How to Set Up a DVR with Alarm Output on Camius 8- and 16-Channel Systems

It’s a relay contact that allows the DVR to control external devices like sirens or lights by closing the circuit when a trigger occurs.

Alarm I/O is a physical sensor input; motion detection inspects video. Disabling motion alerts does not disable I/O triggers.

While an I/O input can act alone (e.g. buzzer or relay), Push/Email alerts require a linked camera channel under Setup → Alarm → I/O.

Yes — the input can trigger buzzer or relay without a camera, but Push/Email alerts will only be sent when a camera channel is linked.

No. The I/O input names shown as Local ≤ 1–16 are system-defined and cannot be edited in the DVR menu.

On the DVR’s rear panel, locate the Alarm Out (NO/COM) terminals.

1. Connect the external siren or strobe’s control leads to NO (Normally Open) and COM (Common).
2. Power the siren from an external 12 V DC supply — the DVR relay provides no voltage.
3. On the DVR, go to Setup → Alarm → I/O and enable Alarm Out for the event you want to trigger.
4. Set the Latch Time for how long the siren remains active, then click Apply.

When triggered, the DVR closes the NO–COM circuit, activating the external device for the configured duration.

Tip: If you prefer an all-in-one option without external wiring, consider Camius deterrence cameras that include built-in lights and sirens:

• 4K Spotlight Fixed Camera with Siren and Lights — fixed-lens PoE camera with bright deterrent lights and an audible siren that can be triggered by DVR events or motion.
• 4K PTZ Camera with Siren, Lights, and 4× Zoom — motorized PTZ PoE camera with smart tracking, 4× optical zoom, and active deterrence features.

Both cameras can be added to a Camius DVR in XVR mode and configured under Setup → Alarm → Combination Alarm or PTZ Linkage to activate lights and sirens automatically when motion or an alarm input occurs.

• 30 V DC / 2 A
• 125 V AC / 0.5 A

Always power high-current devices separately and let the DVR relay act only as the control signal.

No. Alarm Out is a relay switch, not an audio or powered output.
It does not send sound or voltage — it simply opens or closes a circuit to control another powered device such as a siren or strobe.

For audio, the DVR includes separate Audio In and Audio Out ports:

• Audio In is used to connect an external microphone or camera with built-in mic.
• Audio Out connects to a speaker, monitor, or amplifier for playback.

These are completely independent from the Alarm Out function.

PTZ control uses a separate RS-485 A/B terminal pair beside the Alarm I/O block.
Pins 1 and 2 handle PTZ communication; the rest of the block is for Alarm Inputs (1–16) and one Alarm Output relay.

Yes. They operate independently. You can have a sensor trigger both a PTZ preset movement and a siren activation by configuring both under Setup → Alarm → PTZ Linkage and Setup → Alarm → I/O.

Yes — when the sensor is wired to the DVR’s Alarm Input terminals.
If Alarm In 1 is triggered, the DVR can move an analog or IP PTZ camera (added by IP address) to a defined Preset, Tour, or Pattern set in Setup → Alarm → PTZ Linkage. It does not respond to I/O ports on the IP camera itself.

The Combination Alarm lets the DVR act only when selected conditions occur together — for example, motion + alarm input.

To configure:

• Go to Setup → Alarm → Combination Alarm.
• Enable the channel.
• Click the gear icon under Combination Configure.
• Select events to combine: Motion, Alarm I/O, PIR, or Intelligent Detection.
• Choose actions such as Alarm Out, Buzzer, or Record.
• Click Apply.

This reduces false alerts by ensuring the DVR reacts only to confirmed activity.

• Analog PTZ (RS-485): Works directly with DVR Alarm I/O; fastest response.
• IP PTZ (XVR mode): Works only with DVR-managed events (motion, Alarm In); the DVR sends PTZ commands via ONVIF or Camius private protocol.
• Standalone IP PTZ: Uses its own web interface for smart events.

Camius DVRs include dedicated terminals for alarm and PTZ control on the rear panel.

• The Alarm Input (I/O) ports accept low-voltage dry-contact triggers from external sensors such as PIR detectors, magnetic door switches, or panic buttons. Each input can be configured in the DVR menu under Setup → Alarm → I/O as normally open (NO) or normally closed (NC).
• The Alarm Output is a dry-contact relay that activates connected devices such as sirens or strobe lights. It does not provide power and must switch an external 12 V DC or 110 V AC supply. The relay supports up to 30 V DC at 2 A or 125 V AC at 0.5 A.
• For PTZ cameras, the DVR provides a separate RS-485 A/B terminal pair used to send control signals to analog PTZ domes. This two-wire connection allows pan, tilt, zoom, and preset commands configured under Setup → PTZ.

Together, these terminals let the DVR manage physical sensors, external alarms, and PTZ movement directly from one interface while keeping each system electrically isolated for reliable operation.

No. Camius DVRs add IP cameras by their local IP address, not by P2P ID.
P2P is used only for remote access through the Camius View App or VMS (video management software). Always add IP cameras via Setup → Camera → Registration using IP address, port, username, and password.

Yes.
Camius Spotlight IP Cameras have built-in sirens and deterrent lights that can be triggered through the DVR’s Combination Alarm or PTZ Linkage settings.
They provide instant visual and audible response to motion or alarm events.

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