Dahua Cam Audio Shootout!

[MacFun]

the settings I posted are from within the cam setup.


I'm not trans-coding it, the settings in the camera allow you to choose which encoder to use.

Understood, that makes perfect sense. I thought you were showing BI or the NVR.

 

[looney2ns]

That sounds a lot more normal for the scene. Thanks.
But hey, a nice charcoal grill setup like that and no cover? C'mon.

It's a Weber, it's 18 years old, it's fine.
It doesn't need no stink-in cover.

 

[MacFun]

An example of bad audio:

 

[fenderman]

An example of bad audio:

The noise filter is on...There are a bunch of videos with excellent audio..buy a camera already and stop with this nonsense...
Fyi recording audio of said burglar without posted signs is unlawful...the bullets and domes will allow you to use your own mic... but needs to be powered.

 

[MacFun]

Well the laws are location specific...

 

[MacFun]

You’re right I need to buy a few cams and run my own tests. If need be, I will run my own separate mics but getting excellent audio of said burglar is nonnegotiable in my book; however, I think the common expectation is one of mediocrity. Most people would get excited if any noise was recorded but I want usable audio, hearing your car make noise as it enters the garage is a useless test. And since the mic cannot be placed optimally the audio capability is of greater importance. Now how do I get the burglar to speak close to the microphone?

R

 

[fenderman]

Well the laws are location specific...

No..it would be unlawful in any US state.

 

[fenderman]

You’re right I need to buy a few cams and run my own tests. If need be, I will run my own separate mics but getting excellent audio of said burglar is nonnegotiable in my book; however, I think the common expectation is one of mediocrity. Most people would get excited if any noise was recorded but I want usable audio, hearing your car make noise as it enters the garage is a useless test. And since the mic cannot be placed optimally the audio capability is of greater importance. Now how do I get the burglar to speak close to the microphone?

R

Once again, the audio on dahua cams is excellent...there is a thread where another doubter bought some for his escape room store...works great.. search the forum...
I guess I have special dahua cams because my mics are super sensitive.
but keep doubting and bickering and wait a year or two before purchasing...you certainly wont get any audio from a non existent camera...

 

[looney2ns]

Just wow....

 

[shalem2014]

High-quality audio recording is very important to me. My only experience with audio recording from an IP Cam was NestCam which did a good job, I need that quality or better. The samples I've heard from a few Dahua cameras had highly compressed and muffled audio, not so great. So, has anyone done an audio quality comparison test amongst the popular Dahua IP cams?

I recently got some Dahua IPC-HDW5442TM-AS cameras. Previously I used Amcrest cameras. I was quite disappointed that the audio sample rate on the new Dahua camera was limited to 8k instead of supporting 8k and 16k as the Amcrest cameras do. However, I discovered that if I switch the Dahua camera to use the AAC format, the list of supported sample rates expands all the way up to 64k (48k is the normal sample rate used for most media nowadays). I was worried that Blue Iris wouldn't be able to use the audio stream while in AAC mode, but it does fine. Judging by the sound quality, Blue Iris isn't using the camera's AAC bitstream (which has a crazy low bitrate that sounds garbly), but the audio comes through quite well, and at the full sample rate. Therefore, to get the best audio quality on at least some Dahua cameras:

1. In the camera's audio settings, make sure that Noise Filter is turned off.
2. In the camera's audio settings, check your available Sampling Frequency and set it to the highest option. 8k is telephone quality. 16k is slightly better. 48k is preferable.
3. Try changing the Encode Mode to AAC and see if your Sampling Frequency will now go higher. If so, stay with AAC. Otherwise use G.711A.
4. If you're using Blue Iris, try setting its camera audio format to 16-bit PCM (Camera settings -> Video -> Configure -> Audio -> Format).
5. I have replaced the internal microphone on several of these Amcrest/Dahua cameras with great results. Since the camera's internal preamplifier is quite noisy, the point is to find the most sensitive microphone possible. These microphones are among the best available (soldering required).
6. Drill the microphone hole out on the camera housing to get rid of the shrill, tinniness of the sound. Depending on the camera's location, you may need to consider replacement weatherproofing options for the microphone. I like to drill the hole to the diameter of the microphone element, placing the element in the back of the "tube" of the camera housing, using thermal glue from behind to hold it in place, and then filling the front of the tube with a small chunk of earpiece foam from old headphones to reduce wind noise and keep stray, airborne water droplets from hitting the microphone.

If you do all the above, it will be a night and day difference in audio quality and sensitivity compared to how the camera originally behaved! Maybe sometime I'll have a demo to demonstrate what's possible.

