The latest improvements in this FIVE update make your forensic video workflow quicker and easier to repeat. From Assistant Automation to a new Motion Detection filter, with better format support and smarter timing controls, this release helps you speed up handling everyday forensic video challenges.
Hi everyone. It only seems like yesterday when the first Amped FIVE update for 2026 was released, and here we are again. Yes, that’s right, the latest update is available from today.
The developers have been hard at work on several new features, along with many more small improvements and bug fixes.
We know that you want to learn more about Assistant Automation and Motion Detection. But first, let’s take a quick look at the latest developments with proprietary formats.
See the New Features in Action
Key Takeaways
- You can now handle Panasonic N3R and N3A files directly in FIVE: this includes loading, demuxing, stream-copying, and interpreting the data within the interface.
- Assistant Automation lets you turn filter chains into reusable scripts: you can save parameters, repeat workflows, share scripts, and apply them to single chains or entire folders.
- The new Motion Detection filter makes motion easier to review: you can select a region, adjust thresholds, use the Player bar overlay, and bookmark motion events.
- Timing controls are clearer and more flexible: Change Frame Rate now supports constant and variable frame rate options, and the Timeline filter can handle inputs with different frame rates.
- Smaller updates improve review, reporting, and reliability: these include audio retention in Remove Frames, TSV export updates, clearer Macroblocks terminology, UI refinements, and multiple bug fixes.
Formats
Regular readers will know that we always start with the updates to Amped Engine, which runs inside Amped FIVE to power all proprietary video file analysis and conversion.
The highlight of all the new formats, and many new timestamp and audio streams now being demuxed from CCTV files, is the handling of Panasonic N3R and N3A files. Users no longer have to be constrained by that format. You can load, demux, stream-copy, and interpret the data within Amped FIVE’s interface.
Thank you to everyone who has submitted files for analysis and support to the codec team. With your help, we learned that these proprietary formats exist. Developing the forensic demuxers, extractors, and decoders helps everyone within the forensic video community.
Assistant Automation
Several years ago, we released the Assistant. This allowed users the ability to construct their own lists of filters and link them to workflows. Each filter was immediately selectable directly from its “script” file.
The ability to add in text then allowed for personal or departmental workflows to be documented and then followed. This ensured that Standard Operating Procedures were matched every time. However, the links were to open filters; each link was a manual process, and no filter parameters could be saved.
Not anymore!
From this release, we bring you automated assistant scripting.
Scripting Workflow
Here is a complete filter chain for a single camera. We have multiple cameras extracted from the original executable, along with other executables, all from the same system.
Each camera has an associated time file already loaded with it.
After initial assessment of the files, it can be established that automating the filter process would be possible, as we want to do the same thing to every chain. The initial assessment is important as it allows you to identify any issues and then make a decision on the script contents.
After completing the filter chain, you will notice above that the Load Timestamp filter is disabled. Why?
This filter, and the associated time data, is already applied during the load stage. Adding it to the script would then duplicate it. Disabling it here, whilst we make the script, means that it will not be included. After creating the script, we can simply enable it.
So, how do we make a script?
Make Assistant Script
There are two methods to create the script. The first is a right-click option under the last filter that you wish to include. Remember, any other filters you do not want – just disable them.
The other method is to click the script icon in that filter.
The icon will change if that filter only saves a default value.
For example, the Crop filter will have parameters saved. The File Info filter, however, has a default function, and so no user-defined parameters will be saved.
Due to the many possible parameters linked with Annotate, no user annotations will currently be saved within the script at this release.
The Assistant script is a basic text file, just as previous versions.
This allows you to edit them manually if required, or add help text by using the # symbol to ignore that line.
Name the file with something relatable. If the script is unique to that project or case, then using that information may help. You may, though, create a script that you want to use for other cases.
These could be for a specific location that you often receive evidence from, or a process/layout that you often use for presentation. Give it a name that means something. Following the naming, they will be saved in your Assistant folder.
You can, of course, copy and share them with other people. They work the same way as the previous scripts. The other person just needs to drop them into their folder and then refresh.
Run Assistant Script
After making the script, you can now run it. Again, there are several ways to do this.
The first, and probably easiest, is the right-click option.
Selecting “Run Assistant Script” will open your assistant folder so you can select the script of your choice. If you have already run the script once, you can run it again automatically by selecting the other option. This then skips the Script selection process.
Whichever method has been selected, you will watch as the filters get applied.
With a small number of chains, you can automate the process on each chain individually. But if you had many… why not do them all at once?
To do this, the Run Assistant Script functionality is also available on folders!
To test automation scripts, you can also run it from the Assistant panel and go through each stage one by one.
