Camera Advice

[k2ace]

I have several outdoor cameras running, Trendnet TV-IP314PI, Trendnet TV-IP310PI, and Dahua IPC-HFW1320S cameras. The Trendnet cameras are 4mm and the Dahua is 3.6mm. During the day they work flawlessly. At night time the quality seems subpar. I have done a lot of different setting combinations without much luck.

The Starlights seems to be recommended a lot on here. Will they give me anything better then what I am seeing? I really don't want to run any additional lighting or IR illuminators if there is a IP/PoE camera that can give me decent low light performance without it. Mainly reliable motion triggers.

Another option I was considering trying was the Hikvision DS-2CD2342WD-I 4MP WDR EXIR Turret. Anyone know how this may perform against the Trendnet and Dahua bullets I have, or how it may compare to the Starlight's.

The attached image is from one of the Trendnet TV-IP314PI. This is the most acceptable results I could get out of the three camera models. Running 15fps, H264+, 4096 bitrate, exposure 1/30, gain 75, smart supplement light on/auto, WDR on at 100, auto white balance, noise reduction 75.

 

[hmjgriffon]

I have several outdoor cameras running, Trendnet TV-IP314PI, Trendnet TV-IP310PI, and Dahua IPC-HFW1320S cameras. The Trendnet cameras are 4mm and the Dahua is 3.6mm. During the day they work flawlessly. At night time the quality seems subpar. I have done a lot of different setting combinations without much luck.

The Starlights seems to be recommended a lot on here. Will they give me anything better then what I am seeing? I really don't want to run any additional lighting or IR illuminators if there is a IP/PoE camera that can give me decent low light performance without it. Mainly reliable motion triggers.

Another option I was considering trying was the Hikvision DS-2CD2342WD-I 4MP WDR EXIR Turret. Anyone know how this may perform against the Trendnet and Dahua bullets I have, or how it may compare to the Starlight's.

The attached image is from one of the Trendnet TV-IP314PI. This is the most acceptable results I could get out of the three camera models. Running 15fps, H264+, 4096 bitrate, exposure 1/30, gain 75, smart supplement light on/auto, WDR on at 100, auto white balance, noise reduction 75.

View attachment 14464

The starlight eco series will kick the snot out of that picture, as for reliable motion detection, you pretty have to add that on either using alarm input on the camera, or zwave the sensor. Any camera you use will benefit from external IR but you don't HAVE to do it.

 

[Jack B Nimble]

could try wdr off, gain 100, noise 50 worth a go, and do you have quality cable ?

 

[k2ace]

could try wdr off, gain 100, noise 50 worth a go, and do you have quality cable ?

I have tried that with no improvment. Its all running over shielded Cat 6.

 

[aristobrat]

The Starlights seems to be recommended a lot on here. Will they give me anything better then what I am seeing?

The Starlight turret thread has a few videos (and even more pictures) demonstrating night time image quality. Definitely check it out (if you haven't already).

 

[k2ace]

The Starlight turret thread has a few videos (and even more pictures) demonstrating night time image quality. Definitely check it out (if you haven't already).

I have and they look great compared to what I have now. But, I also bought the ones I have because I saw some pretty good sample video at night, evidently in better lighting conditions then I have.

 

[k2ace]

I'm probably going to order a single starlight turret varifocal to test. Is there one that has a onboard mic? Is there any places in the US to order these with quick shipping? The places I have found look to be coming from overseas with a 6-15 day ship time. Also who is Andy everyone seems to mention?

 

[randytsuch]

I'm probably going to order a single starlight turret varifocal to test. Is there one that has a onboard mic? Is there any places in the US to order these with quick shipping? The places I have found look to be coming from overseas with a 6-15 day ship time. Also who is Andy everyone seems to mention?

It's Chinese New Year now, I don't think any of the Aliexpress shops are shipping until early Feb. Empiretecandy (Andy) said they open again Feb 5th.
Dahua Starlight Varifocal Turret (IPC-HDW5231R-Z)
I would guess it will take a couple weeks after that to get a camera from China, maybe a little more, I'm sure there will be a ton of shipments as soon as they come back from holiday.

This one has a mic
Dahua Starlight Varifocal Turret (IPC-HDW5231R-Z)

They are relatively new, so would be hard to find in the US I imagine.
And when I looked, Dahua cams were a lot more if you bought from a US distributor, vs buying from aliexpress.

 

[hmjgriffon]

You will pay $100 or so more buying in America, I've not even seen any resellers with them. Once Chinese New year is over you'll be able to get one in about 3 days, I would wait.

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[randytsuch]

You will pay $100 or so more buying in America, I've not even seen any resellers with them. Once Chinese New year is over you'll be able to get one in about 3 days, I would wait.

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three days seems optimistic. I've ordered a few cameras from ali, seems like it takes a couple weeks. Unless I was unlucky.

And I know everyone wants their stuff now (the amazon effect ), but does a couple of weeks really matter?

 

[k2ace]

You will pay $100 or so more buying in America, I've not even seen any resellers with them. Once Chinese New year is over you'll be able to get one in about 3 days, I would wait.

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More then willing to pay the extra cost for one so I can verify they will work out and plan accordingly. I just have next week free if I could get one to test out. I'm more then willing to wait for an order to replace all the cams if it pans out to save cost.

 

[randytsuch]

This is a fairly new camera which is why you probably won't find it in stock from a US source yet. And be careful, sometimes us companies are still getting it from China, so ordering from a US source may not save any time.

 

[hmjgriffon]

This is a fairly new camera which is why you probably won't find it in stock from a US source yet. And be careful, sometimes us companies are still getting it from China, so ordering from a US source may not save any time.

unless they have it in storage inside of the US TODAY, you're screwed.

 

[looney2ns]

three days seems optimistic. I've ordered a few cameras from ali, seems like it takes a couple weeks. Unless I was unlucky.

And I know everyone wants their stuff now (the amazon effect ), but does a couple of weeks really matter?

Two different orders from Empire Tech on Ali, and both orders arrived at my door in 5 days. Both times, Customs was the holdup. The cams arrived in 2 days to the Cincinnati DHL hub/customs.

 

[hmjgriffon]

yes, weeks DO matter.

 

[randytsuch]

yes, weeks DO matter.

As I've gotten older, I've decided it really doesn't. So it takes another week, or two or three or ... to finish the project. You going to fire yourself for taking too long?

And I see how its a pain because Ace has a window to work on it next week, but its not going to happen, so time to figure out a new plan.

In the end, its worth it to wait for what you really need/want.

 

[hmjgriffon]

Maybe is I live to old age I will feel that way but when it comes to security stuff, you could get robbed while to wait for the thing that would have caught them

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[k2ace]

I normally wouldn't care to much about speed except we have seen a high increase in people breaking into cars and shooting car windows out with BB guns.

I went ahead and place an order for a starlight varifocal turret from Ali/empire.

In the meantime I may try to rig up a temporary illuminator if I can find one. Anyone think it would actually help the cameras I have or is it just a waste of time and money?

 

[randytsuch]

Oh, yeah then it gets scary and I'd be worried too.
From what I've read, an illuminator should help. More light is better.

 

[nayr]

I love external illuminators, even with the starlights cause they seem to detect it at such a distance and they are so sensitive to sprites/bugs.. go ahead and put some up, more light is always good.