Quantum

I thought I was pretty hot stuff when I bought this expensive camera. But the day image is mediocre, and the night image is almost completely obscured by bugs swarming around in a cloud doing their mating dance. Apparently the IR wavelength is just to their liking. Maybe I could mount an IR floodlight above the camera to move the bugs up there? I only have PoE out there so are there any floods that work on PoE, or is there a PoE to DC converter? If a guy were willing to spend some money in order to get good night vision, maybe 4Mp, what kind of cameras would y'all recommend?

Using its web interface. When I first installed it it seemed fine, especially during the day. Now it's not good, although I am viewing it in a virtual machine with Windows since there's no WebComponents for Linux. At night there's a bright corona around the top corners, as if there are leaves there, but I don't think there are, at least close. They seem to wave with the breeze I'll look closer next time. Been looking into IR floods, and it seems the Secret Code Words are "poe splitter". This breaks out voltage from a PoE line. Only one I've found that's not suspicious (IOW actually is 802.11at) is this one. They also have a 24v/25w one. So powering external floods seems to be solved. Now to find a quality IR flood.

I've just received the DS-2CD4A85F-IZH, and was shocked to find that there is no audio in, out, or alarm wire! It's right there in the instructions, but the wires don't exist on the physical camera. I called tech support and they deny that this camera has audio of any kind. A top-of-the-line camera that doesn't have audio? Well it just goes right back. Can you recommend a quality 6Mp or 8Mp that actually does have audio in, or built-in? Can our Avigilon friends contact me about anything over 3Mp with audio?

I've been trying to find decent NVR software, but it's just too expensive. I'd much rather it run on Linux, but if necessary I can create a VM for Windows. ExacqVision runs on Linux, but only runs on Debian (not RedHat), but crucially is only 32bit. Plus not only is there a base fee, but annual per-camera licenses. Milestone only runs on Winduhs, and it also has a base fee, but annual per-camera licenses. HikVision are clearly incompetent at making NVR software. Are there any quality NVR systems that don't have per-camera or per-year license fees? This is just for my 2 camera house, and maybe also for my 2 camera car.

Oh. So being HikVision, that explains why Interlogics has H.265. {snicker} ... And you took over a school with 800 of them! Impressive. There's something to be said for aiming 2 cameras on every desk, and double 360 degree coverage indoors and out. We all know that just knocking down what others are attempting to do, while cowardly not daring to give your own solutions, is a hallmark of American Hate, 'ssmith'. Edit: HA! Found exactly all the features I'm looking for, in a high-grade camera, for less money than the HikVision. Later, alligators.

Presumably you intend this to be an insult, that we 'can't lock down Windows so run Linux'. Source please. That's all very nice.

Again, you must specify that this is with Windows. None of your issues apply to Linux, and all flavors of decoders are available. I for one, welcome our new h.265 overlords.

Interlogics looks quite good. Samsung. Panasonic's look like they suck. (And maybe not EScam, lol) I'll examine them all. Then there's Bosch, which I'm sure makes cameras, tho I don't know whether h.265. It's understandable that Windows' handling of h.265 is dreadful. That's a shame.

Wow, I've hit the jackpot with h.265. All these companies make h.265 cameras, and there are more I'm sure. Now to sort through and vet them all. http://www.aventuracctv.com/IP-Cameras-/Bullet-IP-Network-Cameras/ http://security.panasonic.com/products/category/network_camera/h265/ http://www.benycctv.com/en/Products_Type.asp http://escam.cn/en/product.html https://www.gwsecu.com/products/index.html http://www.lsvisionhd.com/products.html http://plv.com/products.html http://www.sectec.com.cn/products/ip-camera.html http://www.kadymay.com/index.php?m=Product&a=index&id=28 http://www.bessky.com/product/class/ https://secrt.en.alibaba.com/featureproductlist.html http://www.smartodin.com/products http://www.mvteamcctv.com/products/H.265-IP-Camera.htm http://www.interlogix.com/compare https://www.samsung-security.com/

Good suggestions Tom, thanks. I did look at ic realtime link, but I couldn't find much about them in the way of real-world use or reviews. I didn't know that h265 is an option yet; I'll look for that. Lol... You didn't even try... Go with Arecont they make great cameras. lol I practically begged you to get in touch with me in backchannel. Am I supposed to pursue you and hk357 to the ends of the Earth throwing money at you? I am extremely busy. I value my time as much as you do your own time. When you finally responded in this thread, in spite of my statement that we only use Linux, you insisted that we're "going to have a much better system with Avigilon's VMS". Don't you hear the words what are comin' out of my mouf? Why don't you respect the fact that we must have very good reasons for running Linux exclusively? Are you used to dealing only with amateurs? You'll forgive me if I don't believe you about Arecont.

