T54IR-ZE-S3 Proper way to set auto IR for inside use? Day/night Switch, Customized Scene, BI PTZ presets day/night

[chileaquiles]

Hi All,

Just bought a few of the T54IR-ZE-S3 from Andy for indoor use. I can't figure out the right way to program a schedule for these cameras with the new gui. Because they are being used indoor the lighting changes consistently throughout the day. Curtains open sometimes vs closed, Garage door is open vs closed. outside its night time or sunny days, etc. I figured the best way may be to just have the camera switch between color or b/w automatically dependent on light in the room and when B/W turn on integrated IR lights. I can't figure out how to do this properly. What would be the recommended way of setting these cameras up in this environment?

Firmware V3.100.0000000.5.R, Build Date: 2023-05-09

Confused on when to use "Customized Scene" vs "Day/Night Switch" for the working mode
Within those modes I tried setting up the "Day" & "Night" profile with some slight changes since during the day there is some natural light that enters the room vs at night when its dark outside but can't get the camera to switch to color automatically when there is plenty of light coming in or when at night in B/W mode atomically turn on the IR LED.

In BI I also setup the PTZ control presets for Day & Night and the sunrise/sunset event schedule in the scheduler but doesn't seem to switch correctly either. In the "Customized Scene" working mode should I use the "time Plan settings" in the camera and not use the PTZ/controls in BI? If so any way to program sunset/sunrise times automatically?

Current settings:
Working Mode = Customized Scene
Profile = Day

• Backlight = Off
• WB = Auto
• Day/night = Auto with sensitivity 0 & delay 2 sec
• Illuminator = Auto
• Defog & LDC = Off

Profile = Night

• Backlight = off
• WB = Auto
• Day/night = Auto with Sensitivity 2 and delay 6 sec
• Illuminator = Auto
• Defog & LDC = Off

My image & exposure settings are different for each of the profiles.

Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

[qbertfunk]

Same question, same purchase, same firmware, watching this thread, apologies for adding post noise without contributing an answer.

 

[Björn0815]

Hello everyone,

I also recently bought the IPC-T54IR-ZE-S3 to replace one HikVision in my garage. All is well so far if I set the exposure times to automatic (which I don't really want) then the change between day and night or based on brightness works without problems but as soon as I set the exposure time manually the camera stays in black and white mode no matter how bright it is in the garage. Even when I turn on the lights in the garage it stays in black and white. What could be the reason for this?

Firmware : 3.100.0000000.6.R
below are the settings for day and night with manual exposure setting where the camera stays an b/w even in the day.

If more information is needed, feel free to ask.

thanks for any help

 

[guykuo]

Dahua cameras do not switch between profiles depending on ambient light. The separate settings you have in your profiles for day profile and night profile are activated only via the camera's schedule.
It is possible to externally change the camera between day and night profiles via a program like Dahua day/night utility, but again, that does not switch between active profiles based upon ambient light.
The cameras simply don't work that way. (Yes, the new web interfaces causes some interesting problems for day/night utility and scripting of profile changes, but that is a separate matter)

The cameras have a confusingly named "Day & Night" control, but that does not swap in profiles based on ambient light.
It only alters color behavior with ambient light.

How color is handled depends on how you set the "Day & Night" adjustment for the currently active profile.

If the currently active profile's "Day & Night" is set to Auto, the camera will switch between black & white and color depending on ambient light.
If the currently active profile's "Day & Night" is set to Color, the camera will be locked in color mode regardless of ambient light
If the currently active profile's "Day & Night" is set to B&W, the camera will be locked in black and white regardless of ambient light

Notice, the active PROFILE is not switched.
BTW choose ICR mode for the color switch, not electrical. That way the IR filter gets flipped in/out of the optical path.

Most likely your active profile's "Day & Night" is set to B&W - Thus the camera will always stay in black and white regardless of lighting conditions.

 

[Björn0815]

Hi guykuo

Thank you very much for your explanations that's already good to know and the names are indeed very confusing or even more when you come from a different manufacturer

The cameras have a confusingly named "Day & Night" control, but that does not swap in profiles based on ambient light.
It only alters color behavior with ambient light.

Okay, that makes sense to me so far and I could somehow limit myself to one profile for the moment, but within a profile the camera should not switch to black and white just because I change the exposure time manually ?

How color is handled depends on how you set the "Day & Night" adjustment for the currently active profile.

If the currently active profile's "Day & Night" is set to Auto, the camera will switch between black & white and color depending on ambient light.
If the currently active profile's "Day & Night" is set to Color, the camera will be locked in color mode regardless of ambient light
If the currently active profile's "Day & Night" is set to B&W, the camera will be locked in black and white regardless of ambient light

This settings are still on auto otherwise it would also make sense to me if I had manually set black and white there that I would then no longer have a colored image.

BTW choose ICR mode for the color switch, not electrical. That way the IR filter gets flipped in/out of the optical path.

I could not find this setting in my system, I do not know how much the firmware differs from the original Dahua or maybe this parameter does not exist in the IPC-T54IR-ZE-S3 model.


I made a little video I think that explains it best

 

[guykuo]

That is interesting behavior. That video certainly does make it look as though the camera is metering through the video capture rather than a separate light sensor. I am assuming you did not change the lighting in the garage. I can't duplicate that color/bw switching behavior by shifting the gains on my camera, but mine is outside in the dark presently.

