IPC-T5442T-ZE IPC-T5442TM-AS latest new firmware IPC-HX5XXX-Volt_MultiLang_PN_Stream3_V2.800.0000000.20.R.200903

Ok, hold the phone, this is an interesting addition in 10-19 (latest test version) ! As most here know, the VOLT chipset is shared not only with the 5442 but also the 5241. Well I upgraded a 5241-Z12 today for testing and guess what popped up under Camera, Conditions menu...........FOCUS & ZOOM as a menu entry (don't get confused with the tab) that allows you to set MANUAL focus which of course is brilliant for the 5241-Z12 and the soft focus exhibited on the tightest end of the zoom.

For those that haven't seen this, you go into Camera, Conditions menu then Focus & Zoom (menu item below Day & Night menu option) then change Focus Mode to Manual (you have a choice of Semi-Auto or Manual), save. You then go to the Focus & Zoom TAB and adjust focus, can even use Auto Focus button to dial in BUT the key is that when you go back to the Focus & Zoom menu item and save again (for good measure) it will then stay as you've manually set !

A lot of people have been asking for this since the 5231-Z12 soft focus so this is a great win. This was NOT present in 9-03 FW so is a new addition. Thought I would share. Check out the new menu options below. This is a great addition @EMPIRETECANDY and certainly will help a lot of people that have seen this issue

View attachment 73004
And hopefully, it's tied to the Profile?
 
@looney2ns great minds as I was just thinking the same :) I tested and sure as **** it ties to profile both focus mode (Semi-Auto or Manual) and actual focus setting (what you dialed in for each). A quick set of screen grabs showing the difference for Day vs Night. @bigredfish something you may be interested in as well in your setup (can't remember if you are still using the 5231-Z12's or now also use the 5241's).

Day.jpg Night.jpg


And hopefully, it's tied to the Profile?
 
Also to be clear, I tested this on B5442's and T5442 vari's and this menu option does NOT exist. In looking at how this is implemented it appears this is model dependent for sure.
 
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@Wildcat_1 - any chance this may work for the 5231-Z12? It suffers from that soft focus as well. (I replied to your DM as well in case it didn't show up - thanks!)
 
SMD may have been improved. too soon to tell for me.
What I CAN say already (after one hour of using the 19-10-20 FW) is that it's not enough:
My dog is still recognized as human and not once......
 
I have the 5442E - Z4E variant - bullet 8-32mm zoom model Wizmind 5 - with firmware V2.800.0000000.8.R 2019-09-02
would this firmware be applicable to my cam? and not lose any features I may have..
smd ivs on my end could use a little help
 
I have the 5442E - Z4E variant - bullet 8-32mm zoom model Wizmind 5 - with firmware V2.800.0000000.8.R 2019-09-02
would this firmware be applicable to my cam? and not lose any features I may have..
smd ivs on my end could use a little help
yes can work. But the latest new firmware I still not update here. Still for testing
 
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Ok, had a rain free evening finally. The Ir still does not adjust down as much as it should.



@EMPIRETECANDY @Wildcat_1

I wonder looney2ns, is that a polite way of saying it’s no different to the previous version? Do we know even know if smart IR actually tries to reduce the IR strength or instead is supposed to dynamically compress the gain to prevent white level clipping?
 
Ok, had a rain free evening finally. The Ir still does not adjust down as much as it should.



@EMPIRETECANDY @Wildcat_1

Thanks for your testing out, this TESTNG firmware mainly for fixing up the SMD compare to the last version, for the smart IR i will report this to dahua for some further updating.
 
Thanks for your testing out, this TESTNG firmware mainly for fixing up the SMD compare to the last version, for the smart IR i will report this to dahua for some further updating.
Awesome. Andy, any chance you could also send me this testing firmware for testing?
 
this TESTNG firmware mainly for fixing up the SMD compare to the last version
I must say here that unlike others, I see no difference in the SMD performance.
While the ISV was (and still is I guess) doing a decent job in filtering human, the SMD (in my end) acts like before.
With SMD, I am getting as many detection as I used to (if not more) from my dog and cat.
Buckets and plants are being detected again and again for face detection.
I get 52 captures of the bucket and 33 captures of a garden planet each in a row - every few minutes it would capture the same still image again.
In my case, I'm using only the IVS rules for real-time alerts and fortunately, it looks so far that they are okay and also filtering human better.
 
