Alarm Out -- Not working

[JesseSR]

I have an @EMPIRETECANDY NVR model DHI-NVR608-32-4KS2 which comes with (8) Alarm Outs. For whatever reason, these Alarm Outs just stopped working. I have rebooted the NVR and powered off the NVR.

The Alarm Outs are configured to run against the IVS rules of my camera. For example:

My channel 3 cameras (a 5442T-ZE from @EMPIRETECANDY, has its IVS rules (Intrusion Box) configured at the camera itself. Since the 5442 doesn't have it's own Alarm Outs, for this particular channel 3 cameras we use Alarm Out #2 on the DHI-NVR608-32-4KS2 NVR instead.

You can see in this screenshot here, the Alarm Out for channel 3, using "AI by Camera" is set to use the NVR's Alarm Out #2. (follow the blue arrow) --- meaning, anytime IVS-1 rule is triggered, it SHOULD then trigger Alarm Out #2 on the NVR. Unfortunately, it DOES NOT DO THIS ANYMORE. We use all (8) of the NVR's Alarm Out's and none of them work anymore from the AI rules.



No idea why this is happening, it used to awhile back, but doesn't anymore. Furthermore, we had another hiccup with this NVR about 2 weeks ago, it went through a proper REBOOT, and after it came back up, it Factory Eeset on it's own. In fact, I have video of it happening (because a Dahua DEV was the one who performed the manual Reboot, and I was videotaping it to be sure he didn't change a setting without my knowledge), and it wasn't a user-error on the Dahua DEV's part telling the NVR to Factory Reset, it was just properly rebooted from the menu, and came back like it was fresh out of the box -- lost it's IP, lost its password, lost -everything-. (it's POSSIBLE the Alarm Out's on the NVR stopped working at that time, but I can't say cause I wasn't even paying attention when they actually stopped working).


Furthermore, I know the NVR's Alarm Out's can be triggered manually --- even though the IVS parameters in the NVR for using the Alarm Out do not work automatically as they should when the cameras IVS event is triggered. I can verify the Alarm Out's work manually by going here:



.. and selecting MANUAL for one of the Alarm Outs and clicking the OKAY button, the Alarm Out -will- work and trigger that way. That is the only way they will work now, manually. It seems like something with the Alarm Outs are broken in the NVR, and I'm suspect because of unit Factory Reset on it's own. (yes, current most up to date firmware).




Any idea how I can get my (8) Alarm Outs working again on my NVR? i really need them. Appreciate the help!

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

What is the currently firmware build date ? Can try to send you the latest new fw to try, you also can make a default to the NVR too try make a try.

 

[JesseSR]

7/27/21 is the firmware (which seems to be the latest available). I'm trying -not- to Factory Reset this, as it was just Factory Reset a few weeks ago (it did it on its own after a normal reboot, and even the Dahua L2 engineer (USA) and Dahua DEV (from China) that were remoted into my computer at the time it happened didn't know why it Factory Reset when the DEV guy rebooted it. I guess if I -have- to do another Factory Reset I will but I'm trying to avoid that... ?

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

That 730 maybe not work for your currently NVR, i get you another one to try. 0716, after finish the upgrade, make a default to the NVR, and then try again, remember, not Factory default.

 

[JesseSR]

This is the version that Dahua L2 (USA) support DEV (China) have told me to run

 

[JesseSR]

I really don't want to go to an older version. The version I'm running now 7/27 (see my screenshot above) is what Dahua's L2 (USA) support and the DEV I'm working with in China wants me to run (due to another support case I have open for my Thermal cameras and some issues with them). I can't go back to an older firmware at this time without messing up the support ticket I have with them unfortuantely.

 

[JesseSR]

Well now I'm upset ... I did a RESET on the NVR as you suggested. (not a factory reset, just a regular reset)... After the NVR came back online --- EVERY ONE OF MY CAMERAS has lost ALL of its Video settings and IVS settings. And all my Picture/exposure settings. They're completely GONE. Doing a RESET on the NVR for some reason screwed up every one of my 12 cameras that I now I have to start from scratch all over again. It's as if the RESET ended up OVERWRITING every single one of my cameras.

I have just lost about 10-12 hours worth of configuration settings and have to start all over again on my cameras , for no reason at all..

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

That is strange, the normal default will not clear the settings. I will make some checking for your issues and send you some further way to try.
Normally can export all settings before you make the default or factory default, then will not loose the settings.

 

[alastairstevenson]

I have just lost about 10-12 hours worth of configuration settings and have to start all over again on my cameras , for no reason at all..

After you get them all set up again - preserve the settings just in case by exporting a configuration file. As advised.

 

[jmcu]

What are you using the alarm output for? If it is for IVS notification this is not what they do. If that has stopped working try updating your APP.
The alarm outputs on the back are for sirens, lights, horns, dorbells or what ever else you want to hook up to them. They normally require power in and the max the relay can handle is 1 amp.

The older NVR's use to have a power supply for the relays but the newer ones don't. Not sure on the 6xxx series but the 5xxx do not.
If you put the local alarm in manual and press apply you should hear the relay click on the back of the NVR without anything hooked up. If you can then the outputs are working.

 

[JesseSR]

After you get them all set up again - preserve the settings just in case by exporting a configuration file. As advised.

I normally do, but I literally just got done doing adjustments on all the cameras (with new additions) and NVR too. I was just wanting to fix this issue with the Alarm Out. Since I never expected doing a RESET on the NVR would change configuration on my actual cameras, I didn't think to do an export on the cameras beforehand. So frustrating. Lost everything.

Spent until mid-morning last night re-doing everything (luckily the settings for nearly everything were fresh in my head) and I'm back on track again (with exported backups of everything).