Yes I give up on Avigilon. They're a little too proud of themselves. Looking at Axis and Arecont now.

Thanks. I guess my main question is, will an Avigilon camera work with other NVR software (which does run on Linux)? I'm interested in outdoor cameras over 3Mp, with audio.

OK, so neither thewireguys nor ak357 have responded, so unless there are any other Avigilon dealers, that's out.

Ah, I see. Well it appears the DS-2CD4A85F-IZHS is only available from Red China, and I've had enough of that noise. I am curious about Avigilon though. Last I checked it would only work with their proprietary software, which is not on. I run only Linux machines at home. Although, Avigilon's Products page has no products, and from what little I can gather there is no evidence that their cameras have audio.

Well I'm not buying any more HikVision products after buying their top of the line and it has NO AUDIO. A $1,000 camera with NO AUDIO? Ridiculous. Anyway, it's a shame that all conservatives have forgotten that it is and always has been RED CHINA. What company is not owned by the state there? In sending practically all of our manufacturing jobs there, we have also transferred hundreds of $billions in our technology to them FOR FREE, which took us decades to develop. But we're all too stupid to realize this. I heard on NPR today that even Chinese students here are rooting for Trump as they think he will bring us down, helping them. News for them: I think he'll put tariffs on their goods and stop our massive tax credits FOR OUTSOURCING TO THEM, like should have been done decades ago. PS: They've just shown off their new STEALTH FIGHTER. They will become a massive problem soon, and it is our fault.

I've just applied the current 5.3 Chinese firmware to my Chinese camera, but it is not listening on port 80. Doing an nmap scan the only port it's listening on is 8000. And it -does- respond to pings. I installed IVMS in a Windows virtual machine (we're a Linux shop) in NAT mode (Windows isn't allowed on the LAN), but it can't find the camera even when I point it straight at it. (192.168.1.64) The camera and all other systems are all on an unmanaged switch. I'd emailed Hik China, but they seem to be dead.

Well I thought I'd be a smartazz and update my firmware. It completed successfully and then the camera disappeared from the network. I did a ping scan on all possible class C's but no camera. So I called Hik US and found that my serial number is Chinese and they won't support me. I can only infer that the US firmware bricks Chinese cameras. Looking around it seems that I need to tftp the Chinese firmware to unbrick, but where is this Chinese firmware? I do a search on hikvision China, and it coughs up the US site. I don't want to test this on the only working camera I have left. Where do I get the right firmware, and am I on the right track? Yes I saw the pinned thread, but it doesn't answer my questions.

Are you trying to make time with WireGuys, or are you just an impudent kid? Don't expect respect if you don't give it.

Very useful, comprehensive, and helpful post dalepres. This is unusual, but matches my type of posts when I've studied a subject. I'm also one who has to learn everything about everything before I do anything, but you've saved me alot here. Well, either wireguys and ak357 websites have malfunctioned, or they both have too much business to have responded, I'll move on. I've heard that Hik's software is obtuse so I didn't bother, but now I'll try it. But first I will try https://ksenos.fi/ and http://www.networkoptix.com/nxwitness/#connect to see how they behave. I'll let you know.

Thanks, but neither of them will respond. Any other options?

I thought Avigilon was very exclusive? How would I buy, and how much? Will it work with Hiks?

There are lots of cheap dashcams, but most a low quality and/or too large. I'm looking for a lipstick cam which will be discreet to record forward and back in the car. Ideally I'd like 2Mp, WDR, good night, GPS, accelerometer, and HFoV of at least 120 degrees. Any suggestions? Also looking for a network DVR to record with in the car.

Nothing?

I run Linux exclusively (for 22 years), and so HikVision 4200 is of no use to me. Nor is Milestone, BlueIris, etc. Apparently each of the respective mobile apps for the above insists on connecting to its momma server, so they're out too. I'd like to monitor my cameras on my phone, so am looking for an Android app that can access my home IP and get the various cameras by port#. Is there any such animal?

Thanks Tom, but that's for 32bit. I have more than 4GB of RAM, and it won't run: sh: ./iVMS-4200: /lib/ld-linux.so.2: bad ELF interpreter: No such file or directory And it doesn't give any idea what its dependencies might be. Can't get the mobile app to connect to the cameras. In the mobile app I've set the IP, UN:PW and port but it can't connect. I've tried both ports 554 and 8000. I'm port-forwarding these ports in the router, and the cameras are connected directly to the router. In my local systems I use exclusively rtsp: with VLC, but of course I can't rewind or get any services, only Live View. The port 80 service only works with Internet Exploser in Winduhs; nothing I've done has made it with in Firefox.