Assistant Automation is one of the many functions in FIVE that gets better the more you understand it. Take the time to run a few basic scripts and remember the power behind having chains in folders.
Motion Detection
This is not just a few changes to Motion Detection. It’s a whole new filter!
The old one is still there for legacy purposes. From now on, when you go to Select Frames > Motion Detection, you will be using the shiny new one.
The filter does not Auto-Apply. This gives you time to set up the Region, Mask, and Border.
You can also skip all of that and just hit Apply. This will run the filter on the entire frame. You may have already cropped the frame to a region of interest, for example.
Here, though, we have added a Selection to a region and applied a border.
We can adjust the threshold later after we evaluate the motion. How do we do that?
You now get a visual overlay in the Player bar to assist you in identifying the difference between actual motion and other events that may have occurred.
What can we see in this Overlay?
- First is a horizontal purple bar. This is your Threshold marker. At the moment, it is very low as the filter is at its default of 1.
- Next, you have areas where Motion reaches the current threshold. There are quite a few, but only two with large amounts of Motion. You can see that under the regions in a darker blue.
Therefore, we can adjust the threshold value in the Filter Settings.
How many vehicles passed our selection during this video?
If you said two, well done!
It’s really simple to use and very fast.
Bookmarking is supported directly from within the filter.
Currently, you get 2 bookmarks per event. The start of the event, and then the end.
Finally, when saving a project with this filter, all motion values for the set region or range are retained. When reloading the project, the masks are produced dynamically. This could cause some slowdown in high-resolution video. Recalculating the values, using the button at the bottom of the filter settings, will place the masks back into memory.
Change Frame Rate: Added Constant and Variable Frame Rate Control
We have made a few adjustments to the layout and controls of the Change Frame Rate filter.
When you change the timing of a video file, there is an initial decision on whether to use a constant frame rate or a variable one. As a consequence, you now get two radio buttons to make that selection.
If you wish to set the frame rate manually, either with a known FPS or by using a known duration, then select Constant. The frames will then have equal time deltas.
If you wish to retain variability on the frame duration deltas, select Variable Frame Rate.
You can select the original PTS values or use the date and time that is in the chain as the timing source.
Adding this filter is not always necessary, as the Video Writer can also select an individual timing source. However, you may want to script this process or perhaps use a linking filter. It is also useful to have the filter in the chain to ensure the timing data that will eventually be used by the Writer is clearly documented. This allows for more transparency in your workflow and the decisions made. Having the frame rate specified in the filter chain avoids any ambiguity.
Timeline: Added Support for Input with Different Frame Rate
The Timeline filter can be a really quick way to join up different videos. They could be from the same source and have been segmented upon creation. Dashcams, for instance, often record in 3-5 minute durations.
Another use for Timeline is creating a single presentation video from various sources. The challenge here, however, is that they will often have varying frame rates.
From this update, Timeline will read the frame rate of the input chain and output it directly.
For example, let’s say you had 3 video files in three chains and you were required to create a video presentation of three ranges from the files.
- Video1: 25 FPS Constant
- Video2: 18.347 FPS Variable Pattern
- Video3: No valid video timing. Time File is being used to control the timing, and the frame rate increases with motion.
The resulting output will use these values to form a new Variable Frame Rate video.
Not having to match frame rates keeps the audio and video in sync. This also ensures that the output of motion patterns is an accurate representation of the original videos.
Macroblocks: Improved Logic and Legend
A few small changes to the Macroblocks filter.
We have added a background operation to ensure that the filter supports the compression scheme used in the loaded video. If not, you will be informed that the codec is not supported by the filter.
Next, we have a small change to the wording in the Legend.
This has moved from “None” to “Skipped or No Condition”.
The coding marker of “Skipped”, within H264 encoding, informs the decoder to use the previous state to construct the block. There is no encoding condition set. The update of terms has been made to assist you in your understanding and reporting.
Remove Frames Now Retains the Audio
The update to the Remove Frames filter gives the ability to retain audio.
When removing frames and retaining the original duration, any associated audio stream is now passed through.
In the example above, the scrub bar is located at our last frame, before a series of removed frames. The audio keeps playing, and then the sync is retained at the end of the removed frames.
If you do need to remove frames in this manner, you may want to consider adding an Annotation.
Zoom Tool
Within the tool, you now have a checkbox to lock all tabs to the same Zoom factor.
When viewing two or more chains, you can now lock the views to the same percentage. If you zoom in on one, the others will do the same.
Export to TSV
The TSV format is the default output type within FIVE for all listed data values. In this release, we have updated 2 filters to use this format.
Add Timestamp
The List tab within the filter allows you to add a list of timestamps. This is very useful for adding the value for every second or minute to a sequence of consecutive frames.
