IP camera with IR - night watch problem

[kite81 0]

Dears, as this will not be proffesional problem, I still hope to receive proffesional answer.

I set up my first IP camera. I managed connection with ftp server. I have two problems:

1. My camera sent only 6 files on motion detection on e-mail. The problem is, that they are taken after somebody's move, when everything is to late - is it camera problem? Is it to slow or to cheap? (I would not like to spend 1000$ on the camera).

2. The camera has 24 IR diods. Indoor these diods are giving enought IR for the camera in the night. But outside we could see almost nothing, there are only building with light about 200 meters from camera. Camera is about 3 meters over the ground. What is wrong with it? Can snow absorb all the IR? Please give me some basic advice, should I buy additional source of IR or just make some light arount the camera? See screen below:

 

Thank you for your support in advance!

[rory 0]

The camera is staying in color, that is the first problem.

You need to see why it is not switching to a BW or at least some form of IR sensitive night mode.

If the camera uses a photocell to switch check that, cover it with something black to totally dark it out and see if it switches out of color mode. If it uses some kind of digital night mode then check the cameras settings, make sure night mode or day night is enabled.

[thewireguys 3]

It would help to know the make and model of the camera.

[kite81 0]

When I used the camera indoor, it was working properly, IR were lithiting and I could see in the room very good in BW.

Can it be that lights on the attached JPG are making the camera think it is not dark? Or is it to far for it? Mayby I should lower the camera, not to see those lights?

[rory 0]

Perhaps, I have seen car headlights cause day night cameras to switch to color as they pass. What type of camera is it?

[kite81 0]

I was watching this night view for a while and it wasn't this this car, for hole night it was like that.

I'm not sure if it is right name, but I found: ACTIO AC5289

 

I'm not advanced user, but seeing IP cameras manus on Internet, it seems that my has similas menu. I don't remember that my camera has any manual switch for Day/Night mode. Any ideas?

[buellwinkle 0]

Doesn't appear to be a name brand camera, probably an inexpensive camera made in Shenzhen, China. Most higher end cameras have the ability to provide pictures or video starting seconds before the motion detect occurred. Less expensive cameras that I've used do not but still seem to have that figured out as they provide video throughout the motion. If you don't see any activity, it could just be the wind blowing, a squirrel or rabbit or like someone said, a cars headlights.

 

The IR LEDs they put around the lens on these cameras, from my experience are usually good for about 10' for the indoor models and about 30' for outdoors cameras.

 

Ideally, you want a PIR motion dectector for outdoor night surveillence and most cameras have a connector on the back to add one. Also have the PIR trigger flood lights and avoid the whole IR thing, then you'll have a color image.

 

I use a cheapy from Boya and it's an outdoor camera mounted outdoors and from the top of the landing on stairs, in pitch darkness, I can see about 30' out, here's a sample picture from 2:30 AM.

[kite81 0]

Thank you for your answer, I will try to connect PIR motion.

 

Yes, the camera wasn't expensive. I just needed to start with something cheaper for the beggining (I hope).

 

Best regards

[rory 0]

Take another look at the camera though, as that still looks like it is just in color mode - in that mode we wont see the IR on image.

 

Are the IRs coming on out there at night?

If someone stands right up to the camera within a couple feet, can you see their face?

If you cannot see their face and still looks like it is in color mode, but you can see the IR on the actual camera, then there is a switching problem either mechanical or digital, depends on the camera. If it uses a photo cell it could be a bad or disconnected photocell, check that, Ive had to change some bad ones before. If it has a mechanical IR Cut filter, make sure that has not stuck, that can happen, rare, but happens especially if something like non stop flashing lights keep causing it to switch back and forth, then it could come off track and need to be opened and readjusted. Check the settings within the camera programming if it has them. If it has dipswitches, check those also.

 

Can you provide a link to the camera, was that Acti or Actio?

[kite81 0]

When I stood in front of the camera, my eyes were flashing, so probably IRs were lighing quite good. Also I saw IRs were red (not like during the day).

It means that I should check the phote cell.

Can car lights from that far (about 50m) make camera switch from day to night mode?

