Mini-Review EmpireTech IPC-Color4M-T
- Thread starter wittaj
- Start date
Yep, especially if the doorway is recessed with walls on the side. No need for IR bounce off the walls ruining the exposure.
So just to get it straight...the cam you are talking about is the IPC-COLOR4M-T in 3.6mm that is on the sale for $143.99?
I am considering getting this to replace the cams I have at my front door behind the glass side windows. Currently have IPC-HDBW4231FP-AS cams in 3.6mm.
biggen
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- May 6, 2018
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Do you run those cams in IR behind glass? I’m just wondering if reflection in IR or white light mode would be an issue.
No. I do not run IR on those cams.
Actually, would like it better if there was a variant of the Color4M-T that did not have the white and IR lights or the active deterrence lights.
Fortunately you can disable all of those on the 4M-T and either put black tape over them or replace the black plastic with one from a discarded 2MP.
bigredfish
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Yep
Andys part # Color4M-T
Dahua Part # HDW3449H-AS-PV-PRO
As @wittaj says, you can control which lights/siren/white/IR are on, and if they are activated by IVS
I need to do some more testing but it picks up light more like a 4K-T than a 5442-S3
I don;t know which FW I have yet, I know there are a couple of different ones out there
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bigredfish
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I'll put up a few videos once it gets dark
Still not able to get email or Push to talk to work... may be my old NVR?..
Still not able to get email or Push to talk to work... may be my old NVR?..
Thanks for @bigredfish post about the camera, the IR for outdoor/opening places the 54 series still better esp when person in view, but for full color, this IPC-Color4M-T sure better. Overall this camera is a great camera.
bigredfish
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Ok two quick demo/tests
A couple of notes:
IR is a bit overexposed, but it does correct when close to the camera and frankly I dont care. Its really just for critters and such as the white LED's will kick in on the IVS rules (Human)
NOTE: its very deceiving how much ambient light there is. Its damn black out there without the light from the motion lights or camera.
The IR view you see blew me away compared to the older 5442 turret.
1st clip as I normally intend to leave it at night. Using the motion porch light as well as the LEDs on the camera.
You'll see the camera LEDs react quickly to changes in ambient light and/or subject moving closer to camera, (Overexposure control) then brightening when I'm sitting and the Porch light goes out
Camera settings
Exposure 0-5.5
NR 43, Gain 50
Most image settings default except Sharpness 43
Smart Illumination
100% on Max brightness
OverExposure control ON
View attachment TestWithPorchLite-192.168.1.110_ch3_20250320220233_20250320220343.mp4
2nd clip same settings, but this time I've turned off the porch motion light
View attachment TestNoPorchLite-192.168.1.110_ch3_20250320220557_20250320220645.mp4
A couple of notes:
IR is a bit overexposed, but it does correct when close to the camera and frankly I dont care. Its really just for critters and such as the white LED's will kick in on the IVS rules (Human)
NOTE: its very deceiving how much ambient light there is. Its damn black out there without the light from the motion lights or camera.
The IR view you see blew me away compared to the older 5442 turret.
- LED's time-on setting is adjustable I think to 300 seconds. I'm using 45 seconds
- The fact that I can run IR and have the camera go to color quickly when a human trips IVS is huge for me.
- Overexposure control can be annoying, but it does what its supposed to
- Dual mic's are very sensitive. My neighbors TV is in the background. I have mic at 70% and will try and drop it further.
- Sensor noise is a bit different than the 5442's. Not bad just different. I'm running more DNR than I might on a 5442 but I can probably turn Gain down a bit too.
- Each IVS rule can be set to activate the carnival lights and/or siren/sound clip. I'm not likely to use those as I dont want to freak out the neighbor, Amazon guy, or Pizza guy. And I have other perimeter alarms to notify me. (I may play with a sound clip and get creative
1st clip as I normally intend to leave it at night. Using the motion porch light as well as the LEDs on the camera.
You'll see the camera LEDs react quickly to changes in ambient light and/or subject moving closer to camera, (Overexposure control) then brightening when I'm sitting and the Porch light goes out
Camera settings
Exposure 0-5.5
NR 43, Gain 50
Most image settings default except Sharpness 43
Smart Illumination
100% on Max brightness
OverExposure control ON
View attachment TestWithPorchLite-192.168.1.110_ch3_20250320220233_20250320220343.mp4
2nd clip same settings, but this time I've turned off the porch motion light
View attachment TestNoPorchLite-192.168.1.110_ch3_20250320220557_20250320220645.mp4
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bigredfish
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Looks good. I would try upping sharpness just a tad. I like the first one. The camera responds quickly to the additional light and more light is better.
I told many times on the forum that BW/color switching in TIOC-PRO works very well, much better than anything Dahua released before.
Also TIOC-PRO works very well with external motion-activated flood lights.. There is no problem with external light haziness - always turn-on HDR (pseudo WDR) processing change rules of the game.
For me they should work more on AI noise reduction in WizColor video processing - it's now half backed (it should be much better)..
I hope that next generation of 5442 will have all features of TIOC-PRO - (motion activated) dual hybrid lights, WizColor AI video processing, speaker with siren. Plus all classic features of 5442 (many different chassis/optics combos, AI functions)...
bigredfish
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Here's my old 5442TM-AS
Great B&W image, better image, less noise, but I lose that vivid color.. trade-off
View attachment 192.168.1.110_ch3_20250222190837_20250222190911.mp4
Great B&W image, better image, less noise, but I lose that vivid color.. trade-off
View attachment 192.168.1.110_ch3_20250222190837_20250222190911.mp4
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biggen
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- May 6, 2018
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I'm impressed with how quickly they switch from IR to color. I may have to get one of these.
bigredfish
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Basically because its not relying on the light sensor or a day/night profile switch, its
*I've since discovered that Smart Illumination, at least on my FW, operates Independent of SMD OR IVS. Its like its own AI
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bigredfish
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A word about AFSA
Anti Flicker Self Adaption
Not entirely sure how it works, but there's good and bad.
Two modes: ON and AUTO - Important to know the difference
Quick recommendation- use AUTO
Good in IR mode- It acts kinda like Defog and adds Contrast
OFF <<<<<------------------------------>>>>>AUTO (or ON both same in IR mode)
In Color mode it acts like SSA backlight gone wild! (*Good news is that in AUTO mode, it shuts off when the camera switches to color)
AUTO <<<<<------------------------------>>>>>ON (yuck)
Anti Flicker Self Adaption
Not entirely sure how it works, but there's good and bad.
Two modes: ON and AUTO - Important to know the difference
Quick recommendation- use AUTO
Good in IR mode- It acts kinda like Defog and adds Contrast
OFF <<<<<------------------------------>>>>>AUTO (or ON both same in IR mode)
In Color mode it acts like SSA backlight gone wild! (*Good news is that in AUTO mode, it shuts off when the camera switches to color)
AUTO <<<<<------------------------------>>>>>ON (yuck)
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I haven't tested that feature - does it limit shutter speed like anti-flicker on other cams?