A word of caution about the QC444

[QC444 1]

I bought a QC444 DVR not long ago from CompUSA.

 

All in all, it's not bad for the price. Specifically I use it to monitor Video from my Android Phone and it works well for that so basically I'm happy.

 

But, after hours upon hours of working with ChrisH in their tech support office plus Level 2 support, they were completely unable to get the sending of emails for motion detection working and also could not get FTP working.

 

I have not yet been able to confirm with a real person that anyone has been able to successfully use that function.

 

If someone with more than 40 posts or so chimes in and says it works I might believe it.

 

The problem might be that their firmware only works if you set up the device using DHCP. If you assign a static IP to your LAN computer(s), it may not work. Just a theory. They had no better explanation.

[rory 0]

That DVR is made by Dahua.

I use the same DVR but its from a different US distributor.

I tested the email on motion and it worked for me.

Too much motion though so I didnt leave that on for long.

I set all my DVRs to a static IP.

 

What exact problems are you having?

What email settings were you using?

For example, did you use your ISP's SMTP server?

What is the DVR's firmware version?

 

I didnt test FTP yet.

[SEANHAWG 1]

I used a different DVR but you may need to change your port settins. See this thread for example:

 

 

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=23708&hilit=email

[Voltaire 0]

I have the QC444 and I am using a static IP address. The email alerts on motion detection only work for a short period of time. For example I got 10 alerts on March 17th from 8:04PM until 9:49PM then nothing until I got 1 at 3/19 at 7:01 AM. Then 3 more from 11:37AM -11:51 AM of the same day. Then nothing until 3/20 when I got 2, 1 at 7:49PM and 7:50PM. Very strange.

 

FYI, I could not get any emails to work when I tried to use my gmail account to send the emails.

 

Now last night I turned on the FTP function and that is working almost too well. Since I turned it on about 16 hours ago it has uploaded 25800 images. I think I just figured out what I need to do to the settings to make it work better. BTW, anyone know of a good free/real cheap online FTP services? The one I am using now really sucks. I just picked the first one I found as a proof of concept.

 

Now after turning on the FTP I started getting the emails a little more frequently but still sporadically. From Midnight last night until 1PM this afternoon I had gotten 16 alert emails in 7 different spurts.

 

So I don't think the static IP is the issue. At least for the FTP. I was thinking that maybe I was having trouble with the network connection for the email but given the FTP is having no issues that theory is fading. Although since the email success appears to have approved maybe it is because the connection is being maintained. Any ideas.

[rory 0]

Could be an outgoing delay with your SMTP's server.

[SEANHAWG 1]

Could be an outgoing delay with your SMTP's server.

I agree.

 

Putting motion based email alerts in areas of high traffic is not recommended in my opinion. It gets to be almost a pain in the butt. Perhaps come up with some alarm related email alert instead to get the more "legit" emails.

[QC444 1]

The important thing here is that

 

I am able to send the TEST Email successfully....

 

So that rules out just about everything related to settings.

 

For whatever reason, the TEST email works but No emails from the Motion Detection are ever sent. I have no idea why the test email would

work fine every time but never the MD emails?

 

I am still of the opinion that the Email and FTP functions on the QC444 do not work and that it is a known issue for QC as I spent TONS of time with their tech support and they were unable to get it working past the TEST email.

 

FTP never works..even for one frame.

 

You can call me paranoid..but....

I believe that manufacturers Google their products and IMO, post counter opinions to negate bad publicity in many situations.

Often, the Planted poster has a brand new account created soon after a post by another member complaining about their product.

 

It goes like this....

 

REAL CONSUMER.....

I had a horrible time with this product....

 

FAKE COUNTER POST (Usually right after or soon after the real post).....

I LOVE This Product !! HIGHLY Recommended!

You see a clear tit for tat pattern.

 

Granted, for all anyone knows I could be a competitor trying to diss QC....but I'm not.

I would love to find out these functions actually work, but I'm reasonably network savvy and I haven't been able to so far.

