rory

on the subject of laptops and without starting a new thread, i have my first real laptop, not one I just fix for other people nor the old DOS one I used to have Anyway, no matter what you do, if you want it so when you are portable and you close the lid it goes into standby, I want that, so I save battery, but no matter what powercfg commands or power scheme settings when it is on AC and you close the lid, it also goes into standby. See I also use it at home with a separate LCD, keyboard and mouse. That would be fine if my USB mouse or Keyboard would work once its in Standby, but not on the laptop it doesnt. Basically I want it so it Wakes on USB but my laptop does not do that, also I want it to only go into Standby on DC, or if the Lid is closed not to go into Standby if it is on AC. SO after much research for literally hours and hours and thousands of websites including MS sites, I wrote my own little app late last night that does this: When the PC sends a Standby (sleep) message, my program checks to see if it is on battery or AC, if it is on AC it denies the request and stays on. Voila!! Problem fixed I want to add some more to the app such as minimize it to the system tray (it is hidden when it runs right now) and also have a tray menu that has manual sleep button and maybe some other basic options, but for now, if anyone wants the app as it is, let me know. It uses subclassing, so no timer, doesnt seem to cause any issues so far and neither does it take up any CPU and only uses very small amount of memory.

They say dont touch it .. is it safe to touch, this may be a silly question but just checking .. i mean is it just an issue of dirtying it ..? Also, is it safe to look through .. the human eye i mean .. just want to check it out .. i have one here .. may test it with a camera in daylight full sun out, to see if focusing like that may be better so that it stays focused for the IR at night .. thanks Rory

Last week and this week I built 2 PCs, one for a home user and the other for a DVR. Both had Audio driver problems using the SoundMax audio chips. This is relevant to Windows XP SP2. Basically the first was the P5L-MX and I was finally able to get it working properly using an older 2006 driver. The problem this one had was MP3s would skip and Video files would not resume audio when you scrolled forward. Some video files would also "jump" forward. Reloading OS, Different OS versions, Different HDDs, Different Bios flashes, and basically everything else known to mankind, did not fix the problem. Disabling hardware acceleration did fix the issue, but I was not happy leaving it like that. In the end as I mentioned, the only fix was to use an older driver. I did not notice this problem on the same boards only as recent as a month ago, but perhaps they had updated the onboard chips now as they come with Vista drivers as well. Next board is the P5B-Deluxe. It had none of the audio issues found in the P5L-MX, but I noticed it rather slow when clicking to browse in and out of folders. Now this has 2GB of DDR2-667, and a Core 2 Duo, ive built several with this configuration over the past several months, and they did not have this problem, granted they were using the P5L-MX motherboard, but speed wise the specs are great. The problem was that it would hang slightly on and off, especially when clicking back. Once again, reformatted and reloaded the OS several times, different HDDs, different Bios Flashes, Changed Bios settings over and over, reset to defaults, every change known to mankind, and even older and newer Drivers, but none fixed the problem. I even loaded the AHCI Sata Drivers on the last occasion, and though overall the system was very slightly faster, it did not help with my main issue. So, I disabled the NAVIGATION sound in the Sound Properties (accessible from the control panel) and that fixed it. Since this is a DVR anyway, I just turned off all sounds in the end. I reported both of these issues to Asus and also posted on their online forum. Hopefully they will fix this for new boards, though I doubt it. Otherwise the boards are great, just need to work around the sound problems. Rory

hi, what version of the Geo software is it?

Will give that a try, but I always turn the Indexing service off and never have any problem, so dont think that would be effected by a specific audio chip/driver, never know though.

