shockwave199

If you can get into the menus, look at anything pertaining to day/night settings. It could be set on B&W, or it could have a specific time of day programnming. But that is the menu you want to look in and perhaps set it to auto so it'll be in color during the day and switch to B&W at night.

Cam 2 pre sun Cam 2 blur Cam 2 4pm

7pm sun 8pm no sun

8:30 am no cars Sun rays but still in focus Afternoon back in focus

Would that exposure cause an extreme dark image night? Next time I get access to the cameras I'll try that. I even thought of enabling BLC, thinking maybe it would even out the stark differences in light and shadow. The thing that makes this a bit odd is that the above picture at the same time period stays in focus while clearly having the same dynamics between light and dark- the difference being it's under a large overhang. The other camera gets sun rays in the shot for a short while and even then it stays in focus. I'm really starting to think this has to do with a white balance issue, or maybe like max says- an exposure issue. The problem is gaining access to work this out at the proper times. I'm gonna post a series of shots for further assessment and thoughts. And let me say, I really appreciate all your thoughts. Thanks a bunch. 6:30am bright sun 7am with cars 7am no cars

Yeah check that first with a properly working power supply. This happened to my ptz a couple weeks back and it turned out the power supply took a crap. New power supply and all is well. Good luck.

Thank you for this info. I do not want you to go nuts because it doesn't depend on me- it's my employer. And since we're moving into a building with cams installed already, it's doubtful he'll want them. Last year I probably could have taken some off your hands. They are good cameras- I hope someone picks them up from you. Good luck!

Do you have any night pics of the IR type? We have all DW at work- the ones with no IR with starlight I believe. One crapped out. If we weren't moving I know they's score them for sure, but at this point they'd only say no.

Nope, that doesn't work for me. It only works for me the way I mentioned. But no biggy- as long as it's working for you!

^^I actually thought of tape on the dome just to see, but I hate to put anything on the dome that might muck it up. Painters tape would be my choice just temporarily to see. There is a current firmware update as well that I haven't gotten to yet, but I think it only addresses scheduling color time periods. There are some different choices besides auto for scene mode. Maybe one of them would be better. Guess I'll have to try. Here's the front door camera in the same time period, only it's under a deep overhead in shade, looking out at the same lighting dynamics-

Try as I may, I cannot follow that and I've read it four times. What I was referring to is searching within web service by file. It may very well behave fine if searching with PSS- which I agree is the better way to search and backup files. But searching by file, it will indeed show regular main stream recording files and have mixed in with them, motion recording files. It's all chronological, but searching this way does break up files separately. I'm sure it's fine otherwise. It's just I always search by file. What's your case so you need to search by file? Isn't it simpler to search/download by time with an event option? Assuming you have continuous and motion set for the same time period, I'm referring to doing a simple search of the days activities within web service by choosing a date, between the hours of a time, and a channel. It will of course bring up files that fall within those search parameters. Such as this menu, which shows regular recording and then a motion event in the list.

Yep, and the swann, lorex, and qsee mini domes will probably exhibit the same exact thing as well. It does seem that it may be the time of year too. As the year progresses, it may be less of an issue. Only as recently as this few weeks has this been a problem. So I'll see.

Interesting that the only way I see this behavior is logging into web service WAN. The multi camera split is automatically at sub stream settings but any camera that you bring up single screen will automatically climb up to main stream resolution. This behavior does not work if I log in via LAN, nor does it do it in PSS. I'm running the same version PSS as you. In those instances you open cameras at sub stream and even if you call one up at full screen, it remains at sub stream resolution.

Yep, that makes sense. And it means there's noting that can really be done about it, unfortunately.

This will work for you if I understand you correctly- http://www.dahuasecurity.com/products/ipc-hdbw32003202-220.html That's assuming you're really talking about varifocal, as mentioned above. I installed this camera recently and if you do need a varifocal camera, motorized auto focus is nice. It can be done at the camera with the toggle, or via the web interface. I did it via the toggle on the camera and it worked well. It's not entirely easy though. Why the hell so many products come with black writing on a black surface still boggles my mind. If you have directional writing for the zooming feature for gods sake- make the writing white. Couple that with looking at it in a rather awkward position and it becomes a pain. So there's a ringing endocement for using the feature via the web interface. But dialing in the fov and then letting the camera digest that and auto focus is very handy, regardless. I still think it'll look like crap with IR on in darkness though. Mine stays in day/color all the time being in a lighted room. Good luck.

