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Review-OEM 4mp AI Cam IPC-T5442TM-AS Starlight+
- Thread starter looney2ns
- Start date
I hope you clicked fast shipping to get the review on here quicker
Look forward to some clips
Me TooI hope you clicked fast shipping to get the review on here quicker
Look forward to some clips
We will get some review next week for the full color cams IPC-HFW5442T-ASE-NI
I understand. I currently have 18 Dahua cameras of 10 different models. Each model has a job to do and I chose the model that best fits that job for the cost. The price range I have spent is $79-$220 per camera. I have bought all of my cameras from @EMPIRETECANDY and do so by sending him an email. I did not buy all 18 at one time. First I bought one, then a few at a time over the course of almost two years now.
I have posted a comparison of the $79 camera with the $154 T5442TM-AS in 2.8mm in the following thread, post #2:
Budget Dahua Cams or china alternatives under $100?
Well here we go. I dont see anywhere more approriate to discuss this. Ive been messing around with putting together a cctv system for close to 3 years now. Ive bought everything i needed and also bought 2 cheap cams from a third party seller on walmart. Those cams cost me a grand total of $50...ipcamtalk.com
You may find that this helps you decide.
The IPC-HDW4631C-A that you asked about is a 6MP camera on a 1/2.9" sensor. That will not give you a good low-light color image. Too many pixels on a small sensor. The 5442's have only 4MP on a 1/1.8" sensor, which is a much bigger sensor. That is why they are so good for low-light color mode.
For cameras that have the job of trying to give you a good face shot at night in color, you need that low-light color performance. I have an HDW5231R-ZE covering my driveway that has given good face shots of door checkers. The last one was used by the police to identify and arrest the guy. He did not get into my car, but he did get into many others that night. My capture was the only one in the area that was good enough for the police to use. The Rings, Reolinks, Arlos, and Nest cameras that he was picked up on were not good enough images to ID the perp. Some of the problem was due to bad placement, but mostly it was due to bad low-light performance.
View attachment 63234
This camera was the top dog here for several years. I am replacing it with the T5442TM-AS 6mm. Why? Well I am not satisfied with the image quality of the door checker. I want better. I have upgraded the lighting on the driveway and am now putting the best camera for the job in that position.
So from my perspective, take it slow, research and plan. It is not always necessary to get the very best most expensive camera at each position. But it is smart to decide what you are trying to achieve at each position and buy the camera that makes the most sense.
Wow I think that shot above is great for nighttime. Kudos to you for busting that asshole. And thanks a lot for the advice. I will really take it to heart. Taking it slow and planning each individual location seems prudent. You've convinced me to start with one or two T5442TM-AS models where I really want to ID anyone. And I may still buy something cheaper to compare and put it in a location that is well lighted. If I wanted to buy something closer to $100 what would you recommend below the 5442s?
You bring up a good point and I've considered trying to capture license plates and I know there are special models for that but I was honestly waiting to see how good the general purpose cams do. I think they may read quite a few plates in my driveway. And I live on a busy road in the heart of Atlanta, GA so I'm not sure I need to capture many others. But we do constantly get litter thrown in our yard by cars driving by. I would love to bust those assholes but it sounds like a lot of work to review footage and get it to the cops in the hopes that they would care to do anything. I just don't think the cops would take action even if I have the video of it happening and the plate. Maybe I'm wrong about that... And if I am it will still be a hell of a lot of work that never ends. Assholes...
Good info. Thanks for sharing. This does make sense I guess. It sounds like camera image sensors depreciate somewhat quickly but not at the crazy rate of other tech I guess... I mean how much is a 4 year old Android phone worth today compared to when it was brand new? Even if it was never used and in perfect condition... 20%? 10%?
I have posted a comparison of the $79 camera with the $154 T5442TM-AS in 2.8mm in the following thread, post #2:
Budget Dahua Cams or china alternatives under $100?
Well here we go. I dont see anywhere more approriate to discuss this. Ive been messing around with putting together a cctv system for close to 3 years now. Ive bought everything i needed and also bought 2 cheap cams from a third party seller on walmart. Those cams cost me a grand total of $50...