 

[JesseSR]

What are you using the alarm output for? If it is for IVS notification this is not what they do. If that has stopped working try updating your APP.
The alarm outputs on the back are for sirens, lights, horns, dorbells or what ever else you want to hook up to them. They normally require power in and the max the relay can handle is 1 amp.

The older NVR's use to have a power supply for the relays but the newer ones don't. Not sure on the 6xxx series but the 5xxx do not.
If you put the local alarm in manual and press apply you should hear the relay click on the back of the NVR without anything hooked up. If you can then the outputs are working.

The alarm outputs of the NVR go to relays in my Home Automation System to trigger certain things based on the IVS events that were triggered. We have a pretty nice setup with this and do some really cool things. For example, If an IVS is triggered on camera #1, then the Home Automation will do XYZ. If an IVS is triggered on cameras #2, then the Home Automation system will do ABC, etc.

 

[JesseSR]

The RESET (not Factory Reset) of the NVR fixed the Alarm Outs issues. All 8 Alarm Outs are now working again. (unfortunately, the RESET also whacked the configuration of my cameras settings so I had to redo ALL of the picture, exposure, video, DST/TIME, IVS rules, etc.)

 

[SpacemanSpiff]

Bummer on losing all those settings... been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

Just to confirm, the settings you lost (video, IVS, picture & exposure settings) were previously set on each camera, correct? Versus setting them via the NVR?

Adding a new step to my own notes (after the 'back-up all the settings' step): If issue is with NVR specific feature, disconnect cameras from NVR before executing reset command

 

[jmcu]

The alarm outputs of the NVR go to relays in my Home Automation System to trigger certain things based on the IVS events that were triggered. We have a pretty nice setup with this and do some really cool things. For example, If an IVS is triggered on camera #1, then the Home Automation will do XYZ. If an IVS is triggered on cameras #2, then the Home Automation system will do ABC, etc.

Very cool !!
It definitely sounds do like you know what your doing. I never had one loose all the settings before. Sorry to hear that..

 

[looney2ns]

That's what a regular reset does, it reset's most settings to default.
Be sure you do all setup for the cameras in their Web Interface using IE, SmartPSS can be buggy.
Also, setting up the cameras settings in the NVR doesn't always work correctly, so use the Cameras setup interface direct.
Someday, Dahua might fix this.

 

[JesseSR]

Bummer on losing all those settings... been there, done that, got the t-shirt.

Just to confirm, the settings you lost (video, IVS, picture & exposure settings) were previously set on each camera, correct? Versus setting them via the NVR?

Adding a new step to my own notes (after the 'back-up all the settings' step): If issue is with NVR specific feature, disconnect cameras from NVR before executing reset command

Yes, correct. I set everything on the cameras themselves, not the NVR. The things I lost varied on each cameras but in general, it was the daylight saving time settings and NTP settings, it was all the Video settings (H264, bit rate, frame rates, etc.) , it was all the IVS settings (completely gone), it was the Exposure settings (Manual shutter, speeds, gain, etc.), for the most part ALL of those settings on the cameras were wiped as soon as I did a RESET on the NVR. Oddly enough Picture settings (brightness, contrast, sat, gamma, etc. on each camera all seemed to STICK fine and weren't affected.

I'll take the t-shirt too.

As to disconnecting ALL cameras before doing a NVR reset , I had the EXACT same thought!! unplug them ALL before ever doing that again.!!! Totally agree on that one.

 

[looney2ns]

Yes, correct. I set everything on the cameras themselves, not the NVR. The things I lost varied on each cameras but in general, it was the daylight saving time settings and NTP settings, it was all the Video settings (H264, bit rate, frame rates, etc.) , it was all the IVS settings (completely gone), it was the Exposure settings (Manual shutter, speeds, gain, etc.), for the most part ALL of those settings on the cameras were wiped as soon as I did a RESET on the NVR. Oddly enough Picture settings (brightness, contrast, sat, gamma, etc. on each camera all seemed to STICK fine and weren't affected.

I'll take the t-shirt too.

As to disconnecting ALL cameras before doing a NVR reset , I had the EXACT same thought!! unplug them ALL before ever doing that again.!!! Totally agree on that one.

Takes a few seconds to make a settings backup to a flash drive.

 

[JesseSR]

Very cool !!
It definitely sounds do like you know what your doing. I never had one loose all the settings before. Sorry to hear that..

Well, I wouldn't say that. haha, but I've gotten help from members here (especially @wittaj) and my installer. I'm learning a lot and finally understand more things than I did before.

 

[JesseSR]

Takes a few seconds to make a settings backup to a flash drive.

That sounds good in theory but, I got burned by that too. 2-3 weeks ago I was working with L2 support and a China DEV, remoted into my computer and the China DEV rebooted the NVR and it factory reset on its own. I thought, "no problem!" --- as I just JUST taken a backup configuration of the NVR before the remote-support call with Dahua support. Went to restore that backup, -buzz-- no luck, just kept factory resetting even after the restore. Call it bad luck I guess but, I seem to have the worst luck with bugs, flukes, firmware problems, etc. and have had so many open issues with Dahua support it's been crazy, few of which ever get fixed/resolved.

I'm hoping things are more stable moving forward. My system is in constant flux with more and more changes, (adding cameras, removing cameras, replacing older cameras with newer cameras, etc.) that I'm sure it's just adding to the issues as I don't think Dahua does a great job removing old configuration stuff from the configs when you remove a camera, or even MOVE a camera to a different channel, etc. I think config gets mangled up eventually. I think once my system is more static, and we stop doing things (lol) it'll get better.