cglaeser

Yeah, I just discovered that. Should have waited to install the plug-in. Looking forward to support for exacq. Fast moving clouds on windy days cause ground shadow problems for both Axis and Panasonic. Will be interesting to see if viasys can detect motion but ignore moving cloud shadows. Best, Christopher

I just installed on a 223M. First attempt hung the camera. Did a manual reset and second install seems to be OK. Will test for the next few days to see how this compares with the Axis motion detection. Best, Christopher

I'm downloading the plug-in for the Axis 223M now. I also have a Q7404 video encoder, but have not yet installed it. Looking forward to trying that as well. Best, Christopher

I contacted Anson Moran at Viasys. He gave me a quick tour of the product via a GoToMeeting session. Their products include camera plug-ins for Axis and IQeye, hardware analytic boxes for IP and analog cameras, and software that runs on the server. They currently support Linux servers and will soon support Windows servers. The plug-ins not only install on the Axis cameras, but also the Axis video servers such as the 7404. They also offer 30-day trials. One of the key features of their analytics is the ability to define the distance to object at both the top and bottom of the field of view. This allows the algorithm to compensate for camera tilt (e.g. cameras that are tilted down). The current focus is perimeter alarm detection for fixed cameras. Currently, they do not support PTZ autotracking. Best, Christopher

+1. Quality CCTV power supplies are cheap. Best, Christopher

Dr. Peter Venkman: : I'm a little fuzzy on the whole "good/bad" thing here. What do you mean, "bad"?

+1. Use a PIR motion sensor. Crow and Optex are good choices. Best, Christopher

I installed the newly released 4.1 and everything seems back to normal. Best, Christopher

The exacqVision Server has been running fine since installation several months ago, but it's no longer working correctly. I checked the list of Services and it's no longer there. Is there an easy way to add it back to the list of Services? Do I need to re-install it? What would cause it to be missing from the list of Services? Best, Christopher

Yes, several times. I had to reinstall Norton AV too, so the problem could be something other than exacq. Best, Christopher

exacqVision supports Pre Motion capture, but I don't see an option for Post Motion. Am I missing it, or is Post Motion not supported? Best, Christopher

+1 Best, Christopher

exacqVision? Pretty much anything, including mobile phones. Best, Christopher

Oh dear, here we go again. This can't be done with a single lux reading. It's falling-of-a-log easy for a photographer, but I don't want to fall into the trap again of trying to explain lighting issues to non-photographers. Please forget everything I said in this thread. It's way too complicated for this forum. Perhaps Soundy wants to jump in, but I'm done. Best, Christopher

You mean a megapixel security camera sensor right? No. I was referring to the large number of stops. Even cameras that support wide dynamic range will likely be challenged by this scene. A couple quick exposure measurements will give us a better idea. Best, Christopher

The Mobotix does have a built in meter, but it meters the entire scene. I'm assuming this camera has fixed lenses and can not be zoomed. If the security camera can be easily moved forward to get two separate readings, that will work, but if a digicam is handy, it's probably easier to get the two readings using the digicam. It will be helpful if we can review the exposure at both ends (brightest and darkest) of this scene with full sunlight when the door is open. Best, Christopher

Correct, no flash. Most digital cameras include the exposure information in the image file. If you zoom into the brightest and darkest region of the security camera field of view, we can get exposure readings of those two areas separately. Then we can compare the difference in exposure of those two regions. Looking at your posted image, I suspect you may be pushing the limits of what a security camera sensor can be expected to capture. Best, Christopher

Is there a publicly accessible database for stolen plates in the US? Best, Christopher

That's a touch back-lit scene. Can you take a a couple pictures with a digital camera? Stand near the security camera, and take two photos, one zoomed to the brightest region outside and one zoomed to the darkest shadows inside. I'm guessing at least a dozen stops between the blown highlights and underexposed shadows. Best, Christopher

Installers on this forum typically avoid the junk on eBay and prefer to get equipment from distributors with warranties and support. Ten million flies can't be wrong ... Best, Christopher

+1. Here is a simple cctv lens calculator at http://www.webcam123.com/en/faq/lens_calc.html Also, at this price point, longer lenses typically mean less light, which means giving up some of the low light performance, so a wider lens will help in that regard as well. Best, Christopher

Well, no one would ever use an IR Illuminator with an IP camera, so we certainly don't need any industry standard specifications to assist with that effort (with tongue in cheek). Best, Christopher

With all due respect, and I sincerely do mean that, you don't understand what I'm talking about. If you did, you would know that it is not possible to separate camera sensitivity from the equation. In those charts that you posted, light does not just stop at a certain distance. What those distances are meant to imply is that the camera will be properly exposed out to that distance. But, at what sensitivity? That's that part that is missing, and the part that I've been trying to explain. If a Samsung ultra low light 745 were combined with an f/1.0 and an Extreme, we would expect the 745 to have good exposure much much farther than those charts suggest. That's the part I'm trying to explain. These charts are not "grounded" to any f number sensitivity. So, if you get a poor camera, the distances are less, a good camera, the distances are close, an ultra low light camera, the distances are short, and in the future, when sensitivities are improved, much too short. That's my point. These charts are not tied to any "ISO equivalent", so as the sensitivity changes, so do the distances. If the distances are different for different cameras, then these charts can not be used to match a camera and IR illuminator. Experience is required to know that this or that camera will work. Here is an article "Demystifying Flash Guide Numbers" that should prove useful. http://www.vividlight.com/Articles/1214.htm The two most important sentences in the article are: It seems many people do not have an understanding of what guide numbers are, and how they are effectively used. a flash unit’s guide number indicates how much light the unit will emit in relation to a standard film speed. Please note the "in relation to a standard film speed". Aside from everything else that has been said, do you understand the implications of that sentence? Best, Christopher

A simple industry standard similar to ISO and guide numbers at, say, 850 nm would make it possible to match an IR illuminator to a camera. Without such a standard, matching the equipment does require testing, and yes, this trial and error can be expensive. However, I think I have a good understanding as to why the status quo is what it is. Before the advent of today's digicams with an array of auto features and instant exposure feedback of the image display, professionals such as wedding photographers needed a system whereby they could mix and match films, lenses, and light sources and have confidence that every image would be properly exposed with developed. Wedding photographers were not only familiar with the inverse square law, but they could do inverse square calculations in their head while posing the bride for the next shot. A simple system of ISO, f-stop, shutter speed, and guide number made these conversions relatively easy, and more important, provide perfect exposure for every image. The situation is very different in security cameras. First, concepts such as guide numbers are foreign to the typical security camera installer. (The confusion is readily apparent in this and related threads). Installers are never going to request specifications from manufacturers if they don't even know what those specifications mean or how to use them. Second, and perhaps more important, the need for trial and error is actually a benefit for installers. OK, so the installer had to purchase several Extremes and/or several RayMAX illuminators to determine which light source works best with each camera. The installer spends an extra grand or so to determine ISO/guide number equivalents for some cameras and illuminators. That expense is part of learning one's trade. No big deal. This is only a problem for the DIY, who wants to purchase one camera and one illuminator with the confidence they are a good match and does not want to budget for all the trial and error. Best, Christopher

Crow and Optex make excellent PIR motion sensors that can be used to activate security cameras. Best, Christopher