Try as I may, I cannot follow that and I've read it four times. What I was referring to is searching within web service by file. It may very well behave fine if searching with PSS- which I agree is the better way to search and backup files. But searching by file, it will indeed show regular main stream recording files and have mixed in with them, motion recording files. It's all chronological, but searching this way does break up files separately. I'm sure it's fine otherwise. It's just I always search by file.

I've yet to see this feature work on my dahua NVR with built in POE. It follows main stream settings only and does not change with motion detection. Not sure if it's an nvr problem or the cameras problem. Using all dahua 2mp mini domes and one 2mp auto focus dome with audio. I see this can be done in NVR web interface, logging on with WAN correct?

You have to be careful with that one though because it can break up recordings and make critical seconds of an incident lost. Motion files break up continuous files on playback and even though it's mostly seamless, it can lose a second or two and that can make all the difference in a critical situation. With the dahua I installed for a daycare center, I have found that continuous/motion scheduling is best set for off hours when no one could easily pinpoint the time when something wrong happened. That makes it easy to find specific events the next day if needed. And even then, it's best to support that camera with another one just set to continuous, for full file continuity. But any time people are around to be able to report an approximate time an incident occurred, such as during normal business hours, it's best to keep motion detection out of the equation and just stick with continuous recording. It not only helps for complete and easy continuity for the file backup for authorities, but it can help prevent a precious second or two lost between continuous and motion file continuity. That's something I thankfully learned not from anything critical, but just by observing playback behavior. Food for thought when setting those schedules.

Where do you get it?

I have not tried that stuff- I'll have to see if I can even get it. But typcially where I am, we get enough rain during each week or so that anything I've tried thus far around the cameras just weakens so much that you have to reapply too frequently. And that becomes more of a pain than just doing a nightly web sweep and hoping for the best overnight. The spiders literally drop from the tress. I can't see spending more money on MP cameras and put up with that. I know I sound like a broken record about it so I'll say no more because in a lot of situations for people it can't be helped. But I won't be upgrading my analog system at home because of this until it makes sense to do so, lighting wise. Btw- the new settings look good on those cameras but make sure motion blurr is low. Maybe post a short video with movement in the shot to see how it's doing.

If the webs haven't been kept up with and cleaned away, it won't matter. And even if they have, 2am a spider can simply sit right in front of the lens and completely wipe out the shot. They do it on two of my cameras almost every night. A separate IR fixture is the only way, if IR is needed.

If that's just IR light on the driveway, I gotta say that is some strong IR- the best I've seen from a single dome! But this is why I would be that much more strategic about white light, how I place and aim the cameras near that light, and the camera choice itself. Perhaps even trying a daylight setting to keep the IR off if there was enough white light. I know it's a difficult compromise considering what's available at affordable price points. But this is something I would no longer deal with. The dahua 2mp mini domes do well enough at night, without one web to muck things up- but it takes white light to wake them up. I know you didn't prefer them for your situation, but going for an IR camera is a tough one. In the end the spiders always win, unfortunately.

As I have learned, just make sure YOU know how to hit the cameras themselves if need be, when dealing with POE NVR's. Know the easy way, and the hard way- you're likely to need both along the way. As for the hard drive, make sure you fully understand what the client wants...or what you assess they will actually need as far as recording. 2TB's is not much if any exterior cameras are in the mix. 3TB is the least I would start at and if the NRV holds up to 8, suggest to the client it's absolutely worth it right from the start. A 2TB hard drive included in an NVR is like a 500bg included in a DVR- it's a token, but for a commercial facility, it's not nearly enough.

You know when I look at their network speed domes, they're dahuas! I guess they work with their nvr's no problem, save having to give them their own power supply rather than the built in POE.

If that dome doesn't have IR reflection I'll be amazed. They actually designed it to be closed INTO the lens space! The only thing I can figure is they are trying to block off the IR from reflecting off more dome than necessary. But the lens better have true isolation or it's not gonna work.