ACTi ACM & TCM 3511 convoluted design

[3RDIGLBL 0]

Well I got 15 of these 3511 cameras to install, the cable is all run and would typically take a few minutes to install but these 3511 cameras will probably double or triple my install time because of the poor design of the dome housing. For those that have installed these cameras I'm sure you know what I mean. First off the base twists off and is not easy to twist back on making it difficult to install on a drop ceiling without shifting the ceiling tile all over the place. Second the plastic dome twists off instead of being removable by screws or whatever and when the dome is twisted off the whole lens assembly turns with it. Because of ir reflection there is a rubber seal surrounding the lens and it pushes up tight against the plastic dome cover cause the whole lens assembly to turn. Aligning this and adjusting this camera is a joke. There is no way to twist all the pieces back totally tight because as you twist the dome back on your freshly aligned camera is now not where you wanted it. I have almost thrown this camera down the hallway out of complete frustration.

 

Anyone have tips to make this a better experience with this camera?

[hardwired 0]

Acti has some installation tips here http://www.acti.com/getfile/KnowledgeBase_UploadFile/Tips_for_3-Inch_Dome_Installation_20100823_002.pdf, and I have another hint we found out the hard way.

 

If you install the base with screws that are not very close to flush with the baseplate, the screw head hits a capacitor on the camera board and damages it while turning it to lock it into the base, and the camera will fail, but often not right away, sometimes up to months later.

 

Replacing the capacitor fixes it, but since it took a while to show up, we had a number of them damaged by our installers before we found the problem.

 

Just a slightly larger gap between the base and circuit board would solve the problem.

[3RDIGLBL 0]

Thanks hardwired.

 

Me and my installer installed all the cameras today. I basically figured out what was in the PDF on my own but also learned a few things from reading it which will hopefully make it a bit easier the time.

 

I really hope they fix this design and it would be nice to plug into the camera without having to remove it from the base but hey if they just fix this one thing it would be great.

 

34 cameras installed and they love the install using exacq. The only complaint is that they are not to impressed with the night time video from the TCM7411 cameras. They have plenty of light around this building but the cameras are very dark. Tonight I stayed late so I can try to manually set the nighttime profile instead of using the auto settings. Inwas able to get it brighter but not with having to fuss with the shutter speed. I told them what to expect from messing with the shutter but they didn't seem to mind

 

Seems to me these 7411 cameras were better at night especially with all the lighting they have.

[rory 0]

you installed 34 cameras in one day?

[alpine0000 0]

I have almost thrown this camera down the hallway out of complete frustration.

 

NOOOOOOOO I was going to order two of the TCM-3511 cameras soon for a dark indoor application. I might think twice about these now. I def need IR though. After you read the PDF and figured out the install tricks, do you feel any differently about the cameras, or do you still hate them? How is the image quality? Are they easier to install now that you have learned the trick?

 

I'm wondering if I should find a different IP/dome/megapixel/IR/H.264 camera now for my application

 

Soon I am changing from an analog/dvr setup to ip/exacq server setup.

Edited September 23, 2010 by Guest

[3RDIGLBL 0]

What if I said yes LOL. No this was 2.5 weeks of work. We have over a mile of cat6 cable run and about 1800ft of 18/2. The 3511's we just put into the ceiling in a day because the cable was already there.

 

Well I had a bad 7411 and a bad 3511 to replace today and tonight I found another 3511 that failed to show a night shot. The it's are on but no picture just a snowy screen but the day shot is beautiful.

 

3 bad cameras out of 34.

 

I am not happy with the night time shots at all. I mean this school is lit up like a prison outside and the TCM7411's do not perform at all. I'm very disappointed.

 

The motion blur makes no sense at all even without the 3511. I have some still shots of me walking a normal pace and you can't tell it's me at all. What's the use.

 

At least they work well in the day when school is in session.

[3RDIGLBL 0]

I have almost thrown this camera down the hallway out of complete frustration.

 

NOOOOOOOO I was going to order two of the TCM-3511 cameras soon for a dark indoor application. I might think twice about these now. I def need IR though. After you read the PDF and figured out the install tricks, do you feel any differently about the cameras, or do you still hate them? How is the image quality? Are they easier to install now that you have learned the trick?