You may find that this helps you decide.
The IPC-HDW4631C-A that you asked about is a 6MP camera on a 1/2.9" sensor. That will not give you a good low-light color image. Too many pixels on a small sensor. The 5442's have only 4MP on a 1/1.8" sensor, which is a much bigger sensor. That is why they are so good for low-light color mode.
For cameras that have the job of trying to give you a good face shot at night in color, you need that low-light color performance. I have an HDW5231R-ZE covering my driveway that has given good face shots of door checkers. The last one was used by the police to identify and arrest the guy. He did not get into my car, but he did get into many others that night. My capture was the only one in the area that was good enough for the police to use. The Rings, Reolinks, Arlos, and Nest cameras that he was picked up on were not good enough images to ID the perp. Some of the problem was due to bad placement, but mostly it was due to bad low-light performance.
All of this is very helpful. Especially seeing the comparison shots you posted on the other thread. Damn. Now I'm gonna spend more money than I thought
That's a tough one since the T2431T-AS-S2 was the only camera model below $100 that I have purchased. I have a couple of IPC-HDBW4231FP-AS in 3.6mm at my front door giving different perspectives of the approach and porch. They were only $116 in Jan 2019, don't know what they run now.
I did purchase a IPC-T2231T-ZS-S2 2.7-13.5mm varifocal turret. Plan is to put it looking across my front porch. I did a comparison of that camera to the IPC-HDW5231R-ZE back in April. It was pretty close and did a little better than the more expensive 5231. But the 2231 does not have audio and there are other technical differences. That 2231 was $122 back in April. I gave a lot of thought to replacing the 5231 with that 2231, but when I saw the 5544 was available in 6mm, I decided to use that as a replacement for the 5231. The 5231 on my driveway is set at 7mm, so the FOV should not be much different at 6mm. See my comparison post here:
IPC-HDW5231R-ZE vs. IPC-T2231T-ZS-S2 Comparison
I purchased a few cameras from Andy, shipped from Hong Kong, and received them this week. I will be comparing them in different threads. They are T2231T-ZS-S2, T5442TM-AS 2.8mm, and the T2431T-AS-S2 2.8mm. This thread will compare the HDW5231R-ZE that I purchased from Andy back in August 2018...
In today's world, there is a lot of daytime crime now which you may be able to get a plate or two, if they are driving very slow, but it is the night plate captures that you will find are mainly washed out by most reflective plates. This is where LPR Cams come in. What is needed is you have a DayNight CAM, lets say the 5442 to capture all footage AND a LPR CAM that is fixed/focused on a specific location on your street to capture the plates. This is the perfect setup. So my advise is to be sure and plan (wire) for a LPR, you can always add it later. There is a specific angle and height it needs to mounted at in order to get the plate caps. So I would research this info and plan a spot for a future LPR, I could not even recommend a LPR myself, I am still doing the same research. There are Many Forum Threads here that can help.
Also I have read some of Wildcat1 reviews here on LPRs and they are extremely informational.
And lastly, the IPVM Calculator is a Must when planning CAM models, placement, also what focal lens you need, 2.8mm, 3.6mm, etc. You find your house via satellite, add cameras from their list, the 5442 is listed as a Loryta CAM, it will have three to chose from 2.8mm, 3.6mm and 6mm
IPC-HFW5231E-Z12 LPR from 137 feet Example
5442 CAM
Here is my CAM placement, decided to go with 3.6mm which is not as wide of view as the 2.8mm and has a blind spot (The NO VIEW Angled Spot under your Camera) of 6 feet, be sure to plan for this blind spot too, but of course this depends on how you angle your CAM.
