How to configure Night/Day with different settings?

[Plarsson]

Hi,

I would like to configure my dahua-starlight-ipc-t5442tm-as as

• During day time - Color mode, no WDR, etc
• During nigt time - Color mode, WDR on etc

I want to do this automatically based on the actual light outside, not according to a fixed schedule.

How do I do that?

 

[biggen]

It defaults to this. Just configure the night/day profiles to your liking. The camera will switch when ambient light hits a certain threshold.

If your camera has changed from default, then make sure the Profiles are set to Day/Night and then make sure the Day & Night under Conditions are set to Auto.

 

[Plarsson]

If I have the Profile set to Day/Night, where do I change the ambient light threshold? Under Day & Night, all options are grayed out. The issue is that I have a light that prevents the camera to change to Night-mode right now, so I have to change the ambient light sensitivity. I need the night mode to use WDR different from day mode.

 

[biggen]

If I have the Profile set to Day/Night, where do I change the ambient light threshold? Under Day & Night, all options are grayed out. The issue is that I have a light that prevents the camera to change to Night-mode right now, so I have to change the ambient light sensitivity. I need the night mode to use WDR different from day mode.

You can't change the threshold. Its factory set.

Using the auto switch day/night usually gives unsatisfactory results. That is why lots of us use a sunrise/sunset utility to manually switch the cameras: Dahua day/night switch utility - DahuaSunriseSunset

 

[Plarsson]

OK. Then my cam will be in day-mode all the time. Any suggestion on how to reduce the effects of a spotlight that is on during night only, while not destroying quality at daytime?

 

[Plarsson]

You can't change the threshold. Its factory set.

Using the auto switch day/night usually gives unsatisfactory results. That is why lots of us use a sunrise/sunset utility to manually switch the cameras: Dahua day/night switch utility - DahuaSunriseSunset

I didnt see your last comment before answering. Well, reading about this utility, it seems like what I want. I will try it! Thanks. This forum never stops to amaze me

 

[cmos]

I have this exact same question. Sadly, setting it up this way causes the cam to switch to black and white at night even though there is plenty of light for a color picture. The auto/bw/color setting is grayed out and cannot be changed.

 

[bigredfish]

Use 'Schedule" profile and you can then force the settings you want for night and day

 

[cmos]

Use 'Schedule" profile and you can then force the settings you want for night and day

Yes, that is the way I have it set now. But why should I have to go that route when the one setting that would make everything work correctly is grayed out.

 

[bigredfish]

As mentioned, the threshold is factory set. I suppose some would prefer it to switch sooner, some later. Im going to guess the engineers decided that at some point, even though it "could" stay in color, the various sensor/equipment specs determine that its not a good idea for a good image.

I see lots of folks here wanting color at night. I get it, I do too. But only 3 of my 12 cameras have enough light to make a color image better than B&W/IR. In MOST cases, there just isnt enough light to use color mode at night and get a good image. Just because you CAN get color at night doesnt mean its a good idea. This isnt new. The ability to run color at night has been around for years. Unfortunately, the marketing lingo like "Night Color Vision" has many thinking there is some new magic that allows the cameras to create a good image without adequate light.

By the way for the OP- WDR is not recommended for nighttime. It induces motion blur

 

[tigerwillow1]

I've adjusted the threshold with something translucent in from of the IR sensor. Can adjust only in one direction obviously.

 

[Plarsson]

As mentioned, the threshold is factory set. I suppose some would prefer it to switch sooner, some later. Im going to guess the engineers decided that at some point, even though it "could" stay in color, the various sensor/equipment specs determine that its not a good idea for a good image.

I see lots of folks here wanting color at night. I get it, I do too. But only 3 of my 12 cameras have enough light to make a color image better than B&W/IR. In MOST cases, there just isnt enough light to use color mode at night and get a good image. Just because you CAN get color at night doesnt mean its a good idea. This isnt new. The ability to run color at night has been around for years. Unfortunately, the marketing lingo like "Night Color Vision" has many thinking there is some new magic that allows the cameras to create a good image without adequate light.

By the way for the OP- WDR is not recommended for nighttime. It induces motion blur

Any other function than WDR that is useful for me? I cannot think of any myself.

 

[bigredfish]

Can you show us an image of your night scene and why you think you need WDR at night?

 

[Plarsson]

Sure, but it is due to a strong light mounted on my house. I will see ifni can get one tonight.

The absolute best way would be to change camera position, but current location is very handy when it comes to cable mngt.

 

[bigredfish]

HLC would be worth a try then. Its intent is to limit bright lights like car headlights. The tradeoff is it darkens the overall image, but it is worth a look.

WDR does induce motion blur, its noticeable in low light situations, but perhaps you have enough light that its not a problem.

 

[windguy]

Try BLC setting under BACKLIGHT - worked for me with a camera pointing directly at lights.

BLC vs HLC vs WDR

Definitions of BLC, HLC and WDR explained along with a guide on which CMOS sensors to look out for when purchasing IP cameras.

www.cctvcameraworld.com

(not endorsing this company - just the article as being helpful)

 

[Plarsson]

Here we go.

Pictures with auto/default on all, WDR 45, HLC 50, and SSA.

 

[msquared]

Have you considered just changing the light fixture? I don't think you're going to find any camera settings that will compensate for an unshielded light source that close and that bright. If you like the camera where it is, then maybe switch the light source to something with more flexibility to direct the light someplace other than the camera lens. Directing the light elsewhere may also allow you to better refine your camera settings to allow it to do it's job, rather than dealing with how to compensate for the current light source.

 

[Plarsson]

Have you considered just changing the light fixture? I don't think you're going to find any camera settings that will compensate for an unshielded light source that close and that bright. If you like the camera where it is, then maybe switch the light source to something with more flexibility to direct the light someplace other than the camera lens. Directing the light elsewhere may also allow you to better refine your camera settings to allow it to do it's job, rather than dealing with how to compensate for the current light source.

Yes, sure. As I said before, there is probably better placement of the camera regarding the light, but also facial recog. Before buying new fixtures around the house (We have several of the ones you see, and will have multiple cameras with the same issue) I wanted to see if it could be solved by camera settings.

 

[bigredfish]

Not all that bad actually

Maybe walk through the scene and see what the video actually looks like? Stills dont tell the whole story.
WDR/BLC/HLC etc should be secondary concerns, Exposure speed, DNR, and gain etc will initially tell you if you have too much blur or noise for example..

Like any scene, you're not going to get 100% perfect on all points of the scene. Focus on the priorities, door and drivers side of car? The other key spots, passenger side of car and behind car, will likely suffer but I just dont think the entire scene is best served with a single camera.