Abstract: A system, apparatus, computer program product, and method perform controlled video recording of video captured by a camera. The method includes checking by recorder circuitry of receipt of a ping signal sent from a server to the recorder, the ping signal being expected to be received by the recorder circuitry within a predetermined time interval after an earlier ping signal was received (or when an initial ping signal was expected to be received), in response to a determination by the recorder circuitry of not receiving the ping signal, entering an autonomous recording mode, the autonomous recording mode including recording video provided from at least one camera, and continuing operation of the autonomous recording mode until at least one of receiving another ping signal by the recorder circuitry, or receiving a control signal from the server that directs the recorder to stop recording the video provided from the at least one camera.