Best Blue Iris setting for less false alerts due to windy cloud shadows?

[pmcross]

I too have been unable to find a solution to the sun going behind the clouds quickly causing false positive alerts. I have multiple zone crossing enabled, which has helped significantly with false alerts except for the sun/clouds issue. I have adjusted sensitivity, contrast, disabled high definition, changed the algorithm, toggled cancel shadows to no avail. The only outcome is either live with the false alerts on partly cloudy days or miss motion events due to switching settings. I emailed Blue Iris support and have exchanged emails with Ken previously and unfortunately it seems like they don't have a solution to this problem. From doing research it seems like the only way to mitigate false alerts like this is to install PIR motion sensors or use an intelligent computer vision solutions like Sighthound or Camio which can differentiate a person from shadows, sun/clouds, etc. Don't get me wrong, I love Blue Iris and it works great most of the time and is very affordable, I just wish that the motion detection could be improved. I am to the point now that I am going to create a profile with motion detection disabled to use on days with the sun and clouds issue.

 

[aristobrat]

From doing research it seems like the only way to mitigate false alerts like this is to install PIR motion sensors or use an intelligent computer vision solutions like Sighthound or Camio which can differentiate a person from shadows, sun/clouds, etc.

I had really good luck with minimal sun/cloud changes when I was using the Dahua NVR. For the model cameras I was using (5231R-Z), IVS was great at detecting motion, but not detecting light changes. Unfortunately with BI (at least the current version), IVS can't trigger recordings.

I am to the point now that I am going to create a profile with motion detection disabled to use on days with the sun and clouds issue.

I ended up creating a profile that doesn't alert me for two hours after being enabled. Then it switches back to the normal profile.

 

[pmcross]

I had really good luck with minimal sun/cloud changes when I was using the Dahua NVR. For the model cameras I was using (5231R-Z), IVS was great at detecting motion, but not detecting light changes. Unfortunately with BI (at least the current version), IVS can't trigger recordings.

Dahua looks very cool and has advanced motion detection features. Hopefully BI will incorporate some of these features in the future.

I ended up creating a profile that doesn't alert me for two hours after being enabled. Then it switches back to the normal profile.

Thanks for the info. I will look into setting up a profile to not alert me for 2 hours as well. I already have day and night profiles, so one more isn't too big of a deal

 

[jrf]

I found a thread on here about how to get the Dahua IVS to trigger blueiris and apparently it works on some cameras. I was only able to get it to "kind of" work and then it became very unreliable and stopped triggering. But I was able to get it to trigger BI a few times. Encouraging. I'd really like to see BI create some good Dahua camera profiles for the newer cameras and IVS.

 

[fenderman]

I found a thread on here about how to get the Dahua IVS to trigger blueiris and apparently it works on some cameras. I was only able to get it to "kind of" work and then it became very unreliable and stopped triggering. But I was able to get it to trigger BI a few times. Encouraging. I'd really like to see BI create some good Dahua camera profiles for the newer cameras and IVS.

fyi, blue iris zone crossing, if setup properly is far superior to dahua line crossing both with respect to accuracy and the ability to customize it...the only way to get dahua ivs working as you want it would be to email support and he will likely need access to your camera feed..

 

[jrf]

fyi, blue iris zone crossing, if setup properly is far superior to dahua line crossing both with respect to accuracy and the ability to customize it...the only way to get dahua ivs working as you want it would be to email support and he will likely need access to your camera feed..

Anxiously awaiting @Dasstrum video thread on motion detection setup. I've read the help file multiple times and played with multiple setups but still have lots of questions. Also for whatever reason it is really hard on some of my cameras to see the little "blocks" in the zone setup screen. And it seems fairly important to line them up well between zones. But thank you for that input and I shall continue to experiment and learn.

 

[Mike.in.Minnesota]

Anxiously awaiting @Dasstrum ... And it seems fairly important to line them up well between zones...

Your correct. Setting a preset position is critical. Some cameras have a bit of play in them, so they do not always go precisely to the preset, but off by several pixels. After going to my main preset, I use visual ques to help position. Like corners/tops of roof, edge of trees... Anything that will be there year round.

Somewhere here, I've posted about my tests with zone-crossing to do exactly what you want. Here it is! It worked quite well. But (always a but!), I found that I would rather put up with occasional tree swag on windy days, than miss other motions. Because zone-crossing will not trigger all motion you may want!

Just for the heck of it, I've used zone-crossing to count how many vehicles/bicycles pass by in each direction, simultaneously! Worked great!

 

[Dasstrum]

Anxiously awaiting @Dasstrum video thread on motion detection setup. I've read the help file multiple times and played with multiple setups but still have lots of questions. Also for whatever reason it is really hard on some of my cameras to see the little "blocks" in the zone setup screen. And it seems fairly important to line them up well between zones. But thank you for that input and I shall continue to experiment and learn.