 

[fenderman]

I recently got some Dahua IPC-HDW5442TM-AS cameras. Previously I used Amcrest cameras. I was quite disappointed that the audio sample rate on the new Dahua camera was limited to 8k instead of supporting 8k and 16k as the Amcrest cameras do. However, I discovered that if I switch the Dahua camera to use the AAC format, the list of supported sample rates expands all the way up to 64k (48k is the normal sample rate used for most media nowadays). I was worried that Blue Iris wouldn't be able to use the audio stream while in AAC mode, but it does fine. Judging by the sound quality, Blue Iris isn't using the camera's AAC bitstream (which has a crazy low bitrate that sounds garbly), but the audio comes through quite well, and at the full sample rate. Therefore, to get the best audio quality on at least some Dahua cameras:

1. In the camera's audio settings, make sure that Noise Filter is turned off.
2. In the camera's audio settings, check your available Sampling Frequency and set it to the highest option. 8k is telephone quality. 16k is slightly better. 48k is preferable.
3. Try changing the Encode Mode to AAC and see if your Sampling Frequency will now go higher. If so, stay with AAC. Otherwise use G.711A.
4. If you're using Blue Iris, try setting its camera audio format to 16-bit PCM (Camera settings -> Video -> Configure -> Audio -> Format).
5. I have replaced the internal microphone on several of these Amcrest/Dahua cameras with great results. Since the camera's internal preamplifier is quite noisy, the point is to find the most sensitive microphone possible. These microphones are among the best available (soldering required).
6. Drill the microphone hole out on the camera housing to get rid of the shrill, tinniness of the sound. Depending on the camera's location, you may need to consider replacement weatherproofing options for the microphone. I like to drill the hole to the diameter of the microphone element, placing the element in the back of the "tube" of the camera housing, using thermal glue from behind to hold it in place, and then filling the front of the tube with a small chunk of earpiece foam from old headphones to reduce wind noise and keep stray, airborne water droplets from hitting the microphone.

If you do all the above, it will be a night and day difference in audio quality and sensitivity compared to how the camera originally behaved! Maybe sometime I'll have a demo to demonstrate what's possible.

FYI, all amcrest cameras are made by dahua with dahua firmware.

 

[GFM]

@shalem2014,
I tried your link, goes to the right place but no specific mic is showing.
I have an IPC-HFW4239TP-ASE cam and I would like to add a mic. Wondering which one you chose. I have a connector I can solder on to work with this camera's RCA connector for audio in.
I had some electret mic elements but not getting audio from this (likely needs DC to power the mic).
Of course any of you are welcome to respond if you have something that works!
Tnx..

 

[Shockwave199]

Jeez the stuff you pick up here. Glad this thread got bumped. Turns out I had the noise filter enabled on all my cameras. Disable now and wow, so much better! How did I overlook this one?? I'm a pro audio guy but I didn't give much though to the quality in the cameras. Duh, huge improvement now!

 

[Grn1z]

I think he used a micro seven mic from amazon.
Micro seven mic

 

[GFM]

Grn1z
I noticed that one on amazon.ca but cheaper through amazon.com. Seems to be a more complex unit than I was looking for, a bare element with solder lugs would be fine.
This one also shows 600 ohm impedence instead of most with 2.2k (the one I am using now which doesn't seem to work).
Maybe the camera needs a powered lower impedence mic element to work. Not seeing much in the camera specs as per mic requirments. I should (should have) contact Andy and ask.
Thank you for the link, didn't think of checking on the amazon.com site instead of the .ca site.

 

[Grn1z]

Grn1z
I noticed that one on amazon.ca but cheaper through amazon.com. Seems to be a more complex unit than I was looking for, a bare element with solder lugs would be fine.
This one also shows 600 ohm impedence instead of most with 2.2k (the one I am using now which doesn't seem to work).
Maybe the camera needs a powered lower impedence mic element to work. Not seeing much in the camera specs as per mic requirments. I should (should have) contact Andy and ask.
Thank you for the link, didn't think of checking on the amazon.com site instead of the .ca site.

Most everyone who were looking for a mic were suggested this one. They were forum members here. If you search micro seven mic, you might find some posts about it.

 

[GFM]

Grn1z
I have one on order. I did message Andy and he doesn't have stock on the mic(s) they carry so cheaper and quicker to order the one on Amazon.com.
Tried first to order the one on Amazon.ca but doesn't ship to my location where Amazon.com does... Amazon is just wierd sometimes.
Supposed to be here by mid-november so will see how it works then.
Thank you for the tips!
-G

 

[bradner]

All I know is that I can hear the crows and Cessna planes overhead as loud as I hear them from my own ear when in my house (actually louder from the cam's audio). I've been more than happy with the audio from my Dahuas - my 5442's especially because a few of my other cams require external mics.

 

[Shockwave199]

All I know is that I can hear the crows and Cessna planes overhead as loud as I hear them from my own ear when in my house (actually louder from the cam's audio). I've been more than happy with the audio from my Dahuas - my 5442's especially because a few of my other cams require external mics.

I agree. Initially I was cool with just having the addition of audio in every camera as a novelty convenience. Now with the audio so good in the cameras it's really an asset beyond what I figured. When I open audio on a camera I'm often mystified by what I'm hearing and how well I'm hearing it. Like conversations out there that I know aren't particularly close by. Our houses are spread out here, not right next to each other. I can't make out exactly what they're saying all the time, nor do I wish to. But man sometimes I'm freaked out thinking there's someone right there on my property until I realize it's people across the street! That confirms what I'm looking for out there for my own needs with a possible problem actually on my property and how good the audio will be. Or anything out there beyond such as an assault, gun shots, car crash, etc.

 

[GFM]

Never tried but wonder how well the cameras trigger with gunshots or such sudden compression sound waves. I have two cameras that trigger with sound (think I have them set up that way I believe) but I don't remember they've ever been triggered by gunshots, even when I am doing target practice not that far away maybe 100yds or so with the .223. Aiming away from the camera direction(s) so sound wouldn't be as sharp. Maybe a larger caliber or shotgun...
Using Blue Iris software here.

such as an assault, gun shots, car crash, etc.