Dahua Starlight Varifocal Turret (IPC-HDW5231R-Z)

aristobrat said:
This ^^^^ works for 99% of folks.

For folks that might not be aware, there are two totally separate 'admin' accounts on the camera.

This one (in red) is the account that everyone uses when they log into the webUI (or via an app, like smartPSS).

View attachment 27405




This one (in green) is a completely different account, and it's used to access the camera via ONVIF.

View attachment 27406


Blue Iris needs the password for the 'ONVIF' admin account in order to properly Find/Inspect a camera (and configure the camera within Blue Iris).

For 99% of folks, the two separate admin accounts have the exact same password... so even if they type the password for the 'webUI' admin account into Blue Iris, it's still going to work.

But .... for the 1% of folks whose cameras got somehow borked to where the webUI 'admin' account has a different password than the 'ONVIF' admin account, ... if you put your 'webUI' admin password into Blue Iris, BI will fail to to connect to your camera using ONVIF.

When BI fails to properly connect using ONVIF, your camera will return DIFFERENT information to BI (during Find/Inspect), and BI will configure the camera *differently*, and that camera will not act like a normal 5231 in BI.

In that case, it's not as simple as going into the PTZ tab and clicking enable. I mean, you can do that, but PTZ won't work.

When BI properly connects to your camera via ONVIF, this is what the 5231 tells it:


When BI can't connect via ONVIF, this is what the camera returns to it:
Click to expand...


Sorry for quoting all of this, but it's relevant.

I just got my first 5231 installed yesterday. Everything appears to be working except that I don't seem to be getting the ONVIF return information shown in this example.
I've verified that the ONVIF account is using the same password as the admin account (I even went through the process of changing the ONVIF password - which requires inputting the current password, which only worked if I used the 'admin' password. So I know that's not the issue.
It list the Manufacturer as "General" but does show the cam's firmware version *and* does show "Has PTZ service: /onvif/ptz_service"

But, in BI, I can see the PTZ controls at the bottom of the live image...but they're greyed-out. I've tried different options in the PTZ tab, but no luck. (Camera model ONVIF, Dahua, etc)
Firmware on the camera is: 2.622.18R
ONVIF Version: 16.12
Ideas?
 
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ck42 said:
Sorry for quoting all of this, but it's relevant.

I just got my first 5231 installed yesterday. Everything appears to be working except that I don't seem to be getting the ONVIF return information shown in this example.
I've verified that the ONVIF account is using the same password as the admin account (I even went through the process of changing the ONVIF password - which requires inputting the current password, which only worked if I used the 'admin' password. So I know that's not the issue.
It list the Manufacturer as "General" but does show the cam's firmware version *and* does show "Has PTZ service: /onvif/ptz_service"

But, in BI, I can see the PTZ controls at the bottom of the live image...but they're greyed-out. I've tried different options in the PTZ tab, but no luck. (Camera model ONVIF, Dahua, etc)
Firmware on the camera is: 2.622.18R
ONVIF Version: 16.12
Ideas?
Click to expand...

Did you add the cam to BI by using find/inspect?
Input the IP, admin, and password, then click find/inspect.
Unless something has changed in firmware, I've never had to mess with the ONVIF password in the camera. I've always left it alone and BI is happy.
 
Yes, camera was added by entering the address/name/pass then clicking find/inspect.
 
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Hound Dog 911 said:
I ran the plug into my house where possible and caulked. I ended up picking some gray Waterproof boxes from Lowes. The cam fits on top of the box pretty well. I drilled holes in the box at the Waterproof seam and ran wires. Closed up the box and caulked any openings.
Click to expand...

Im actually putting the same camera and junction box on a soffit as well...is it best to place the cam at the back or front? i thought back so it wouldnt get the IR bounce back... also are you using a piece of wood above the soffit for the screws to hold in? If so what size? thanks
 
PointLookout247 said:
Im actually putting the same camera and junction box on a soffit as well...is it best to place the cam at the back or front? i thought back so it wouldnt get the IR bounce back... also are you using a piece of wood above the soffit for the screws to hold in? If so what size? thanks
Click to expand...

Always best to test each location with a temp mount.
I don't know your exact soffit config, but usually it's better to place the cam closer to the facia to avoid IR bounce.
Me, I have aluminum vented soffit, I just screw it directly to the soffit, no need for a board in my opinion.20180324_120122.jpg
 
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Perfect. I'm gonna put a temp 2x4 with a bucket just under where I plan on putting it, and then test it. I have made a long cat6 cable too so I can run it to my NVR or laptop and then adjust as needed.

This guy on YouTube seems to have a nice fix

Thanks guys, really good advice. Let me post pics later of the front of my house.
 
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I'm with @looney2ns on this. I have vinyl soffit, and I've put a bunch of 5231's for myself and neighbors screwed directly to the soffit, no board attached. Our vinyl soffit material has air "holes" that are round, and mounting screws that come with the 5231's work perfectly. I'm sure stainless wood screws would work fine as well. The three 5231 mounting holes line up with 2 vent holes, and I have to drill the 3rd. The screws happen to be a hair larger than the vent hole in the soffit. It "bores" its way through. I drill the 3rd hole intentionally small so the 3rd screw makes its own larger hole when going through. Also, typically or fortunately the cams are mounted at corners where the vinyl soffit is more rigid than in the middle of a long run. The corners make it stiffer. Haven't had a single problem with 9 - 5231's all mounted this way in the last year. The 5231's weigh 21 oz. and they haven't been heavy enough to cause concern mounting them this way. We've been through plenty of windy summer storms and winter Nor-Easters and no one has had an issue with them. No camera shake or signs of coming out. We are also fortunate to have 4" corner molding with our vinyl siding in the neighborhood. It's like a 3" conduit behind it, and you could fit 10+ Cat5/6 runs in it. Makes for a nice neat and tidy install.

SD

5231-S6AE240.jpg Eustace 5231.jpg Mitchell 5231.jpg
 
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I was going to say I just screwed mine directly into the vinyl soffit. The vinyl is a little flexible but more than rigid and strong enough to hold a 5231. I've done the same with bullets mounted to a 4" round weatherproof electrical box, although they can shake just a little in really high winds (bad aerodynamics of a bullet). I did use stainless sheet metal screws and let them "drill" their own holes, advantages of a driver-drill. Getting CAT to it was a little tricky, though, because it's on the soffit on the eave end of the house, but there was a gap in the pre-made truss about a foot above the mounting location so even that wasn't all that bad, other than crawling into a foot high space to thread the CAT through.
 
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so i have some pics below. I think on the left side of the house, i can either line it up straight on (location A1) or at an angle (location A2). The reason is that my driveway is facing the window, so i want to ensure i capture that but that i dont capture too much of the flag to the right (hence the location A2).

Location A
left2.jpg


Location B
right2.jpg


Here im going to have it also an angle, viewing to the left, as i have another camera to the right at the back of my house to capture that side.

I do have vinyl siding also, so i could use that to put the wires in, however, im thinking so far icome out of the attic and then down would be easier. So i would also need some kind of waterproof box within the soffits? I dont really want a junction box if possible, id rather it flush, so its either place the pvc conduit in the soffit or a waterproof box for all the wires?

Again, thanks guys for the good advice. ALl this DIY is all brand new to new me, as im mainly a programmer by day and a parent/ youtube DIY fixer by night.
script>
 
If you're getting water penetration inside a soffit you've got more problems than a wet RJ45 connector. The camera can be dirctly mounted to the soffit or mounted with a metal strip like PointLookout used. If you mount it directly a 3/4" hole through the soffit is needed for the connector on the camera. Other than that, it's pretty straight forward. The RJ45 should be taped, or even use the WP connector supplied with the camera, just as a good practice but it should be absolutely dry above the soffit where you're stuffing the wire in. If it ain't dry up there, you need a roofer!
 
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excellent, thanks. i dont really know much about houses until i google for a fix (toilet, sink, shower, washer) etc. Im new to this DIY scene but learning alot from forums and youtube.
 
PointLookout247 said:
So i would also need some kind of waterproof box within the soffits? I dont really want a junction box if possible, id rather it flush, so its either place the pvc conduit in the soffit or a waterproof box for all the wires?
Click to expand...
My cameras are mounted flush with the soffit. The only waterproofing I used was the Ethernet connector that comes with the camera.

My soffits don't get "wet" wet inside (i.e. I don't need a roofer), but a small amount of rain can blow up there during some windy storms. So far so good!
 
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PointLookout247 said:
never even heard of a soffit until this forum...im originally from Manchester, UK and moved over to NY. Theres a big difference with alot of things, mainly naming terminology .lol.
Click to expand...

Yeah, sometimes you have to look under the bonnet a little.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
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