FAQs

General

Is there an API for it?

Sure. Head on over to the API Access page.

How do I update?

Please have a look at the Install page.

Does it record continuously?

yes, There is a cutoff at 15 minutes by default. You can change it in the monitor settings.

Where is conf.json?

There is conf.sample.json rename it to conf.json.

What type of Cameras are supported?

Supported Cameras page is what you want.

Where can I make feature requests?

In the #suggestions channel on Discord. If you are on a paid support package you may open a ticket in the client area. Either method will work, ticket made in the client area ensures priority for requests.

How do I turn on 2-Factor Authentication (2FA)?

After logging into your account open Settings. You will see the option if your version of Shinobi has the feature and are not logged into a sub account. Mail options must be set in your application configuration (conf.json).

Technical

Can I run this on HTTPS instead of HTTP?

Yes. You can have it going through a proxy or through cloudflare with a domain, quick and painless. Websocket works excellent through cloudflare.

Why are my videos unplayable somtimes??

This can mean a number of things.

  • Your settings are incompatible with the camera stream. Try using WebM as the file format and libvpx for the video encoder with audio off. Turning off timestamps sometimes also helps.
  • Your build of FFMPEG does not work correctly with your operating system. You can rebuild manually or reinstall from a repository.
  • Your libraries are damaged or out of date.

Where can i change the videos or temporary streams directory?

Please have a look at the Configuration section on the Install page.

Would it work for a raspberry pi streaming RTSP h264 video?

Yes.

Does it timestamp the videos?

Yes.

Is the video montage showing the actual stream or a reduced version?

Default resizes to 640x480 or 640x360. This can be changed in the monitor settngs.

Can I set the mode of my camera (Record, Watch, or Stop) from HTTP? (Trigger a Camera)

Sure. Head on over to the API Access page.

Why can’t I see anything in my camera window? There are no logs.

Check out the article "My stream appears black or just a solid color"

I keep getting "undefined function" errors, why?

Your version of Node.js is too old. You must have 7.2.0(+). Upgrade to the latest with the following commands.

sudo npm cache clean -f
sudo npm install -g n
sudo n stable

npm install canvas does not work

Install the following libraries.

sudo apt-get install libgif-dev

I see strange artifacts, smeering, streaking, melting, and maybe ice cream

Check out the article "Ways to resolve smearing, smudging, streaking, melting, and artifacts"

After disconnecting SSH my Shinobi stops working correctly.

It seems that if you run PM2 as a regular user and disconnect from SSH it will not maintain this daemon. Please run as root if you would like to daemonize with PM2. Otherwise I suggest trying forever instead of PM2.

npm install forever -g