Dahua Starlight Varifocal Turret (IPC-HDW5231R-Z)

[cryptelli]

Sadly I couldn't see any way on the camera itself to know if it was receiving power.

There is no visual indication on the camera but when mine power up I am able to hear two clicks and the web interface is available around 5-10 seconds later.

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

So an update to the IR lights not working on one of my cams:

As was recommended, I took the camera's case apart and found the IR wire was entirely disconnected.. however, I cant seem to find where it connects to. I've taken the entire board out of the case and inspected it, yet still can't find a header. I did find a spot on the board that looks like it might have been the correct spot but it doesn't have any pins/header soldered on it, just blank solder pads. Does someone have an HDW5231R-Z cam thats not installed and can crack the case open and tell me where the white 4-pin IR LED wire goes..? Some pics:

The white 4-pin wire was disconnected and semi-tucked under the bracket for the IR LED's. The 2 red/black wire is for the mic; I disconnected it from the board.

Overview:

In the middle of this photo is a spot with 5 solder pads. There's no header/pins installed in it.. This is the only spot I could find that might be where the 4 wire LED wire would connect to (if it had a header).

Any help or ideas? Can anyone confirm where the 4-wire LED plugs into?

As i check it carefully, this board have some problem, belong to the manufacture defects, For the series No. dahua may use different lots parts for the production, not always the same lot, so make a little different.
Please contact me for the warranty, will sort this out shortly.

Andy

 

[tangent]

Thanks for checking and the photos!

As I suspected, I may be SOL since there's no header/plug for the wire to connect to.. I'll dig around in my electronics box but doubt I have the correct part. If not, hopefully Andy can swap me out with a different camera.

Not an exact match but the missing connector appears to be pretty close to a JST ZH 1.5mm pitch 5 position connector. But I pulled my measurements off the photos you guys posted so I could be off a little.
B5B-ZR-SM4-TF(LF)(SN) JST Sales America Inc. | Connectors, Interconnects | DigiKey

A couple other similar connectors:
0874370543 Molex, LLC | Connectors, Interconnects | DigiKey
679305124022 Wurth Electronics | Mouser
if anybody else has a problem like this and attempts to solder it, practice on old video cards / motherboards first.

If you can get Andy to take care of the warranty that would be simplest.

 

[hmjgriffon]

anyone know the best/cheapest way to ship a cam back to china?

 

[cosmo]

I finally received my 5 Dahua Starlight IPC-HDW5231R-Z cameras. I've been trying to get these since November. I've had every imaginable problem, including:

- General lack of availability. New product + nayr's stellar review = everybody on this forum wanted one.
- Payment rejection by Ali Express. First I tried to have some camera's shipped to Australia when I had a US address on my credit card. Later I tried to have some cameras shipped to a US address when I had a postal address on my credit card. All this either failed or delayed payment processing.
- Couldn't get a timely response from Andy. I know - He's busy. I saw all the posts where he was doing his best to get stock. I never seemed to be able to get any or get his PayPal info. After weeks, I gave up in desperation and tried another vendor.

In the end, I ordered from Dragon Eye Security. Never dealt with them before. The cameras were cheap at $165 a piece but DHL shipping to the US because I wanted them fast to take to Australia. The shipping was $132. So on average, I paid $191 for each camera. For me, getting them quickly was the most important thing.

Here's how the timeline of delivery went:

6 Feb: Ordered cameras
10 Feb: Order shipped
14 Feb: DLL picked up the shipment in Singapore
15 Feb: Cleared Hong Kong customs
15 Feb: Cleared LA Customs
15 Feb: Reached Northern California
16 Feb: DHL Delivered the Cameras

They had 42 pieces in stock last time I checked. Quick response on queries as well.

Off to Australia tomorrow with the cameras and the 5 matching PFB203W Dahua wall mount brackets that I got from B&H for I think $16 a piece. Cheaper and quicker than coming from Ali Express after shipping's involved.

 

[wantafastz28]

Glad it worked out for you, good luck on the install!