Under the Timestamp values list box, you now have a new “Export List to TSV” button.
The TSV can then be used in any data analysis software or the data merged with any other data source.
Speed Estimation 2d
The export of all calculated values from the Speed Estimation 2d filter has now moved from the CSV format to TSV as the default.
To assist those investigators who require CSV to import into other tools, these are still available via the dropdown options.
User Interface
We are always very cautious about changing things in the Graphical User Interface (GUI) as everyone builds their own muscle memory on where things are. However, as functions develop, it often becomes a requirement to simplify processes.
Timing Filter Category
All Frame Rate and Timing filters now have their own category.
Originally in the Presentation category, this group was getting a little crowded. It was also felt that Timing deserved its own category due to its importance in the forensic workflow.
The evaluation of timing and then the addition or adjustment of a time control source is now much higher up in the category list when using the Workflow order.
Shortcut Icons
Open Project Folder is now at the top.
It also gets a new icon to assist in identifying the button’s action.
Load Project gets a new icon too!
Down in the Player bar, the Save Snapshot icon has been moved slightly.
One last one. The folder icons in History and Batch Convert DVR are now the same. A small, but required synchronization.
Other Updates and Changes
Here are some smaller improvements in this release.
- Advanced File Info: The tool will now open before the initial scan commences.
- Advanced File Info: Open in Excel button now prompts the user where the file should be saved instead of saving to the desktop.
- Audio Muxer: G64 and G64A formats added to AV pairs for muxing audio and video files.
- Filter parameters: Removed trailing zeros from decimals.
- Video Mixer: improved the automatic updating of the Selected Frames parameter.
- Convert DVR: MKV is now the default container for proprietary files that require transcode.
- Convert DVR: Added any log renaming process to the log files.
- Language corrections and improvements in both the GUI and several warning messages.
Bug Fixes
Thanks to all the users who have reported bugs. They can be annoying, so if you find one, please reach out to us in support so we can fix it.
- Fixed a bug where the Selection Tool resize handles wouldn’t appear beyond 800% zoom.
- Fixed a bug in RIFF Viewer that prevented showing some data for large files.
- Fixed a bug in Audio Redaction comment field editing that caused the list selection loss and triggering shortcuts.
- Fixed a bug with the Range Selector that was causing playback and seeking issues if the filter was unconfigured.
- Fixed a bug that could transfer metadata from the original loaded file into a written audio file.
- Fixed a bug causing a crash in some instances when copying the Annotate filter from one chain to another.
- Fixed a bug that caused Video Writer to output incomplete files when de-interlaced.
- Fixed an issue displaying audio within Timeline.
- Fixed a bug in Audio Writer that could cause a Stream Copy rather than a newly encoded file.
- Fixed a bug that caused Batch Convert DVR to overwrite files under some specific settings.
- Fixed a bug that caused a crash when using Frame Analysis and GOP Analysis.
- Fixed an issue that prevented the Video Input filter from working properly.
- Fixed a bug when the writer’s state was not updated.
- Fixed a bug in Filter settings where auto-apply used the default preset in error.
- Fixed a bug in the Timeline filter that caused the audio waveform not to show correctly when linking the same video several times.
- Fixed an issue that prevented proper playback when FIVE was loaded with the Audio and Plots panel hidden.
- Fixed an issue that prevented the Macroblocks filter from working on some H263 videos.
- Fixed a bug causing a crash when using the context menu on a filter after cancelling processing update.
Don’t Delay – Update Today
If you have an active support plan, you can update straight away by going into the menu About > Check for Updates within Amped FIVE. If you need to renew your SMS plan, please contact us or one of our authorized partners. And remember that you can always manage your license and requests from the Amped Support Portal.
FAQ – Amped FIVE Update 40823
Assistant Automation lets you turn a filter chain into a reusable script. You can use it to repeat the same workflow across different chains or folders, helping you save time and keep your processing steps consistent.
The new Motion Detection filter helps you find movement faster by using regions, masks, thresholds, and a visual overlay in the Player bar. You can also bookmark the start and end of motion events directly from the filter.
Yes. With this update, you can load, demux, stream-copy, and interpret Panasonic N3R and N3A files directly within FIVE.
The Change Frame Rate filter now gives you clearer control over constant and variable frame rate workflows. This helps you document how timing is handled before exporting or presenting video evidence.
Yes. The Timeline filter can now work with input chains that have different frame rates, helping you combine clips while maintaining more accurate timing, motion patterns, and audio-video synchronization.
Yes. When you remove frames while retaining the original duration, the associated audio stream can now be passed through, helping you preserve synchronization.
If you have an active support plan, you can update from FIVE by going to About > Check for Updates.