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How to Use ArgusAI

This guide walks you through using ArgusAI to monitor your home security cameras with AI-powered event detection.

Overview​

ArgusAI provides a web-based interface to:

  • Monitor cameras in real-time with live previews
  • View events with AI-generated descriptions
  • Track entities (people, vehicles) across multiple events
  • Receive notifications when specific events occur
  • Review daily summaries of activity

Getting Around​

The main navigation menu provides access to all features:

PageDescription
DashboardSystem overview, stats, and quick access
EventsTimeline of all detected events
EntitiesRecognized people and vehicles
CamerasCamera management and live preview
SummariesAI-generated activity digests
Alert RulesNotification configuration
SettingsSystem configuration

Quick Actions​

From any page, you can:

  • Use the search function to find specific events
  • Check system status in the header
  • Access notifications from the bell icon
  • Switch between light/dark mode in settings

First Steps​

After installation, follow these steps to get started:

1. Configure AI Providers​

ArgusAI needs at least one AI provider to generate event descriptions.

  1. Navigate to Settings > AI Models
  2. Enter your API key for at least one provider
  3. Click Test to verify the connection
  4. Drag providers to set priority order

2. Add Cameras​

Choose your camera integration method:

UniFi Protect (Recommended for Ubiquiti users)

  1. Go to Settings > Protect Controllers
  2. Add your controller credentials
  3. Enable desired cameras for AI analysis

RTSP Cameras

  1. Go to Cameras
  2. Click Add Camera
  3. Enter the RTSP stream URL

USB Webcams

  1. Go to Cameras
  2. Click Add Camera
  3. Select USB as source type

3. Enable Notifications (Optional)​

  1. Go to Settings > Notifications
  2. Click Enable Push Notifications
  3. Grant browser permission when prompted
  4. Create alert rules to filter notifications

4. Start Monitoring​

Once cameras are configured:

  • Events appear on the Events page
  • Live previews show on the Dashboard
  • AI descriptions are generated automatically

Understanding Events​

Events are the core of ArgusAI. Each event represents a detected activity:

Event Information​

  • Thumbnail: Snapshot from the camera
  • Description: AI-generated text describing what happened
  • Detection Type: person, vehicle, package, animal, or ring
  • Confidence Score: How certain the AI is (0-100%)
  • Timestamp: When the event occurred
  • Camera: Which camera captured it

Event Actions​

Click on any event to:

  • View full-size images
  • See additional frames (multi-frame analysis)
  • Re-analyze with updated AI settings
  • Link to or unlink from entities
  • Provide feedback on description accuracy

Getting Help​

Next Steps​

Explore the detailed guides for each section: