Review-Dahua Starlight IPC-HDW5231R-ZE 800 meter capable ePOE

piconut

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You can, but as @awsum140 points out, that is NOT what the camera is designed for. It is meant to be set at install, then left alone.
I understand it is not what the varifocal camera was designed for, but the UI3 zoom controls do not control my camera. So how do you zoom it from the UI3 web interface?
 

aristobrat

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I understand it is not what the varifocal camera was designed for, but the UI3 zoom controls do not control my camera. So how do you zoom it from the UI3 web interface?
When you’re in the native BI app, do the zoom controls there work?
 

piconut

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When you’re in the native BI app, do the zoom controls there work?
If by BI app you mean the main Blue Iris console, no the controls are greyed out there. Under the camera settings > PTZ/Control the "Enable PTZ" is checked and the Network IP below is set to Dahua/Q-See RTSP. Also in that same camera PTZ tab at the bottom under Options, Enable PTZ UI is checked.

I don't have any other cameras with varifocal nor PTZ cameras so I'm not sure if I'm using the PTZ controls correctly but having them greyed out is probably not a good sign.
 

aristobrat

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On my 5231s, I used the Find/Inspect button (on the video tab, I think) to have BI query the camera and set the config. My PTZ tabs for 5231s look like below. If you didn't use the Find/Inspect button, might be worth going back, giving it a click, and see how it wants to set stuff up as.

IMG_9C36820478C9-1.jpeg
 

piconut

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On my 5231s, I used the Find/Inspect button (on the video tab, I think) to have BI query the camera and set the config. My PTZ tabs for 5231s look like below. If you didn't use the Find/Inspect button, might be worth going back, giving it a click, and see how it wants to set stuff up as.

View attachment 39700
So I manually selected the ONVIF (OXML) setting you have for your camera and saved it and neither the Blue Iris nor the UI3 web controls operate it to adjust the zoom or varifocal. Then I went back and allowed BI to inspect the camera and choose it's own settings and it left the ONVIF ((OXML) setting and it also doesn't work. So, does your zoom in and out control work both in BI and in the web UI3 interface?
 

aristobrat

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Zoom works for me in the BI console, BI remote, and UI3. When you click Find/Inspect, does your Inspecting... window look like this if you scroll to the end? Also, after the Find/Inspect, were you able to save the changes (which causes the BI to display the color bars on the camera for a second or two) and then test?

IMG_341351703F41-1.jpeg
 

piconut

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This is what I get during the camera inspect, and after I save it, I do get the color bars. Maybe you're running a newer version of the camera firmware or a newer version of BI. My camera firmware is listed in the info below and I'm running BI v4.6.3.0 x64

Opening 192.168.X.X port 80...
HTTP Get / request...
OK
ONVIF GetSystemDateAndTime
2019-02-27T17:35:52.000Z
Requesting device information...
Manufacturer: General
Model: IP Camera
FirmwareVersion: 2.622.0000000.31.R, Build Date 2018-08-13
GetCapabilities...
Querying services
Has Imaging services: /onvif/imaging_service
Has media services: /onvif/media_service
Has RTP_RTSP_TCP, requesting profiles
first profile is MediaProfile000
first source is 000
requesting URI for profile MediaProfile000
RTSP URI: /cam/realmonitor?channel=1&subtype=0&unicast=true&proto=Onvif
Has Event services: /onvif/event_service
Has WSPullPointSupport
RelayOutputs: 0
InputConnectors: 0
Has Device IO services: /onvif/deviceIO_service
AudioOutputs: 0
Has PTZ service: /onvif/ptz_service
Done
 

dastrix

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Hi guys given the increased distances this can do is any special kind of poe switch needed? cheers
 

MachAF

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So I received my HDW5231R-ZE Starlight and started bench testing it...I'm not impressed thus far. I'm hoping it needs setting adjusted or maybe a different firmware. (System VersionV2.800.0000002.0.R, Build Date: 2019-01-11)



Any suggestions?
 
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fenderman

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So I received my HDW5231R-ZE Starlight and started bench testing it...I'm not impressed thus far. I'm hoping it needs setting adjusted or maybe a different firmware. (System VersionV2.800.0000002.0.R, Build Date: 2019-01-11)

Basically the video doesn't seem much better than this $75 TP-Link Kasa Camera I have.

Kasa Cam -
Dahua IPC-HDW5231R-ZE -
Any suggestions?
yes, you are correct, your tplink is significantly better ... when you compare the night shots youll see how much better the tp...all those fools with the 5231 must be posting doctored videos:rolleyes:. Did you not take a look at a video before purchasing? Your 5231 is also zoomed all the way out which will limit pixel density.

How about you try to adjust some basic settings, bitrates, brightness contrast. Remember they are both 1080p cameras and will be limited to that resolution. You need to properly mount and place your cameras. You will see a crazy difference in the night and low light video.
 

bigredfish

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So I received my HDW5231R-ZE Starlight and started bench testing it...I'm not impressed thus far. I'm hoping it needs setting adjusted or maybe a different firmware. (System VersionV2.800.0000002.0.R, Build Date: 2019-01-11)

Basically the video doesn't seem much better than this $75 TP-Link Kasa Camera I have.

Kasa Cam -
Dahua IPC-HDW5231R-ZE -
Any suggestions?

Most any cheap 2MP camera will perform adequately in the daytime. At night is where you'll see a difference.

As @fenderman mentioned, make sure you are running reasonable bitrate (at least 4096, I run mine at 8192) and it looks like you have WDR on, It tends to wash out the image.
 

MachAF

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Thanks for the snarky reply...figured you’d just refer me the to wiki... anyways....

Yes I did look at the video posted by Looney and his looks fine.
 

MachAF

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Most any cheap 2MP camera will perform adequately in the daytime. At night is where you'll see a difference.

As @fenderman mentioned, make sure you are running reasonable bitrate (at least 4096, I run mine at 8192) and it looks like you have WDR on, It tends to wash out the image.
Thanks for that info!. I had realized I had BLC turned on from when I was testing all the different settings.
 

Iemand91

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Also; I know we had someone on our driveway (parking car, getting in and out of house and drive way) and it's not recorded. Next recording happened about 30 minutes later so it just completely missed it...
So this happened again this morning. Exactly the same thing. So I think I'm finally convinced to get a NVR.

@EMPIRETECANDY you mentioned somewhere on this forum that we could expect some more new Dahua products in April? Perhaps some new Dahua Lite NVRs?
I'm inclined to order a NVR4104-4KS2 (or the 8 or 16 channel version, depending on price and availability) from you, but if Dahau is going to launch some new (comparable) NVR's, it might wait for those.;)
 
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MachAF

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So this happened again this morning. Exactly the same thing. So I think I'm finally convinced to get a NVR.

@Empiretech you mentioned somewhere on this forum that we could expect some more new Dahua products in April? Perhaps some new Dahua Lite NVRs?
I'm inclined to order a NVR4104-4KS2 (or the 8 or 16 channel version, depending on price and availability) from you, but if Dahau is going to launch some new (comparable) NVR's, it might wait for those.;)
So you're recording motion only to the SD card? I highly recommend getting a computer and running Blue Iris. Impressive software for $50.
 

Wildcat_1

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As @looney2ns stated, sometimes a factory reset can help, even when it appears nothing has changed etc weirdness with any cam can occur. Saw this myself on a Z12 and a factory reset and clean config worked well.
 
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