On the second pic you can place your cursor to see what the Criminals
haha, look like at different positions in your yard. It is really, really kewl how they did this...Poor guy had to take 100s of pics , that is why he is not smiling 
Oh one more last thing lol there is a lot to consider
, it is mentioned in the Cliff Notes to try to keep your CAMs at 8 foot height in order to cap faces, I am hoping with these newer CAMs my 10 foot Eaves will serve me good. I purchased the 5442 fixed 3.6mm in this hope that I will get some good footage, we have a pool and are always taking pictures and video of family, kinda hoping I can no longer have to do that and just go back on my footage captured on my Blue Iris PC. Let the CAM do all the work where my wife and I can enjoy more family time. If you are unsure about which focal lens to go with, you may want to hold out on the Varifocal model that Andy (EMPIRETECANDY) is going to be reviewing and selling very soon. I am planning to buy one myself, it has been mentioned it is good idea to own one to help with CAM placement.
Hope this Helps...
Help me out guys if I missed anything...
Lol what are trying to say, I have a Galaxy 7 still lol, it still does the job, just slower than the newer ones
, kinda the same with CAMs, basically you buy the newest model out with the best quality for what your needs are at that time. This may change over time and of course newer CAMs will come with newer options and yes newer/bigger sensors but if the CAM does it job, most of the time it does not need to be replaced, unless you move it. I am starting in the backyard first, if the CAM does not work there I will place it somewhere else and replace it with one that works.This is my opinion in planning, find your placements by wiring where you think you may be installing, be sure and leave extra cable in each area in case you decide a different location in the future, I have about 20 feet extra. Don't buy all your CAMs at the same time, work on each location one at a time, of course
haha, sometimes I reread what I write and go Duh! Trust me you are in the right Forum to get expert advise, not from me though, just be prepared to read a lot. The Cliff Notes here are a great place to start, but it does need a little polishing, that is where you dive into one of the Threads, like this one...Haha, yep. Wait till you see the prices on the LPRs haha.All of this is very helpful. Especially seeing the comparison shots you posted on the other thread. Damn. Now I'm gonna spend more money than I thought
In today's world, there is a lot of daytime crime now which you may be able to get a plate or two, if they are driving very slow, but it is the night plate captures that you will find are mainly washed out by most reflective plates. This is where LPR Cams come in. What is needed is you have a DayNight CAM, lets say the 5442 to capture all footage AND a LPR CAM that is fixed/focused on a specific location on your street to capture the plates. This is the perfect setup. So my advise is to be sure and plan (wire) for a LPR, you can always add it later. There is a specific angle and height it needs to mounted at in order to get the plate caps. So I would research this info and plan a spot for a future LPR. There are Many Forum Threads here that can help.
Thanks for sharing your driveway focal at 7mm, I am thinking I will need a Varifocal CAM in front, or a PTZ. Still entertaining the idea of owning a Varifocal CAM to help with placements but each CAM is different and not sure which Varifocal would be a good tester, Bullet, Turret, PTZ?That's a tough one since the T2431T-AS-S2 was the only camera model below $100 that I have purchased. I have a couple of IPC-HDBW4231FP-AS in 3.6mm at my front door giving different perspectives of the approach and porch. They were only $116 in Jan 2019, don't know what they run now.
I did purchase a IPC-T2231T-ZS-S2 2.7-13.5mm varifocal turret. Plan is to put it looking across my front porch. I did a comparison of that camera to the IPC-HDW5231R-ZE back in April. It was pretty close and did a little better than the more expensive 5231. But the 2231 does not have audio and there are other technical differences. That 2231 was $122 back in April. I gave a lot of thought to replacing the 5231 with that 2231, but when I saw the 5544 was available in 6mm, I decided to use that as a replacement for the 5231. The 5231 on my driveway is set at 7mm, so the FOV should not be much different at 6mm. See my comparison post here:
IPC-HDW5231R-ZE vs. IPC-T2231T-ZS-S2 Comparison
I purchased a few cameras from Andy, shipped from Hong Kong, and received them this week. I will be comparing them in different threads. They are T2231T-ZS-S2, T5442TM-AS 2.8mm, and the T2431T-AS-S2 2.8mm. This thread will compare the HDW5231R-ZE that I purchased from Andy back in August 2018...
Yes it is helpful. But realize that the simulated picture of the guy and plate is a BEST CASE image. It does not take into account the angle or height of your camera. The guy is squared up to the lens, is simulated with the height of the cam at face level, and he is not moving.