This is going to be my next video. I am probably not going to cover zone crossing yet in this upcoming video as this is a completely different subject but I will make a video on it. The upcoming video is going to cover what zones and hotspots are used for/how to setup. And also the "Object travels" section of object detection. I just released a camera resolution video. This will help hopefully understand the 'object travels' distance when counting pixels

 

[pmcross]

I wanted to share with everyone what Ken from Blue Iris support told me regarding the false alerts that I was receiving from the sun and clouds. He suggested that I use the simple algorithm instead of Gaussian. He told me that the simple algorithm is less sensitive to sun and clouds. I changed the profile and ran the video that triggered previously through the motion simulator and didn't receive any triggers for the sun going behind the clouds, etc. I am hoping that this fixes it for me. If so I believe that it will nearly be perfected with zone crossing to mitigate most, if not all false positives.

 

[RChadwick]

I just wanted to add myself to the list as well. I use the simple algorithm, but still get sudden changed in light making false triggers. Hopefully this might be addressed in a future update.

 

[fenderman]

I just wanted to add myself to the list as well. I use the simple algorithm, but still get sudden changed in light making false triggers. Hopefully this might be addressed in a future update.

There is nothing to address, you need to setup motion detection properly. Watch the videos and read the help files, particularly on zone crossing. Dont use hotspot.

 

[RChadwick]

I appreciate your response.

I don't use Hotspot. I read the helpfiles, including zone crossing. The helpfiles seem to indicate that the 'Object Size Exceeds' setting would address this, but it doesn't. I'm not sure which videos to watch, or where they are. I'm not a Blue Iris expert, nor do I want to be. This thread would be the perfect place to post a solution.

 

[fenderman]

I appreciate your response.

I don't use Hotspot. I read the helpfiles, including zone crossing. The helpfiles seem to indicate that the 'Object Size Exceeds' setting would address this, but it doesn't. I'm not sure which videos to watch, or where they are. I'm not a Blue Iris expert, nor do I want to be. This thread would be the perfect place to post a solution.

The solution is different for everyone. There is a sticky in the blue iris section of the forum full of video tutorials. You dont have to be an expert to setup motion detection. If you dont want to take the time to learn, then you will live with the false alerts.

 

[RChadwick]

The solution is different for everyone.

That was actually a little bit helpful.

If you dont want to take the time to learn, then you will live with the false alerts.

That wasn't helpful. That's the kind of response I'd expect when asking for help about Linux or some hacking tool, where the bar is set high, and the elite remind you of that. Blue Iris is a product I paid for. This thread is long and old, so it's certainly not just me. I don't expect you to provide me an answer. I'm hoping:
1) The author reads this, and either adds a feature that does this, or clarifies he help file describing this feature. (Current help is wrong. Referring someone to broken help is not helpful)
2) Someone who has successfully configured BI to ignore shadows shares exactly what they did. If solutions are different for everybody, hearing from multiple people would be even better.

If I ever figure it out, I'll share the secret sauce on this thread.

 

[fenderman]

That was actually a little bit helpful.


That wasn't helpful. That's the kind of response I'd expect when asking for help about Linux or some hacking tool, where the bar is set high, and the elite remind you of that. Blue Iris is a product I paid for. This thread is long and old, so it's certainly not just me. I don't expect you to provide me an answer. I'm hoping:
1) The author reads this, and either adds a feature that does this, or clarifies he help file describing this feature. (Current help is wrong. Referring someone to broken help is not helpful)
2) Someone who has successfully configured BI to ignore shadows shares exactly what they did. If solutions are different for everybody, hearing from multiple people would be even better.

If I ever figure it out, I'll share the secret sauce on this thread.

I dont care if you find it helpful or not. I dont owe you a damn thing.
Oh, you paid an entire 60 bux for the program? Wow, everything should be automated at that price point because you are too lazy to read the help file or watch a video. Perhaps the 60 bux should include on site setup for ya.
The help file is not wrong. You just didnt read it.
The concept is the same for everyone, the SETTINGS will be different. Stop being lazy.
The blue iris developer does not monitor forums. Its time for you to pay for priority support and even then, it would probably not include sitting and customizing settings....You will live with the false alerts forever.

 

[jrf]

Here: Zone Crossing - Not working - What have I missed ?
And here: Too many false motions due to sun/shade/wind

That should help. However...here's what you don't know yet...this IS like learning Linux or some complicated program. It's NOT a magical program that is fully AI computer learned image recognition. It's just not. Every camera and every setup is different...your trees are different than my trees. So often time settings for THIS type of thing aren't the same. Everyone eventually becomes a motion trigger expert...because we all hate false triggers...and loath missing a real event.

 

[RChadwick]

Thanks for the help jrf!
I actually came to Blue Iris because I was going crazy constantly adjusting my unbranded Dahua's motion settings. Eventually, I gave up and moved to BI. BI is worlds better, but still have the shadow issue.
Also, I don't mind learning, I just don't want to reinvent the wheel, or spend 20 hours of my life to find out there is no solution. When I figure something out that doesn't have an easy tutorial, I make one to hopefully help someone else save time.