Continuous recording has always been a desired feature for many customers using battery-powered cameras. However, limited battery capacity can lead to rapid power depletion. To address this, Reolink has introduced the Smart-Battery Mode, achieving a win-win solution by optimizing battery usage while enabling extended recording capabilities.
Applies to: Reolink TrackMix LTE Plus, Reolink Altas PT Ultra.
What Is Reolink Smart-Battery Mode
Smart Battery Mode is an optional mode (off by default) that can be turned on/off when setting up the camera Timer recording schedule. Here is an explanation of its working mechanism:
If the smart battery mode is enabled, you could set up two battery level thresholds S1 and S2 (S1<S2), and:
- When the battery level is above S2, the camera will record at full frame rate.
- When the battery level is between S1 and S2, the camera will record at full frame rate only when the camera detects an alarm event. In the time without alarm events detected, the camera will record at a lower frame rate to extend battery life.
- When the battery level drops below S1, the camera will stop continuous recording. Now the camera will only record PIR alarm events recorded at full frame rate.
When to Use Reolink Smart-Battery Mode
When the Reolink Smart-Battery Mode is enabled, a fully charged camera can achieve continuous recording for 96 hours for Reolink Altas PT Ultra and 72 hours for Reolink TrackMix LTE Plus. If you find that your camera is draining battery quickly and want to extend its operating time, we recommend enabling the smart-battery record mode for optimal performance.
How to Set up Reolink Smart-Battery Mode
Setting up the Reolink Smart-Battery Mode allows you to maximize battery life while ensuring efficient video recording. Here's how to do it.
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Via Reolink App
Step 1. Tap the camera Setting button.
Step 2. Enable Camera Recording. Then tap Continous Recording Schedule.
Step 3. On the Continuous Recording Schedule page, you can tap the timetable to set periods when you want to record or not. Blue indicates that recording is enabled, while gray shows that it is disabled. After that, tap Smart Battery Mode.
Note: For the Reolink Altas PT Ultra, you can configure the frame rate (fps). However, for the Reolink TrackMix LTE Plus, frame rate adjustment is not available. The default frame rate is set to 5 fps, but you can also select from options of 1, 2, or 10 fps.
The default setting of Low Frame Rate is 10%-80%, and it's advisable to keep it as is. However, if you notice that the battery drains quickly during use, you can expand the Low Frame Rate range.
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Via Reolink Client
Step 1. Click Settings > Surveillance > Record, enable Record, and click Schedule.
Step 2. Click Timer. The Timer refers to continuous recording. Blue indicates that it is enabled, while gray signifies that it is disabled. You can click "Enable" to select the recording times you want, or choose "Disable" to set periods when you don’t want to record.
Step 3. Enable Smart Battery Mode. Adjust the slider to set the battery level range.
The default setting of Low Frame Rate is 10%-80%, and it's advisable to keep it as is. However, if you notice that the battery drains quickly during use, you can expand the Low Frame Rate range.
Note: The frame rate of the Reolink Altas PT Ultra may vary under different conditions (currently supported only by app version 4.50), following these guidelines:
Reolink Altas PT Ultra has three frame rate(FPS) settings: Stream FPS, Smart battery mode FPS, and Pre-recording mode FPS.
When both pre-recording mode and smart battery mode are off, the frame rate matches the stream mode setting.
When smart battery mode is enabled, the frame rate will depend on the battery status：
- In low frame rate situations, it will match the smart battery mode setting.
- In full frame rate situations, it will match the stream mode setting.
When the pre-recording mode is enabled, in low frame rate situations, the frame rate will follow the pre-recording mode setting rather than the smart battery mode.
However, if the camera is live viewing, or if Motion Detection (MD) or Passive Infrared Sensoris (PIR) is triggered, the frame rate will revert to the stream mode setting no matter what the situation is.
In conclusion, Smart Battery Mode optimizes your recording efficiency while extending battery life, ensuring you capture crucial moments without interruption.
If you have any other questions, please contact Reolink Support.