EmpireTech Time Sync Issue

webdjoe

webdjoe

n3wb
May 13, 2023
4
0
USA
I love my EmpireTech camera, it has been great but I'm having this minor but extremly annoying issue where my IP camera cannot keep the correct time. I set the time via PC Sync and 5-10 minutes later the time has changed to 45 minutes to 4 hours+ random difference. It can't be a timezone offset issue because its not off by even hours.

I tried the following:
  • Use an NTP Server (chronyd that is being used by other network devices so it is working correctly)
  • Increase the update interval, decrease the update interval
  • set time to 12 and 24-hour
  • Apply, refresh, rinse, repeat

I have the IPC-T54IR-ZE-S3 running the latest firmware (just updated it so that may have something to do with it): 3.142.15OG001.0.R Build Date:2024-09-06

Any ideas?

Here are my logs showing me have to repeatedly update the time settings without changing it:
1730003157302.png

Here is the time configuration page after setting:
1730003190329.png


Here is the time configuration in the time it took me to upload the last screenshot:
1730003228300.png
 
It looks like it is set to NTP server and then changed to manual.

It could be a whacked out new firmware, but it is likely either the browser you are using or you are using 12 hour.

Try 24 hour clock and try Internet Explorer (yeah we know but it is still available).

We see for some cameras, even with the new GUI, that it prefers IE, not Edge with IE tab, but plain ole IE.

Just this week we saw a post where even though MD and SMD was off in Edge, when opened in IE it would show it was on and that is why the person was getting so many false triggers.
 
I've tried 24-hour mode and edge with IE mode and/or compatibility mode. Windows removed internet explorer itself, I will try to fire up the ancient windows 7 laptop and see if I can get these changes to stick. I would rather not downgrade the firmware if possible but it kicks out authentication if the clock is off, so it has a cascading effect. Any other ideas?

I'm not sure if this helps but I noticed that the RTSP data stream shows a clock initialization event that changes the time setting. I'm not sure what kicks this off. Here is the initialization event:

XML: 
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" standalone="yes"?>
<tt:MetadataStream xmlns:tt="http://www.onvif.org/ver10/schema"
    xmlns:wsnt="http://docs.oasis-open.org/wsn/b-2">
    <tt:Event>
        <wsnt:NotificationMessage>
            <wsnt:Topic Dialect="http://www.onvif.org/ver10/tev/topicExpression/ConcreteSet">
                tns1:Monitoring/OperatingTime/LastClockSynchronization</wsnt:Topic>
            <wsnt:Message>
                <tt:Message UtcTime="2024-10-27T16:25:33Z" PropertyOperation="Initialized">
                    <tt:Data>
                        <tt:SimpleItem Name="Status" Value="1970-01-01T00:00:00Z" />
                    </tt:Data>
                </tt:Message>
            </wsnt:Message>
        </wsnt:NotificationMessage>
    </tt:Event>
</tt:MetadataStream>

EDIT: There is also a reset and reboot event showing at the exact same time even though the device did not reset or reboot. All other options remain intact.
 
Sometimes we see that reboot with a failing SD card if you have one in it. Reformat it or replace it.

What was in the firmware update that you wanted? Most of us don't update as goofy things like this happens. A common theme here is don't fix what ain't broke.


Windows did not remove Explorer.

How to enable native Internet Explorer in Windows 10 and 11:
  1. Open Notepad:
  2. Copy then paste the single line of code below into Notepad:
  3. CreateObject("InternetExplorer.Application").Visible=true
  4. Save as OpenIE.vbs
  5. Make sure the the file name ends in .vbs not .txt, If it ends in .txt you must rename to .vbs
  6. Create a shortcut to the above file and double-click it anytime you want native Internet Explorer
  7. Download any of the plug-in the NVR or camera asks for.
 
That's what I get for trusting Microsoft's popup. I tried on internet explorer, saved, rebooted, 24/12 hours, NTP/PC Sync and same issue. The prior version firmware is not available on the EmpireTech website. Do you know if there is a separate website for previous firmware releases or should I just contact support?

EDIT: No smart pss, just BI. I think it is a firmware issue, trying to figure out how to downgrade.
 
Another NTP issue on a Dahua camera you don’t say?!? :lmao:
 
MacOS user here. So, no Windows Explorer being used for setting my Dahua cameras. I use Chrome and it works fine for basic settings. I don't use any smart camera features. SecuritySpy does all my image capture and analysis.
Chrome should work fine for setting the time server settings.

Your original NTP time setting differs from mine in two respects.

1. Using 12 hour format. We know that the cameras behave better in 24 hour format.
2. Your time for DST change is 12:00 am instead of the correct 02:00 am. I wonder if the odd switchover time confuses the firmware and pops it back into manual time mode.
 
Ok, after 8 hours of my life I can't get back, I think I figured it out in case anyone comes across the same issue. Thank you to @Underhill for the smart pss tip! I have an NVR on the same network as the BI box that continuously records and I have the one EmpireTech and 6 other cameras connected to the NVR through Onvif. My power just coincidently went out the other day for a longer period than my UPS can handle (which has never ever happened before) which reset the NVR time and I'm guessing that the NVR is forcing a time update on the EmpireTech camera through ONVIF. I fixed the time on the NVR, turned off DST on the camera and my camera can finally tell the right time. Although I can't switch to NTP, I'm ok with that as long as the time is correct.
 
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