If I get it to work, I would come back and post accordingly.

 

I still haven't clearly seen where someone here has those two functions working as they are supposed to.

Edited April 3, 2011 by Guest

[QC444 1]

Could be an outgoing delay with your SMTP's server.

 

If this is the case, why then would the TEST EMAILS go out properly every time?

[QC444 1]

That DVR is made by Dahua.

I use the same DVR but its from a different US distributor.

I tested the email on motion and it worked for me.

Too much motion though so I didnt leave that on for long.

I set all my DVRs to a static IP.

 

What exact problems are you having?

What email settings were you using?

For example, did you use your ISP's SMTP server?

What is the DVR's firmware version?

 

I didnt test FTP yet.

 

Rory,

 

Had to argue with the Moderator

 

I cannot get any outgoing email alerts (other than the TEST email)

I cannot get the FTP function to work.

I will be modest and say I'm "familiar" with networking.

The version is 2011-03-01 (I think it's their latest)

 

This DVR is behind a Watcguard x700 Firewall appliance so I can see every single outgoing and incoming connection attempt to the DVR.

I can tell you that in the case of outgoing emails....

1). the TEST emails are hitting the firewall as expected

2). Production emails from motion detection are never making out of the the DVR onto the network.

 

In other words, the DVR simply is not generating the emails. Otherwise, I would see the outgoing connection (even if it failed to reach the smpt server)

 

So, After literally hours on the phone with QC, they were stumped. I was able to answer all of their questions and then some.

I returned the first DVR to where I bought it and exchanged it for another...but that didn't resolve the issue.

QC Tech support went over the settings with me with a fine toothed comb several times and found I had everything set up correctly but we made test changes anyway.

Nothing helped.

 

Can you let me know if your FTP test succeeds?

 

But even if your functions work, are we using the same software?

Mine came from CompUSA.

 

thx

[QC444 1]

Could be an outgoing delay with your SMTP's server.

I agree.

 

Putting motion based email alerts in areas of high traffic is not recommended in my opinion. It gets to be almost a pain in the butt. Perhaps come up with some alarm related email alert instead to get the more "legit" emails.

 

Are you saying ONE motion based email is too much ? That's all I tried to send at a time. Not sure how your scenario of too many emails applies to this thread's context The email alerts had nothing to do with high traffic areas. As far as this thread goes, I have no idea what you are talking about?

Would you like to explain how your post relates? Maybe I missed something?

 

It is not a delay of any kind.

 

The DVR never attempts to send the packets containing the email over the network at all.....other than the test email.

 

Based on that, the issue would appear to be

1). a Configuration error ( ruled out after hours on the phone with QC tech support (ChrisH).

2). A deficiency with the firmware in the DVR (most likely)

 

However, I was hoping other people with an actual QC444 would chime in with their experiences.

[rory 0]

Far as I know its a Dahua but they could have changed it.

See any resemblance in this thread to the network software that came with it?

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=23702

 

Does it look like this?

 

If so its a Dahua.

I havent had to update the firmware on that exact model yet nor do I have one here at home to check the firmware. But they do update them regularly to fix little bugs and perhaps on that model and that version there was one. I originally thought they all used the same firmware but just found out (luckily before I updated it) that those non HDMI units used a different firmware, and awaiting it now.

 

Are you saying its not sending emails at all, or just not attachments with it?

[QC444 1]

Far as I know its a Dahua but they could have changed it.

See any resemblance in this thread to the network software that came with it?

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=23702

 

Does it look like this?

 

If so its a Dahua.

I havent had to update the firmware on that exact model yet nor do I have one here at home to check the firmware. But they do update them regularly to fix little bugs and perhaps on that model and that version there was one. I originally thought they all used the same firmware but just found out (luckily before I updated it) that those non HDMI units used a different firmware, and awaiting it now.

 

Are you saying its not sending emails at all, or just not attachments with it?

 

Hello,

That link seems to be broken (BahamaSecurity).