In my neck of the woods I was told I would need two clear pictures before the police would be able to do anything: one of the license plate and another one that shows the driver. This was in regards to people driving across a community greenway next to my house because it's a shorter route out of the neighborhood. If you're really serious about using a camera to catch the folks throwing trash, I'd def. try to understand if the police will assist (and if so, what they need) before investing much money in a camera for that.
IMO, the only thing special about most of the popular camera models used for LPR here is that they often have lenses with higher optical zoom. That makes them good for ID'ing anything that's further from the camera, not just license plates. For example, if you have a camera hanging under the soffit of your house and want to try to ID someone walking on the public sidewalk that's 50ft in front of your house, you're going to need a camera with a higher optical zoom.
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Wow does your police want their names and addresses too
I ran into something similar while working out of town, our work truck got broke into on a clear day at lunch parked at a restaurant parking lot, apparently very common now a days, look at all the Work Vans with pad locks on the sliding door and back double doors. So they popped the door lock with a tool that actually destroyed the lock by pushing it into the door, then they moved the arm to unlock the door, somehow. They grabbed all our tool bags and Garmin in less than 5 minutes, according to the off duty cop who witnessed it. He got their license plates, but because the city we were in had a misdemeanor no pursuit law, yeah, he did not go after them, is what we were told. First thing the police asked when they showed up was do we have Ins., he took our tool list, got a call from the police dept. about a week later telling us they know who did it, vehicle, address but since we had Ins. and the suspect had a long rap sheet they did not see a reason to pursue it, so they got off Scott Free.We spent half a lost day replacing our tools so we could continue the job. Something tells me our protection over the coming years is only going to get worse.
Wow does your police want their names and addresses too
We spent half a lost day replacing our tools so we could continue the job. Something tells me our protection over the coming years is only going to get worse.
Yea so as long as we have insurance we don't really need the police, right? Let's just defund them all and give them much less power and ability to pursue criminals. Sounds like a frightening new world we are entering. I might just skip a camera or two and buy another gun....
Unfortunately my lot has lots of trees so the satellite image of my house on the calculator is not very usable... I guess I can get a few angles and focal lengths but I was hoping for better
:
No higher than 8ft, lower is better.In today's world, there is a lot of daytime crime now which you may be able to get a plate or two, if they are driving very slow, but it is the night plate captures that you will find are mainly washed out by most reflective plates. This is where LPR Cams come in. What is needed is you have a DayNight CAM, lets say the 5442 to capture all footage AND a LPR CAM that is fixed/focused on a specific location on your street to capture the plates. This is the perfect setup. So my advise is to be sure and plan (wire) for a LPR, you can always add it later. There is a specific angle and height it needs to mounted at in order to get the plate caps. So I would research this info and plan a spot for a future LPR, I could not even recommend a LPR myself, I am still doing the same research. There are Many Forum Threads here that can help.
Also I have read some of Wildcat1 reviews here on LPRs and they are extremely informational.
And lastly, the IPVM Calculator is a Must when planning CAM models, placement, also what focal lens you need, 2.8mm, 3.6mm, etc. You find your house via satellite, add cameras from their list, the 5442 is listed as a Loryta CAM, it will have three to chose from 2.8mm, 3.6mm and 6mm
IPC-HFW5231E-Z12 LPR from 137 feet Example
5442 CAM
View attachment 63466
Here is my CAM placement, decided to go with 3.6mm which is not as wide of view as the 2.8mm and has a blind spot (The NO VIEW Angled Spot under your Camera) of 6 feet, be sure to plan for this blind spot too, but of course this depends on how you angle your CAM.
On the second pic you can place your cursor to see what the Criminals View attachment 63469 haha, look like at different positions in your yard. It is really, really kewl how they did this...Poor guy had to take 100s of pics
View attachment 63467View attachment 63468
Oh one more last thing lol there is a lot to consider
If you are unsure about which focal lens to go with, you may want to hold out on the Varifocal model that Andy (EMPIRETECANDY) is going to be reviewing and selling very soon. I am planning to buy one myself, it has been mentioned it is good idea to own one to help with CAM placement.
Hope this Helps...
Help me out guys if I missed anything...