Poor Image Quality on GV-800-8 and GV-1120 Combo card

[forbus 0]

Hello everybody,

 

I have been working with computers since DOS and I was mostly in Hardware business, as a technical person. I have installed my first Geovision system on my friends new computer. Actually I purchased the whole system for him. My only problem is POOR PICTURE QUALITY. There is pixelation on every cameras. By the way the config is:

Dell Dimension 4600

Intel 865G Chipset Motherboard

P4 3.0Ghz HT

GV-800-8 Version 8.0

64 MB Geforce4 MX420 (updated driver)

512 MB Dual Channel DDR SDRAM

250 GB IDE ATA133 HDD (NTFS)

17" Dell E176FP LCD

Windows XP SP2

 

I have tried almost anything. But just can't get the picture I want. The picture is way too pixelated. The desktop resolution is 1280x1024, But i tried 1024x768, and even 800x600. I tried disabling Hyper Threading from the BIOS. I also tried the system with a 128 MB GeForce FX5500 AGP Vga card. I tried to install the card on my P4 2.4 Intel mobo computer. Same... I tried "all" the resolutions for the cameras.

Then I bought another card, GV-1120 Combo (for another system), and wanted to try it with this current system. I installed the combo card and i get the same result even worse I would say. I tried to see the cameras on a TV screen through the RCA output of the combo card, and the picture was just perfect. That was the screen I wanted to have on the computer. I thought maybe the driver or library files could be corrupted, and reinstalled a clean system. There is no other software running but the Geovision 8.0. I had the same problem with the 7.05 version. I do not get any error during operating. I tried to stop recording and only viewing, it was still the same. Directx 9.0c was already installed. I am using only four cameras and disabled port 5,6,7,8. I tried de-interlace mode and and the quality gets worse, if not the same. I have been pulling my hair about this situation. The cameras and high resolution cameras. Especially one is the Merit Li-lin PIH7625 PTZ camera. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[rory 0]

That dell doesnt look like the best choice IMO ..

 

The Video quality of what you see, will depend on the video card, and the monitor. The actual quality of the recording has nothing to do with it, but if played back on the same system it will not be perfect if the live video is not good.

 

LCD monitors - these degrade the quality ALOT ... and the cheaper brands, even more so. You want to definately use a LCD that is able to be run in its native resolution, and would be best looking for a 1024x768 LCD if you can find one that does that still. Remember the video camera quality if high res, is maybe 811x492 ..

 

I wouldnt use anything less than a 128MB DDR Video Card, and personally have never used anything but ATI technology.

 

Im not sure if you are expecting too much, or perhaps its not setup correctly?

 

Here is an example of a high quality system with Geo.

http://www.bahamassecurity.com/pc_setup_example.jpg

 

Also, by default the quality will be low, 320x240, you must change this to at least 640x480 if you want any kind of quality. You could even use 720x480 if you have the hard disk space. This has to be changed in the camera setup also.

 

Lastly, make sure you have the latest version of DirectX, latest video drivers are installed, and the video card supports Direct Overlay. Otherwise you will get horrible images.

 

Rory

[forbus 0]

thanks rory, but I did try the resolution at 640x480. I tried all the modes and it was still the same. I tried the onboard Intel Extreme Graphics 2, the 128 MB GeForce FX5500 and nothing changed. Now that I installed the 1120-8 Combo card, it is even worse. I tried to change every option it was still the same. The funny thing is that the specs are exceeding the requirements. There are only 4 cameras and even the real low quality cards show better at some point.

About the monitor, I watch everything else on the computer they are just fine. Like I said, it's only 4 cameras and it should be fine. I called Geovision as well but they said that it should work ok... totally confused.

I already have tried everything that you said, Rory, but it is still the same.

And yes, I was thinking also if I was expecting too much, but there is no way a several hundred dollars card would show such a picture in such a computer config. I tried a junk 30fps card in the same and the quality was better, I could say...

[shafqut 0]

I think motherboard with 865chip is poor choose for geovision system. I have build two system with 865 chip. The picture quailty is not too good.

[rory 0]

The monitor makes a huge difference with Video Surveillance though,

 

Can you upload a recorded clip so I can check it out?

Also if you have any screenshots of the settings for a camera.

 

Thanks

Rory

[Jasper 0]

Yes some sample video sounds good. I was wondering what your camera environment was like; lots of light, low light, etc.

 

I remember when I first saw a system for the first time and I was thinking, what is the big deal. It was nothing like what I expected. Once you use a digital camera everything else just pales in comparision.

 

Anyway not sure if it is your expectations or a real problem of some sort. Since you liked the picture on the DSP output of the 1120 card, it is more than likely that it is a display problem such as your video card / monitor combination.

