DVR Time Traveler โ€” User Guide

Application: DVR Time Traveler โ€” Forensic timestamp calculator for law enforcement

Guide version: 1.0 โ€” April 19, 2026

About this guide: This is a complete reference for every feature of DVR Time Traveler โ€” including the things the app does silently in the background to protect the integrity of your reports. The guide is organized so officers can read it sequentially, or jump straight to the section they need from the table of contents. Administrator-only sections are clearly marked.

1. What DVR Time Traveler does

DVR Time Traveler is a specialized calculator built for law enforcement officers and forensic investigators. When a DVRโ€™s internal clock is offset from real-world time, the app:

  • Calculates the time difference between accurate time and the DVRโ€™s clock
  • Positions the real event time on the DVR's offset timeline โ€” telling you exactly where to look on the DVR to find the footage corresponding to a real-world moment
  • Calculates the DVRโ€™s retention period โ€” how many days of recording the system holds, so you know whether the footage you need still exists

It then produces a defensible PDF report containing the calculation, your officer/agency information, and a forensic attestation block proving the time was verified against multiple independent network sources.

Screenshot โ€” App home screen showing the main calculator

2. First launch & trial

The very first time you open the app, it is locked. To unlock it, you must:

  • Subscribe through the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android) to start a 7-day or 30-day free trial
  • Watch a short demo video
  • Enter a promo code if you received one
  • Enter an activation code if your organization has purchased an agency license
Screenshot โ€” Subscription screen
If your device is enrolled in your organization's MDM (Mobile Device Management), the app will detect this automatically and may already be activated when you open it.

2.1 First start after activation

Once the app is activated, the first time it starts you will see:

  1. Warning & device time verification โ€” A warning page where you must acknowledge three rules and verify that automatic time is activated on your device. See Section 3 for full details.
  2. Privacy & Security acknowledgement โ€” A modal explaining how the app handles your data. You must tap I Understand to continue.

3. Warning & device time verification

3.1 The three warnings

Before you can use the calculator, the app displays a time verification page listing three mandatory rules that every officer must read:

  1. Set device to Automatic Time โ€” Before using DVR Time Traveler, your device must be set to "Automatic Time". The OS handles the logic of choosing the most reliable and accurate NITZ, GNSS, or NTP source for you.
  2. DVR clock modifications affect calculations โ€” If the DVR date and/or time have been modified between the time of the event and now, calculations will reflect those modifications. The "DVR TARGET DATE/TIME" will not be accurate.
  3. Daylight Saving Time alert โ€” If the calculated "DVR TARGET DATE/TIME" falls between the "EARLIEST RECORDED DATE" and the second Sunday of March (DST) or the first Sunday of November (ST), be alert to time changes that may have been made manually or automatically in the DVR.
The page also has two controls: an Open Time Settings button that takes you directly to your device's date & time settings so you can confirm automatic time is enabled, and a checkbox labelled "I accept the above warnings and have verified automatic time is enabled" that you must check to acknowledge. Tapping the checkbox triggers the NTP time verification โ€” the app queries three independent global time sources and, once a trusted reference is established, lets you proceed to the calculator.

3.2 NTP time sources

When you tap the checkbox, the app queries three global HTTPS time sources simultaneously:

  • Google (google.com)
  • Cloudflare (cloudflare.com)
  • Microsoft / Bing (bing.com)

Each source returns its server's current time via standard HTTPS headers. The app measures the round-trip time to each, applies a latency correction, and takes the median of all responses that replied within 3 seconds. At least one source must respond for the sync to succeed.

3.3 What the indicator means

  • โœ… Network time reference established โ€” At least one source responded successfully. The app uses the median verified time as its trusted reference.
  • โš ๏ธ Clock drift detected โ€” The sync succeeded, but the difference between your device's clock and the network time exceeds 3 seconds. A modal shows you both clocks side by side so you can see the discrepancy. You can confirm that the device clock is accurate and proceed, or wait for a re-sync.
  • ๐Ÿ“ด Offline calculation โ€” No source responded. The officer must confirm that the device clock is accurate before proceeding. The app then falls back to your device's clock and the report will be clearly marked as offline.
Screenshot โ€” Warning page with three rules and time verification
The app does not change your device's clock. It uses the network-verified time only for the calculation and report. Your device's settings remain untouched.

