NVR Hanging during boot up

I tried to install to install using the bootable USB disk but the PDVR didn't do anything.... it just hung there...
Maybe it was too slow .... I'll give that another shot before going for a new NVR...

Thanks
 
We had both already mentioned that, I said Google flagged it as malware and Alastair said the software could be found on shady websites. There's no question about it, but if you sidestep that warning, you'll find the website shows 503 service unavailable. It wouldn't have worked anyways.

Some BIOS'es are fussy with bootable devices. If it hangs for more than 5 seconds it will not start. Plain and simple. It's usually very quick.

Try this. Reinstall XP on the drive from another computer, but after the DOS-like blue screen of copying files is complete and it goes to restart the computer, don't let it complete. At that point, shut it down, transfer the drive to the recorder, and plug in the flash drive and let the install finish there.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
  • Like
Reactions: CustomIPCam
OK, that makes sense... I will try this suggestion

I have managed to make contact with the WAPA people and am trying to get info from them.... but there is the small problem of the language barrier !

I'll let you know how it goes...

Thanks everyone !! :)
 
Latest Update:

I have spent the past few days in email communication with the WAPA PDVR guys and eventually managed to get to someone who was technical.

He gave me an image of the software that I need to install on the PDVR.
After going back and forth many times, I managed to get to create a bootable Linux USB drive and used that to flash the ???? on the PDVR.

Now, the PDVR starts and boots up as it used to do before BUT..... when I click the "Get IP Addresses of HD Cameras" button, nothing happens....

Previously, this found all the cameras and I can then add them to the list of viewable cameras but not this doesn't work....

The WAPA Engineer asked me to install the PDVR software on my laptop (which i did) and then power the cameras using a 12v DC supply.... the problem is that the cameras are fixed to the exterior of the building and hardwired so its not a simple matter of testing them like that... also, the are all POE so I don't have any 12v adapter anyway...

Does anyone have any suggestions for what I can do ?

Also, can I just plug in the ethernet cable from an IP POE camera into the laptop? Will it cause any damage?

Thanks again ! :)
 
It won't cause any damage but if the cameras rely on PoE as the power source, you won't get a link on those lines. Same goes the other way. Most every PoE switch out there is smart in that it can sense when a device needs power (IPC) or when it doesn't. (PC/laptop) this mitigates any risk of hot swapping PoE with non-PoE and burning things up.

I'm actually thoroughly impressed that you were able to find someone who knew what they were doing from that company. A spectacular achievement. +1

There's a chance what they gave you is newer than what you had before, Which could affect its functionality. Look at what we have to deal with Hikvision on and their firmware - same thing. To the point a lot of people fear each and every little update. (I can't say that they don't have good reason though, Hikvision has been known to do some weird things)


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Hi Corey

Actually we tried a few different versions of the software and gradually worked our way back from newer versions to the older versions.
The one which is running now looks like the original version I had with the only problem being that it cannot detect any of the IP POE Cameras.

When we connected the LAN port on the PDVR to the router, we can ping it and also see it in the list of devices connected to the router.

However, when any cameras are plugged into the powered ethernet ports, they are not detected...

This is where we are stuck now.... seems like we have so far in managing to get the PDVR looking the same as before but if we cannot get the cameras working, then thats all a waste...

Actually everyday I think that I'll give up and buy a new system, then we make good progress and I think I'll just see how tomorrow goes...
At this point I think we are so close, but the next task might be impossible.

The engineer even used teamview to connect to my PC to try a few things with no luck.

Does any one know if there a way to find the IP addresses of the IP Cameras? That might help...

Thanks again !
 
Interesting!
If what's been supplied installs OK on your laptop - then presumably it's a Windows app as opposed to some sort of self-contained stand-alone image?
What did you install on the PDVR itself? A version of Windows?

On thing I found, and you also mentioned I think, was that the PDVR software required that Wincap be installed.
This would have a strong role in the networking to the cameras, and is probably a vital link in the chain.
Did you get any prompts for this on your PDVR, or on your laptop.

On testing from your laptop when the PDVR is the only source of power - maybe a long shot, but if the PoE ports work like a Hikvision NVR they have some switch functionality.
So traffic from one can reach another.
It would do no harm (as @CoreyX64 says PoE is safe) to connect your laptop to a spare PoE port and see if the app can find the cameras.
From what I could see on the configuration screens of the app, though, it doesn't look like you get a familiar web GUI facility. Though you may know different.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • Like
Reactions: CustomIPCam
The image installed on the PDVR is Linux based. The bootable USB drive used to bootup the PDVR the first time is not readbable in Windows.

As mentioned, the cameras are not detected by the PDVR so the the supplier also gave me a copy of the windows based software (which installs WinCap) for the PC because he wanted me to connect the IP Cameras to a 12v Power supply and attach their ethernet cable to the PC to see if the PC based software could detect the IP Cameras.

I cannot do this as the cameras are installed outside the building and the wiring is all sealed (as they have only ever been powered over ethernet). So I only have access to the ethernet cables that are attached to the cameras.

So at the moment we are stuck with a PDVR which seems ok but cannot detect the IP Cameras.

Are you saying that I should start the PDVR and the PC and then connect one PDVR POE port to the PC and another PDVR POE Port to a single IP Camera and check if the Windows version of the PDVR software can see the camera?

If so, I'll give it a try....

One last thing to mention (not sure if it helps) but if the cameras are connected to the PDVR, then the IR lights are visible at night which means they are getting power but are still not detected by the PDVR software.

