Keep camera timestamps and time zones consistent
Prepared 22 October 2026 by NightMarshal

Record an unambiguous timestamp with a time zone or UTC offset, then compare camera, recorder and incident system clocks. Check the recorded file as well as the live display, particularly around daylight saving changes.

Instructions
1. Confirm the reference time source and site zone.
2. Compare a staged event across systems and export.
3. Document offsets and retest after time-setting changes.

Open the blank CSV in a spreadsheet app; add one row per item. Use Pending for unknowns and N/A only where a field truly does not apply. Review the separate example CSV; all example values are fictional. Keep completed sheets private. Do not include passwords, access codes, personal contacts, footage links or camera stream URLs. No input is collected by these downloads.

Fields
System alias
Reference event
Displayed time
Zone or offset
Observed difference
Owner

Fictional example
Fictional event: a clip displays 02:10 while the incident record shows 01:10Z. The team checks the date and configured offset before treating the difference as a one-hour delay.

Limits
Time synchronization settings are product specific. Preserve original evidence rather than editing timestamps to make records appear consistent.