How to keep IR illuminators running on IPC-HDW5231R-ZE 2MP Starlight?

[Blackhawk]

I have three IPC-HDW5231R-ZE 2MP Starlight models in black, mounted under the awnings of a dark colored house. Firmware is 2.800.0000002.0.R, Build Date: 2019-01-11 - they are from Andy.

At the rear of my house the IR illuminators come on at night and are easily visible, which provides a visual reminder to bad people that there are cameras watching. It's really neat.

At the front of my house, the camera is looking at a well lit driveway, the IR illuminator never comes on and the camera is practically invisible.

I've tried setting the IR Light to manual in both Day and Night profiles but that doesn't seem to work.

It's not clear how the Dahua profiles work at all to me, the wiki doesn't really cover them and judging from other posts here, they don't work like my other cameras.

Can someone ELI5 a way to run the IR illuminator all the time?

Also is there any compelling reason to update my firmware from the build I am using?

Thanks!

 

[bigredfish]

Are you saying the front cameras stay in color at night? Or do they change to B&W but the IR doesnt seem to be on?

Day Night profile should allow the camera to go to B&W/IR when it gets dark enough. You can also force B&W/IR by setting the day/Night toggle to B/W and force B&W/IR

 

[bigredfish]

The IR LED's are not much of a deterrent, and I would be most concerned with getting a good image

 

[Blackhawk]

Thanks for the quick response. Yes, the front camera stays in color at night since there is some light. I will try that setting.

I've noticed delivery people glance at the camera during the day when it's visible, but never at night. I think it is somewhat of a deterrent.

 

[bigredfish]

If its in color, the IR wont come on period. You will have to force B&W to get IR to come on.

 

[bigredfish]

I look at Survellience cameras kinda like the police. They aren't there to protect you, they're there to draw the chalk line around your body and help find the bad guy afterwords..

( No offense to LE, I'm a big supporter)

 

[Blackhawk]

Thanks, that worked great. And the image quality is even better now.