4. The main calculator screen

The calculator is the core of the app. It lets you capture the DVR's current clock reading, enter the real-world time of an event, and instantly compute the corrected DVR timestamp โ€” telling you exactly where to look on the DVR's recording. It also calculates how many days of footage the DVR retains. All of this feeds into a court-ready PDF report.

Every date and time input field throughout the app and its tools โ€” Year, Month, Day, Hour, Minute, Second โ€” uses 3-stage validation: input restriction (only valid characters accepted), real-time range check (values are validated as you type), and cross-field date logic (leap years, month lengths, 12h/24h boundaries).

4.1 Top bar

The top bar of the calculator screen contains three buttons:

  • Menu (MENU button) โ€” Opens the side menu where you can access Notes, Patterns, Settings, Report History, and other features.
  • Photo (CAMERA button) โ€” Short press activates the rear camera; long press activates the front camera. Takes a photo of the DVR screen that is attached to your next PDF report as visual evidence. See Section 6 for full details.
  • Reset (RESET button) โ€” Clears all calculator fields and resets the screen to its default state, ready for a new calculation. This also unlocks the 12h/24h toggle if it was locked by a calculation.

4.2 Live device clock and status icons

At the very top of the screen, a live clock shows your device's current date and time, ticking once per second. This is the reference you use to compare against the DVR's clock and identify its offset.

Alongside the live clock, status icons indicate the time source and network status:

  • ๐Ÿ“ก (left of the date) โ€” The app has verified the device clock against network time servers (NTP). This is the preferred state for maximum forensic reliability. Tap the icon for details.
  • ๐Ÿ“ฑ (left of the date) โ€” The app is using the device's internal clock because NTP verification failed or the device was offline, and the officer confirmed that the device clock is accurate. Tap the icon for details.
  • (yellow icon, right of the date) โ€” The app started without network time (NTP) verification due to no internet connection. Tap this icon to see two options: Dismiss to continue in offline mode, or Retry to attempt NTP verification if a network connection is now available. On successful re-verification, the app establishes a trusted time reference and resets any in-progress calculation data โ€” you will need to restart your calculation with the verified time base.
If you started the app without network access but later connected to Wi-Fi or cellular data, tap the icon and choose Retry to upgrade your session from offline to NTP-verified. This strengthens the forensic attestation in your reports.

4.3 Format toggles

  • 12h / 24h โ€” Switches between AM/PM and 24-hour display
  • Date format โ€” Choose MM/DD/YYYY, DD/MM/YYYY, or YYYY/MM/DD
  • Timezone โ€” Read-only; the app automatically uses the local timezone where you are located
After you tap Accurate Time, Calculate Date/Time Difference, or Calculate DVR Time, the 12h/24h toggle is locked to prevent accidental changes. It is automatically re-enabled when you tap the reset button in the top bar.

4.4 DVR date and time section

This section captures the DVR's clock reading. There are two scenarios:

  • DVR time is accurate โ€” If the DVR's clock matches real-world time, tap the Accurate Time button. This fills the fields with the network-verified current time (see Section 3) and produces a detailed report specifying that the DVR time is accurate.
  • DVR time is offset โ€” If the DVR's clock is wrong, manually enter the date and time you see on the DVR's live recording screen. The app calculates the difference between the DVR's clock and the real time and produces a report detailing the offset.
For maximum forensic strength, enter the DVR's displayed date and time and tap Calculate Date/Time Difference the moment you stand in front of the DVR. This pins the calculation to a network-verified instant. The Accurate Time button is only used when the DVR's clock matches real time exactly.

4.5 Event section

This is where you enter the real-world time the event (crime) occurred. You can enter it accurate to the second, or leave the minutes and/or seconds empty if only an approximate time is known.

Once both the DVR date/time and event time are entered, the app instantly shows the DVR target time โ€” the corrected timestamp on the DVR that corresponds to the real time of the event, telling you exactly where to look on the DVRโ€™s recording.

4.6 Retention section

Enter the earliest recorded date shown on the DVR. The app calculates the retention period โ€” how many days of recording the DVR currently holds, helping you determine whether the footage you need still exists on the system.

