Frigate Recording Continuously in mode = motion

[emayo]

Hey can anyone help me understand why Frigate is recording continuously as well as motion when the record.retain.mode = motion?

I see many posts from folks how to get 24/7 recording as well as motion recording and I have the opposite question of how to stop the 24/7 (or continuous) recording and only have motion recordings.

Ultimately, I just want motion recorded. Below is my full configuration file:

mqtt:
  host: localhost

detectors:
  coral:
    type: edgetpu
    device: usb

cameras:
  cam01:
    ffmpeg:
      hwaccel_args: preset-vaapi
      inputs:
        # High resolution stream
        - path: rtsp://admin:#REDACED#@192.168.1.23/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0
          input_args: preset-rtsp-restream
          roles:
            - record
        # Low resolution stream
        - path: rtsp://admin:#REDACED#@192.168.1.23/cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=1
          input_args: preset-rtsp-restream
          roles:
            - detect
    objects:
      track:
        - person
        - dog
    snapshots:
      enabled: true 
    # NOTE: detect widthxheight matches the low resolution stream size since it has the detect role
    detect:
      enabled: true
      width: 640
      height: 480
    record:
      enabled: true
      retain:
        days: 5
        mode: motion
      events:
        retain:
          default: 14
          mode: motion
 
birdseye:
  enabled: true

[NickM-27]

Your config is set to retain 5 days of segments containing motion (24/7).

It also retains 14 days of segments containing motion related to objects that are detected.

If a recording is saved, that means motion was detected. It's unclear what you want that is not what is configured.

[emayo]

ok, I understand but when you examine video for the times where it says 0 EVENTS, I see the clock generated by the camera with seconds ticking away. If there, as you say motion causing this, then why does the UI show 0 Events then? Would the time overlay be causing the motion to be detected? NOTE: using debug doesn't seem to show the time overlay as motion.

[NickM-27]

If there, as you say motion causing this, then why does the UI show 0 Events then?

Because events are object detections, as I said above.

[emayo]

OK so motion that does not trigger an object detection is still just motion to activate recordings. Got it. OK, thanks for your help. I think this is starting to make sense. I reckon I was assuming object detection was same as motion. One final question. Is there a way to see what motion triggered a recording then. As I replay video with no events, I don't find a debug option or any obvious way to see what motion triggered the recording. Is this correct?

[NickM-27]

Technically you can save the clip and run it as a separate camera https://docs.frigate.video/development/contributing#2-modify-your-local-config-file-for-testing

In the upcoming version of frigate debug features will be available for object detection recordings.

It's possible a similar feature could be created for motion, though it would likely work differently