shockwave199

I never liked the multiple power adapters, personally. Confirm what type of adapter the cameras need and consider separate adapters for each camera. At the least, you'll ensure that if your adapter goes down ALL your cameras won't go black, and at most, you may very well clear the problem. And since it's only four cameras, no biggy having four adapters.

Read up in the IP forum. And if you're investing in that type of system, build up, don't piece meal. Be certain whatever software or nvr you choose will support whatever cameras you add over time. You can piece meal an analog system together, choosing almost any cameras. Not a good idea with an HD system. You have to choose and match software and hardware much more wisely. Good luck.

It might be a graphic card issue or maybe the remote software doesn't support 64bit, or more likely IE9. Have you tried compatibility mode in IE? Or maybe you have to actually open the video feed windows somehow. Try right clicking on one of the black windows. Does it give you an option to open/close/open all/close all? If so, try open all. Have you tried to view in Chrome instead of IE?

For instance, this is a 23x zoom ptz and zoomed out on a tower approx a mile or more away, the view is this- The tower is just to the right of the sand mound in the back, the little stick sticking up next to the mound way in the distance Zoomed in digitally- It was windy that day and the camera is pole mounted, so the image is a bit smeared. And that's another point- be very sure the camera is mounted rock solid or it won't matter how tight you can zoom, you'll get annoying movement from even a slight wobble at extreme distance. But that tower is a LONG way out. Zoomed on a day with calm winds, it would show decent details. Perhaps it would be enough of a fov of a ski slope to enjoy the closer view, or a closer view of some greens on the course. This camera costs 1K. But the question remains- what's the true distance you're talking about? Incidentally, this Dahua ptz is analog. There is an HD model as well. I think that one is approx 1,500 bucks.

What's the real distance you are from them? And how much detail are you really looking for? Depending, you could get a 32 or 36x optical zoom with a 16x digital zoom. That won't give you a crisp shot of the ball dropping in the hole, but it could get you a clean picture at a decent fov for a nice overview of the action...maybe.

Have you tried switching around the power connectors on that multi power adapter to see if it's one specific power barrel that's shot? Tried a new 4-way power supply? Tried a single power adapter just for that line? Why didn't you use cat5 with POE for the cameras?

Glad you're hearing things now!

Check in PSS for default volume settings, check the ipad mixer settings and see if there's any additional audio settings, and yes- dig fully in the dvr menus for audio settings. You may not have volume control, but make sure you've looked everywhere.

What kind of mic are you using? Even the cheap dedicated cctv mics are good, so I'd recommend you use a cctv mic. Look everywhere you can in the dvr menu for mic volume. I have a q-see dvr but I suspect it's a dahua as well. Dig around every menu and see if there's a volume control for mic/audio. Turn it up full. That will give you excellent volume. I don't use PSS software but there should be a volume slider and even mute for audio, I would think. You may have to be on the video channel that the audio is on to hear it though. If audio is on channel 1, you probably won't hear it if you're clicked on channel 2. Audio should record with picture as well, but test it and make sure it's there after converting to AVI and playing the file back. Sometimes audio can be flaky after conversion, so just make sure it's working properly.

You could try a bnc surge protector such as this at the dvr end of the coax and ground it to the dvr. Might clear the problem, might not.

I think you may need more of a solution than that dude.

I linked to it a couple posts up. I have the 700tvl 23x version. It's been excellent. Btw- I found another shot from my Inesun ptz at home of that car, only this shot has the IR on- a great shot as well.