Screenshot โ€” Calculator showing all three sections filled in

4.7 2nd Event mode โ€” finding additional timestamps

Once a calculation is complete, the app enters 2nd Event mode. This lets you look up as many additional real-world times as you need on the same DVR โ€” without resetting the calculator or creating a new report.

How it works

After you complete your initial calculation (time difference + event time), the main action button turns into an orange "CALCULATE 2nd EVENT" button. From that point, you can enter any new event date and time, tap the button, and instantly see the corresponding DVR target timestamp โ€” the exact position on the DVR's timeline where that moment can be found.

You can repeat this as many times as you need. Each subsequent calculation reuses the time offset already established, so you do not have to re-enter the DVR clock reading. The button label updates to "CALCULATE 3rd EVENT", "4th EVENT", and so on.

Two ways to activate it

  • From a live calculation โ€” Complete the full calculation flow on the main screen (time difference โ†’ event โ†’ DVR target time). The orange 2nd Event button appears automatically.
  • From Report History โ€” Open a previously saved report in Report History and tap Reload. The app restores the case information and time offset from that report and enters 2nd Event mode, ready for you to look up new timestamps.

Not included in reports

These additional event lookups are investigative-only โ€” they are not saved to any report. Only the original calculation (the one used to generate the PDF) is included in the official report. This keeps your court-ready document clean and focused on the primary event, while giving you the freedom to explore the DVR's timeline for other moments of interest during your investigation.

Use 2nd Event mode when multiple incidents occurred in the same location and you need to locate several timestamps on the same DVR. Complete one full calculation, generate your report, then use the orange button to quickly find every other moment you need โ€” no reset required.
Screenshot โ€” Calculator in 2nd Event mode showing the orange button

5. Case information

Once your calculation is complete, you have to enter case details that will appear on your PDF report:

  • Case number โ€” Your agency's file or case reference number
  • DVR location โ€” The street address where the DVR is located
  • DVR identification โ€” The DVR's model, serial number, or any label that identifies the specific unit

These fields are required โ€” they identify which DVR the report refers to and tie the calculation to a specific investigation.

Screenshot โ€” Case information fields on the calculator screen

6. Photos

The app includes a built-in camera feature that lets you photograph the DVR screen as visual evidence. Photos are automatically named and can be attached to your emailed reports.

6.1 Taking a photo

  1. Short press the camera icon in the top bar to activate the rear camera
  2. Long press the camera icon to activate the front camera
  3. Point your device at the DVR screen and take the photo
  4. The photo is saved to the app's internal gallery

6.2 Photo count & gallery

The number of photos taken is displayed in the Case information section on the calculator screen. Tap the photo count icon to open the photo gallery, where you can view, delete, or manage your photos.

6.3 Automatic naming

If you have entered a case number (see Section 5), each photo is automatically named using the case number and a timestamp โ€” for example: CASE-2024-1234_2026-04-27_14-35-22.jpg. This eliminates the need to rename files manually and ensures every photo is traceable to its case.

If no case number has been entered, the photo is named with the timestamp only.

6.4 Attaching photos to email

When you send a PDF report via email (see Section 9), you can attach one or more photos from the app's gallery to the same email. This lets the recipient see both the calculated report and the visual evidence in a single message.

The app will warn you if the total size of the PDF and attached photos exceeds 23 MB, which may cause delivery issues with some email providers.
Screenshot โ€” Photo gallery with case-numbered photos

7. Generating PDF reports

Once your calculation is complete, tap PDF Report to generate a court-ready document. The PDF includes:

Header

Title, case number, date generated, and your active agency logo positioned where you set it.

Calculation details

Both timestamps, the calculated offset, the retention window, and the final corrected real-world time.

Document authentication

A unique Document ID, Device ID, app version, and a SHA-256 cryptographic signature that detects any tampering after the report is generated.

Officer block

Your name, badge number, department, and unit โ€” pulled from your active officer profile.

Forensic attestation

Multi-source time verification, RFC 3161 trusted timestamp, and SHA-256 content hash โ€” see Section 8.

All main input fields must be completed before a report can be generated. The app never produces incomplete or partial reports โ€” every PDF is a complete, self-contained document. Additionally, the app will never generate two identical reports; each report carries a unique timestamp and attestation.
Screenshot โ€” Sample PDF report (recto and verso)

Each report is automatically saved to your Report History.

