Review-Dahua SD1A203T-GN Starlight Mini PTZ

Dseg42

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A bit of an old thread here, but I got my SD1A203T-GN from Andy, it's been powered up a few days with some pre-settings populated. This morning (after sitting in my dark 70 deg office overnight), parked on a box, the unit is REALLY hot. Sides and top (black area in this orientation) are >105 deg, and the bottom (normally top) was up to 113 deg. Is this normal? IR has been on all night, but I can’t see how that would do it?

Photo is of the bottom after trying to shed some heat.
My camera gets up to 127 degrees F.
If you grip it with your hands it is too hot to hold for more than a few sections.
 
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Dseg42

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I've not experienced that with mine, it runs rather warm, but so much I can't hold it.
Do you have a way to measure temp on the bottom metal portion of the cam?
Looney2ne - can you put the IR on for a few hours and take the temperature of the bottom, mine got to 127F.
If I wrap my hands around the sides, it is too hot to hold for more than a few seconds.
 

pb11186

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Looney2ne - can you put the IR on for a few hours and take the temperature of the bottom, mine got to 127F.
If I wrap my hands around the sides, it is too hot to hold for more than a few seconds.
I know mine runs on the hotter side too, never actually touched it physically but when we had - 40 Celsius temps this past winter, the coldest mine got was in the low - 20's.

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jazzy1

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trying to decide between this mini ptz or the dual starlight for above the front door...right now have a 5231 there but not that happy because only get people as they walk down the driveway to a certain point...then nothing..thoughts? I can send a photo or two to see what you guys think
 

fenderman

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trying to decide between this mini ptz or the dual starlight for above the front door...right now have a 5231 there but not that happy because only get people as they walk down the driveway to a certain point...then nothing..thoughts? I can send a photo or two to see what you guys think
How is the 203 going to change things? You need to relocate the 5231 so it captures the are you want.
 

jazzy1

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How is the 203 going to change things? You need to relocate the 5231 so it captures the are you want.
Ya, that's true...I have a cam inside at the front door which I could use to trigger the 203 for "poor man's tracking"....but you're right...right now my 5231 is far too high to get a good face shot at the front door...I was also thinking the dual starlight WOULD give me a little more visibility of someone approaching the door AND someone right at the door or packages at the doorstep beneath

ideally, an onvif POE doorbell would be the winner at the front door, but I have this outdated Aiphone intercom/doorbell I'd need to replace/upgrade....the problem is the intercom is wired through the house using 2 wires I think..there is one front door doorbell and 2 indoor stations...crappy black and white quality image but instantly responsive with audio...I'm guessing the newer doorbell stuff all uses POE that wouldn't allow me to use existing indoor station locations..
 

Tibor Makai

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Soon, I will install a wedge camera, right above the Ring doorbell(no monthly fee). I have a 5231, that sees across the porch, installed it on the garage side wall.

About the heat. Mine is already installed to a bracket, so I couldn't check how hot it gets on the back cover, but I have grabbed the sides and it is only warm. At the moment, it is "installed" for testing, inside the garage.
It will be my patio cam, next to the sliding door.
 

looney2ns

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Ya, that's true...I have a cam inside at the front door which I could use to trigger the 203 for "poor man's tracking"....but you're right...right now my 5231 is far too high to get a good face shot at the front door...I was also thinking the dual starlight WOULD give me a little more visibility of someone approaching the door AND someone right at the door or packages at the doorstep beneath

ideally, an onvif POE doorbell would be the winner at the front door, but I have this outdated Aiphone intercom/doorbell I'd need to replace/upgrade....the problem is the intercom is wired through the house using 2 wires I think..there is one front door doorbell and 2 indoor stations...crappy black and white quality image but instantly responsive with audio...I'm guessing the newer doorbell stuff all uses POE that wouldn't allow me to use existing indoor station locations..
Always test a location prior to permanent install. Bucket, rocks, and 2x4.
Don't try to cover too much with to few cams.
This is hard to beat at the front door mounted at 5-7ft. IPC-HDBW4231F-AS | Dahua MiniWedge in the 2.8mm lens flavor.
NONE of the door bell cams are ready for prime time.
My front door cam mounted at 7ft with a 3.6mm lens, next to the front door.
Front Door 2019-6-28 01.05.00.188 PM.jpg
 

jazzy1

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Always test a location prior to permanent install. Bucket, rocks, and 2x4.
Don't try to cover too much with to few cams.
This is hard to beat at the front door mounted at 5-7ft. IPC-HDBW4231F-AS | Dahua MiniWedge in the 2.8mm lens flavor.
NONE of the door bell cams are ready for prime time.
My front door cam mounted at 7ft with a 3.6mm lens, next to the front door.
View attachment 44156
wouldn't you like to see what happens right at the door though?

here's my 5231 front door view now...it's pretty good but feel like i wanna see what's going on at the door itself...that's why I thought the dual starlight may be a good fit here
frontdoor 2019-6-28 11.40.39.823 AM.jpg
 

looney2ns

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Always test a location prior to permanent install. Bucket, rocks, and 2x4.
Don't try to cover too much with to few cams.
This is hard to beat at the front door mounted at 5-7ft. IPC-HDBW4231F-AS | Dahua MiniWedge in the 2.8mm lens flavor.
NONE of the door bell cams are ready for prime time.
My front door cam mounted at 7ft with a 3.6mm lens, next to the front door.
View attachment 44156
Bottom right corner of the picture is the door handle.
Visitor pressing doorbell.

Front Door 2019-6-21 12.08.22.38 PM.jpg
 

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bigredfish

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Hard to beat right next to the doorframe at 6-7 ft

First is 7ft, I've second one lowered to 6 1/2

CAM 3_.jpg pizza-girl.jpg
 
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