Alarm Questions & Challenges w/ Dahua system

[SeattleBrian 0]

All,

I’m setting up my first system, and facing challenges with alarms. I hope you can help.

 

My system: Dahua 4216 NVR. Dahua cameras, including IPC-HDBW4421E-AS 4MP dome, which has “Smart Detect” ability, ie: tripwire, intrusion zone, audio detect, face detect, etc.

 

I’ve enabled alarms. The piezo beeper in the NVR goes off, the Alarm Output turns on the connected strobe light, and the NVR sends out an email.

Q1: Why aren’t alarms marked in playback? I only see green on the timeline, not yellow or red.

Q2: Why aren’t alarm events recorded in the log file? Or in the Alarm tab?

 

I’ve enabled emails, and enabled the attachment of a snapshot. I receive a “Motion Detect” email, and then a “Motion Event Cleared” email.

Q3: Why don’t I receive an email with a snapshot?

 

“Smart Detect” is cool, and I want to use it. I hope to avoid false alarms from the simple MD feature. I enabled the “Tripwire” and “Intrusion Zone” feature, and defined the locations of both. When viewing live video, the tripwire flashes red when trip line is crossed. The intrusion zone box also flashes red when the zone breached.

Q4: Why doesn’t “Tripwire” and “Intrusion” cause an alarm event? No email, no alarm, no alarm output, nada.

 

My hunch: “Smart Detect” is a capability in the camera, not the NVR. The features don’t appear in the NVR UI. “Smart Detect” capability is only visible if I browse into the camera directly.

 

Comments? Guidance?

 

Thanks everyone!

Brian

[brebenac 0]

First, congrats on your purchase!

Now, let's find an answer for each question:

A1: If the schedule for recording is set to "Normal", then all you see in the playback interface are the green lines (regular record). If you want to record by motion, or alarm, or intelligent, then in the schedule section you should choose the corresponding option for the corresponding channel in the corresponding interval.

A2:Check if there is a "Log enable" option for the desired event in the event setting window

A3: The snapshot option is enabled? If so, then you should receive at least 3 emails: start_event, snapshot_email, stop event

A4: If the IVS section is not in your NVR, then check with your seller for last firmware version, because Dahua does not offer direct support for end-user. If the section is available in your nvr, then you should have pretty much the same options to trigger on intelligent detection as for motion detection, alarm input, etc.

 

P.S.: your hunch is true: the NVR does NOT analyse motion detection, intelligent, etc. Only alarm inputs are analyzed, the rest is the camera job to detect AND report to NVR. So in the connection stream of the camera to the NVR you can find video and audio data along with supplementary information containing events, control, etc. Then, based on that "extra info" the NVR decides what to do in case of event (based on your setting it will activate alarm output, send mail, beep, etc).

 

Hope this info helps...

[SeattleBrian 0]

@brebenac,

 

Thanks for the reply. I've been working to fix the performance, and have most items fixed.

Thanks for the suggestion about checking with the distributor for f/w. I paid a higher price to buy from a distributor for the sake of support. Now to check that out!

 

The "Smart Detect" feature in the camera (tripwire, intrusion zone, facial recognition, etc) works at the camera level. I enabled the camera to send emails with a snapshot for the "Smart Detect" event. The NVR is oblivious.

 

So I get an email and snapshot - good.

I don't get an NVR alarm, alarm output to turn on strobe, or have the "Smart Detect" event recorded in the log file or playback timeline. Unfortunate.

(unless an NVR f/w upgrade fixes this!)

 

Possiible workaround: Wire the camera's "Alarm Out" to the NVR's "Alarm in". I'll check the Cat6 conductors. If POE is on the data lines (pins 1,2,3,6), then I could re-purpose the other conductors. This could be better than running an additional cable to the camera.

 

Thanks again!

[SeattleBrian 0]

@brebenac,

 

You suggested I check with my NVR distributor regarding f/w upgrade. So I described my "Smart Detect" challenges. This is what I learned;

 

I talked to the distributor, to check if a f/w upgrade for the NVR4216 would get "Smart Detect" working. This is what I learned:

 

"The reason you're not able to see the “tripwire/intrusion/Object/scene change” is because that NVR unit does not have IVS(Intelligent Video Surveillance) “smart detect” capabilities. The only unit that has this feature will be the 4k units, therefore a Firmware update will not help."

 

That's curious. The "Smart Detect" functionality is resident in the camera. The camera handles the processing for tripwire, intrusion zone, facial recognition, etc. Surfing to the camera directly shows it in action. "Smart Detect" works great. The NVR just needs to handle the "SD" conclusions from the camera, ie: messages, alarms, etc.

 

I think my NVR4216 hardware is capable of handling "Smart Detect". It's the NVR4216 firmware that isn't capable. Secondly, this seems like a Marketing decision. If you want to utilize "Smart Detect", you need to upgrade to the new 4K models. In my case, at 2X to 3X the cost

 

I asked my distributor if future f/w upgrades will deliver Smart Detect IVS capability. We'll see if they can get an answer from Dahua....