8. The forensic attestation block

Every report contains a forensic attestation block on its back page (verso). This is what makes your report defensible. It includes:

8.1 Network time consensus

A table showing each of the 5 time sources, the response time received from each, and the consensus moment used by the app. If any source failed, it is shown as such โ€” full transparency.

8.2 RFC 3161 trusted timestamp

The app sends a SHA-256 hash of the report's canonical content to a third-party Time-Stamping Authority (TSA), which returns a cryptographically signed timestamp. The TSA response, the verification URL, and the hash are all printed in the report. Anyone can independently verify that the report existed in its current form at the timestamped moment.

8.3 Forensic mode indicator

  • Online โ€” Both network time and TSA succeeded. Strongest possible attestation.
  • Degraded โ€” One of the two failed. The report is still valid but the limitation is disclosed.
  • Offline โ€” Both failed. The report uses your device's clock only and is clearly marked.

For a deep dive into how this works and how to verify a report, see the Forensic Methodology whitepaper.

9. Sharing reports

9.1 Email

Tap the email button on any report to open your device's native mail client with the PDF already attached. You can:

  • Pre-fill recipients
  • Attach case photos (the app will warn you if total attachments exceed 23 MB)
  • Use your standard email signature

9.2 System share

Use the system share sheet to send the PDF via Messages, Signal, secure file transfer apps, AirDrop, or any installed app that accepts PDFs.

9.3 Save / Print

Save the PDF to your Files app, iCloud Drive, Google Drive, OneDrive, or print directly to any configured printer.

Email is not encrypted by default. For sensitive case material, use your agency's approved secure transfer method or save the PDF to evidence storage directly.

10. Report history

After every saved or emailed report, a report history card is automatically generated. From it you can:

  • Reload its inputs back into the calculator
  • Open Time Adjust pre-loaded with the report's calculated offset
  • Delete individual reports
  • Clear all history at once

Report cards older than 90 days are automatically removed.

Screenshot โ€” Report History list

11. Officer profiles

Open Settings โ†’ Police Officer Information to manage your officer profile.

In the side menu, the Identification button flashes with gyrophare colors (red/blue) when at least one officer profile field is empty. This visual alert reminds you to complete all fields before generating a report.

11.1 Single officer (default)

By default, the app stores one officer profile: your name, badge number, department, and unit. These appear on every report you generate.

11.2 Multi-officer mode

If multiple officers share a device, enable Multi-User Mode in this section. You then get up to 10 preset slots, each with its own officer information. The most-used slots automatically move to the front.

Screenshot โ€” Multi-officer profile selector with 10 slots

12. Agency logos

The app supports up to several logos in your gallery. The currently selected one appears on every PDF report you generate.

12.1 Adding a logo

  1. Open Settings โ†’ Police Logo
  2. Tap Import logo
  3. Choose an image from your device's photo library or files
  4. Give it a name and save

12.2 Choosing the active logo

From the logo gallery, tap any logo to make it active. A checkmark indicates the current selection.

12.3 Logo position on reports

You can place the logo in any of four corners of the report (top-left, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-right). If your administrator has locked the position, the choice is read-only.

It is illegal in most jurisdictions to use the logo of an agency you are not employed by or authorized to represent. Doing so can constitute impersonation or fraud. You are solely responsible for the logos you import.
Screenshot โ€” Logo gallery with multiple logos and position selector

13. Organization logos & policies

Your organization can push logos and device policies to your app automatically. There are two ways logos reach your device:

13.1 Agency activation code sync (automatic)

If your organization has subscribed to the push logo service from SDTech and you activated an agency activation code (see Section 23), your organization's logos are synced automatically โ€” no download code needed. The app retrieves logos and organization policies from the license server whenever it validates your license. This is an optional service โ€” not all agency licenses include logo and policy sync.

Agency logo sync also happens every 7 days at startup and whenever you tap Check License Status. If your administrator publishes new logos or changes policies, you'll see them after the next sync.

13.2 Using a download code

Store subscribers (non-agency) can receive logos via a download code in the format DVRTT-LOGO-XXXX-XXXX, provided by your IT administrator.

  1. Open Settings โ†’ Police Logo โ†’ Retrieve Organization Logos
  2. Paste or type the code (you can use the Paste button)
  3. Tap Retrieve Logos

The app downloads all logos your organization has approved, adds them to your gallery, and sets the primary one as your active logo. You only need to enter the code once โ€” the app remembers it.

