Which Blink cameras work with Local Storage?

Only Blink Outdoor, Indoor (gen 2), and Mini cameras are compatible with Local Storage. The Blink Mini must be added to a Sync Module 2 system to use Local Storage.

The XT2, XT, and Indoor (gen 1) include cloud storage of their own and their clips are not saved in the Clip Backup.

Do all sync modules have Local Storage?

No, only the Sync Module 2 has the firmware and hardware required to support USB drives for Local Storage.

Can both Local Storage and a subscription be used?

Yes, you can use both forms of storage on the same account. A few options are shown below.

When a plan cancels, the clips in Cloud Storage remain available in the Blink app until they reach the auto-delete age.

If you have a Sync Module 2, that is not attached to a Blink Subscription Plan, Motion Clips from its Outdoor, Indoor (gen 2) and Mini cameras get saved to the USB drive.

With the Blink Plus Plan, all devices are included in Cloud Storage, and a once-daily Clip Backup is saved to your USB drive.

With the Blink Basic Plan, you have one Blink Outdoor, Indoor (gen 2), or Mini camera using Cloud Storage. Additional cameras on that same system will save their clips to the USB drive. This 'mixed storage' option is shown in the Blink app Clip List with icons for each type.

Can all clips be moved from one storage type to another?

Sort of. When you begin using Cloud Backup, all clips that have not been saved yet are stored. This amounts to a bulk upload, however Clip Backups are not viewable in the Blink app.

Clips from a USB drive cannot be moved to Cloud Storage in bulk.

What happens when a USB drive is installed?

When you insert a USB storage device, the Sync Module 2 checks it for compatibility.

If the USB drive is smaller than 1 GB or larger than 256 GB, it is rejected.

If the device is compatible, the app icon shows a green colored drive. If the USB storage device needs to be reformatted, you are asked for permission to reformat the drive.

If no subscription is active, the Sync Module 2 begins storing Motion Clips from Outdoor, Indoor (gen 2) and Mini cameras. Local Storage Clips are viewable in the Blink app Clip List.

When there is an active subscription or Free Trial, the Sync Module 2 is configured to save a once-daily Clip Backup from eligible cameras into the USB drive. Clip Backups are not viewable in the Blink app.

Why was my USB memory device not detected?

The Sync Module 2 detects whether your USB memory device is compatible, and if needed, offers to reformat the drive for you. The USB drive must be between 1 GB and 256 GB in size, with at least 375 MB of free space available.

Caution: Reformatting the USB device will permanently erase all information already on the drive, and could affect compatibility with other computers or devices.

If your USB device is not detected, ensure that the connector is clean and free of debris. Spilled liquid can appear clear but still affect conductivity. Use the Blink app to make sure that the Sync Module is online and connected.

How many devices can record to my cloud storage?

Each system that is managed by a Sync Module allows up to ten Blink cameras or other devices to be connected.

If the USB drive is removed, will the cameras still record?

No recording can occur until a location for saving is created. When the Sync Module 2 is used with an attached USB drive, and the drive is removed, you receive motion alerts that send you to a Live View when tapped. You can see 'through' the camera but cannot save the Live View session.

When the USB drive is removed or deactivated, the message, “No USB storage device present.” appears on the Local Storage screen.

What happens if I remove the USB drive while it is saving?

When your USB drive is unplugged from the Sync Module 2, no saving can occur and the  the message, “No USB storage device present.” appears. If the drive is removed during an actual file save, the file is probably unusable, and the entire drive may need to be reformatted.

If the Sync Module 2 was attempting to save a Clip Backup when the USB drive was removed, the last file that was successfully downloaded is marked. The next time a USB drive is in place and Clip Backup is active, the first unmarked file in sequence begins the backup.

If the Sync Module 2 was attempting to save a clip direct from camera when the USB drive was removed, the data may be corrupt and not viewable without extremely sophisticated techniques. Click here for more information.

How are clips managed on Local Storage?

Local Storage Clips are viewable in the Blink app. If you have clips in more than one storage location, an icon at the top of the Clip List shows you which type of storage the clip is on.

If you are using Clip Backup, files on the USB drive can only be accessed on a computer or similar device. Because backups occur once per day, your clip roll may have changes that are not reflected on the USB drive. For instance, a clip that was created and deleted between backups will not be saved.

Are video clips on the USB drive encrypted?

Currently clips are not encrypted on the USB drive, as this would interfere with ease of access for viewing the clips on a computer. Your video data is always encrypted when transmitted from Blink cameras to the Sync Module as are the wireless transmissions of other Blink products to ensure your privacy and safety.

Are the clips stored in an accessible format?

Yes, all clips are stored as mpeg 4 (.mp4) formatted files and will be viewable using typical media player applications.

What happens if my power/WiFi goes out while clips are being downloaded?

If either your Wi-Fi or power goes out, clips cannot be stored.

The battery powered Blink cameras do operate when the power is out, but they require Wi-Fi to send imagery to cloud storage.

The Blink Mini camera requires full-time power to operate normally.

For Local Storage where the camera is saving directly to the USB drive attached to your Sync Module 2, the Sync Module 2 requires power to operate.

What is the file size of a clip in Local Storage?

File size changes by the quality and length of your clips. We use H.264 compression, which does a good job of making the file smaller while not losing too much quality. A Motion Clip of five seconds will naturally take much less storage than a Live View session of five minutes.

In very rough terms, a 256 GB drive should hold 256,000 clips that are each 'high resolution' (1080p) and ten seconds long.

Remember, when you are on a Bink Subscription Plan, you have unlimited clip storage space until they are 60 days old and get permanently deleted. You can use Clip Backup to store copies and not be concerned with the auto delete time.

Will clips that were already backed up to a local storage device download again to another inserted device?

No, clips for backup are only sent from our server once. You must safely eject the USB drive from the Sync Module and insert it into a computer to view, copy, or delete the clips.

Will I be able to see my Local Storage clips in the Blink app?

Yes, when you are using the Sync Module 2 with an attached USB drive, the first 1000 clips from the past 30 days are retrieved and presented to you in the Blink app clip list.

Each Sync Module 2 with USB drive using Local Storage is shown by a Sync Module icon next to the name of the system.

When the system is attached to a Blink Subscription Plan, new clips appear under the Cloud icon, and Clip Backups occur automatically, but they do not appear in the clip list. Visit the Sync Module's Local Storage screen to see when the most recent backup was completed.