[brebenac 0]

@brebenac,

 

You suggested I check with my NVR distributor regarding f/w upgrade. So I described my "Smart Detect" challenges. This is what I learned;

 

I talked to the distributor, to check if a f/w upgrade for the NVR4216 would get "Smart Detect" working. This is what I learned:

 

"The reason you're not able to see the “tripwire/intrusion/Object/scene change” is because that NVR unit does not have IVS(Intelligent Video Surveillance) “smart detect” capabilities. The only unit that has this feature will be the 4k units, therefore a Firmware update will not help."

 

That's curious. The "Smart Detect" functionality is resident in the camera. The camera handles the processing for tripwire, intrusion zone, facial recognition, etc. Surfing to the camera directly shows it in action. "Smart Detect" works great. The NVR just needs to handle the "SD" conclusions from the camera, ie: messages, alarms, etc.

 

I think my NVR4216 hardware is capable of handling "Smart Detect". It's the NVR4216 firmware that isn't capable. Secondly, this seems like a Marketing decision. If you want to utilize "Smart Detect", you need to upgrade to the new 4K models. In my case, at 2X to 3X the cost

 

I asked my distributor if future f/w upgrades will deliver Smart Detect IVS capability. We'll see if they can get an answer from Dahua....

 

I am pretty sure the ENTIRE NVR4xxx series support handling the IVS info from camera (this includes the CHEAPEST models like NVR4104 and NVR4108... The NVR just receives the IVS info from camera, not compute the IVS itself). I am pretty familiar with Dahua, if I remember correctly I even set the NVR4014-W to send email on IVS event of the IPC-HDW4421...

 

If your supplier cannot help you, ask for support directly from Dahua (at least ask the question of IVS compatibility for your specific models yourself), maybe they will confirm and not just forward your request directly to your supplier again...

 

If you consider using "obscure" firmware links for your NVR to update, please don't. Better to be safe than sorry, some firmware files are specifically compiled for specific models, and you could end-up with a non-booting device.

[SeattleBrian 0]

@brebenac,

 

Thanks for reply. That's great info.

 

I shared what my distributor said. I didn't mention the 2 screen shots they provided (which I can't attach, since I haven't been a forum member long enough).

 

My screen, NVR4216:

Setting / Event : shows 4 choices:

1) video detect 2)alarm 3) abnormality 4) alarm out.

 

The screenshot from NVR4216-4K

Setting/Event : shows 7 choices:

1) video detect 2) IVS 3) face detect 4) audio detect 5) alarm 6) abnormality 7) alarm out.

 

Great suggestion to ask for a Dahua Support contact, who I can talk to directly.

 

I sure hope you're right, that IVS is supported in the NVRs. I'm going to try to gather info to help substantiate that. I'll check manuals and Dahua sites. If you can point me to a source of info, I'd appreciate it!

[brebenac 0]

First you have to ask the version V3.201.0000.0.R.20151120 from your supplier, since this is the last available for your model.

 

A portion of the release info for this firmware version is:

"This version’s IVS function is disabled in default; you need to enable it manually. The reason that IVS isn’t enabled is IPC in old version connected to NVR will be halted. Thus, in case of this trouble which users don’t use IVS function, this function is disabled. If you need to use IVS, please make sure the non-intelligent IPC is in the latest firmware version. Also IVS function for NVR4XXX only support IPC with IVS function in frontend."

 

Once you have this version on your NVR, considering you have no other non-intelligent IPC, you can enter the general section of the menu and check the IVS box. After reboot you will have the IVS section in EVENT menu.

Hope this helps.

[SeattleBrian 0]

@brebenac,

 

Awesome info! Looks like real Progress could be right around the corner!

 

My system version is not the latest!

3.200.0000.9.R It's not

V3.201.0000.0.R.20151120

 

Build date is 5/29/2015, a half year before the date above. So contrary to the distributor, there is updated f/w for my NVR! Thanks for your help!

 

I have three cameras. One has IVS ability. Two don't.

So I may need camera f/w update from my distributor, based on the release note you provided, ie: "If you need to use IVS, please make sure the non-intelligent IPC is in the latest firmware version. "

 

brebenac, you've given me the ammo I need to re-approach my distributor.

 

Dahua NVR:

System Version: 3.200.0000.9.R

Build Date: 05/29/2015, Web: 3.1.0.52472

 

Dahua Cams:

IPC-HFW4300S - Software Version: 2.420.0002.0.R

build : 2014-06-21, WEB Version: 3.2.4.184667

 

IPC-HFW1200S-W - Software Version: 2.212.0000.0.R

build : 2015-06-24, WEB Version: 3.2.1.273284

 

IPC-HDBW4421E-AS - Software Version: 2.400.0000.10.R

build : 2015-06-18, WEB Version: 3.2.1.277266