Which software and generic settings for testing camera locations?

[Ri22o]

I just received my IPC-T5442TM-AS 2.8mm and will have my IPC-T5442T-ZE tomorrow. Some time soon I plan to start testing with the T-ZE to determine which cameras are suited for each location.

I have logged into the TM-AS through its IP and have been messing with the settings, but is this the best way to test the camera? I haven't started on my BI server yet.

I also have no clue which settings would be the best "generic" settings to use for testing purposes. Are there any basic guidelines to use when testing a camera in different locations?

 

[samplenhold]

When I started two years ago, I had installed BI on my office machine jut to test it out. This was before I got a dedicated BI machine. I had one Dahua varifocal cam and used that to test positions and decide on the proper cam and fixed lens options for those positions. For daytime tests I just left everything on default settings. Kind of like how @looney2ns does his cam reviews. For night tests I did adjust the exposure settings to get the best night color shots and this helped me to upgrade lighting on my porch and driveway. Of course you will adjust the focal length on the varifocal to get the best view of that position.

 

[Ri22o]

When I started two years ago, I had installed BI on my office machine jut to test it out. This was before I got a dedicated BI machine. I had one Dahua varifocal cam and used that to test positions and decide on the proper cam and fixed lens options for those positions. For daytime tests I just left everything on default settings. Kind of like how @looney2ns does his cam reviews. For night tests I did adjust the exposure settings to get the best night color shots and this helped me to upgrade lighting on my porch and driveway. Of course you will adjust the focal length on the varifocal to get the best view of that position.

Ok, thanks. I may go ahead and commit to BI and get it on my desktop since that is what I plan to use.

I didn't really make very many adjustments with my Lorex system because, well, there wasn't all that much to adjust. Going from Lorex to Dahua is like going from iPhone to Android. A one button interface vs the ability to change virtually anything you want.

 

[looney2ns]

Common issues with camera image | IP Cam Talk

 

[sebastiantombs]

Actually, you can see the video directly from the camera so no software is needed. Just enter the cameras' IP and you're good to go.

That's where you can play with settings and it's hard to offer a lot of advice because every situation is different. One pointer is to keep the shutter speed up to 1/60 or faster to avoid blur in motion, especially at night.