> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://gsfcorp.gitbook.io/macula/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://gsfcorp.gitbook.io/macula/administration-guide-v1.33.0/configure-channels.md).
# Configure Channels
Channels are data streams received from physical devices attached to the system. Several channels can originate from a single device - in the case of multichannel devices, i.e., capture boards, but single channel can only be attached to one device at a time, as it makes no sense for a video stream to come from two cameras at once. Channels are created automatically at the same time as the source device but can later be detached and attached to different devices.
Channels feature the video stream configuration settings - resolution, frame rate, bit rate and others - as well as all supplementary data streams, such as audio, motion and digital input/output events, PTZ control and camera-side analytics information. Recording configurations are assigned to channels and they are also displayed in Macula Monitor.
To access the channel configuration dialog box in the Macula Console, open the *Configuration* section and select *Channels* from the menu on the left side. Use the filters on the bottom panel to quickly access specific channel sets.
The upper panel buttons enable you to create new items in this category, as described below, and perform channel-specific actions, such as editing, assigning groups, assigning recording configuration and deleting selected channels. To select multiple items, hold *CTRL* or *Shift* and click items in the list.
{% hint style="danger" %}
Channels currently **bound to devices** cannot be deleted: the recycle bin  button will only appear when detached channels are selected. To **remove a channel**, go to *Devices*, open properties of the target device and disengage the channel on the *Channels* tab by clicking the *Detach* button; also, you will be offered to delete all associated channels when you remove a device - this will also remove any existing shared channels.
{% endhint %}
{% hint style="danger" %}
Channels that have any associated **rules** in the Event and Action Configurator **cannot be removed**. If you try deleting such a channel, you will get an error saying *The channel cannot be removed because it is in use*.
In order to remove such a channel. you need to delete the rules related to it first. To do so, just go to the *Events & Actions* section, choose *Rules* in the menu on the left, select the target server and open the configurator, then remove the necessary rules from the central column by using the < and > buttons.
{% endhint %}
All the available channels and channel groups will be listed here. The upper panel offers a range of configuration possibilities.
#### Create Channel Group
For easier management, channel groups can be added in Macula Console; by default, there are no built-in channel groups. Click the *+ Create channel group* button to bring up the corresponding dialog box.
Enter the group title here, choose which channels will be group members and, if desired, select which higher-level group(s) will contain the target group as a member. Set user permissions for channels in this group.
Click *OK* when you are ready: the newly created group will appear in the item list.
#### Edit Channel Group
Double-click any existing channel group in the list or use the *Edit* button on the upper panel to bring up the configuration dialog box. The available options are analogous to the ones displayed while the group was being created.
#### Edit Channel
Channels are automatically created at the same time as each newly created device; it is not possible to create a channel separately. Click any channel in the list twice or use the *Edit* button in the upper panel to manage the channel properties.
{% hint style="info" %}
Channels with the same device driver (e.g., ONVIF), can be edited together. You can select multiple channels by holding CTRL and then open the settings dialog box.
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Some of the settings (e.g., recording properties) can be edited for multiple channels simultaneously. Use the CTRL or Shift buttons to select multiple channels.
The configuration dialog box has the following options:
* **Details tab: change channel title and assign recording configuration**
* **Members tab: bind** user buttons **to channels so that they appear together in the Macula Monitor**
* **Membership tab: make the channel a part of a channel group or a** visual group
* **Permissions tab: grant channel access permissions to users and user groups**
* **Video file configuration**: settings for the generic video emulation driver: main and substream file path and delay between frames
* **Motion detector\* tab**: choose between a camera-side or software-side motion detector, default state is disabled
* **Video analytics**: server-side video analysis configuration
* **Audio tab**: combine current channel with audio from another source
* **Inputs/Outputs**: DI/DO settings
* **Channel configuration**: open an additional channel configuration dialog box to manage video stream settings, frame adjustments and DI/DO
* **Video overlay: configure different overlay elements, e.g., textual contents received from data sources or use channel shortcuts aka "Portal” with different resources**
* **Dewarp tab**: select dewarp profile for fisheye and Panomorph lenses
* **Video configuration**: main and secondary stream adjustment (for newer device drivers)
* **RTSP configuration**: RTSP port and transport selection (for newer device drivers)
* **Edge configuration**: configuration of edge (device-side) synchronization (for newer device drivers)
Please refer to the Channel Settings topic for detailed description for each of the tabs.
**\***The motion detector on the software side has two options: high performance and high accuracy:
* *High Performance mode:* this type of analysis is performed for only key frames whose frequency can vary from several frames per second to one frame every few seconds - this is less sensitive for picture quality, but greatly affects detector operation. CPU consumption is significantly lower due to this, and it can be additionally reduced by increasing time interval between two analyzed frames.
* *High Accuracy mode:* this mode performs motion analysis for the whole video stream, so we recommend selecting this option when you want to achieve best detection results. The lower time interval means higher precision. Keep in mind that CPU and virtual memory usage is much greater if this mode is selected.
If you have opened a channel for editing but there is a need to open the associated device's properties at the same time, use the *Related items* buttons in the bottom left corner.
#### Live Channel Preview
After a device and its associated channel has been added to the configuration, it is vital to check if the actual video is received. There are several methods to do this in Macula Console:
* click the Show video button on the upper panel in the *Configuration* > *Channels*: you can switch from main to the secondary stream and back
* go to the *Monitoring* section > *Channels* and check the channel status
* open the target channel for editing and go to *Dewarp* or *Data source* settings
#### Quick Assign Group
Channel membership can be managed via the channel properties dialog box. To quickly assign a group to any of existing channels, select the desired channel(s) (using *CTRL+click* or *Shift+click* to select multiple items at once) and then click the *Assign group* button on the upper panel.
Pick a group from the existing channel groups list and then click *OK* to save. It is not a problem if any of the channels already belong to another group: membership in multiple channel groups is allowed.
#### Quick Assign Recording Configuration
Select one or multiple channels and click the *Assign Recording Configuration* button on the upper panel, then either select an existing recording configuration from the list or create a new one from the dialog box currently in use (the newly created configuration will be automatically chosen after creation). The recording scheme will be applied to the **main streams** of the selected channels; in order to assign configuration to the **secondary streams**, click the arrow near the *Assign recording configuration* button and choose *Assign substream recording configuration*.
#### Other
Select one or multiple channels/channel groups and click the *Disable* button on the upper panel to deactivate target items. **Disabled** channels will not be requested from actual physical devices, and, as a consequence, will not be recorded; neither will they be displayed in Macula Monitor application(s).
For each channel, you can create one **replication** channel: see archive replication section for details and setup instructions.
The filter panel at the bottom enables you to view recently added/updated items, as well as other relevant filters. The filter that is currently active is highlighted blue: click the *N filtered* button to reset all filters and display all the available items again.
#### Replace Camera
In the Macula versions up to 1.11.0, it was impossible to alter the device model, so a special procedure was foreseen if the camera needed a replacement.
Now, if you replace the hardware, you can simply change the device model by opening the target device for editing - either by double-clicking it in the device list, or by using the *Edit* button on the upper panel. Note that, when you change the model of an existing device, you will only see model suggestions with the same number of channels, and not the whole list of available devices.
To quickly open the associated channel settings without closing this dialog box, use the *Related items* button in the bottom left corner.
{% hint style="danger" %}
When you change the device model, all the channel settings that are configured via Channel properties dialog box are discarded. These settings include video stream properties, audio, DI/DO etc.
Channel settings that are preserved are: motion detection, dewarp, data source, user permissions and recording configuration.
{% endhint %}