 

I'm wondering if I should find a different IP/dome/megapixel/IR/H.264 camera now for my application

 

I was responding to rory there on my last post.

 

I find them to be tricky ton install but got the hang of it now. I can adjust them easy enough so if the PDF is followed there should be no issue. Do a dry run before you drill in the base plate to be sure you got it.

 

The picture is fine in the day and the ir's work well in hallways at the school but the motion blur I get from them is horrible. I either got something setup wrong or there just completely useless at night for anything other than seeing an empty hallway.

 

I was told by acti that they have some new night cameras out. I was sent some today but have not read through it yet.

[3RDIGLBL 0]

I'm sorry but this TCM-7411 camera does not perform to it's .05 lux rating, I mean it can't.

 

I don't have a lux meter but I will be buying one now let me tell you.

 

A brightly lit parking lot has got to be over a lux. Why the heck is this camera so darn dark in a brightly lit lot. All the cameras are this way all the way around the building. I have the updated fw and latest profile. I had to do a manual night time profile and set the exposure to 1/30 because the default 1/60 was very dark.

 

I seriously think that the acm did better.

[alpine0000 0]

what a shame i was watching some youtube videos of these cameras last night and they looked good...

[3RDIGLBL 0]

what a shame i was watching some youtube videos of these cameras last night and they looked good...

 

Day time they work great for the money. Customer is happy but it's at night where they suffer.

[jjsafeware 0]

I'm sorry but this TCM-7411 camera does not perform to it's .05 lux rating, I mean it can't.

 

I don't have a lux meter but I will be buying one now let me tell you.

 

A brightly lit parking lot has got to be over a lux. Why the heck is this camera so darn dark in a brightly lit lot. All the cameras are this way all the way around the building. I have the updated fw and latest profile. I had to do a manual night time profile and set the exposure to 1/30 because the default 1/60 was very dark.

 

I seriously think that the acm did better.

better? but not much. it's about cmos sensor. it always struggles in low lux. it's better to stick with 3511 if night vision matters.

[alpine0000 0]

what a shame i was watching some youtube videos of these cameras last night and they looked good...

 

Day time they work great for the money. Customer is happy but it's at night where they suffer.

 

yea, i got that part. i thought i saw a nighttime shot of the tcm-3511, but it was the tcm-7811. it looks amazing. check this out:

 

 

and here is the acm-3511. it doesnt look too bad either in this video:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ab6f8of2zN4

[3RDIGLBL 0]

Ya I saw the 3511 Vids. Not sure why I am having such a hard time with them. Supposedly the profiles are optimum settings but I'm not having luck with them.

 

That 7811 is nice but it does obviously come at a price. It is much more than the 7411.

[thewireguys 3]

I have the 7411 and 1231 installed and yes you need light for you to get the images you want from them. The only 2 MP cameras the I am happy with at night are the Arecont 3130/3135 and Mobotix M12 so as of right now with everything on the market I think you pay for what you get. You want good low light MP cameras you have to spend money or add light.

 

And everyone says it's because of the CCD vs CMOS. I have the Basler CCD 1.3 MP camera and it is no better then the Acti.

 

I am testing Sanyo HD out but there low light is not very good either.

[3RDIGLBL 0]

But these guys have lots of light. Picture a walmart parking lot that is well lit or any well lit parking lot. By well lit I mean I could read a book sitting in the middle of the parking lot without an issue.

 

It looks like a prison here with all the lights. I don't have a lux meter but I would at a minimum it's probably 5 lux or so.

[thewireguys 3]

Have you contacted ACTI and let them look? I know there menu and GUI is not the greatest.

[3RDIGLBL 0]

Have you contacted ACTI and let them look? I know there menu and GUI is not the greatest.

Ya I did this afternoon. Looks like you have to set factory defaults after loading the profile. I had not done that and once I did the picture brightened right up.

 

I have no idea what it does under the cover because I really saw no change in what I have direct control over in the menu. Of course with a brighter image there comes the ghosting. I only tried this in a dimly lit gymnasium and I set a couple outside cameras the same way. I'll find out how the outside cameras worked in the morning when I head back tot the school.

[buellwinkle 0]

I did that on my ACTi as you described and it was too bright. Support set the max shutter speed to 1/30th and the picture turned out great and not much motion blurr at night.