When I try to view the link to another thread on this forum it says I don't have permission to view it?

 

It will send the TEST email only. The test email goes out and is received perfectly.

That is why anyone who argues I don't have the email settings configured correctly should be incorrect.

But none of the actual Motion detect emails ever go out.

 

So, it would seem that the settings are not right but I went over and over them with ChrisH at Q-See tech support and they see correct.

No one at Q-See was ever able to help me get it working. They gave up essentially. So far, I haven't found a single person with this

same model who got emails or FTP working.

 

I don't believe there is any way to get it working on this model. And I think Q-See knows that.

 

This thread will hopefully be found by people Searching the Internet for QC444 so they can see this information.

[rory 0]

Should get emails on motion as long as a couple things are done:

 

under network, email:

check the enable box, check the attachment box to send picture

test succeeds

 

under detect:

check the box next to the channel number to enable motion detect, check the send mail box, check the capture box (for attachments), select the channel to capture

 

Whats the firmware version, should be something like 2.606.00##.#

[QC444 1]

Should get emails on motion as long as a couple things are done:

 

under network, email:

check the enable box, check the attachment box to send picture

test succeeds

 

under detect:

check the box next to the channel number to enable motion detect, check the send mail box, check the capture box (for attachments), select the channel to capture

 

Whats the firmware version, should be something like 2.606.00##.#

 

Hello Rory,

 

I checked all these things and all was set accordingly. HOWEVER, in the TEST, no attachment was sent even though that was checked. Maybe the test will not send an attachment?

 

Version is 2.606.QS00.0

Build Date 2011-03-01

 

Still can't get any emails on Motion Detect

 

I still think it's an issue with QSee firmware that tey won't admit.

I can't find anyone using this system that can send motion detect emails.

[QC444 1]

I may have found something significant..

 

I went to the Q-See download center to see if an update was available and noticed this......

 

Firmware upgrade for model QC444 to version 2.606 - 20110301.

 

This Firmware has the following fixes and functions:

 

Fixes Email Notification Problem.

 

Instructions: Download the file QC444update.rar on the next page.

 

To unzip the file go to http://rarlab.com/download.htm and download the trial version of WinRAR at the top of the page and use it to unzip the file.

 

 

So it appears to be a known issue that they said was addressed in the last update....but it still doesn't work.

[SEANHAWG 1]

I dont have the Q-see, but I have a DVR that uses the same firmware I beleive. See if this helps. In this demonstration, I used Gmail. Please also try Gmail when you try it out as well. Copy these email settings to a "T", with the exception of the email address, you will need to use your own Gmail email. Make your to and from email, the same gmail email address. Also, make sure your username is also your gmail email. And use port 465.

 

 

And here is what your motion detection settings should look like:

Note that the email box is highlighted. You also have to specify which channel you want to have motion detected emails sent to, in this case, it was channel 9.

 

 

[rory 0]

BTW the test succeeds every time even with no email settings, so that test is useless.

Ive come to the conclusion that the entry level Dahua DVRs do not send email, or it is a problematic feature. The one I have here was working the other day, now it is not.

 

Otherwise ..

In both the budget unit (like the Qsee model) and the HDMI models, this is how I set it, this is an example of the settings over the network using the PSS Software. "Capture" is needed to send the attachment.

 

 

 

[SEANHAWG 1]

BTW the test succeeds every time even with no email settings

 

I cannot say the same for me. At one time, I had the incorrect port set and it kept giving me an error.

[rory 0]

BTW the test succeeds every time even with no email settings

 

I cannot say the same for me. At one time, I had the incorrect port set and it kept giving me an error.

 

I now have several online, different models, different firmwares, and it seems they can differ quite a bit. Even the same one I have at home with a firmware from december, and one in the field with a january firmware, the january one has no attachment field in the EMAIL section of the network. The basic unit with a much older firmware from I think 2009 even has that field. Its strange as from one to the next they can either be missing features or fields, but the most common and important fields are still the same.

