Videos can be used as an evidence type for your investigation. There are two ways of using videos: captured directly within the app, or uploaded from your photo library.
Either way, you first need to open your investigation, click the + button to show the evidence menu and select the Video option.
The Videos screen will appear. Here, you can add your videos, as well as setting the evidence location from the location picker at the top of the screen.
Recording Videos
To record a video using the Camera, click the + icon and select the Camera option. You may at this point be prompted to grant access to the camera. You must grant access to be able to record videos.
Camera Controls
Record videos by pressing the large round shutter button. If the Video Countdown is active in the Settings, you will see the countdown counting down from 3 to 1 (click the settings cog icon in the top right-hand corner of the screen to change settings).
Any videos you take during this session will appear in the camera roll at the bottom of the screen.
You can click on a video in the roll to preview, delete, comment, favourite or share it.
If you would like to keep the videos you have taken, click the tick button to store them against the evidence. If you decide to discard them, click the x icon.
Adding Videos from Your Photo Library
There may be situations where you have taken videos through your main camera app on your phone rather than from directly within the SP Investigator app. These can be added to your evidence by clicking the same + button on the photos screen, but selecting Photo Library, rather than Camera.
Again, you will likely be asked for permission to access your photo library. Once permission is granted, select one or more videos from your library and click Add. After a few moments, the videos you have selected should appear against the evidence.
Viewing Videos
Videos can be viewed within the evidence item, or from the photo roll while recording videos through the camera. However they are accessed, all of the features remain the same.
Click a video in the timeline preview of the evidence to open that specific video directly, or click the evidence header to view the sheet full of videos, then click on the video you are interested in.
A preview of the video will appear.
Comments
Comments can be added against an individual video, or against the evidence session as a whole.
Evidence Comments
To add comments against the evidence, click the Comments button at the bottom of the Video sheet (i.e. not the preview of an individual video). Any existing comments will be displayed, plus an area where a new comment can be added.
You can delete a comment by long-pressing on the individual comment and then selecting the Delete option.
Video Comments
Similar to the evidence comments, each individual video can have comments against it. Whilst previewing a video, click the Comments button at the bottom of the screen. This works exactly the same as the above.
Favourites
Favourites are used to determine which videos should be exported within the investigation report. They also make it easier to find your favourite videos while browsing evidence.
There are two ways of marking a video as a favourite:
Individual video thumbnail: From the main video evidence screen, where the thumbnails are displayed, long-press the thumbnail of the video you want to favourite and select the Favourite option.
While previewing a video: Click on the Favourite button at the bottom of the preview.
To un-favourite a video, just perform one of the above actions again.
Deleting Videos
There are a few ways of deleting videos.
Individual video thumbnail: From the main video evidence screen, where the thumbnails are displayed, long-press the thumbnail of the video you want to delete and select the Delete option.
While previewing a video: Click on the ellipsis menu in the top right-hand corner of the preview and select the Delete Video option.
Multiple videos: From the thumbnail display, click the Select option at the top of the screen. Select all of the videos you want to delete, and click the trash can icon at the bottom of the screen to delete all of the selected videos at the same time.
Sharing Videos
There are a few places from which photos can be shared.
Individual video thumbnail: From the main videos evidence screen, where the thumbnails are displayed, long-press the thumbnail of the video you want to delete and select the Share option.
While previewing a video: Click the Share button at the bottom of the preview.
Multiple videos: From the thumbnail display, click the Select option at the top of the screen. Select all of the videos you want to share, and click the share icon at the bottom of the screen to share all of the selected videos at the same time.
The timeline: to share all of the videos within a specific piece of evidence, the quickest way is through the timeline. Click the Share button at the bottom of the evidence item in the main investigation timeline to share all of the videos within that evidence.
Moving Videos to Different Evidence
There may be times when you have added videos to one piece of evidence but need to move it to another. For example, if you have continued taking videos under the wrong location.
Videos can be moved either to another existing piece of evidence or a brand new entry.
To do this, click the Select option at the top of the screen. Select all of the videos you want to move, and click the move icon (the folder).
Any existing video sessions will be displayed, along with the option to create a new session with the selected videos. Choose where you want to move the selected videos to and click Move. If you have selected the New option, you can also optionally select a location for the new session.