Are we on the same firmware? I guess Dahua could have opted for a different scene metering system between firmware versions.

Here is firmware I have running on mine.

Device Model - IPC-T54IR-ZE-S3
ONVIF Version - 22.12(V3.1.0.1403710)
System Version - V3.100.15OG000.0.R, Build Date: 2023-11-27
Web Version - V5.01.0.1532205
Algorithm Version - V3.5.26.0
Security Baseline Version -V2.3

That is the one currently at Andy's EmpireTech | Security Protection | Security Cameras & NVRs site for the S3 version IPC-T54IR-ZE
Both portions of the software update need to be updated if you need to update.

• Firmware.bin
• Empiretech IPC-HX5XXX-single-Riemann_MultiLang_NP_Stream4-CustomPro_V3.100.15OG000.0.R.231127.bin

 

[Björn0815]

the lighting was always the same. With the ceiling lamps switched on, normally no reason to switch to black and white.
I have still two other cameras, not yet unboxed from the same model. I wanted to replace at least one outside too and I hope it will not have the same behavior.

The firmware seems to be up to date, there is no newer one in the update area

Device Model IPC-T54IR-ZE-S3
SN 9K0D7B1PAG7EE74
Audio Input 1
ONVIF Version 22.12(V3.1.0.1403710)
System Version V3.100.0000000.6.R, Build Date: 2023-08-02
Web Version V5.01.0.1532205
Algorithm Version V3.5.26.0
Security Baseline Version V2.3

but when I look at yours and also on the link you gave me there is a newer one despite that it says "up to date" in the Update Area of the camera

Maybe I should try the update that I can download from Andy's website ?

 

[guykuo]

Obligatory warning if you got the camera from other than Andy. He always sells version of camera that will accept firmware updates, but some sellers supply a hacked unit intended only for Chinese market with patch to enable target language. Those are not safe to update

 

[Björn0815]

Okay, good to know, thanks, but these are from Andy.
I will soon try the firmware update and I will give you feedback after this

 

[Björn0815]

I'm on the same Version now than you @guykuo but unfortunately no change in the problem

I played a little with the exposure time and only at 1/50 does the camera switch to color (in the same lighting conditions, of course) . When I go back step by step towards 1/250, then at 1/250 it will then switch back again to Black and White again.
For example if I switch my Hikvision on my Terrace from 1/175 to 1/100000 this will not change from colour to BW. For me exposure settings and Day/Night switches are still two different things.

Maybe I'm completely wrong and there is indeed a correlation between exposure time and day/night switching but I'm no expert but to me it would be not logical.

 

[guykuo]

This really does appear that the camera is metering using the capture video frame brightness rather than using a separate light sensor from the imaging chip. That is the only explanation for why the camera is changing color mode when you alter its exposure settings. The hysteresis between 1/50 and 1/250 speed would be necessary to avoid the camera oscillating rapidly between color modes.

I am surprised that they are metering the scene this way, but it would reduce the component count in the camera.

Does the camera change to B&W mode if you first set exposure to 1/50 to make it color in bright lighting. Then, leave shutter at 1/50, but dim lighting in room?
Also what sensitivity to light level did you set within the day&night setting?

 

[Evroul]

Have you tried not setting firm exposure? 1/100 is 10 and gives the camera operating room based on lighting
Moreover do you have any possible obstructions? One of my cameras indoor is in a corner where there is a door under. If the door is not closed or fully open the IR catches it and somewhat interprets as darker and I get the behaviour you describe

 

[Björn0815]

Hi Evroul,

I'm not sure if I've understood you correctly, but if I don't set a fix exposure time, then I have to switch the camera to automatic mode. At the moment, I don't have any other choice as it seems.
There are no obstructions in my case that could influence the IR

 

[Evroul]

You cant set manual and then e.g. 0-10 which equals 1/100 fixed. Can I see your camera menu. I might be way off here just thinking out of the box as I have had similar issue

 

[Björn0815]

Ah okay, you mean like this on the screenshot ?
anyway after I changed it, the camera switched from color to BW again

 

[guykuo]

I am not understanding why this behavior is an issue rather than desired behavior. When picture is dark the camera goes b&w. When pictures is bright camera goes color. That would seem to be the desired behavior.

What does it matter that this is also true if you change the picture luminance by adjusting shutter speed?

 

[Björn0815]

Yes, if the camera would do that then I wouldn't have an issue, but I think I'm either being misunderstood or expressing myself badly
I still agree that the camera should switch to color or black and white based on the ambient light, but I still don't understand why the camera switches to b&w if I set manual exposure times in bright surroundings with overhead lights on.

This has nothing to do with the actual problem, but I'm wondering whether I should try accessing the camera with a different browser because I have the impression that the settings are not always saved.
I noticed that after I logged in to the camera again using Firefox, the profile was also set to night although I had also set it to day and saved it and there is no time switch in the day/night option in the camera settings, which is why the profile could change.

 

[bigredfish]

That could be your problem. Try IE or Pale Moon 32bit

 

[J C]

When I had day&night profile not saving issue it turned out to be system time setting set to 12hr. Wittaj told me to change to 24hr format and profiles/schedules worked properly.

 

[bigredfish]

^^^^^^
True that can effect some things, though I havent noticed it using a Dahua PoE NVR... is that a BI thing?