Help with 4mp DS-2CD2042WD-I night vision issues

[cctvuknut]

Hey guys

I have a couple Ip cameras 4mp DS-2CD2042WD-I & DS-2CD2142FWD-IS ( dome and bullet variety)

I'm having a few issues with night vision , basically every 8 seconds or so its as if the IR fades , the picture goes from a crisp black and white image to completely faded out black then returns to black and white again.

I just want them to stay black and white at night

Ive changed every setting on the cameras and cannot resolve

I'm assuming the cameras need additional IR illuminators ?

If a car goes past this also triggers the fade in out

Day time images are perfect , Ive checked power supplies too and still having issues , they are both fed off separate power supplies

There is no lighting which is facing the cameras which could be affecting the day / night switch

Would be interested to hear from others who have had the same problem

Would also like to know what settings people are running i.e

Day and Night Settings

Image Adjustment
Brightness




Contrast



Exposure Settings

Day/Night Switch

Backlight Settings

White Balance

Image Enhancement

Video Adjustment

 

[Kawboy12R]

Have you fiddled with the sensitivity settings under Basic Configuration> Image> Day/Night Switch? If so and that didn't fix it, try doing a reset of the settings back to factory. Should be in Advanced Configuration> System> Maintenance> and click the "Restore" button. That one'll save things like IP address and user information so the cameras will keep working but change everything back to shipping condition which shouldn't do what you're experiencing. If that doesn't fix it, then do a reboot after the restore.

One thing I can think of that'd do what you're experiencing might be IR reflection getting picked up by the photocell and fooling the camera into thinking it's daytime and shutting off the LEDs, which would make the camera realize it's night and turn them back on. I'm pretty sure I've laid a camera down while pointed almost directly at something and not have had that happen though. Having the gain setting getting stuck in a self adjusting loop somehow would do it too but I can't picture multiple cameras doing either of those things.

You mentioned checking power supplies but not if you used a known good power supply from a camera that's working properly. Just for giggles, can you power them from PoE to see if they still do it?

edit- try forcing the camera into night mode using the Day/Night switch settings as well. That'll bypass all of the other settings and should point out a power supply or camera hardware issue of some kind.

 

[hook3m]

Sounds just like a power supply issue.. What power supplies are you using? What are their specs?

 

[cctvuknut]

Thanks for the replies guys

The power supplies are brand new 2 amp rated units , Ive not tried using the POE power from my NVR

Ive tried forcing the camera into night mode and switching off the IR and it still does it , bizarre

Ive just done a restore on the camera this morning , will see what happens tonight , will try and get a clip posted

 

[Hawko777]

Hey cctvuknut,
How did you go with that issue of black outs.
I have the same problem with my Hik 2CD3345-i Turret. It was happening at certain times of the night. These blackouts recorded this as an event probably about 4 times a night.
I have;
POE connected to NVR
No light in pool area in back yard.

 

[artie]

Hi, I was just getting ready to post a message about my Hikvision IP camera's, two DS-2CD2042WD-1. I have not installed them yet, I'm still testing my camera's and NVR. They are in my living room/kitchen so I can see them and their picture on my TV when I make small adjustments. Both of my 2024's blink the IR lights when set to the factory default settling just as you explained above. There are six levels of sensitivity for motion detection on my Hikvision NVR (DS-7604NI-E1/4P) If I turn the sensitivity down to the first level (only one green bar showing) the 2042's IR light function correctly. The only problem with this is the sensitivity is so low it will not trigger a motion event. Also the 2042's blink the picture during the day with the motion sensitivity set to factory default settings (four green bars level) and when I set the motion level to one on the NVR the picture is stable and clear during the day, but again the level is too low to trigger a motion event. (Constant Recording works fine with the lower sensitivity) I don't know why it does this, I have tried using a TP-Link POE injector to power the camera's with the same results so I think it is a camera sensitivity issue but I don't know that for sure. So turn the sensitivity down on you NVR's motion detection (it should be on the Record Quality menu under Motion Detection) and the blinking of your IR lights will stop but understand that you may lose the ability to record event motion. This fixed my camera's I hope it helps someone else.
Thank you,
Artie R. Demers

 

[alastairstevenson]

This sounds like the 'motion detection bug' / white flashes problem in early firmware versions of the 4MP WDR cameras.
Check out this thread, and a few others with firmware fix info: https://www.ipcamtalk.com/showthread.php/5397-White-flashes-on-HikVision-4MP-cameras?highlight=white+flashes

 

[artie]

Hi Alastair, I'm not sure why the camera's video blink. At first I thought it was a heat problem so I put both of the 2042's out on my back porch for a bit. The outside temp was around 6F (chilly) but that didn't do anything as they still blinked. Only after I reduced the sensitivity of the motion detection on my NVR did the video/IR blinking stop. I hadn't thought of it, but I think I'll try Kawboy12R's idea of adjusting the camera's motion sensitivity instead of the NVR's and see what that does. All of my camera's (4 Hikvision) are US/English versions with the most current firmware already running, so I don't think reinstalling the firmware would help, but again I don't know that for sure. Thanks for the link to the thread on the white flashes, it was helpful.
Thank you,
Artie R. Demers

 

[cctvuknut]

Hey cctvuknut,
How did you go with that issue of black outs.
I have the same problem with my Hik 2CD3345-i Turret. It was happening at certain times of the night. These blackouts recorded this as an event probably about 4 times a night.
I have;
POE connected to NVR
No light in pool area in back yard.

latest firmware 5.3.6 fixes the issue but ive found that the camera skips and freezes every few seconds

I'm back on 5.3.3 , turned motion detection off and this has fixed the issue

Planning on using the cameras input lead and connecting an external PIR for motion detect

I think the motion detection on these cameras for outdoor use is difficult as everything seems to set them off , rain , shadows , spiders etc

 

[Hawko777]

cctvuknut,
I was thinking with the chinese version of those cams are ok, but they do lack in the more sofisticated software. You pay for what you get, and thats why I am now considering the [h=1]Newest Original English Version DS-2CD2342WD-I 4MP WDR EXIR camera's.[/h]Twice the price though but because it's going to be in the front of my house ( Garage, Facing the road ) which is East. So the morning sun can be an issue along with the bright headlights of passing cars. Hoping with the Non- Chinese firmware, the True WDR might be a better option. What do you think?

 

[cctvuknut]

hey guys , I'm looking to update the firmware on my 4mp DS-2CD2042WD-I & DS-2CD2142FWD-IS

Can anyone please confirm what the latest stable Firmware is for these cameras? , struggling to find download links as I think these are now discontinued

Any replies appreciated

 

[xtropodx]

hey guys , I'm looking to update the firmware on my 4mp DS-2CD2042WD-I & DS-2CD2142FWD-IS

Can anyone please confirm what the latest stable Firmware is for these cameras? , struggling to find download links as I think these are now discontinued

Any replies appreciated

You end up finding firmware ?
I'm trying to find where to buy these, didn't know they were discontinued, what would be their replacement?