 

The 32 channel is yet another different firmware and that has the matrix feature as well. Its an old firmware though, I have the new one but didnt test it yet, since Dahua stopped giving out firmwares I might wait for the US rep to get us one, as it costs more money and cant afford to brick it - even though they really only have one 32 channel like this. In the January firmware they also now have IP filter.

 

I remove the user 666666, but cant remove the user 888888, admin, and default. Seems that only 888888 and Admin have the ACCOUNTS feature, adding an another admin user, they dont get that feature - at least not over the network.

 

What im doing now with them is this, setting up remote video for the clients with preset logins to a power user and a basic user. The power user can watch live and playback and I give them (almost) the full version of the software with that. The basic user is only live and in low res only. The power user will be username and password custom to the client. The basic user is a generic user and password across the board.

 

Under network I set Max 5 network connections - this ofcourse is designed for only a couple remote users at the most, not including myself as the admin. Also this is unless they specify they want the basic user with a special login and pass ofcourse but none of these clients know enough about computers or networks etc to even want to be bothered with that.

 

What I now typically have is 2 setups:

(BOTH have the icons on each video box removed for best display speed)

 

1-PRO: this has 2 tasks (more about tasks later), 1 is a High Res connection in Main Stream, the other is Low res Extra Stream (CIF, 256). It will auto connect to the low res task on starting the program. At anytime they can select the High res or vice versa. They can also playback, or stop the tasks, logout and log back in again and add one at a time however they want - BTW Tasks are a great powerful feature that all SHOULD be using with this software, essentially it is Dahua's version of GROUPS.

 

2-LITE: Stripped down version, its approx 17MB, the DLLs have to remain even if not being used so that brings it up to that much. The skin folder is stripped down to 2MB, from a whopping 40MB with the PRO or 55MB with the default installation. The GUI speed diff between this and the default installation is day and night. It also cuts down on memory and CPU usage as it doesnt have to load all the skin files or read all the settings. So far this is the fastest lightest I have got it yet - this time i went through each single skin file, PSS_Config.ini, and userlogin.ini and removed things one at a time and tested, removed, deleted files, you name it, only left in what PSS needs to operate without a loading error - I also only left the DLLs that needed to be there, a couple were removed. Im using a P4 computer so this all really makes a huge difference, even tested on a Core 2 Duo it can be much faster.

...

 

Ok so I have 2 versions, the PRO that logs into a customized power user account and displays everything in extra stream (low res), with the option to switch to high res. Also I have one specific client that uses it on a laptop so I set up 2 devices, one is the remote DDNS and the other is the local IP, and set the extra stream to the remote and main stream to the local one. It does not auto connect in this case on program load. This can only be the PRO for now as the LITE has no option to switch between streams. Ok so then there is the light which is just for ultimate performance and typically connects remotely only, and in extra stream (low res).

 

Now you may be asking well if the LITE has no feature to add users, devices, tasks, etc, or edit them at all, how do we set all that up? Simple really we do all that in the PRO or default installation, then just copy the 2 XML files to the LITE's folder and edit the userlogin.ini file for which task to start. More on how we really do that later.

 

So what are Tasks? This is basically what Dahua uses as Groups. Well it can be more than that but for the basics lets look at it that way. To create a new task you first need a device which you can login to. Once you have logged into a device you can now go and add them to a task, or modify an existing one. A Task is simply this, you can select the multiview, window (with multiple monitors), stay time (how long before it resets that video box back to the task set box), stream type (main or extra - high or low res). Ok so this is ALOT like Groups, thats what it is basically. The stay time is the catch. Default is 10 seconds.

 

What does this mean? If you create a new task and run it and the stay time is 10 seconds, lets say you drag camera 2 to camera 1, in 10 seconds they will both go back to their preset task boxes - so in 10 seconds box 1 will now be camera 1 again, box 2 will be camera 2 again. Okay so to get around this you set the stay time higher, a max of 42300 is allowed, thats 12 hours which is longer than anyone will ever be connected normally - BTW i setup the high res with 3600 which is 1 hour, but this is an individual preference. Its not like it disconnects it after that time, it just resets the view, basically. To create a new task, thats for another post. But you simply drag a device channel with your mouse to the channel info box and click add, for each channel for the task.

