tdellenburg 0 Posted April 17, 2013 I have a problem I would like some help with if any of you have ever encountered it. I installed a CCTV system for a client who was having cattle stolen. This past Sunday night / Monday morning, he had a calf get stolen and we were able to retrieve video from his DVR. However, the image we got was a big white blob moving around his barn. The video was captured in a dark barn at 1:30am, with IR illumination from a IC Realtime ICR200 camera. I have tried to recreate this "white blob" using several different flashlights pointed at the camera, but when I do I white out the whole barn and glare the camera completely out. During the incidence in question, the entire barn was still visible, but nothing on the thief was visible, not even his feet. Any help would be appreciated. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shockwave199 0 Posted April 17, 2013 How about a picture of the actual image. But wow, sounds super natural or terrestrial! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vector18 1 Posted April 17, 2013 Either the video or a still image of what you saw would be nice. Is the barn haunted? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tdellenburg 0 Posted April 17, 2013 I'm trying to get the sapshot to work on the viewing software but am having trouble with it. That goes along with what I told the customer; "the calf wasn't stolen, it was abducted." Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tdellenburg 0 Posted April 17, 2013 Ah, my bad. The software was putting the image in a different folder. Here is the image from the video. The big orb underneath the date stamp is actually a person moving through the frame! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tdellenburg 0 Posted April 17, 2013 Sorry, new here. I did not realize that I couldn't post bmp images. I converted it to jpg so hopefully this will show up. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Q2U 0 Posted April 17, 2013 Maybe he was wearing a headlamp? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tomcctv 190 Posted April 18, 2013 Sorry, new here. I did not realize that I couldn't post bmp images. I converted it to jpg so hopefully this will show up. spiders web ...... common fault with built in IR Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tdellenburg 0 Posted April 18, 2013 No Tom, this was actually a person. In the video I watched him walk across this barn, check the stalls, and return along the same route and exit. In the video you can see the "blob" change dimensions as, presumably, his hands move around while he navigates. I am trying now to figure out 1. what is his light source, and 2. how can I see "through it" to get a picture of him. But, you are definitely on course with cobwebs. It is a barn and we have had trouble with them already, but they had recently been cleaned off before this. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shockwave199 0 Posted April 18, 2013 I'm sure the person had some kind of light shining, but that is a web not helping the situation. They can show up a minute after you clean them. And I wouldn't count on ever ID'ing the perp. I'd say that camera view is calf-assed. Make it better or you'll continue to have trouble and he'll have the last calf. So, have some calfeen, get up there calfully, and and maybe even get a field of view calf the distance that you have now. Either that or you'll keep looking back on your footage and having a cow. Good luck. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the toss 0 Posted April 18, 2013 Sorry, new here. I did not realize that I couldn't post bmp images. I converted it to jpg so hopefully this will show up. spiders web ...... common fault with built in IR I agree. You can see the web thread going across the picture. If that blob in the middle is the intruder then he must be on a hoverboard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tdellenburg 0 Posted April 19, 2013 Does anyone have any suggestions on how to prevent a simple flashlight from beating my cameras going forward? I understand that there is a cobweb there, the that big white blob IS a person with a light source. I have duplicated it and proven that. I'll post an image later of myself on the same camera. There must be a way to keep a $5.00 flashlight from overpowering a surveillance camera system. Ideas? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vector18 1 Posted April 19, 2013 Install a pre entry burglar alarm on the barn, or stick a pitbull in there and every night walk in with a flashlight and beat him with a bat till him passes out. Than the next time the perp walks in with a flashlight, the pitbull will eat him for breakfast! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kawboy12R 0 Posted April 19, 2013 Use a camera with good WDR. My Axis P3364 doesn't mind headlights at close range so I doubt a flashlight or headlamp is going to bother it. Also, using two cameras would help. The cam placement suggests that it was placed more for monitoring calves than identifying thieves. I'd stick another one at the big door visible in the upper left and have it pointing to catch traffic at the door. Maybe have it inside the door pointing in at first to surprise the thief, but after that put it outside facing the yard? Or perhaps relocate the cam with the web on it and have IT at the big door pointing inwards for now. Somewhere it can do the same job (whole-barn monitoring) and still have a closeup of those coming and going. Two or three cams are much better than one for an area that large though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Q2U 0 Posted April 20, 2013 ...stick a pitbull in there and every night walk in with a flashlight and beat him with a bat till him passes out. Than the next time the perp walks in with a flashlight, the pitbull will eat him for breakfast!... Mike? Mike Vick? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
QC444 1 Posted June 16, 2013 Why do you insist this can't be a spider? I have them on my cameras CONSTANTLY. They are attracted to the IR. If a spider strings even ONE web strand across the camera it can ruin the image due to reflection of IR light. And movement? I sit sometimes at night and watch spiders bounce all over the video. LOOKS like a person, but it's a spider. Sometimes a VERY tiny spider but on the live camera it looks HUGE. I still see nothing that changes my mind you saw a spider and missed the thief. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MR2 0 Posted June 17, 2013 Why do you insist this can't be a spider? I have them on my cameras CONSTANTLY. They are attracted to the IR. If a spider strings even ONE web strand across the camera it can ruin the image due to reflection of IR light. And movement? I sit sometimes at night and watch spiders bounce all over the video. LOOKS like a person, but it's a spider. Sometimes a VERY tiny spider but on the live camera it looks HUGE. I still see nothing that changes my mind you saw a spider and missed the thief. I agree we found spraying pest spray all over the camera seemed to help the spider situation... but yes, external IR helps immensely Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