Once entered, the app silently checks the server every 7 days at startup to pick up any logo updates your administrator publishes. You don't need to do anything.

13.3 Refreshing logos manually

Agency license users can also force a logo refresh at any time:

  1. Open Settings โ†’ Police Logo โ†’ Retrieve Organization Logos
  2. Tap Refresh from sdtech.app

This contacts the license server immediately and downloads any logo or policy changes. A network connection is required.

13.4 Organization policies

Agency licenses can carry organization policies configured by SDTech on behalf of your organization. These policies are synced alongside logos and can remotely configure:

  • Whether the Notes feature is enabled or disabled
  • Whether the Patterns feature is enabled or disabled
  • Whether the logo position is locked (and to which corner)

When policies change, the app notifies you with a brief alert describing what was updated. Policy-controlled settings appear as read-only in the admin panel.

Organization policies are applied silently during background syncs. You don't need to take any action โ€” the app adapts automatically when your organization's configuration is updated.

13.5 Logo position lock

Organization logos can carry a position lock. If your administrator has locked them to the top-right (for example), you cannot change the position while that logo is active.

13.6 If your administrator revokes access

If your administrator deletes the download code on the server, or removes logos from your agency license, the next sync will automatically:

  • Remove all organization logos from your gallery
  • Clear the stored code (for download code users)
  • Restore your ability to use your own personal logos

Your manually-imported logos are never affected by this โ€” only organization-pushed logos.

Screenshot โ€” Retrieve Organization Logos modal with code input

14. DVR Time Difference tool

This standalone tool calculates the time difference between any two DVR timestamps โ€” useful when you have two DVR systems to cross-reference, or two moments captured on the same DVR.

  1. Open the tool from the main screen
  2. Enter the first timestamp (date + time)
  3. Enter the second timestamp
  4. The result shows days, hours, minutes, and seconds between the two

The tool has its own independent 12h/24h toggle, so you can match whichever format the DVR you're working with uses.

15. Time Adjust tool

Use Time Adjust when you need to add or subtract a known offset from a timestamp โ€” for example, to walk a DVR timestamp forward by 2 hours 14 minutes to find the corresponding real-world time.

  1. Enter the starting timestamp
  2. Enter the offset to add (or use negative values to subtract)
  3. The result shows the adjusted timestamp instantly
From the Report History, you can re-open Time Adjust pre-loaded with a previous report's calculated offset.

16. Notes tool (multi-page notebook)

The Notes feature gives you an unlimited multi-page notebook for case notes, observations, and references. All notes are encrypted on your device and never leave it.

16.1 Working with pages

  • Swipe left/right to move between pages
  • Tap the page indicator (e.g. Page 3 of 8) to open a quick page selector
  • Each page has its own custom title
  • Add new pages or delete existing ones at any time

16.2 Search

The search bar searches across all pages and titles. Matches are highlighted in yellow and you can jump from one to the next with the navigation arrows.

16.3 Auto-save

Every keystroke is auto-saved to encrypted storage. There is no Save button โ€” your notes are always preserved.

16.4 Dictation

You can use your device's built-in voice dictation to speak your notes instead of typing them. Tap the microphone key on your keyboard and dictate โ€” the text is inserted directly into the current page.

16.5 Sharing a page by email

Tap the Share button in the top bar to send the current page's content by email. Only the page you are viewing is shared โ€” not the entire notebook.

16.6 Monthly backup reminder

On the 1st of each month, if your notes or patterns contain data, the app displays a reminder to back them up. The message adapts depending on which features have data. Tap OK to acknowledge.

Screenshot โ€” Notes page with text, page indicator, and search bar
Your administrator can disable the Notes feature entirely via MDM. If disabled, the Notes button is grayed out and the section is inaccessible.

17. DVR unlock patterns tool

This optional feature lets you securely store DVR access information โ€” addresses, credentials, and unlock patterns โ€” for DVRs you regularly work with.

17.1 What you can store per DVR

  • DVR address (hostname or IP)
  • DVR identification (serial or unit number)
  • Username and password (encrypted)
  • Contact name and phone number
  • A drawn unlock pattern on a 3ร—3 grid

17.2 Drawing a pattern

Tap and drag across the 3ร—3 grid to draw the unlock pattern. The drawn dots and connecting lines are saved with the entry.

