Dahua camera freezing on motion detect?

[badmop]

I have a new problem, BUT I found the cause, yet I'm searching for the answer WHY? lol

(I keep posting these problems seeking answers and ideas, and mostly just to document my issues)

I have 3 cameras set at 2048 bitrate, I have 1 camera set at 3500 bitrate. (In the past 2 days I just increased the bitrate on that one camera that is at 3500 bitrate)
I noticed in the past couple days that 1 or 2 of the (4) cameras will freeze while viewing the SUBSTREAM. Now remember back if you've read any or all of my posts on this thread, that the SUBSTREAM is what you view when the screen is split 8/9/16 channels, it's MAINSTREAM if you are fullscreen on split 4 screen. Before when a camera would freeze or drop out, it was the MAINSTREAM doing it, and recording would stop. BUT the SUBSTREAM would still be working. Now listen, with the bitrate increased on this 4th camera to 3500, the SUBSTREAM image would freeze on any of the 4 cameras for about 15 minutes. BUT, if you clicked on the frozen camera to make it full screen, the MAINSTREAM full screen image would be fine, thus still recording.

I fixed this by lowering the bitrate of the 4th camera from 3500 back to 2048, and the SUBSTREAM image freezing has stopped. WTF? This is somehow related to my current thread problem, but in the past as I believe I've documented here, that I've lowered the bitrate below 2048 and from 1080p and it didn't fix the MAINSTREAM freezing. It's somewhat related.....


It HAS to be the NVR in some sense, because in the past I've said, I could have the cameras loaded in VLC player playing MAINSTREAM 1080p and it would not freeze or flicker one bit, while the NVR's MAINSTREAM image would freeze. The MAINSTREAM freezing would be random throughout the day, but would also happen when the PACK DURATION would come about (which I have set at the max, 120 minutes)

I am going to update the FW soon, I just want to set time aside just in case things go wrong and I can have the time to work on it. I am HOPING this fixes it!!!!! lol

 

[CountZero]

Badmop,

I have almost the same setup that you have. I have a 4216 NVR, and currently I've got 5 Dahua cams connected to the system. 3 via a powerline adaptor, and 2 on a wireless bridge to a remote building. The only issues I've had with dropouts were a result of the wireless bridge dropping for a few minutes or so here and there throughout the day. A firmware upgrade on the wireless bridge solved that problem though, and everything is nice and stable.

Reading through the previous posts, 2 things come to mine.

#1 is its possibly its something to do with the 4mp cams and something odd in their firmware. I have all 3mp 4300 series cams, and I've had no issues with any of them.

#2 is that its possibly a problem with the actual connectors on your cables. IF they are actually rated for cat5 and not 5E maybe that's screwing with your data rates. I had some old Cat5 RJ45's laying around from a network project a while back and I used a couple of those to make up my first cable. No matter how careful I was, the cables always failed in my tester. So I hit Home Depot, grabbed a new package of Cat5e rated connectors, and tried them. First cable passed right away, and every cable since passed with no issues. I have no idea WHY the old ones were causing problems. They all "looked" good. But perhaps there is a difference in the quality control on the Cat5 vs Cat5E plugs. I figured $20 for 50 new ones was cheap insurance.

For reference, this is my current setup:

4216NVR.
3 - HDW4300c Turrets
2 - HFW4300R-Z Zooms
2 - TPLink SF-1008 POE Switch. (giving me 8 POE ports)
1 - Extollo LANSocket 1500 Powerline HomePlug
2 - WD Purple 4tb HD's
1 - TPLink SG-108 switch to connect everything on the network to my router.

I used "HoldKey" brand 24awg solid copper Cat5E cable to custom make cables for each run. The cable is UV Rated for outdoor use as well, even though I'm running it in an attic. I used "ideal" brand cat5e bare plugs that you can get in bulk at HomeDepot on all my custom cables. All of my switches are gigabit, my router has a gigabit connection to the internal network, and all the camera wiring is set up for gigabit.

I have all of the cams recording 3MP (2048x1536) 24/7 at 7fps in H.264, which I jump to 20 FPS on an internal camera motion trigger. All cams are running 3mp, CBR, with a bit rate of 8192.

I realize that these cams don't really need gigabit, but I figured the cost difference was minimal and it gave me some headroom so I'm not choking the network with cam traffic. (I eventually plan to have 8-10 cams covering the property.) I find it interesting that you are running a lower resolution and a lower bit rate than I am and you are having issues. Since you mentioned you've replaced the HD with a purple, tested the switches, and even replaced cables, I wonder if it could be as easy as bad connectors on those cables. I don't recall seeing if you had said if you had built your own cables.

Anyways, not sure if I've helped any. But its something to think about at least.