Update on this, it also occurs on other brands of motherboards: http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=72329#72329

Ok thanks Actually I did install it on a clients PC i built yesterday and its fine, no issues at all so far so .. Anyway, another thing I should make everyone aware of that are installing new computers and using XP, it is something I mentioned before on another thread: http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=9354 Explanation again: THIS IS FOR XP USERS AND NEW MOTHERBOARDS WITH ONBOARD AUDIO CHIPS ENABLED IN THE BIOS (DEFAULT). SPECIFICALLY FOR SOUND MAX AUDIO. NOTE: The problem still occurs when the Sound Services and files are disabled on startup. Best fix is to disable the onboard audio and install a separate Sound Card, they are very cheap these days. But if you are worried about additional space it takes up, heat, or just dont want to buy a new card, then read on. Exploring your computer (eg. browsing folders) there is normally a clicking sound which is the Windows Explorer Sounds in the Sound Scheme; Start Navigation - Complete Navigation is typically not enabled by default. With the SoundMax drivers for Windows, the issue mentioned in that thread appears, it is slow, somewhat of hangs, as you click on folders and arrow back and up to browse. This problem is not just for Asus boards, also goes for other boards from GigaByte, Asus, etc, it has to be a bug with the SoundMax audio chip and XP. Perhaps their support is now more geared to Vista, as I only began to see this since Vista was released and around the middle of last year, several systems with the same exact specs which I had not had this problem occurring on in the past, identical hardware except now newer versions of the motherboard, gave issues. I was able to fix one using older drivers, but so far the only fix was to disable the Start Navigation in the Scheme - but even that is not good enough. To completely get around this bug (as best as can for now), basically you should do this to any new PC that is going to use onboard audio from Soundmax and running XP - simply delete the Start Navigation sound - if you replace it with another file, the problem will still exist - it must be deleted - if you disable it, when the client changes their theme, it will come back enabled - the file must be deleted. The file is C:\Windows\Media\Windows XP Start.wav NOTE: its not the file that is the problem, it is the way Windows XP or the Audio driver (or Both) is handling the action. So far It has appeared on ALL motherboards i have used since the time I found it, when using XP as I always do - Asus and GigaByte at least, and even my new HP laptop (6510b), also occurred on XP Home AND XP Pro and SP2. While on the issue of Onboard Audio, regarding RealTek, I recently noticed at least on a 945 chipset, when accessing the Windows XP control panel it may also hang or be slow opening. Fix - get rid of the icon in the control panel. To do this, easiest way is to download tweakui and remove the 2 instances of it from the Control Panel tab, which will remove it and get rid of that bug. The icon causes no issues on my 965 laptop chipset though. (i was originally getting these 2 mixed up, thought the MSI mobo I just built had SoundMax but it was Realtek and it has something called SoundMan, either way, seems they both have their issues with XP!!) Anyway back to the original issue, could it be SP2 and the newer Audio Chipsets? No idea, thats a question for someone that is still using SP1 or plain old XP without any service packs - but I doubt it, and SP2 is all that is available now, next to Vista.

Just found this, haven't tested it yet, if anyone else is using it please post any "side effects". http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsxp/0a5b9b10-17e3-40d9-8d3c-0077c953a761.aspx http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=75ED934C-8423-4386-AD98-36B124A720AA&displaylang=en

http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=11323 http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=11322 Hopefully to centralize some of the information that is out there and get a better handle on MegaPixel only products for those of us in the CCTV world looking for the higher video quality. Any general discussions/comnments about those threads please post it here, thanks.

Hi, it can be a small delay, but depends on the connections at both ends, and the compression on the DVR's webcam. Couple tips: Start at 1 as 1-4 together will be ultimate lowest quality but fastest connection/video. 1-If you have a slow internet connection, try changing the webcam compression to H.264. 2-Connect in lowest quality then switch after it has loaded all cameras. 3-Connect with bandwidth set to modem if possible (not sure if that option is in the program you are using) 4-Disable Direct Draw Overlay (not sure if that option is in the program you are using) As for the hard drive, you can just add it in as a normal second drive, create a folder in it as you would on the first drive, and assign that folder in Geo in addition to the existing one. You could do RAID if you wanted, though I dont have experience in that area and I believe it would bring the cost of the DVR up considerably to do it right.

Most Geo cards from China are clones, which we dont support on this forum. But please let us know. Also, the clones dont typically work with the newer geo software, and driver support on them is sketchy, if you can get 3 out of 10 of them working even with the older Geo software and drives, you are lucky.

Video card wont help the recording. Need more RAM and CPU, Geo uses alot of RAM. Also bad hard drive will cause that, make sure you can hardly hear the drive, if it is loud and its not a Raptor or SCSI then do some tests on the drive/replace.

