Review IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED (Full Color, Starlight+)

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Hi guys, I've been told by my installer that this model of camera is not compatible with the Lite series NVR from Dahua (DHI-NVR4216-16P-4KS2). Is he for real or he's just bullshitting me to upsell me to a more expensive NVR?
 

bigredfish

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The 5442 series work just fine on the 4000 series NVR's, I have 2 in place.

Now I havent compared every single spec as to AI capabilities and such, but with normal IVS, SMD, Heat Map, People Counting, and Face Detection, the 4000 series is fine,
It is the "Lite" series so it is not as powerful as the 5000 series but for my purposes with a mix of 5442's and 5231 Z12's it works just fine.
4208-Intelligent.jpg

*Note I run all my cameras at max bitrate and FPS.
 

Shotglasspeppa

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I'm tempted to get one of these to mount in between my two 5442 varifocals. I have the varifocals criss crossing the driveway and wonder if putting this in between both to get a shot in between the vehicles would work. I'd keep the LEDs on all night which will further help the two other 5442s.
 

Arjun

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How do you configure a schedule for the LED lights to turn on/off?
I want the LED to turn on at night and off during the day (and as well as the circled portion)
1602457051137.png
 

aristobrat

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If you're using the schedule posted, make sure the Night profile itself has the lights set to "On".

The hours of the schedule you posted look like the Night profile starts before 8:00 PM but switches to the Day profile at midnight (0:00).

If you have an always-on Windows PC running that can access the cameras, you might want to check out @bp2008's DahuaSunriseSunset utility. It can connect to your Dahua cameras and toggle them between Day/Night profiles based on the day's actual sunrise/sunset times. Saves from having to edit your camera schedules a few times throughout the year as sunrise/sunset times change.
 

Arjun

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I would like the lights to stay on between 7pm and 11pm. I can't seem to manually set it that way. I have the lights configured to turn on at 7pm. After 12am, the lights turn off, the role of my motion detection lights take over. Is there any way to further customize this or is it severely limited by the firmware?

If you're using the schedule posted, make sure the Night profile itself has the lights set to "On".

The hours of the schedule you posted look like the Night profile starts before 8:00 PM but switches to the Day profile at midnight (0:00).

If you have an always-on Windows PC running that can access the cameras, you might want to check out @bp2008's DahuaSunriseSunset utility. It can connect to your Dahua cameras and toggle them between Day/Night profiles based on the day's actual sunrise/sunset times. Saves from having to edit your camera schedules a few times throughout the year as sunrise/sunset times change.
 

biggen

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So you have the Day profile set for the LED off and the Night Profile set for the LED on, correct? Then it should follow that schedule that you set as far as times go.

Unless I'm not understanding what you want. Say the exact times you want the LED to run for because I'm not still clear.
 

Arjun

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So you have the Day profile set for the LED off and the Night Profile set for the LED on, correct? Then it should follow that schedule that you set as far as times go.

Unless I'm not understanding what you want. Say the exact times you want the LED to run for because I'm not still clear.
I want the LEDs to be active only between 7pm and 11pm
 

aristobrat

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Modify the Night Profile so that the lights are set to "ON" (not auto). Schedule the night profile for 7PM - 11PM.
Modify the Day profile so that the lights are set to "OFF" (not auto). Schedule that profile to run 11PM - 7PM.

Oh hmmmmm... I'm not sure if you can have the Day profile start again at 11PM (as per your circle).
 

Arjun

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This firmware was obviously not written with the correct parameters in mind

This is what I ended up doing

1602519009499.png

I'm treating day as night and night as day and making the necessary setting change for LED's to be "ON" between 7pm and 11pm in the Day profile. Definitely not an intuitive process and obviously to the developers, they didn't put much thought into this.

Modify the Night Profile so that the lights are set to "ON" (not auto). Schedule the night profile for 7PM - 11PM.
Modify the Day profile so that the lights are set to "OFF" (not auto). Schedule that profile to run 11PM - 7PM.

Oh hmmmmm... I'm not sure if you can have the Day profile start again at 11PM (as per your circle).
 

CoffeeNut

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Hi Guys, after trawling various threads, I'm trying to decide between the IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED or IPC-T5442TM-ASE. There isn't a great deal of light out the front of my place where I'm looking to put this camera. Based upon the information provided by @aristobrat both cameras would suit, but the IR may be better on the IPC-T5442TM-ASE, even if it is on B&W.

Both cameras use the same image sensor/lens. You can get color out of both ... if there's enough ambient white light at night, both cameras stay in color mode just the same (without having to use their built-in lights).