17.3 Searching

Use the search bar at the top of the patterns list to filter by DVR address.

Screenshot โ€” Pattern entry screen with 3ร—3 grid and credential fields
Because this feature stores credentials and access information for third-party systems, it requires explicit consent (see Section 18). Your organization's policies and local laws may further restrict its use.
Your administrator can disable Patterns entirely via MDM.

19. Backup, export, import & data reset

Open Settings โ†’ Data Management โ†’ Backup & Restore.

19.1 What can be backed up

  • Notes (separate toggle)
  • Patterns (separate toggle)

19.2 Creating a backup

  1. Choose what to include using the toggles
  2. Tap Export backup
  3. Set a password (this encrypts the backup file)
  4. Choose where to save the file

19.3 Restoring from a backup

  1. Tap Import backup
  2. Choose the backup file
  3. Enter the password used when the backup was created
  4. If existing data conflicts with the backup, a merge dialog lets you choose which version to keep on a per-item basis
If you lose the backup password, the file cannot be restored. There is no recovery mechanism โ€” this is a deliberate security choice.

19.4 Delete app data

The Delete App Data button in Data Management permanently deletes everything: officer info, reports, notes, patterns, logos, and settings. It requires a two-step confirmation and cannot be undone.

19.5 App preference reset

The Reset Preferences button restores all app settings to their factory defaults (format, language, toggles, etc.) without deleting your data โ€” notes, patterns, reports, logos, and officer profiles are preserved. A confirmation prompt appears before the reset takes effect.

MDM-managed configuration and organization logos and policies pushed from sdtech.app are not affected by a preference reset โ€” they remain intact and continue to apply normally.

Screenshot โ€” Backup & Restore modal

20. Settings โ€” full reference

Open Settings from the gear icon. Sections include:

20.1 Language & locale

See Section 21.

20.2 Police Officer Information

See Section 11.

20.3 Police Logo

See Section 12 and Section 13.

20.4 Time & format

  • 12h / 24h format
  • Date format (MDY / DMY / YMD)
  • Timezone display (read-only, automatically set to your local timezone)

20.5 Auto-fill preferences

Independent toggles for: DVR date/time auto-fill, Event auto-fill, Retention auto-fill, and Time Difference auto-fill.

20.6 Data Management

See Section 19. Also includes a PDF export location selector.

20.7 Subscription

See Section 24.

20.8 Updates

See Section 24.

20.9 About

App version, build number, release date, plus links to:

  • Official website
  • YouTube tutorial channel
  • Support page
  • Privacy Policy, Terms of Service, Forensic Methodology, Privacy Impact Assessment (Loi 25)

21. Languages & regional formats

The app automatically detects your device's language and sets itself to one of the supported languages. You can change the language at any time in Settings, and optionally lock it to prevent the app from reverting to the device language.

The app is fully translated into:

  • English
  • Franรงais (French)
  • Espaรฑol (Spanish)
  • Deutsch (German)
  • Italiano (Italian)
  • ุงู„ุนุฑุจูŠุฉ (Arabic) โ€” with full right-to-left layout

The app uses your deviceโ€™s regional time format to display all dates and times throughout the interface and in generated PDF reports. This ensures consistency with the format you are already familiar with on your device.

22. Privacy & Security modal

The Privacy & Security modal (accessible from Settings โ†’ About, or shown automatically on first launch) covers:

  • Compliance & legal โ€” GDPR, Loi 25, CPRA/VCDPA references
  • Data protection โ€” AES-256 encryption, local-only storage, what is and isn't transmitted
  • Device permissions โ€” Camera, photos, mail; what each is used for
  • What we do NOT do โ€” No analytics, no behavioral tracking, no account required, no case data on servers
  • Best practices โ€” Device security, backups, updates
  • Crash reporting โ€” How Sentry is used (no personal data, no case data)
  • Logo legal warning โ€” Reminder about agency logo authorization
  • ๐Ÿ”ฌ Forensic Methodology button โ€” Opens the whitepaper in your browser
For deeper detail, the modal links out to: the Privacy Policy, the Forensic Methodology whitepaper, and the Loi 25 Privacy Impact Assessment.