:miserable:
 
Are you saying that I should start the PDVR and the PC and then connect one PDVR POE port to the PC and another PDVR POE Port to a single IP Camera and check if the Windows version of the PDVR software can see the camera?
Click to expand...
I think that would be worth trying.
My thought / assumption is that there may be a form of auto-discovery for the cameras which may work across IP segments.
 
I tried the suggestion this morning but PC based PDVR cannot detect the IP Cameras....

I am still trying to get the WAPA people to help me solve this but with an 8 hour time difference, it's not easy... :miserable:
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Latest Update

I installed a new image on the PDVR and found that the cameras are not detected (as before) BUT now, none of the LEDs on the POE ports are flashing....

Does this mean the motherboard is now dead? If so, it's time to bury this and buy a new kit

:miserable:
 
I installed a new image on the PDVR and found that the cameras are not detected (as before) BUT now, none of the LEDs on the POE ports are flashing....
Click to expand...
Perhaps it hasn't initialised the PoE hardware (if no lights at all) or the network hardware (if lights but no activity).

Does this mean the motherboard is now dead? If so, it's time to bury this and buy a new kit
Click to expand...
Probably not - more likely a mismatch between the software and the hardware.
But there comes a time when beyond the interest and mental stimulus of exploring a problem it's necessary to draw a line under it and move on.
Especially so if you factor in the notional cost of your time spent, which if you were in business for yourself would quickly force the issue.

There are big choices out there for good image quality cameras at very reasonable prices.
 
OK... that has settled it...

Do you think I can use the existing cameras? They are WAPA IP POE 1080p Cameras.

If so, would it be better to got a an NVR and a seperate POE Switch or should I go for an NVR with POE built-in? Suggestions for models would be useful... I have only looked at the HIVision DS-7604NI-E1/4P

If I need cameras, what would you suggest? I think 1 or 2MP should be fine unless the price difference between these and higher MP cameras is minimal.

Thanks guys :)
 
Do you think I can use the existing cameras? They are WAPA IP POE 1080p Cameras.
Click to expand...
Do you have any specs for them, and do they support any recognised specifications such as ONVIF?
Maybe for the cost of a PoE injector you could make an assessment if you can connect to a web GUI and see what the cameras can do. I'm not sure if you said you'd done that before, or even if there is a web GUI.

If I need cameras, what would you suggest? I think 1 or 2MP should be fine unless the price difference between these and higher MP cameras is minimal.
Click to expand...
If you've been using 720p and then see images at 1080p you would not want the lower resolution. 1080p seems mainstream for domestic/household security cameras now. With higher resolutions and smart features becoming common.

One thing about this forum - plenty of comparative information and user experience on the choices to be made for cameras, NVRs and the networking to tie it together.
 
A PoE injector is a worthy (and relatively cheap) investment for a basic diagnostic tool. That'll at least allow you to power up the cameras and tie them into your network where you can hopefully find them (the Fing app for iOS/Android is extremely helpful in this manner). Not to mention saving you a trip up the ladder.

1080p is the bare minimum for an IP camera anymore. There's absolutely no reason to drop lower. In the case of Hikvision, some people drop their 3 and 4MP cams down to 1080p for the improved night vision. I have found it to be tolerable enough that I can live with some grain in order to gain a full 4MP image. (none of mine are setup as very far range cams, so the close range helps offset less image quality at night). It ultimately depends on the scene in question. My front door? Absolutely no way I will drop that below 4MP. I get way too many expensive packages (without signature unfortunately) to have one walk. It has never once been an issue at all, but I don't want to cut corners. Right now the porch cam serves mostly as a pre-screening measure as to whether or not I'm going to answer the door. UPS/FedEx/DHL/USPS? Absolutely. They're my santa claus. (I regularly get presents each week, yay!) AT&T U-Verse solicitors, Jehovah's witnesses, etc., get rejected without being rejected. So much that I have that porch camera as a specific channel on my Living Room TV. it's 1 button press to quickly look, "nope not getting off the couch" or "yay Santa's here!"

I personally am a Hikvision fan, solely because of the hardware. It's been so very reliable and good to me, I haven't really had a need to venture elsewhere. Firmware is another issue that's a sour spot to me and many others, but I've learned how to coax it into behaving (mostly) the way I want it to or the way it's supposed to.

I would also like to point out, if I didn't already, that it was an absolute miracle you got the response and support that you did from a company that's seemingly non-existent. That is a very impressive feat for anyone in today's world of ever-worsening customer service, especially with these very thin Chinese firms cranking out cheap hardware. From what you described he seemed willing and informative and walked you through a ton of steps to try and bring it back to life. Sadly there are some US firms that wouldn't live up to that. Kudos to whomever it was you spoke/emailed with. Far and few between...and congrats on getting as far as you did! I wouldn't have had the patience. Even if in the end you end up replacing it, it was worth the trouble because you learned a ton, both from him helping you and on here. Can't get the pleasure without the pain.
 
  • Like
Reactions: CustomIPCam
OK guys...

One last thing before I give up. The WAPA guy cannot get the POE ports working. When I plug in the ethernet cables, the LEDs do not switch on which means no power through POE hence no cameras detected.

Can I buy a POE Switch and use that with the PDVR LAN port to detect the cameras since the software is working now? I'm assuming this will bypass the onboard POE ports.

If so, any suggestions for to buy a POE Switch quickly?

On the new CCTV system side, I have looked at:

DS-2CD2T42WD-i5 cameras x 4
DS-7604NI-E1-4P

The best price I found was ebay for 530 including delivery. How does this sound? Obviously this doesn't include a hard disk but I bought a 2TB already for this old PDVR which I can reuse.

Thanks guys :)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom