DS-2CD3345-I strange interference when WDR turned ON: 4 horizontal lines appear

[S_K]

DS-2CD3345-I and fluorescent light: horizontal lines interference when WDR turned ON

UPDATE:

After testing again today, turns out the cause of the horizontal line interference is the combination of the DS-2CD3345-I camera + WDR ON + Fluorescent light. The severity of the interference can vary between different types of fluorescent lamps. The standard long tubes seem to be the worse causing bold red lines and compact fluorescent bulbs seem to cause colorless lines.
Incandescent light may also cause similar interference but much more subtle and harder to notice. However, I believe it may be enough to continuously trigger motion detection.

My EU version of DS-2CD2120F-I 2MP camera went through the same tests side by side but displayed absolutely no interference associated with fluorescent or any other type of light. Its image quality compared to the Chinese 2CD3345-I looks much better, with better clarity, contrast, color and sharpness. It only falls a little short in resolution (2MP vs. 4MP), but not as much as would be expected for such a difference. Also WDR is much better in the 2MP camera.

The question now is if it's a design flaw of the DS-2CD3345-I cameras? Can this problem be replicated in all cameras of this model? Or it's just a defect in the 2 cameras I received or a bug in the non-official English firmware?
Has any other owner of 2CD3345-I encountered such an interference related to fluorescent light?

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EARLIER:

Hi,

Have just received from China 2x DS-2CD3345-I cameras for a new system I'm building. Both cameras work well when WDR is OFF. But when I turn it ON, no matter what percentage between 0-100 I set, 4 lines appear scrolling down slowly. Have tried resetting all parameters, changing exposure parameters and the video menu parameters but nothing seems to help. Same phenomenon when viewed on a Tablet with iVMS 4500 HD app.

I even suspected it's an effect from fluorescent lighting but it also appears with tungsten/halogen lights. Electricity here is 50Hz/220V.
When I tested later with a laptop via internet browser, same lines appeared with just one difference, they weren't red, but just desaturated/colorless.
Another camera that I had tested (DS-2CD2120F-I) was working fine with the same NVR, tablet and laptop, showing no interference associated with the WDR setting.

Has anyone experienced this problem?
Any idea what could be the cause?
Haven't contacted the seller yet, just wanted to first hear your opinion and if there's something else that I'm missing.

Thanks

Hardware and firmware details:
NVR 7632NI-ST EU firmware 3.3.4
DS-2CD3345-I FW on box sticker: 5.3.5 build 150925, actual English/ML FW installed: 5.3.6 build 151103
DS-2CD2120F-I EU FW 5.3.0

Photos:

 

[alastairstevenson]

Same problem with lights out, normal daylight?
How are you powering the cameras?
Do you have another power source to try?

DS-2CD3345-I FW on box sticker: 5.3.5, multi-language FW installed: 5.3.6 build 151103

That's a bit suspicious. It suggests the seller has changed the firmware.

 

[S_K]

I have tried several different 12V power adapters and a 12V battery pack, but there was no difference and the interference always appeared when WDR was switched ON. Haven't bought a PoE switch yet (will buy soon) so I haven't tried PoE power.
I mostly tested it with different types of artificial lights since it's intended mainly for indoor use in an office building. I did try one of the cameras at home with a tablet in a window lit room, but tomorrow I'll test it again outside at broad daylight. One strange thing was that at the office where I did most of the testing using the NVR and tablet (photos are from there), the lines were red. At home when I tested with my laptop and the same tablet, the lines were colorless and more subtle. Harder to see, but they were still there scrolling down slowly.
The 3345-I cameras are manufactured for the Chinese market and as far as I know they originally have Chinese menus. A multi-language firmware is installed later for the international market on eBay and AliExpress (I bought it on eBay). I assume this is the reason for the difference between the sticker and actual installed firmware.

 

[alastairstevenson]

It's a bit odd, and I don't recall similar problems being posted here.
It sounds like you've managed to eliminate the power source as a possible cause.
Incandescent lights output will follow the mains much less than a fluorescent light, but will still show a 2xmains frequency ripple. Office vs Home?
I don't suppose the cameras have a PAL/NTSC 50/60HZ selection by any chance?

 

[S_K]

You're right, they don't have this kind of selection. I think the Chinese cameras are fixed at 50Hz/PAL, and that's also compatible with where I live. The default exposure was 25 fps and I tried also 50 which I think should be an optimal match for 50Hz AC power.
I'll do some more tests tomorrow in broad daylight, but anyway I guess there's something wrong with theses cameras. Either hardware (could be the whole batch since both of the cameras have this problem) or maybe a bug in the non-official installed English/ML firmware. Searched the internet for similar problems but haven't found anything.

 

[stoney7713]

I just received a few of these cameras today, still setting them up but tried the WDR and froze the camera up. I had to reboot the camera to get it to work. It has the FW 5.3.6 build 151221 and I am using a TP-Link Switch for POE.

I found out the WDR on these was crap after I had placed the order, so didn't plan on using it. I'm just setting up the cameras and figured I would play with the settings.

 

[S_K]

I updated the first post and title.

I just received a few of these cameras today, still setting them up but tried the WDR and froze the camera up. I had to reboot the camera to get it to work.

Reading your post and also the "White flashes on HikVision 4MP cameras" post, I think that the non official hacked firmware is usually buggy. I believe it may also be the cause of the fluorescent interference problem I'm experiencing. I find it hard to believe Hikvision would fall on such a design flaw since fluorescent lighting is pretty widespread in surveillanced environments.

I found out the WDR on these was crap.

Agree!

 

[alastairstevenson]

Interesting that you have confirmed the origin of the banding in the image.
I'm sure you are right that such a glaring problem will not exist on these cameras as manufactured.
Have you decided what to do next?
Have you acknowledged receipt yet on Aliexpress? If not - maybe a dialogue with the reseller prior to raising a dispute may yield some results.
Then there is the experiment of loading the native Hikvision firmware, finding that the menus are all in Chinese and can't be changed, and that the banding no longer exists.

 

[Razer]

All of my Hikvision cameras do this and always have when pointed at a florescent light. This happens with Turrets, Bullets, and box cams, with WDR on or off. I just tested it to be sure and all do this, if you want to have real fun change the hertz setting from 60Hz to 50Hz and then you will have some lines! Test for fun and see what I mean. This is normal operation for these cameras, and I have Vivotek and ACTi cameras that do this too. The answer seems to be to not point your cameras directly at fluorescent lights lol.

 

[S_K]

Have you decided what to do next?

Not sure what I'll do. I might just use these 2 cams outdoors, or indoors with WDR turned off.
I got it from eBay and maybe I'll try to ask the seller about it. Maybe I can install a different version of English firmware if the seller provides me with one?

Then there is the experiment of loading the native Hikvision firmware, finding that the menus are all in Chinese and can't be changed, and that the banding no longer exists.

Interesting idea. How do I load the native firmware, is it stored on the camera memory or I need to download and install? Is it reversible if the seller sends me the English firmware to reinstall?

All of my Hikvision cameras do this and always have when pointed at a florescent light. This happens with Turrets, Bullets, and box cams, with WDR on or off. I just tested it to be sure and all do this, if you want to have real fun change the hertz setting from 60Hz to 50Hz and then you will have some lines! Test for fun and see what I mean. This is normal operation for these cameras, and I have Vivotek and ACTi cameras that do this too. The answer seems to be to not point your cameras directly at fluorescent lights lol.

This issue with the 2CD3345-I doesn't just happen when I point it at the fluorescent tubes, but also happens if I point it at any other direction as long as the camera is in a room lit by fluorescent light. And this happens only when I turn on WDR. When it is off there's no interference even if I point it straight at the fluorescent tubes.
It doesn't happen with my 2CD2120F-I, regardless of the WDR setting, even when pointed directly at the fluorescent light.
I can't change the frequency setting, there's no such option. It's probably fixed at 50Hz, but fortunately the electricity here operates @50Hz. Or... maybe it's not? Just a thought: what if in the English (hacked) version is actually fixed @60Hz (for the North American market) and this is the cause of the severe interference? The shutter speed parameters though are in multiplicity of 25 and not 30.

 

[alastairstevenson]

How do I load the native firmware, is it stored on the camera memory or I need to download and install? Is it reversible if the seller sends me the English firmware to reinstall?

No disrespect, but considering the traps and pitfalls that may be encountered, if you are unfamiliar with that topic it may be best not pursued.

 

[hiky]

what if in the English (hacked) version is actually fixed @60Hz (for the North American market) and this is the cause of the severe interference? The shutter speed parameters though are in multiplicity of 25 and not 30.

Looking at the images you posted that is very possible, there is a miss match in frequency's