 

Maybe you can take some still shots with a digital camera of what the screen looks like and upload them so we can see what your viewing and not liking.

[forbus 0]

Thanks guys. I will do so. The cameras are:

1 outdoor : not pointing towards the sun

3 indoor;

1 - Kitchen (it's a pizza place)

2 - Dining room (light is not perfect I would say)

3 - Incoming people: The camera is pointing towards outside

 

I know it would have been better to use a WDR camera for 3 but the camera is doing fine in the range we want to see. Anyways, I hopefully will post the pictures tomorrow.

[rory 0]

I forgot to ask, what cameras are they?

[forbus 0]

Well, I have just tried my 19" Sony Trinitron Monitor and it's still the same. Now, I put the GV800-8 back into the system the picture is far better than it is on the 1120 combo. It might be the graphics card with the 1120. But the 800 should be better than normal I think, since I use 64mb instead of 32, which is the recommended. The it is almost the same as display picture. Let me see your comments. I will have to upload the videos but I just have run now. you can log on to http://halil.dipmap.com

and type the user name "guest" no password.

[scottj 0]

Your VGA card only supports up to DirectX 8.1 for starters, the combo cards work significantly better using 9.0. Another scenerio is when using the combo card with version 8.0 and enabling the DSP Spot Monitor the DirectDraw Overlay is disabled at the DVR display. In otherwords, you will see a much lower quality image at the DVR through the VGA/DVI monitor.

I would highly recommend using an ATI 9250 or better since you are using AGP type VGA cards in your system. Go the the ATI website and download the latest Catalyst Control Center drivers and configure the De-Interlace Rendering option to be set for "Automatic" versus "Weave". You will see a huge improvement.

 

Scottj

[forbus 0]

shafqut, was the image quality as worse as the picture I submitted?

 

scotj, I have put the gv800-8 card back. It shows better than the combo with this config. The combo was just terrible. I already purchased an ATI Radeon 9550, it's on the way. I will see what will happen. But do you think the picture I submitted was normal?

[rory 0]

Check out the video clips onb my home page, top right. 2 are a GV800 the other a GV250 on a Via Chipset .. all cheap low res bullets .. let me know if you see any difference .. remember, 350TVL color bullets ..

[MRWHITE35 0]

Looks fine to me, love noseing it your premises considering I'm in the UK it was a fascinating, if anyone else got any sites and passwords let me a nose

 

 

 

Well, I have just tried my 19" Sony Trinitron Monitor and it's still the same. Now, I put the GV800-8 back into the system the picture is far better than it is on the 1120 combo. It might be the graphics card with the 1120. But the 800 should be better than normal I think, since I use 64mb instead of 32, which is the recommended. The it is almost the same as display picture. Let me see your comments. I will have to upload the videos but I just have run now. you can log on to http://halil.dipmap.com

and type the user name "guest" no password.

[rory 0]

Looks a little off, should be much better being that it is indoors.

 

What type of camera are you using?

 

If you have Ultra VNC installed let me get on and check it out for you to at least make sure the software side is setup properly (PM).

 

Rory

[Jasper 0]

Looks pretty good too me also.

 

If it can get better you'll figure it out because you've done well already. I don't know what cameras or anything else, but you seem to be able to focus a camera fairly well.

 

If your a perfectionist like Rory and others you can probably improve it. Let Rory on your system and even if he can't help you with the quality issue he will probably help you in some other way. He's like that.

[forbus 0]

rory, your picture is pretty good to me. The color is very realistic as well. I just wanted to see the image I see on the TV on my computer screen. They are so different. We'll work on the remote desktop control some time. I just have to get ready for an important wedding for a few days.

[Thomas 0]

There will always be some differance between what you see on the screen and what you see on a TV. You will always have some degree of artifacting on the PC screen due to the compression methods used. Almost all video compression looses some quality on compression. Video Codecs that are closer to lossless have the large downside of file size. i.e. You almost get what you see on the TV but it takes 10 GB to store one day's worth of video per camera.

[forbus 0]

I totally understand the loss in recording. I have no problem on that side. I just wanted to better the real time viewing. The TV display is also smoother when objects are moving, or when the camera is moving.

[rory 0]

what codec are you recording with .. make sure it is Geo Mpeg4 as the other 2 new ones look like crap ..

 

Rory

[forbus 0]

I've tried all of them. But I don't have a problem with the recording.

[rory 0]

There is also a section for the WebCam and quality settings.

Also when you start WebCam make sure it is set to Mpeg4 and not H264 ... that makes a difference ..