23. Subscription, trial & license

23.1 Trial

30-day free trial with full feature access. No payment information required. The trial cannot be restarted once used.

23.2 Subscription tiers

  • Monthly โ€” Auto-renews every 30 days
  • Yearly โ€” Auto-renews every 365 days, discounted vs. monthly
  • Agency โ€” Licensing for organizations, deployed via MDM or activation code

23.3 Activating an agency license

  1. Open Settings โ†’ Subscription
  2. Tap Agency Activation
  3. Type or paste your DVRTT-XXXX-XXXX-XXXX activation code
  4. Tap Activate

The app validates the activation code with the SDTech license server and unlocks the appropriate features.

If your organization has subscribed to the push logo service from SDTech, activating an agency license also downloads your organization's logos and policies automatically โ€” no download code needed. See Section 13 for details.

23.4 Check License Status

In Settings โ†’ Subscription, you can tap Check License Status to verify your current license with the server. For agency users, this also triggers a sync of your organization's logos and policies. If your administrator has published any changes since your last sync, you'll see a notification listing what was added, removed, or updated.

23.5 Promo codes

If you have an App Store promo code, use the Redeem promo code button. The redemption happens through the native store interface.

23.6 Restore purchases

If you reinstall the app or move to a new device, use Restore Purchases to recover your existing subscription. This queries the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for purchases tied to your account.

23.7 If your subscription expires

The app shows a lock screen with options to subscribe, restore, redeem a promo code, or enter an activation code. Calculator access is blocked until the subscription is reactivated. Your stored data is preserved โ€” nothing is deleted when a subscription lapses.

24. App updates

The app periodically checks for new versions. You can also check manually from Settings โ†’ Updates.

  • Optional updates can be deferred with Later
  • Critical security updates cannot be deferred and are shown full-screen until installed
  • The changelog is available in your selected language

25. Behind-the-scenes features

These are things the app does automatically โ€” you don't need to take any action, but you should know they're happening.

Network time attestation โ€” When you confirm the time verification checkbox on the warning page (see Section 3), the app queries 3 independent global time sources (Google, Cloudflare, Bing). The median of all responses received within 3 seconds is used as the trusted time reference, with round-trip latency compensation applied to each sample. This verified time is then used for all calculations and reports until the next verification.
RFC 3161 trusted timestamps โ€” Every report's content is hashed (SHA-256) and sent to a third-party Time-Stamping Authority. The signed response is embedded in your PDF.
7-day organization sync โ€” If you have an agency license or have used a download code, the app silently contacts the license server every 7 days at startup to sync your organization's logos. New logos appear automatically; removed logos are cleaned up. Agency license users also receive organization policy updates during this sync (e.g. disabling Notes or locking logo position), which take effect immediately. If you check your license status manually, this sync also runs on-demand.
MDM auto-detection โ€” On startup, the app checks if your device is enrolled in MDM and applies organization configuration automatically.
Auto-deletion of old report history cards โ€” Report history cards older than 90 days are automatically removed from the History. This does not affect PDF reports you have saved or emailed โ€” only the in-app history cards.
Crash reporting โ€” Production builds send anonymized crash data to Sentry to help us fix bugs. Case numbers, names, addresses, and credentials are stripped before upload. Disabled in development builds.
License re-validation โ€” The app silently validates your license periodically to ensure uninterrupted access.
Device integrity check โ€” On startup, the app checks for jailbreak (iOS) or root (Android). If detected, you're warned but not blocked. The warning is recorded in the report.
Auto-save โ€” Every keystroke in Notes and Patterns is saved to encrypted storage instantly. No Save button needed.

26. Gestures & hidden interactions

26.1 Built-in button instructions

Every calculator button has a built-in guide. Tap any button on the calculator screen to display a short explanation of what that section or tool does and how to use it. This works on all main action buttons โ€” you never need to leave the app to look up how a feature works.

The first time you complete your officer profile, the app shows a one-time instruction alert explaining this feature and how to set your preferred date format and time mode. You can dismiss it permanently after it has appeared.

26.2 Notes pages

  • Swipe left/right between pages
  • Tap-and-hold the page indicator for the page selector

26.3 Officer profiles

Horizontal scroll through preset slots in multi-officer mode. The list reverses direction in Arabic (RTL).

