New Amcrest IP5M-T1179EW-36MM graphical glitches and freezing runs hot?

Safetyfirst

Getting the hang of it
Nov 8, 2019
118
25
USA
Hi everyone, I saw this drop to 59.99 on Amazon and figured I would try it as I am more interested in the audio than video quality to see when the mailperson comes or what happens with deliveries like when a loud thump is heard. When setting it up I noticed it was running warm to the touch vs my other Dahua 3mp ZS Turret camera just sitting idle. When checking for firmware no new firmware was found on Amcrests website. Are these graphical glitches that occurred probably a random event or a sign of a defective camera in your opinion since no firmware is available? I am also looking at different mounting solutions since the base is smaller than the outer diameter of the casing.
 

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iirc we have few Amcrest folks here on the forum.... don't recall their handles right now, perhaps we should ping them on this discussion and see if they have answers.
 
iirc we have few Amcrest folks here on the forum.... don't recall their handles right now, perhaps we should ping them on this discussion and see if they have answers.

Thanks Mat I hope the tag gets them to answer as to if there's new firmware and if this is a hardware or software issue possibly.
 
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Look in the Amcrest subforum and you'll see them. Actually it might be as good idea to ask Mike (or another admin) to move this thread to there.


Sorry about that I'm still relatively new to this. Can a Admin please move this thread to the amcrest subforum?
 
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Thanks Mat I hope the tag gets them to answer as to if there's new firmware and if this is a hardware or software issue possibly.

Hi @Safetyfirst

FYI - check the forum area651 mention and tag the amcrest folks you see participating ( I have not done that .. use the "AT" name to tag ... you can also do this with mike )
 
Thank you @mat200 for getting me started! @Mike could you please move this to the Amcrest subforum. Hopefully, @James.S can provide some feedback on if this is a potential software or hardware issue and the latest firmware for this camera. I have several other Amcrest products not including this new their older 4mp wireless camera, first 8mp camera, and more without any issues.
 
Contacted amcrest phone support and they kept stating to check my ethernet cable. I've tried two switches several monoprice cables and even using a normal Cat6 with a ac adapter no difference. Anyone have a idea as Amcrest support doesn't know. Also brought up that there's no firmware and the original firmware isn't available. They said they would contact someone at Amcrest and email me.
 
running hot may be normal, but glitchy video should not be. can you correlate the glitchy video times with days when it's warmer?
I would try disabling any video processing like WDR or BLC and DNR to see if it affects the 'glitching'. Could be a software issue.
If Amcrest support can't/won't help, you should be able to return/exchange thru Amazon, no?
 
running hot may be normal, but glitchy video should not be. can you correlate the glitchy video times with days when it's warmer?
I would try disabling any video processing like WDR or BLC and DNR to see if it affects the 'glitching'. Could be a software issue.
If Amcrest support can't/won't help, you should be able to return/exchange thru Amazon, no?

The glitchy video is just random and was when it was inside after being taken down but I noticed something else which was when logging in directly through a web browser it kept kicking me down to the sub stream which was odd when none of my other amcrest cameras on the same switch had this issue. I did factory reset the camera already. Yes next step is unfortunately contact Amazon but I had mounted it and used the mounting hardware Hopefully that isn't a issue.
 
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Screenshot of the auto switching "it has autoswitched to substream for better video playing experience"? Never had this on another Dahua, Hikvision or Amcrest Camera when viewing in browser? Reset it again all settings and in night mode with IR I am getting pink in certain areas randomly in desktop view but not on mobile view when recording both screens? Just using chrome to view it. Checked my IP8M-2496EB-28MM in browser view on Chrome too and no random pink areas in IR mode.
 
I'm only noticing these in Chrome it seems. Could it simply be a bug? I watched the Amcrest desktop application and mobile view concurrently and no random colors. Not sure about the switch from main to substream though.
 

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you've tried different ethernet cables, right? wondering if perhaps some flakey connection is choking full-rez connections from that cam...
 
you've tried different ethernet cables, right? wondering if perhaps some flakey connection is choking full-rez connections from that cam...

