Tips for minimising false alerts

[IAmATeaf]

Been using BI for 10 or so months now so had the chance to get used to most of the features. The one thing I can’t seem to work out are false alerts. So for my 2 cams that monitor the front of the house, shadows and car headlights will signal an alert. I’ve tried things like contrast, pixel size, zones but nothing seems to stop shadows or head lights in the dark triggering an alert. I’ve also tried multiple zones but then found that alerts were then being missed.

So this thread is for hints and tips to help me and others on techniques that you’ve implemented to minimise these types of false alerts.

 

[nbstl68]

There are lots of threads on optimizing your settings to avoid false alarms but IMO they do not make a huge difference...(or I'm just not doing it right either). Some cameras have PIR built into them instead of just video motion detection, but I do not know if they would be able to trigger BI that way...but would be nice to be able to add PIR sensors to trigger the BI motion captures.
Also there is the Sentry AI(ish) integration in BI5 but there is a monthly fee for that and probably need good internet speed for fast triggering as it sends a snapshot to their servers and back for AI detection of people or cars only and such. I have not used it so maybe someone else here can attest to its accuracy and effectiveness.

 

[Old Timer]

I finally picked up a Driveway alarm and wired it to the digital input. Works 100% now, no false alerts.
This one is usually wired to a gate opener to open or close the gate. It takes 12 v DC and gives you a relay closure
when a metal object drives by.

Amazon.com: 50 Ft. Driveway Vehicle Sensor (FM138) for Mighty Mule Automatic Gate Opener: Home Improvement

Amazon.com: 50 Ft. Driveway Vehicle Sensor (FM138) for Mighty Mule Automatic Gate Opener: Home Improvement

smile.amazon.com

 

[Riclyo]

Just installed BI couple months ago and my biggest nemesis for false alarms at the moment is snow. Blue iris has been a godsend compared to my old nvr system when it comes to false alarms. The motion highlight has helped me a lot with calibration.

current settings:

edge vector is on

Motion Zones set up no hot spots

Min. Object size currently ranges from 450-650 depending on cam

Contrast 30-50

Duration .2

Object travel 70-100 pixels

Object size exceeds 60-67%

 

[nbstl68]

I finally picked up a Driveway alarm and wired it to the digital input. Works 100% now, no false alerts.
This one is usually wired to a gate opener to open or close the gate. It takes 12 v DC and gives you a relay closure
when a metal object drives by.

Amazon.com: 50 Ft. Driveway Vehicle Sensor (FM138) for Mighty Mule Automatic Gate Opener: Home Improvement

Amazon.com: 50 Ft. Driveway Vehicle Sensor (FM138) for Mighty Mule Automatic Gate Opener: Home Improvement

smile.amazon.com

So how \ where are you using this? Are you only triggering the camera when someone drives into your driveway across the sensor path or is it sensitive enough to trigger when someone walks by? I have several of the Dahua 5321s, popular on this site ...which have no sensor inputs so I get all the falsies from rain, snow, sun\cloud shadows etc., try as I may to tweak the settings.

 

[aristobrat]

Been using BI for 10 or so months now so had the chance to get used to most of the features. The one thing I can’t seem to work out are false alerts. So for my 2 cams that monitor the front of the house, shadows and car headlights will signal an alert. I’ve tried things like contrast, pixel size, zones but nothing seems to stop shadows or head lights in the dark triggering an alert. I’ve also tried multiple zones but then found that alerts were then being missed.

So this thread is for hints and tips to help me and others on techniques that you’ve implemented to minimise these types of false alerts.

If you're up for a project, check this out. It's moving higher on my list:

[tool] [tutorial] Free AI Person Detection for Blue Iris

This program analyzes motion in Blue Iris cameras in real-time using Artificial Intelligence. It notifies you if a human or an object of your choice is detected and can send alert images to Telegram. It is based on DeepQuestAI, a free multipurpose AI that you can install on your own server...

ipcamtalk.com

 

[looney2ns]

As outlined in the BI help file, blue iris can be setup to respond to motion sensors and the like.

 

[nbstl68]

How do you connect motion sensors to BI other than through the camera I/Os...if they have them. My 5321s do not.
If you are referring to the Digital IO and IoT tab discussed in the help file that lets BI "interact with external systems or hardware devices" using Adruino boxes, Sealevel?, com ports, etc. to connect to some type of motion sensor like the driveway alarm, that stuff sounds cool but unfortunately is way over my head.
My security lights, for example, use a PIR motion detector which works great, coming on typically only when I (or a deer or other larger critter) walks by and other movement by trees and such do not trigger them. I'd love to have something like that tied to the video trigger of the camera. I wonder why most sec cameras I have seen do not use PIR?

 

[bradner]

As outlined in the BI help file, blue iris can be setup to respond to motion sensors and the like.

Yeah, BI can do 100's of things but it's the implementation and how others have successfully tweaked it is what's more important. Reading a help file 10x and actually figuring out the nuances are two different animals. That's whats great about this forum, others sharing their practical experiences. Sometimes hearing ideas from others helps make the help file make more sense too.

 

[djernie]

Yeah, BI can do 100's of things but it's the implementation and how others have successfully tweaked it is what's more important. Reading a help file 10x and actually figuring out the nuances are two different animals. That's whats great about this forum, others sharing their practical experiences. Sometimes hearing ideas from others helps make the help file make more sense too.

Bradner your right, but sometimes you have to dive in and try different things for your setup. Because what works for some does not always work for others. I know the help file is intimidating, as i am learning from it and other users everyday. And when i finally implement something i share it. But what works at my home does not always work out for another user.