Mjpeg should be high quality, and worse for streaming as it is lower compression than MPEG4, so its not that, its just their software, Everfocus' client is similar with the awful quality (or at least use to be), dont know why but I mentioned it to an Avtech Sales guy before, the quality is awful, even moreso in Multiview, but really also very bad in Full view. That said, both are (or were) java clients and ActiveX is always higher quality. Even using H.264 on Geo systems those are much higher quality remote video than the Avtechs. Also, if its using Mpeg4, its not that also, unless they messed up big time on their own customized compression algorithyms, as using GeoVision and Mpeg4 it is high quality. When we use H.264 it then becomes lower quality as it is much more compressed, faster though, but still much better quality than the Avtechs client. Even then i only ever set the H.264 on GeoVision when the clients have a very slow connection, otherwise it is typically just Mpeg4 (geo Mpeg4). Give the Avermedia EB1304NET a try and you will see a 100% increase in remote video quality, course about a 100% increase in price also. Personally, I would never push the Avtech units for their remote video feature, until they come out with a better client app. One could say it at least has remote video at that cost though as many dont, or the ones that do cost more. Looking at some units now though that look better physically, are cheaper, and have a higher quality remote video client app.

Runs fine so far. No lockups or anything out of the ordinary. In fact other that some Network diagnostic utility and an additional TOOLS tab in MSCONFIG to launch windows features like IPConfig etc. dont see any difference to note. They probably added in all the security updates that have been released since SP2, though I made my own installer for that sometime last year, and I continue to install that on new XP computers. I will hold off installing it on clients PCs until I have used it myself for a few weeks without errors. On a side note, tested Vista and just hated it, maybe as it is so different and I dont know it inside and out yet (I like to know the guts of the OS), but the whole Aero theme and Graphics hog part of it does not make me a happy camper (see no point of that 3D memory hog at all); so went back to XP. Check this out, in XP the shared video uses approx 8-27 MB of the total 384MB with the Intel Onboard Graphics, even when watching movies - with Vista it averages around 151MB of the 384MB just idled, not using any additional programs and even tweaked moderately. My laptop was a 3.4 on the Vista performance mark, and I have 3GB of DDR2-667 with a Core 2 Duo 2.0. It just felt slow, even in classic mode and after disabling many services. In any event, it made me dizzy. Now just for a refresh of the XP look, Im using the Razor Vista Style with a different bliss background and fully tweaked XP, and I feel good now. PS. Don't save and use it as a theme as that creates display performance and other issues, just assign the style in the appearance section, then set the desktop background.

I think I saw one before, will do a quick search, but I think it was an OEM in Asia. Could just get a cheap $30 converter and velcro it to the top of the mux.

You could use a Mux then use a VGA Converter, as thats basically all there would be inside the box. Though its not a single solution.

Well CIF at 320x240 is much less pixels than 640x480+ so the recorded video would be lower resolution either way. If the camera is low resolution already though then it wont be that noticeable, but then it wont be high resolution and all the fine details are left out. When using the PC based and you change from 320x240 to 640x480 there is a big difference in the quality of the playback as well as the live video when zoomed to a full screen. Standalones can vary so much and half the time they say something is something its something else. Have you looked at things like writing, licence plates, etc, in full view in CIF, compared to D1? and How many pixels do your cameras have (not TVL).

As far as I know its all there is. Kiwi asked why the need for another app? The Avtech Client's video quality is awful.

Typically yes, but only if it is truly high resolution, compare the total image pixels as that is what counts.

depends on the cameras, as well as the DVR.

Ok I installed it and it has been running fine. No major noticeable changes. Performance seems about the same, hard to tell as I was also doing some new tweaks which have made my laptop fly.

There is a couple others here from there, cant remember who they are off hand though .. welcome to the Forum, from the Bahamas

Yes first would be AvTech for the cheapest, then for a couple more dollars would be Avermedia EB1304NET.

Yep congrats from the sunny Bahamas

glad its ok now. Sorry I would have menbtioned that yesterday but had no keyboard at the time .. yes its basically delete geo*.ini in the windows folder and that would clean up most of the main Geovision INI setting files.