Here's some from the cameras I use. If you have an analog system, I like a quality ptz to help with LPR. But you gotta be on it with the camera mostly, not running out your front door. Or, you could dedicate a preset position for it. From the Dahua, arrow security about 140' on an angle pulling away- This is from my home PTZ, and Inesun camera [Hong Kong]. 150' zoomed in, my 'shady car' episode one night. Plate number obscured- Dahua 250' zoomed in, plate obsured- This is one is the Dahua. It's me parking with the inside dome on. I didn't realize it until I played back the file how perfect the shot is. Perfect, but extremely unlikely you can catch a shot like this on the fly-

What's your idea of affordable? And for that matter, what's your idea of shady! I think I'd speed away if someone came barreling out of a house at me! Were you over reacting, or was it really shady? Not every car that slows down in front of your house is shady. However, when possible I take note of such things as well, and the later it gets at night the more I try to record. I use this ptz at work, the 700tvl version- http://www.dahuasecurity.com/products/sd6923-6930-6936-6970-h--86.html It has such good low light vision that just a bit of exterior light from street lights and such is enough to be able to keep the IR's off. And that allows it to act as quite an effective LPR camera, and of course you can follow and re-position as needed. But it's not a cheap solution, which is why I ask what's affordable is to you. I'll post some pics later if I can of how well it can work for LPR.

What dvr do you have?

Maybe it's the joystick controller. Have you tried cleaning it? Maybe an appropriate electronics spray cleaner would help.

It may be that adjusting any settings while in auto won't work. I'm assuming you'd have to change it to manual to affect change. And I'd change it to manual, save, and then switch back to auto and save just to see if that makes the setting take and work properly. Just as guess- I don't have this camera.

You better get comfortable starting with 1k for not fancy. There are too many variables for a particular installation to consider. I can gaurantee one camera alone will not cover your 40' driveway properly, so you need at least two there. Now you're up to an eight channel system. And that's just good FOV's- not taking into consideration the lighting you have or lack thereof for the whole span, which will dicate what you need in a camera, which will dicate price as well. And I'm only talking one location here- the driveway. It's involved. You are right to say what you expect and need, and to ask before you kill yourself installing. But you gotta check the low budget 'not fancy' expectations at the door. You want useable results you'll have to spend more bucks than you think, and fully understand what each location needs in terms of the proper camera type. Many will say to install an NVR with MP cameras- bucks. I still believe analog can provide perfectly useable evidentiary results if good gear is chosen and installed well. And both an analog and MP system, well installed, will do remarkably well if the criminal or vandal is dumb enough to make it easy for ID. That one is a crap shoot.

I have analog cams with IR and some are ignored, some get webs. I deal with it. But upgrading to MP cams, I would be sure the cameras are free of that problem. And if the cameras are starved for light, I'd provide it another way.

For exterior, like any other camera- you should avoid IR in the camera. It will likely draw spiders and webs and all the hassle associated with that. I wouldn't let poor low light MP performance make me forget that fact. Use an external IR fixture or provide additional exterior light. But if you're going for a superior picture, don't let IR in the camera ruin it for you. That's just counter productive, imo.

Client management software. It looks like your QC dvr's use PSS, so try this app and see if your viewing is more stable, and has better features as well- http://qsee.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/907/kw/QC%20series Btw- you should be able to open both your dvr's in that software. http://qsee.custhelp.com/ci/fattach/get/50/1307894048/redirect/1/filename/how%20to%20add%20device%20to%20PSS%20program%20-%20QC.pdf

Yeah, hit q-see and look for firmware updates. Can you open both dvr's within one CMS? IE isn't the only way to view cameras and I really prefer CMS for my q-see 408. Also, try chrome or mozilla and see if internet viewing is more stable than IE, in the mean time. And I agree- no windows 8 IE10 for me.

Yeah okay- flaky I admit. That's because if you can't solve the power issue, you're sunk and you can forget about anything further for your ptz.

I was kind of faced with the same problem with my ptz, only not as extreme. From the power source by the dvr to the ptz it's 100'. I decided to power the camera from an outlet in the attic at 40'. Haven't had a problem, and glad I did.

At 24/7, how many fps are you recording? Obviously 1-3 fps would increase recording time. The dvr we use at work- an openeye- has a feature called intensive recording, whereby you record 24/7 at a chosen low fps and upon motion, it'll record at a higher chosen fps. My q-see at home, you just schedule, choose fps [and other quality settings] and there you have it. And I just rely on the internal hard drive to record. I don't do redundant backups. However in my audio life, I don't consider critical recordings are safe unless backed up to three different places. But for my cctv setup, the internal HD does the work and keeps the work, with no further consideration.