Sorry, I'm not sure if my seller gives proper information about the camera. I found one on eBay:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Wired-Waterproof-Network-36-LED-IR-IP-Camera-Software_W0QQitemZ220548099141QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item3359b0ec45

which looks the same, but has more IR and different software.

This staff is making me confused. I thought that it would be easer to set up home monitoring system, to inform about motion detection

[rory 0]

I cant judge by that camera, has to be something with more specs. But if you see IR as red then it is on, how powerful is another issue but not the issue right now - your camera looks like it is staying in 100% color mode. Now, the IR might also be coming on with the Photocell, at least thats the way it normally works, but depends on the camera. If it is then the Photocell is working okay, but the camera is not switching. If the camera is not switching, first check the settings for a day night mode, make sure it is enabled. other then that, perhaps bad camera, or try changing the power supply. It is possible it is not enough power to push the IR strong enough, and the camera might have no IR cut filter at all, so it can adjust and pick up the IR if there is any ...

[kite81 0]

Most probably it is as you say. But remember that camera worked perfect when I checked in the office, it switched to noghti mode. But when I took it outside - it is as you can see. I do not remember to made something with turning off any switch for only day mode (I can't check it at the moment because I'm far from it, withour remote access).

I wonder what external factor can cause camera not to switch to night mode - IRs are working, camera is in day mode. Can it be those lights far from camera? Snow? Should I direct camera lower, not to point at those lights?

[rory 0]

Can you post a day time image, and or one with someone standing withing 10 feet of the camera at night? Also, the longer distance from inside to outside (if it is much longer) could cause the voltage drop and hence less IR power at night. Is it being powered over cat5, POE or regular 12VDC? 12VDC over cat5 cant go that far without alot of loss.

[kite81 0]

Cat5e - it is about 5m long.

Here is photo from the day mode:

[rory 0]

Oh yeah .. move it up more, the IR on the white snow could be tricking the camera into thinking it is light and therefor it stays in color. I didnt realize it was that low. do you have that image, from around the time it turns to dark? In this case the camera probably switches separate from the IR, probably just digitally.

[kite81 0]

Just after the installation (during the day) the view was "perfect". During the night I reset it. So maybe because of the snow I should reset it evety time day comes into night and so on?

[buellwinkle 0]

I know you have start somewhere, but here's my thoughts. People learn to play a musical instrument by buying the cheapest instrument, like a guitar or piano not realizing that having a poor quality instrument makes it more difficult to play, especially for a beginner because on top of being more difficult, you don't know if you are bad because of you or because of your instrument.

 

Having said that, I can tell you I've spent days trying to get cheap junk Chinese ebay special cameras to work only to have them break or have the image quality deteriorate to worthless status over time.

 

What I would recomend is that you go with the low end of some name brand camera. For example, at my lake house, I use Axis M10 series and not only is the image quality far superior, you have good tech support if you have a problem and the camera's web interface has help built in and can has so much more flexibility than the Chinese cameras. As for price, I paid about $157 for their WiFi model, so not really that much more than junk and certainly worth the difference.

[rory 0]

Yeah but the Axis M10 is indoor color only?

He would have been better off with a decent CNB Day Night Bullet and forget about the IP side of it, since on a budget.

[kite81 0]

Does anybody know if I can switch manually this "cheap Chineese" camera to node mode?

I just wonder if it is really matter of snow. If I can expect that when it melt, camera will work properly during nights.

[buellwinkle 0]

Most of the chinese cameras have the same exact software. I tried several and while they look a little different, they all seem to have the same options. I have never seen the option to put in night mode manually. On more expensive cameras i've used, you can.

 

I use my Axis M10 looking out a window. So while it's not outdoors, it has a view of the outdoors, sort of an inexpensive way to do it. I have not seen any outdoor enclosure for the M10 but I ordered an underwater enclosure for my Flip camera, I wonder if the Axis will fit in there. It's good to 30' under water, it should be fine in the rain. costs about $40 shipped. It does not have an IR cutoff filter, so it can't be used at night with IR lighting but I can use it with motion activated flood lights which are cheap and a good theft deterrent.