Review: Dahua 8MP / 4K 25x Starlight IR PTZ - PTZ5A4K-25X / SD5A825GA-HNR

[observant1]

We usually do a simple setup with 1 home position.. 360 sec of tracking before returning to home if it loses tracking. Intrusion as apposed to tripwire or smd.

300 sec. not 360. but it depends.....

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

That is a good idea, thanks for sharing @observant1 The new PTZ Autotracking have big improvement compare to those old AT cams.

 

[nightrider]

Normal h264/h265 encoders have A LOT of config options. Options which Dahua (HIK and other cctv cam mfc) hide from us - we have only very simple CBR/VBR/SmartVBR switch with simple frame rate/bandwith/quality options. Tons of encoder options are hidden from us and we don't known how Dahua change it from camera to camera or firmware to firmware. It looks that they optimised h265/h265+ very much on modern platforms..

Exactly!

Before I got into this world I ran a lot several multi-year projects integrating and developing pure software encoders / decoders with and without hardware acceleration, both in the frontend and the backend.
I'd love to have the ability to change encoding parameters and do other SoC optimizations but from the consumer end it's a hassle to even find the SoC / chip model.

 

[observant1]

One of the companies i work with installs the majority of the PTZ cameras I've helped install. I'm trying to talk him into intergrating a spotter camera. (i don't think we will)

We only use 1 home position and it works great, but unless something enters the HOME positions field of view it doesnt track. Obviously we have stationary cameras that cover everything and the quicker we get everything done the sooner he gets paid. The newer version of SMD 4.0 on our dahua oem cams seems to work really well.

 

[bleomycin]

I will update to our website this week for the new one.

Any updates on this? I see the firmware available from dahua directly but it has not been updated on your website. Do you recommend owners upgrade with the firmware directly from dahua or continue to hold off?

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

This week we will finish the update. Too much work for hundred models.

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

Any updates on this? I see the firmware available from dahua directly but it has not been updated on your website. Do you recommend owners upgrade with the firmware directly from dahua or continue to hold off?

Sorry for the late, just upgrade the fw on our website, please go there and upgrade.

empiretech01.com/pages/download-firmwares

 

[pepsiguy]

This camera has bare wire audio input (mic). Where can I find an appropriate outdoor mic? All the ones I can find are active powered (12v), and as far as I can tell, if powering this camera via PoE+, there is no power output from the camera to power an active mic.

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

Yes, need an external power for the external mic, some guys use this one.

MICROSEVEN Compatible M7WP-MIC Waterproof Outdoor Microphone for M7B77-W, M7D77-POE, Any IP Network Camera & PTZ IP Camera with Interface -an IP Camera External Microphone Amazon.com

 

[BBQFreak]

Has anyone gotten the firmware from Andy to work? Mine says it's an invalid package. REALLY hoping this makes the camera usable at night!.

 

[RN3KU]

Hi everybody. Who installed the new firmware , how is it ? - DH_SD-Taurus_MultiLang_PN_Stream3-Normal_V3.200.0000018.2.R.240617

 

[Sonnie]

Did the firmware get resolved... all good now?

Looking at purchasing this PTZ.

 

[BBQFreak]

Did the firmware get resolved... all good now?

Looking at purchasing this PTZ.

I wouldn't - I've been fighting this camera since buying it. I'm not the expert that a lot of folks here are, but on the recent firmware I'm still getting reolink style ghosting at night and generally poor image quality. Going to keep tweaking shutter settings, illumination power and the like, but seems like the 4mp is the sweet spot on this platform.

 

[Sonnie]

Hmmm... that's not good... just purchased two of them.

 

[CCTVCam]

To stop Ghosting Gain needs to be 50 or below & shutter at least 8ms (1/125 s ) minimum, preferably 4ms (1/250 s). Gain in the daytime should be zero or as near to zero as you can get it.

That's general advice not specific to this camera.

Ghosting is the result of a combination of too much gain / a slow shutter speed. Sometimes people with cameras that aren't performing well in low light try to slow shutter / increase gain to get a brighter picture. It doesn't work, at least in so far as there are penalties for doing so. If you need more light and are running IR, consider an IR floodlight. Several have been recommended by members on here previously. These are generally quite low wattage but have good reach. The only danger there is too much IR close in but as it's a ptz I'm presuming you probably have a close in camera anyway. Also smart firmware may take ir levels into account removing the issue. Unsure of this model.

 

[CCTVCam]

Yes, need an external power for the external mic, some guys use this one.

MICROSEVEN Compatible M7WP-MIC Waterproof Outdoor Microphone for M7B77-W, M7D77-POE, Any IP Network Camera & PTZ IP Camera with Interface -an IP Camera External Microphone Amazon.com

Slightly off topic but Andy do you know of any good speakers? With Dahua would build them in as they seem very hard to find with mostly poor quality or huge expensive horns the only option.

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

Dahua speaker only have these, 3rd party one also ok.

Audio - Dahua International (dahuasecurity.com)

 

[Sonnie]

I'm not getting any illumination at night... dark image. I don't see any lights or IR on in the camera.



Here are my settings:
Backlight = Off
WB = Auto
Day/Night = Electronic Color
Illuminator = Auto
Defog = Auto

 

[paul@austins.tv]

You say day/night, = electronic colour? Hence no IR.

 

[JDreaming]

You say day/night, = electronic colour? Hence no IR.

Yes, choose ICR and then Auto if you want the camera to turn on IR at night. Or set up a schedule for the switch.