When the ambient white light level goes low enough at night, the two models act differently. The LED model creates its own ambient white light (by flipping on the built-in LEDs) and keeps on trucking in color mode. The non-LED model flips the IR cut filter, turns on the IR lights and switches to b/w mode... IR lights don't help cameras when they're in color mode.

You can change settings on either model to override defaults. You can set the non-LED model to stay in color mode all the time if you want. You can set the LED model so that the LEDs don't turn on when it gets dark outside. Interestingly enough, then the LED model will switch to b/w mode when it gets dark out (although you can override that with a setting, too).

For me, color is a "nice to have", but I do NOT want it if it means having two bright-ass lights on the front of my cameras turn on and run all night long (making the camera look like an always-on flood light). Again, that's just me. I happened to get lucky. I have both a 5442 LED and non-LED model and there was enough ambient light in both areas I mounted them that they stay in color all night long without having to use the built-in lights on either camera.

I'm not sure if you've seen Mech's 5442 LED review thread, but the way he's using his, the LED light being on all night makes perfect sense:

Here's my 5442TM-AS-LED at night... I use this camera as an overview cam, just to get an idea of what's happening on that side of the house, not to ID anyone. The streetlight gives enough ambient light that it stays in color mode without having to turn the LED lights on. I do have the LED lights disabled (via settings) because if that street light ever goes out, I do not want the camera becoming a bright light that beams from the side of the house. Mounted like this, the cameras LED lights wouldn't be much of a help even if it ever did get dark enough for them to turn on. If you're wondering why the heck I even have a LED model, it's because I thought I had a good place to use it (with its light), but that didn't turn out like I thought, so now it's doing a good job as an overview camera w/o using the light.


View attachment 64022


Here's my 5442TM-AS (not LED). The only setting change on this camera is that the shutter is 1/60 to help reduce motion blur. Between the 60W light on the garage and the street light about 100ft across the street there is enough ambient light to keep this camera in color mode on its own at night.

View attachment 64023
We are currently using an IPC-HDW4300C for the from verandah area of our house, but the iR blooms from the white verandah, and don't get great nighttime images beyond the verandah, and am looking to add a colour camera out the front to cover the area in front of the verandah (camera installed on the street side of the verandah) due to some issues we've had recently with people coming down the driveway in the early hours of the morning.

I understand that the IPC-T5442TM-ASE supports colour nighttime, however there is a certain amount of visible light that is required for this to work successfully. If I didn't have enough natural visible light for colour, I'd be more than happy to add a sensor flood light if needed, noting that I expect the image quality is going to be a lot better than the IPC-HDW4300C we currently have.

Can you guys provide any feedback on this?

The main reasons I'm steering away from the IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED, is that the LED's appear to be more focussed lights' and it doesn't have an IR filter. Aside from this they appear to be very similar.

Cheers.
 

bigredfish

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I think both the manufacturers and to some degree us here on the forum often give a false impression about “color” night vision.

All cameras need light, be it IR or white light. Even with the 5442 series and “Full Color” -NI variant (or HiK ColorVu)

Sure you can get a color image at night from a lot of cameras, and the newest generation with the 1/1.8” sensor can be amazing . But to get one that’s not full of noise or motion blur still takes quite a bit of white light.

I’m as guilty as others in posting a beautiful night color still image but really if it’s not video with human motion, it’s just a pretty picture of little value.

Which is a long winded way of saying, yes there is a minimum amount of white light to run color on the 5442 series, and at risk of starting a lumen war ;) I’d use the following as a rough baseline:

  • 100 watt/1000 lumen is a good min
  • light distance to subject matters. Figure 0-20ft on a fixed 3.6mm
  • light direction matters - backlit images are in some cases worse than not enough light
  • exposure matters - it takes 1/120 or so to eliminate motion blur at night. (With good ambient light)

Even with (2) 1000 lumen coach lights at my drive, the 3400 lumen flood is what makes things pop.

 
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aristobrat

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Can you guys provide any feedback on this?
Good analysis, IMO. The IPC-HDW4300C you have uses the older, smaller 1/3" image sensor, so either of the 5442 models should be a huge step up in terms of low-light image quality.

I think the IR model is more versatile and it's the model I'd go with in your situation. I personally would reserve the LED model for use in smaller areas where the LED would have a better chance of illuminating evenly, like a porch/patio.
 

saltwater

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Warning silly question to be asked. For these LED cameras, is it the case that at night there is always visible white light and the area covered is constantly lit (brightly) up? Or is the white light at a low level where the human eye struggles to see detail but the camera can enhance?

Steve.
 
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