At my wits end with this software.

[Gizmo]

I have been using BI since 2019, no issues other than learning curve up until recently. The live audio stopped randomly, it still records audio, I can hear the audio on my phone but it won't play live. I still can't figure out why. Last night I updated the time on the cameras themselves (not through BI), then all of a sudden there was an overlay of the time through BI, I deleted the overlays, all seemed well. around 10am this morning there was a BI evaluation watermark across all the screens, so I deactivate, reactivate, goes away. A few hours later I stop getting motion alerts on 2/4 cameras. I still can't figure out how to get it to work. I reset the computer/software and the watermark is back! Other than trying to fix this shit I have not changed any settings in months. I am at my wits end with trying to figure this out, nothing I do seems to work, does anyone have any idea what is going on?

I don't have software support anymore; expired in 2020, but I feel like I paid for the software and upgrades so support shouldn't have anything to do with this.

I'm really debating dropping this shit software at this point, what other options do I have out there?

 

[TonyR]

Do you know your BI version?
Consider uninstalling/re-installing.
Don't install a later version than you have now and it should activate OK.
Go here for an archive of all versions ==>> Blue Iris Software Updates

If you decide to do that, go to "Settings" => "About" and export your settings and then on that same "About" page click on "email support"; that'll copy your info onto the clipboard then paste that into a new file created with notepad and save that text file where you can find it; it'll contain your key code to re-activate after install. Then deactivate your current installation.

Turn BI's auto update feature off.

 

[fenderman]

I have been using BI since 2019, no issues other than learning curve up until recently. The live audio stopped randomly, it still records audio, I can hear the audio on my phone but it won't play live. I still can't figure out why. Last night I updated the time on the cameras themselves (not through BI), then all of a sudden there was an overlay of the time through BI, I deleted the overlays, all seemed well. around 10am this morning there was a BI evaluation watermark across all the screens, so I deactivate, reactivate, goes away. A few hours later I stop getting motion alerts on 2/4 cameras. I still can't figure out how to get it to work. I reset the computer/software and the watermark is back! Other than trying to fix this shit I have not changed any settings in months. I am at my wits end with trying to figure this out, nothing I do seems to work, does anyone have any idea what is going on?

I don't have software support anymore; expired in 2020, but I feel like I paid for the software and upgrades so support shouldn't have anything to do with this.

I'm really debating dropping this shit software at this point, what other options do I have out there?

Drop this shit software there are many other options out there. You paid an entire 60 bux. Almost your lifes savings. You are entitled to lifetime support. All other software in the world offers lifetime support.

One clue that indicates you don't know what you are doing is that you claim that changing the time on the cameras web interface caused Blue Iris to display the time. This is a technical impossibility.

 

[Gizmo]

Well what happened then? I have literally not changed any settings in months, I just review footage. Why did it show up? Why did alerts stop at 10am? I got them all night/morning and years before. Why did the evaluation watermark show up? auto updates have always been off.

 

[fenderman]

Well what happened then? I have literally not changed any settings in months, I just review footage. Why did it show up? Why did alerts stop at 10am? I got them all night/morning and years before. Why did the evaluation watermark show up? auto updates have always been off.

I have no idea what you did but using your logic how is it the software's fault if you didn't change anything at all how would the magical software do it on its own.

 

[Gizmo]

I honestly don't know that's why I'm here. Thanks for helping though!

 

[fenderman]

I honestly don't know that's why I'm here. Thanks for helping though!

You didn't ask for help you just trashed the software.

 

[Teken]

Just some quick feedback and possible issues to check and validate that could be present.

There are at a minimum 3-4 clocks on the system that need to be validated. The first is the motherboard BIOS clock. Almost every computer has a RTC that is powered by a coin / super capacitor.

This system clock (Day- Month- Year) must be accurately set up. Login to the MB BIOS and verify the system date & time. Once done power down the computer and wait ten minutes and boot back into the BIOS.

The system date and time should be reflective of the current date & time. If not the coin cell battery / super capacitor needs to be replaced. Back in the day the Motherboard BIOS clock was independent of the OS.

The next clock (System Date) of the Windows Operating System (OS) needs to be confirmed as accurate. In the worst case scenario (Windows Time) NTP should be enabled to synchronize and update the date. Keep in mind if your location respects DST this should be enabled along with correct time zone.

Reboot the computer and confirm the system time, date, year, is accurate & reflective of that period.

In BI confirm the same (System Date) and shut down and relaunch the software application and confirm time, day, month, year is accurate.

Obviously all of the cameras should be up to date and use a local NTP Server to insure accurate time keeping. DST and Time Zone need to be adjusted to reflect proper time.

Lastly, if you have ever completed a System Restore in Windows this can and will cause a system date error. As you’re literally rewinding the OS into the past.

The vast majority of license expiration is due to the above. In rare cases this is also caused by corrupt INI File or Reg Key. Sometimes Windows Updates will also cause havoc and corrupt the above too.

Lastly, in some edge cases launching an old desktop short cut which points to a older version of software release can create a conflict with a newer (updated) version of software as it pulls on common libraries and config files if in the same folder / directory.

Just some things to consider and check!

 

[toastie]

You have my sympathy Gizmo. I came back from holiday recently and BI had been updated. I lost the functionality of a double click enlarging a camera's view, then I found a couple of cameras weren't triggering clips as they had before, somehow the settings had been changed, probably upgraded functionality. Part of the problem is putting into words what your particular issue is with BI is so that others can understand where you are and where you need help. By chance on IPCT you might read of the answer otherwise you're likely to blame BI.

I suspect many of us have been there over the years when we felt like throwing the computer out of the window, we then find something we missed, a box to click or when programming a missing punctuation.

 

[fenderman]

You have my sympathy Gizmo. I came back from holiday recently and BI had been updated. I lost the functionality of a double click enlarging a camera's view, then I found a couple of cameras weren't triggering clips as they had before, somehow the settings had been changed, probably upgraded functionality. Part of the problem is putting into words what your particular issue is with BI is so that others can understand where you are and where you need help. By chance on IPCT you might read of the answer otherwise you're likely to blame BI.

I suspect many of us have been there over the years when we felt like throwing the computer out of the window, we then find something we missed, a box to click or when programming a missing punctuation.

Totally your fault for leaving auto update on. Just a complete lack of common sense.