26.4 Android back button

The hardware back button is intentionally blocked from exiting the app abruptly to prevent accidental data loss while you're entering data. Use the in-app navigation to leave a screen.

27. Accessibility

The app is built to WCAG 2.1 AA standards.

27.1 Screen readers

Full VoiceOver (iOS) and TalkBack (Android) support. Every button, input, toggle, and section has an accessibility label and (where helpful) a hint.

27.2 Text scaling

Respects your device's font size setting. Layouts wrap rather than truncate at large sizes. Tested at the device's minimum and maximum font sizes.

27.3 Color & contrast

All text meets the WCAG AA 4.5:1 minimum contrast ratio. Color is never the only indicator of state โ€” icons and text labels accompany every status color.

27.4 Touch targets

All interactive elements are at least 44ร—44 points (Apple's recommended minimum) with adequate spacing.

27.5 Keyboard navigation

Full keyboard support: Tab to move between fields, Enter/Space to activate buttons and toggles, arrow keys for lists.

27.6 Right-to-left languages

When Arabic is selected, the entire layout flips: text alignment, icon positioning, scroll directions, and flex layouts.

28. For administrators & MDM

This section describes features intended for IT administrators deploying DVR Time Traveler in an agency environment. Regular officers can skip this section.

28.1 Feature restrictions

From the admin panel you can:

  • Disable the Notes feature for all users on the device
  • Disable the Patterns feature
  • Lock the logo position

28.2 MDM-managed configuration

The app reads managed configuration from Android EMM and iOS MDM profiles. Supported keys include:

  • disable_notes_feature โ€” boolean
  • disable_patterns_feature โ€” boolean
  • logo_position_locked โ€” boolean
  • organization_name โ€” string (shown in the app header)
  • custom_support_email โ€” string (used in support contact)

MDM-set values override on-device admin settings and are shown as (Managed) in the UI.

28.3 Audit log

All admin actions, MDM-driven configuration changes, and consent events are recorded in an immutable audit log. The log is viewable from the admin panel and can be exported. Even administrators cannot delete entries.

28.4 Push logos

SDTech manages organization logos on your behalf. Contact SDTech to provide your logo images, set primary logos, configure position locks, generate download codes, or revoke access. See the MDM & Agency Deployment Guide for full details.

28.5 Organization policies (remote configuration)

Agency licenses support organization policies that are pushed to devices alongside logos. Contact SDTech to configure policies for your organization. Available options include:

  • Disable Notes โ€” Prevents officers from using the Notes feature
  • Disable Patterns โ€” Prevents officers from using the Patterns feature
  • Lock logo position โ€” Forces the logo to a specific corner on reports

Policy changes are synced to devices every 7 days at startup and whenever an officer checks their license status. Officers are notified when policies change. Unlike MDM-managed configuration, organization policies do not require device enrollment โ€” they work with any agency activation code.

28.6 Agency licensing

Agency activation codes can be deployed to all devices via MDM (recommended) or distributed manually for officer activation. Codes validate against the SDTech license server. When activated, agency codes automatically enable logo and policy sync (see Section 13).

29. Troubleshooting

29.1 "Network time unavailable"

Check that your device has internet access. If you're behind a corporate firewall, your IT team may need to allow outbound HTTPS (port 443) to google.com, cloudflare.com, and bing.com. The app only needs a HEAD request to reach one of these three โ€” if any one is reachable, the sync will succeed. The app falls back to your device's clock and clearly marks the report as offline.

29.2 "License validation failed"

Verify your internet connection and tap Retry. If the problem persists, check the subscription status in your app store account. For agency activation codes, contact your IT administrator.

29.3 "Download code not found or expired"

Your administrator may have changed or revoked the code. Request a new code from your IT department.

29.4 Notes / Patterns greyed out

Either your administrator has disabled the feature, or (for Patterns) your annual consent has expired. Check Settings โ†’ Device Info to see the consent history.

29.5 Reports look wrong

Tap Accurate Time to verify the network-attested time, then re-generate the report. If a report's verso shows degraded or offline mode, your network connectivity at the time of generation was limited.

30. Getting support

For questions, bug reports, or feedback:

When reporting an issue, include:

  • App version (Settings โ†’ About)
  • Device model and OS version
  • What you were trying to do
  • What happened instead

We respond to support requests within 30 days, typically much sooner.