[3RDIGLBL 0]

I did that on my ACTi as you described and it was too bright. Support set the max shutter speed to 1/30th and the picture turned out great and not much motion blurr at night.

 

I noticed that with my 3511's. If I set the max to 1/30 the picture would darkened and noise horrible, it records motion all night long, but the ghosting in very minimal. Not a pretty night time shot but I'd rather see the person then than a full blur.

 

Even the day time setting shutter is wrong. They have 1/5 for max but if the lighting is low like in a dim hallway or when the sun is setting then I notice that motion blur starts to happen.

 

I'm wondering if I should just set the day and night profile to a max of 1/30.

 

Is that how you set yours?

 

Thanks

[Soundy 1]

Well I got 15 of these 3511 cameras to install, the cable is all run and would typically take a few minutes to install but these 3511 cameras will probably double or triple my install time because of the poor design of the dome housing.

Hahahaha, welcome to my life with Arecont

 

If you REALLY want to frustrate yourself, try installing some Pelco domes

[thewireguys 3]

I just upgraded to the latest version of the 7411 firmware and I must say the B/W performance is a lot better.

[3RDIGLBL 0]

These cameras are frustrating including the 7411.

 

I got the night time picture looking nice and the customer is happy, of course now you can see a beautiful static shot but if something is walking by forget about it.

 

I thought ok I'll try to increase shutter speed from 1/5 to 1/10 and reduce some of that blurring. At first it works fine, the pictures darkens for a moment and then brightens back up with a lot more noise in the picture but at least I can live with it a little easier. Now the crappy part is when the camera changes mode and then goes back to the night profile the picture is not the same. The picture is now dark again and the only way out is to toggle back to 1/5 shutter. Why the heck did it work ok before the mode change but after the mode change it goes back dark.

 

These cameras are not friendly at all. I spend so much time trying to get them to work right and I mean hours and hours only to find that when the mode changed the picture is no longer the way it was so I then after to go back into all 34 cameras to change the shutter back to snail pace.

 

ARGH!

[thewireguys 3]

These cameras are frustrating including the 7411.

 

I got the night time picture looking nice and the customer is happy, of course now you can see a beautiful static shot but if something is walking by forget about it.

 

I thought ok I'll try to increase shutter speed from 1/5 to 1/10 and reduce some of that blurring. At first it works fine, the pictures darkens for a moment and then brightens back up with a lot more noise in the picture but at least I can live with it a little easier. Now the crappy part is when the camera changes mode and then goes back to the night profile the picture is not the same. The picture is now dark again and the only way out is to toggle back to 1/5 shutter. Why the heck did it work ok before the mode change but after the mode change it goes back dark.

 

These cameras are not friendly at all. I spend so much time trying to get them to work right and I mean hours and hours only to find that when the mode changed the picture is no longer the way it was so I then after to go back into all 34 cameras to change the shutter back to snail pace.

 

ARGH!

 

You get what you pay for ACTI works but not the greatest. I just updated my 7411 and the night image is much better.

[3RDIGLBL 0]

TCM3511 with a max shutter at 1/5 is the only setting worthwhile in complete darkness. Even at 1/10 it darkens too much. Static picture beautiful but walk a normal pace by them and forget it. What the hell is the use of this.

 

I agree that the 7411 has an improved night time picture now but walk past it LOL. Customer has some bright lights around so some areas I was able to set the night time to 1/30 but there is so much noise on the screen that it's hard to make out a walking person.

 

I just want a clear day and night shot without all the blur for an economical price. I'm not asking for much LOL

[thewireguys 3]

TCM3511 with a max shutter at 1/5 is the only setting worthwhile in complete darkness. Even at 1/10 it darkens too much. Static picture beautiful but walk a normal pace by them and forget it. What the hell is the use of this.

 

I agree that the 7411 has an improved night time picture now but walk past it LOL. Customer has some bright lights around so some areas I was able to set the night time to 1/30 but there is so much noise on the screen that it's hard to make out a walking person.

 

I just want a clear day and night shot without all the blur for an economical price. I'm not asking for much LOL

 

Acti is a basic camera so your expecting to much. There new cameras look real good for low light but they are $1000 and that is the price point for the best low light MP has to offer.