events. Longer durations require more time to process and download. Default resolution settings are applied based on the length of your video retrieval. Alternatively, you can choose the resolution option to apply to your video retrieval using the table below:

   Video Length	Video Type (Default)	Video Type (Alternative)
   <1m	High Resolution	Secondary Stream
   1m-10m	Secondary Stream (Secondary Extended)	Hyperlapse
   > 10m	Hyperlapse	N/A

4. Select Retrieve Video.

   Samsara sends the request to the camera, which will return the video when it is online. The time it takes for a video retrieval can vary. For example, if both the camera and the vehicle gateway are connected, you may be able to retrieve video immediately. A ​Waiting on device​ status indicates the video upload is in progress. The status changes to ​Completed​​ when the video uploads successfully.