 

Ok so now you have tasks, you can goto config and select to start one on the program load, or manually edit the userlogin.ini. Now you can stream all or some in either extra stream or main stream. BTW i found that with all in extra stream channel 1 always goes back to main stream anyway, the rest remain in extra.

 

Next you can add Projects - I have not tested this yet, had no need. But for example you can have several 4 way or different multiview tasks, and add them as scheduled tours, like scanning or sequencing from one to the next, and set the Interval - or even set them up by scheduled like have it start at 8am and stop at 5pm. This then depending on the task setup can display different tasks or multiviews on different monitors if they exist, or the same one.

 

Ok so thats tasks .. any questions let me know.

I just thought its a good feature that most should know about.

After all Main Stream should not be used for Remote video, it can be too slow, Dahua actually recommends only using Extra Stream - even though by default PSS goes into Main Stream.

 

Back to the settings files; devices and tasks:

 

1) device.xml - device file, you can open with notepad and manually edit the device info like user and password and IP.

2) monitorscheme.xml - this is the tasks file, again can manually edit it, but the IDs have to match the device IDs.

 

You simply copy these to a new setup folder to carry devices and tasks over.

In userlogin.ini you can set which task to start.Eg:

PSS_AutoStartTask=1
PSS_StartTaskName=Outdoor-Low-Res

 

BTW you can even change the keyboard hotkeys in here, as well as the skin path.

Im still working out all this customizing so more at another time.

 

I suggest you keep a default PSS_Config.ini file for the autologin settings.

Fields for autologin, hides the login window and no password for exit (still have to click OK to exit):

 

[Version_Info]
SUser_ID=admin
SUser_PSW=
PSS_VerifyPSW=0

 

[Login_Info]
Check=1
UserName=admin
Password=
PSSAutoLogin=1

 

Userlogin.ini login fields have no effect on the PSS login and Exit.

Some fields in both files do absolutely nothing, I think they were simply carried over from much older versions.

 

BTW this is an example of one of my LITE's stripped down skin file, Login_config.ini

 

[MainSettings]
MaskColor=0,0,0
MainWindow_Size=0,0
IsUseMask=0
BackImage_Up=blank.bmp
BackImage_Over=blank.bmp
BackImage_Down=blank.bmp
BackImage_Disable=blank.bmp
Ctl_BackColor=0,0,0
Ctl_TextColor=0,0,0

Here is what it normally looks like

; This is the config file of the recorder client program, setting the main window interface style.
; Advanced user can modify this file(key value) to custom your interface style.
; Be careful to modify this file, illegal changing may result this program can not 
; run correctly!
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
; This section sets the main window's figure and size
[MainSettings]
MaskColor = 255,0,0
MainWindow_Size = 355,233
IsUseMask = 1
BackImage_Up = Login_normal_en.bmp
BackImage_Over = Login_over_en.bmp
BackImage_Down = Login_down_en.bmp
BackImage_Disable = Login_disable_en.bmp
Ctl_BackColor =  52,52,52
Ctl_TextColor = 179,179,179
;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;; This section sets the buttons' style of the main region
[MainButtons]
Ok_IsVisible =1
Ok_Position = 95,200,159,222
Ok_TipText = Login
Ok_Text = Login

Cancel_Isvisible = 1
Cancel_Position = 202,200,264,222
Cancel_TipText = Exit
Cancel_Text = Exit

SavePassword_IsVisible =1
SavePassword_Position = 103,169,115,181
SavePassword_TipText = SavePassword

[IPCombo]
ServerIp_Isvisible = 1
ServerIp_Position = 103,91,237,114

[StaticText]
StaticIp_Isvisible = 1
StaticIp_Position = 41,95,97,108
StaticIp_BackColor = 255,0,255
StaticIp_TextColor = 179,179,179
StaticIp_Text = 