 

[cosmo]

good luck on the install!

Thanks. I wish there was a quick way to terminate Cat6e. Takes me forever.

 

[mycoma]

Like everything else in life after doing it a bunch you will get quicker at it!

 

[tangent]

Thanks. I wish there was a quick way to terminate Cat6e. Takes me forever.

Here's what I recommend:

The EZ-RJ45 is great for idiot proof connections on the top of a ladder.

All you really have to do to get a good crimp fast with basic tools is:
-strip the jacket (not too deep), then push with your fingernail to check by feel that you didn't nick any wires
-fan the pairs out orange to the left, brown to the right, blue up, green down
-snip the spline
-untwist keeping the pairs together and straighten but don't over do it
-align wires firmly (T568B), pinch / shape between your fingers do the inner blue and green pairs first
-cut to right length with diagonal cutters
-push connector on, verify wire order and insertion depth and crimp

 

[nogi]

there's a button inside that needs held on boot

OK, turns out that this whitebox version doesn't have a button and I need to short 2 points on the camera. That said, I've made some progress and can now at least get the NVR to detect it. But, camera, as suspected is on the wrong subnet and I can't seem to change it either via the NVR or directly.

Does the Duhua NVRs place the subnet behind a firewall? If i put my machine on the same subnet, I still can't see the camera.

 

[tangent]

OK, turns out that this whitebox version doesn't have a button and I need to short 2 points on the camera. That said, I've made some progress and can now at least get the NVR to detect it. But, camera, as suspected is on the wrong subnet and I can't seem to change it either via the NVR or directly.

Does the Duhua NVRs place the subnet behind a firewall? If i put my machine on the same subnet, I still can't see the camera.

dahua cameras default to 192.168.1.108

If that fails try the onvif device manager or checking your arp table for the cam's mac address.

 

[nogi]

dahua cameras default to 192.168.1.108

I realise that but for some reason this one was set to 192.168.0.42. Andy helped me with the questions I had regarding the NVR and firewall and had to connect my NVR PoE switch to my regular switch so that I could access it. All changed and it seems to be running now.

 

[wantafastz28]

OK, turns out that this whitebox version doesn't have a button and I need to short 2 points on the camera.

I've seen the contact points youre saying in pics... all mine had a reset button. Not that it matters really, but just saying.

 

[aristobrat]

I've seen the contact points youre saying in pics... all mine had a reset button. Not that it matters really, but just saying.

Some have reset buttons and some don't? What's up with that?!

 

[wantafastz28]

Some have reset buttons and some don't? What's up with that?!

I can un-solder mine and give them to you if you need them that bad? Would be just as easy to reset with a small screw driver...

 

[aristobrat]

I can un-solder mine and give them to you if you need them that bad? Would be just as easy to reset with a small screw driver...

That's mighty generous of you! Hearing that just caught me by surprise, and was wondering what else with the build might change along the way...

 

[nayr]

Does the Duhua NVRs place the subnet behind a firewall? If i put my machine on the same subnet, I still can't see the camera.

If your using built in PoE, thats all an isolated network thats not exposed to your LAN at all.. you'll have to plug into the back of the NVR, join its network to access cameras...

 

[nogi]

Some have reset buttons and some don't? What's up with that?!

Mine didn't have the reset button. It was a unbranded model if that makes a difference.

If your using built in PoE, thats all an isolated network thats not exposed to your LAN at all.. you'll have to plug into the back of the NVR, join its network to access cameras...

Yeah, I worked that out later. But, I believe that I can patch the NVR PoE switch into my main switch and anything on my network would be able to see them, if I needed to work on them.

I've got it sitting in my garage atm just for testing. Not bad low light.

 

[nayr]

you'll have to change the subnet mask on your network for it to encapsulate both your LAN IP Segments and the NVR's PoE Segments.

if its not on your subnet, it goes through your gateway.

 

[drewgost]

anyone have a picture of the reset button as well as how to reset? power on off?