Direct Search
Find anyone on your footage in seconds, not hours.
Direct-Search is the built-in AI search feature on LTS Platinum-series NVRs. Point to a person or vehicle you've already seen on camera, and it finds every other appearance across your whole site — automatically.
A faster way to review footage, built right into your recorder.
On a standard system, finding one person means scrubbing through every camera, one timeline at a time. Direct-Search changes that: compatible LTS cameras quietly read each person and vehicle as they pass by, and your Platinum NVR keeps a searchable index of what it saw — general clothing colour, whether it's a person or a vehicle, and roughly what kind.
Instead of watching hours of recordings, you show the system your target once, and it searches its own index across every connected camera and hands back a grid of likely matches in seconds.
Direct-Search & Facial Recognition, explained — LTS Security
Direct-Search looks at the whole picture, not just the face.
LTS Platinum NVRs offer facial recognition as its own separate feature. Direct-Search solves a different problem — and on most models, the two run as alternate modes on a channel rather than at the same time, so it's worth knowing which one you actually need.
Why that matters on a real site
Most CCTV footage never gets a clean, front-on view of a face — cameras are mounted high, people walk with their backs turned, or they're too far from the lens. Direct-Search is built for exactly that: it works from clothing colour and general shape, so it still finds a match from behind, at an angle, or from a distance where facial recognition wouldn't have enough to go on.
DIRECT-SEARCH
- Matches on clothing colour, person/vehicle type and general attributes
- Works from behind, side-on, or at a distance
- No face database or enrolment required
- Great for tracking a target's movement across cameras
FACIAL RECOGNITION
- Matches on facial biometrics against an enrolled database
- Needs a clear, front-on view of the face
- Best for access control & watch-list alerting
- A separate, distinct feature on the same NVR range
Direct-Search is a Platinum-range feature.
It's built into the LTS Platinum and Platinum Plus NVR line-up (including the DeepVision models) — not to be confused with X-Search, which is the equivalent feature on LTS's separate Pro-X product line. Three things need to line up for it to work end to end:
A Direct-Search NVR
Look for "Direct-Search" on the spec sheet. It's standard on the new 86/87/89 D-N series recorders, and most Platinum IPC-based models can gain it with a firmware upgrade.
Compatible cameras
Only channels running a Direct-Search / AI Color 24/7 camera generate the metadata the search relies on. Other cameras still record fine, just without Direct-Search results.
NVR 5.0 interface
Direct-Search is enabled and searched from the Playback screen in the current v5.0 GUI — the same interface used for standard playback and export.
Two Direct-Search NVRs ready to ship.
Both currently in stock at LTS Security Australia and confirmed Direct-Search models.
16ch NVR 16x PoE 4K
32ch NVR 16x PoE
Built for the sites where footage review actually eats your day.
Retail & loss prevention
Spot a shoplifter on one camera, then find every other aisle and entry they walked through in seconds.
Shopping centres & malls
Quickly trace a lost child, a person of interest, or an incident across dozens of cameras at once.
Warehouses & logistics
Follow a forklift, truck or delivery vehicle's full route through the yard without switching cameras by hand.
Schools & campuses
Locate a person of interest across a large site quickly, without needing a facial recognition database.
How to Enable Direct-Search for NVR 5.0 — LTS Security
Setting it up is quick once you have the right hardware.
Check your NVR supports it
Confirm "Direct-Search" appears on your model's spec sheet, or update firmware on eligible 86/87/89 D-N series and Platinum IPC recorders.
Confirm a compatible camera is connected
At least one Direct-Search / AI Color 24/7 camera needs to be on the channel you want to search.
Enable Direct-Search in the menu
Switch it on from the system settings in the NVR 5.0 interface.
Search from Playback
Open a clip with your target visible, draw a box around them (or set colour/type filters), choose your cameras and time range, then search.
Direct-Search FAQ
Is this the same as X-Search on Pro-X?
No. Direct-Search is built for the Platinum and Platinum Plus range. LTS's separate Pro-X product line uses its own equivalent feature called X-Search. They're different systems on different hardware, so always check which range a spec sheet or video is talking about.
Will it work with the cameras I already have installed?
Only the channels running a Direct-Search / AI Color 24/7 compatible camera will generate the metadata Direct-Search needs. Your other cameras will keep recording normally, but won't return results in a Direct-Search query.
Is Direct-Search the same as facial recognition?
No. Direct-Search matches on clothing colour and general person/vehicle attributes, not facial biometrics. It's a separate feature to facial recognition, and on most models the two run as alternate modes on a given channel rather than simultaneously.
What if my target changes their jacket or shirt partway through?
Like any attribute-based search, changing a heavily-weighted detail such as a top colour will lower the match score. Run a second search for the new appearance, or widen your time range to catch the change.
Do I need an internet connection or a subscription for it to work?
Direct-Search runs as part of your NVR's own recording and playback software, the same as your other built-in search and export tools.
Ready to add Direct-Search to your next install?
Browse Direct-Search compatible Platinum NVRs and AI Color 24/7 cameras, or talk to our team about upgrading an existing system.
Direct-Search is a feature of the LTS Platinum & Platinum Plus NVR range. Feature availability varies by model — check individual product specifications.