UserName_Isvisible = 1
UserName_Position = 41,120,97,133
UserName_BackColor = 255,0,255
UserName_TextColor = 179,179,179
UserName_Text = UserName:

Password_Isvisible = 1
Password_Position = 41,145,97,158
Password_BackColor = 255,0,255
Password_TextColor = 179,179,179
Password_Text = Password:

SavePassword_Isvisible = 1
SavePassword_Position = 122,168,212,181
SavePassword_BackColor = 255,0,255
SavePassword_TextColor = 179,179,179
SavePassword_Text = SavePassword

Port_Isvisible = 1
Port_Position = 250,95,283,108
Port_BackColor = 255,0,255
Port_TextColor = 179,179,179
Port_Text = Port

TxtPsw_Position = 104,142,237,162
TxtUserName_Position = 104,119,237,136

 

...

 

In addition to all that, I make a self extractable EXE one for the PRO and the LITE so that when they click on it, the files are extracted to the temp folder behind the scenes and then the program runs and connects to a task - can run this right from a USB jump drive. OR as an option I made a self extractable file that DOESNT run the program, each create a desktop shortcut and extract to the Program Files folder under the folder name PSS and LITE or PRO, and these are put in the INNO installer script so when the user runs a single setup it runs these 2 self extractable EXEs and then both are installed on the computer - works fine on XP but Win7 will give a confirmation to run PSS each time as its not installed "normally". Hack for that coming soon.

 

Now I need to get back to hacking .. I mean TWEAKING .. the PSS software.

I want to put all this stuff into a single program that will do everything for you, and me.

Tweak, backup or export to a new setup, etc. ability to add/edit tasks and other features OUTSIDE of PSS. Thats going to take a little time though. Also I am unsure about the legality of distributing the video window OCX without the icons, I need to ask Dahua first. It is however essential to the added GUI speed of both versions and is what helps makes them so much faster than a normal install.

[albert 0]

send your ftp images to [mod edit - advertising removed]

 

it is a image online storage for ftp cameras.

 

get the free account and try it out

[Soundy 1]

I used a different DVR but you may need to change your port settins. See this thread for example:

 

 

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=23708&hilit=email

 

 

" title="Applause" />

soundy also give me surprises

Ummm... okay?

[SEANHAWG 1]

[QC444 1]

Thanks to everyone for the time loaned to this problem.

 

NELLY...your screens look exactly like mine.

 

You suggested I use GMAIL.

 

Let me ask you this....Do you feel the SOFTWARE differentiates between email domains?

In other words, for some reason related to the programming, it will send GMAIL emails but none other?

 

The reason I ask is because barring this, I can clearly watch my network monitor and see if an attempt is ever made by the DVR to send an email regardless of the email domain. I have a Network security appliance that ALL traffic must pass through incoming and outgoing. I can watch in real time every single connection on all ports and all network addresses and from this I can tell the DVR never attempts to send an email OTHER THAN the test email which goes out correctly and works perfectly...ON TEST ONLY.

 

So the program code inside the DVR would basically have to be going something like this....

 

"An alert has been received...but the destination email address is not a GMAIL email address destination....so do NOT send"

 

However, I AM going to try your settings.

 

Also...I posted that Q-See released their last Flash update SPECIFICALLY to address a known issue with this function.

I suspect, they didn't properly resolve it after all.

[DaveM 0]

I installed a Network Hard Drive (NAS) that supports FTP, and put it in my safe. I have 1TB of storage and it works very well.

If the house is broken into, or catches fire I'm pretty sure that drive will be OK. I have to clean out the old files every 3 months or so.

[QC444 1]

Crap!

 

Still no Email and no FTP.

 

Do yourself a favor.

 

Avoid Q-See if you need to get MD email alerts or FTP backup.

 

They don't work on the Q-See unit....and I believe they know it.