Yes I've tried multiple ethernet cables and even the one I used for another amcrest camera that's been mounted. I'm starting to wonder if it's partially chrome as the glitches would show in chrome but not in the live view.
 
@Mike do you have any other suggestions for who to contact at Amcrest? @mromamcrest @James.S after a week never emailed back after the person on their websites chat support stated they would escalate it and someone would get back to me with a copy of the firmware to reinstall and an explanation as to what was going on. I know laview support isn't great, but at least they got back to emails within 4 days.
 
thanks for starting this thread! I have the amcrest IP5M-T1179EW, flashed to Dahua firmware (per this forum thread).

Speculation-- The "switching to sub-stream" message may have something to do with resolutions of source video versus computer screen-- why send a 5mp feed when the destination can only display 1080p? Just a thought. Other newer Dahua cams behave the same way (all Amcrest IP Cams are Dahua re-branded) .

Last night-- there was some "weirdness" with that cam, and looking at recordings, I may have had this happen before and not known it. At about 12:15 am or so, the camera went offline. I was still up, and messing with the interface on my managed switch. The Switch reported no network connection there. Hmmmm... I was able to turn OFF the POE power feed to that port and then turn it on again-- effectively a reboot of the camera. Camera never came back. Switch reported no network connection there. What was interesting was the POE data from the switch...

Between 3:00am and 3:10am, the camera popped up on the network again. The switch interface showed it pulling 2.9 watts of power-- a nice normal amount.
Last night when the cam was down-- that port was reporting 9 ~ 10 watts of power being delivered to that port. o_O You mentioned the cam was "warm to the touch" --- I wonder if mine was also "warm" with 3 times the normal POE wattage going to it for some reason....

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So.... I am wondering if this is a Cam issue, or if I managed to pull cable across something sharp in my attic and create a partial short due to damaging the twisted pair that feeds power. @fenderman --- Any thought on this? Intermittent issues suck!
 
@amcrestt Nor any of its other staff every responded to my inquiry even my second inquiry on their website so it seems they have no interest in supporting their cameras or users even though they apparently sell on this forum. When I made that post I tried 2x POE switches which weren't managed so I ran it for a bit attached to normal ac power and regular ethernet still was running warm. I rma'd mine after no response from Amcrest support here or directly from their website. Maybe they know it's a issue but don't want to say anything because they don't have a fix available? If I were you I'd try to get a exchange with Amazon and see how the new one behaves since you have a maged switch.
 
I have BI taking a jpg every 10 minutes on all my cams... The gap in jpg captures tells me the cam was definitely offline on Monday morning 6/1 between 3:50am and 4:40am....


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Cable issue wouldn't affect Chrome browser only. If it only happens in Chrome, high probability it's a software issue such as encoding/decoding errors. Check your Video tab in the Amcrest config, and try switching from H.265 to H.264H or vice versa and see if it has any effect on bandwidth, power consumption, or color.
 
OK-- to piggyback on this thread once more. This camera of mine dropped off the network again. Between 11:20pm and 11:30 pm, the network connection failed. When I went outside to look at it, the IR's were glowing, and the housing definitely was WARM... probably Hot inside that eyeball. My switch said it was pulling 11.4 watts all by itself
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Could IR heat be compromising the electronics with heat? Does anyone know if there is a protection circuit to shut things down if it is too hot?

I brought it inside and plugged it into an unmanaged POE switch in a lit room-- it fired up and BI began receiving video from it. I turned off the lights, and the IR's popped on and it is still running. While outside, it ran for about 90 minutes with IR's running.

I went to a manual setting for IR and turned it down to 10..... but would that reduce the wattage used and reduce the heat output? I guess I am assuming the heat here is the "smoking gun" to deal with....
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What else should I be looking at with this? I'd rather not have the hassle of sending the cam back...

Afterthought--- This is a plastic housing--- Dahua normally uses metal housings-- maybe better at dissipating heat?
Very curious what other think about this...