 

[badmop]

#1 I thought maybe was an issue with the FW on the 4MP cameras, but since I've got the new 4300c camera, it also drops out.

#2 I also thought something with the cables, but that doesn't really explain the non issues with VLC player and the RTSP streams not dropping out at all, while viewing the NVR at the same moment, the NVR has dropped out. Atleast I would think VLC player would have issues at the same moment also if it were something with the cables, or anything other than the NVR?

 

[badmop]

See another thing that makes me think it HAS to be the NVR, Cameras with MIC AUDIO on the NVR, the audio is choppy sometimes...
If you RTSP into those cameras with MIC AUDIO on VLC player, the audio is smooth with no choppy sound. WTH? lol

 

[CountZero]

The only reason that I suggested the connectors was that it never really occurred to me that a connector could cause problems to begin with. I figured as long as the pairs are in the right place and the crimp was tight it was good. Apparently there is more complexity to those little plastic plugs than that.

I don't have a specific explanation about why your cameras are working in VLC. At the same time, you are only trying to process one stream through VLC. I suppose it could be a bad NVR. Looking inside when I put the drives into mine, there really isnt much in there to fail, but I suppose it may have a borked trace or the ethernet controller is not working properly or something odd. Honestly I don't have any other suggestions for you. From what you've said, it should be working as far as I can see. I just figured since your system is darn near identical to mine, I'd share what I had and how it was configured in the hopes that it would help. Everything has been rock solid on mine since I got it. I'm totally not an expert though. Only been playing with this stuff for a few months now.

Good luck!

 

[badmop]

Yes, Thanks. I've read some posts before about how picky connectors can be, not piercing well or not the right type connector. I appreciate all the help and info, it's good to know.

Well, on Blue Iris the cameras aren't dropping out like they were on the NVR, atleast I haven't saw it happen yet. They are more responsive it seems also when going full screen, etc.

 

[3dogpottery]

I have 3 cameras going in to a switch and then down to a powerline adaptor and its rock solid. I've never had a dropout from them. So it was probably the specific brand of homeplug device you were using. Mine have been as solid as a wired connection since the day I put them in.

In the process of hardwiring my cameras, my system finally became stable when I had pared down the Homeplug connected cameras to just four. It very well could be that newer Homeplug Av2 devices would have worked better than the ones I had. However, I needed devices that were compatible with my Logitech Alert cameras. With that being said, In those cases where it is virtually impossible to pull Ethernet cable to a camera, you can't beat a Homeplug. However, for me, it would be a last resort.

 

[badmop]

The 2 latest FW updates after my 6R version, has fixed the freezing problems. That's great and all, besides the garbled text in the menus. But at least that problem is solved, I knew it was the NVR, just wasn't sure if it was a hardware problem or Firmware. I just now have to get the FW language problem fixed haha

Also I made a thread awhile back about choppy audio at times on my DOME camera with MIC input, the sometimes choppy audio is fixed. Another thing, 97% of the time the audio would be lagged by a couple seconds behind what the video would show. That is also fixed, it is synced with what is on the video now with the FW update.

I solved a couple problems, but created a big one, not as BAD, but the downside is the garbled text menus, and can't login via the web browser to download video. lol, but I knew it was the darn NVR causing the cameras dropping out, a new POE switch, 3 hard drives later, and many hours lol!

 

[frolyar]

Hello!
I'm have NVR4216-16P-4KS2 and exactly the same problem! I changed everything - cameras, disks, cables, put poe switch and router. Nothing helps. Of the 10 cams, 8 fall randomly. But if hold the stream to 1024 then the drops stop.

 

[mcafeecoast]

I'm having same issue also, just bought a Dahua NVR 4108-8P-4kS2... stream drops out to 0Kbs, the higher the bit sream rate the more frequent the drop outs. @badmop did the firmware update fix your issues? (I know this is an old thread but hoping you can give me some pointers) Just updated the firmware, it didn't help. @frolyar did you get your issue sorted mate?

 

[frolyar]

I'm having same issue also, just bought a Dahua NVR 4108-8P-4kS2... stream drops out to 0Kbs, the higher the bit sream rate the more frequent the drop outs. @badmop did the firmware update fix your issues? (I know this is an old thread but hoping you can give me some pointers) Just updated the firmware, it didn't help. @frolyar did you get your issue sorted mate?

No. I turned in Dahua, but they just ignored all requests.

 

[rado stefano]

Don't do any kind of motion detect on dahua cameras. They drop frames when they do that. Invest in BI but when it works don't update it. My best advice is stay away from dahua cameras.

 

[mcafeecoast]

Thank Guys @rado stefano @frolyar

 

[frolyar]

I'm test Dahua 4mp IPC-HDW4431C-A H2.65 camera. Drop frames too. Never buy a dahua.