I must say here that unlike others, I see no difference in the SMD performance.
While the ISV was (and still is I guess) doing a decent job in filtering human, the SMD (in my end) acts like before.
With SMD, I am getting as many detection as I used to (if not more) from my dog and cat.
Buckets and plants are being detected again and again for face detection.
I get 52 captures of the bucket and 33 captures of a garden planet each in a row - every few minutes it would capture the same still image again.
In my case, I'm using only the IVS rules for real-time alerts and fortunately, it looks so far that they are okay and also filtering human better.
SMD is only used for filtering the different clips that are recorded either to the NVR or an SD card in the camera.
IVS is still a much better solution.
1603479995116.png

1603480099434.png
 
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SMD is only used for filtering the different clips that are recorded either to the NVR or an SD card in the camera.
IVS is still a much better solution.
Thanks,
I thought it was only me. I do get the alerts from IVS and use the SMD to filter other events for viewing.
What Is do not get though, it how come one way enables them to filter Himan events really good and the other way sucks.
I was expecting the IVS and SMD to use the same filtering for human.
 
Couple of us are currently testing new firmware that does improve on the SMD portion. It has not been released yet.
@looney2ns thanks but...
I am also testing the 2020-10-19 version.
When I was talking about no improvement in my end to the SMD I was referring to that FW.....
My dog and cat are still staring in many of the SMD (human) results. I was not trying to complain but to share my own testing results with @EMPIRETECANDY
Face detection use to work decent. Now, MOST of the results are buckets and plants. event though I was excluding the region of the plant [Event>Face Detection> Exclude Region], I keep getting a plant detection every few minutes.
I am testing the new version on X8 5442 verifocal cams: 4 bullets and 4 turrets. Same results for both models.
 
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All, apologies for the delay but I wanted to thoroughly test this 10-19 FW. I completed this last night and am posting the results of my findings plus an update video here and in my night testing thread.

SMD & SmartIR Findings:

SMD

  • SMD is rock solid in my testing, best implementation of this yet and looks like Dahua did adjust code according to feedback provided which has led to a huge improvement. As stated in my video (this video focused on SmartIR) I’ve had dogs, cats, raccoons, deers all be ignored and only People & Vehicles captured correctly.
  • As I also mention in my video, if you are still seeing issues with SMD then definitely check out your configuration and also please re-read my statement I shared before about how sensitivity has been programmed by Dahua for SMD. Specifically REMEMBER: SMD at Low Sensitivity actually instead operates as Low Threshold which is very different. Therefore if SMD is not identifying enough targets then choose LOW, if its picking up too many targets (incorrect targets) then MED or HIGH

SmartIR
  • SmartIR still needs work. There are improvements over 9/3 FW but still more needs to be done. Specifically NEAR IR is the issue and needs to be reduced further as FAR IR adjusts perfectly. Take a look as I walk up to camera in the video and you will see that in almost all cases FAR IR is about spot on, NEAR however never adjusts anywhere as close to the same amount especially when the target is center of cam but at an angle. I’ve fed this back to Dahua & Andy, pointed to code and will also link them to the video

Other Notes:
  1. Quicker IR response seen on screen and adjustments in code within this version
  2. When scene has additional light (background for example) the camera does a better job of balancing visible to IR within the scene. Checkout 5m mark and you will see that the floods (2x250w) in the background get kicked down (camera adjustment) as IR attempts to balance foreground subject against huge background brightness and does it well
  3. In IR only mode, fixed exposure, specifically 1/60 has received the most tweaks but only by a small amount over others such as 1/100 and 1/120
  4. When you add a front only light (1x 60w bulb in this case) the fixed exposure of 1/100 or exposure range of 1/60 to 1/100 shows ‘slightly’ better IR response (speed) from previous FW
  5. 1/60 to 1/20 exposure range has also improved when foreground / visible light on target is applied but again just marginally

Summary

The 10-19 FW represents the best release so far in my testing. That is not to say its perfect by any means and the SmartIR issue needs to be fixed in the next release for sure. However, the work that has been completed on the SMD algorithm's here represent a huge difference (positive) over previous releases and the camera also is slightly more snappy, responsive when triggering IVS rules in this version as well.

Lastly, one of the other HUGE benefits that I don't want people to lose sight of here is the addition of manual focus to the 5241-Z12 (also runs VOLT chipset) as part of this FW release that I mentioned HERE (check it out). This is something people have been asking for since the 5231 soft focus issues and really is a game changer. I've tested this and it works really well. Being able to tie to profile is also a bonus.

So while this FW is not perfect yet for the 5442, it has come a long way, brought unexpected benefits (looking at you 5241) and I believe with more work by Dahua on SmartIR specifically, that the next version could be spot on

HTH and as always please let me know with any questions