This will most likely be the last project I post here, I had 4 other projects, Firmware basics, Camera cyber security basics, Linux NVR from scratch, and Resurrect Pelco Bullet Cameras On The Cheap? (putting a 4MP ip module in an old Pelco bullet DIY low end special), all about 75% done just have some video editing and audio to do. But, given recent events and issues I have had with IPVM over the past few months I will post those elsewhere on other platforms as I really don’t like what I see from the Staff and not the content( its most likely more me than them but still). So enjoy the post and thanks for reading it and hope it helps.
I got the new XNP-6370R for a demo test to assist me in an ongoing issue I have had about covering a statue that gets frequently vandalized so I thought I would share my test results here because sometimes Data from real situations are sometimes more valuable than lab and controlled environments.
I had put some cameras up around 2-2.5 years ago to watch a statue that vandalized one too many times, they were a Panasonic WV-SFV631LT and a WV-SW598 (gen1). while the SFV-631LT preformed above and beyond expectations, the PTZ sadly was not going to do much for us.
WV-SW598 day shot
Now before every manufacturer, integrator, and engineer gets to excited, let me tell you more of the situation about what I can and cannot put up out there.
- Had to be aesthetically pleasing via Dome or Pendant PTZ mount.
- Had to run on PoE(but now it is not a requirement)
- Target statue is ~200ft from any building
- No IR illuminators could put anywhere
- Lights would not be moved or changed out
- Area around statue is ~ 0.5-0.1 lux with buildings and lamp posts in-between.
- Lamp posts had LED lighting
- Can not put cameras in or on Lamp posts.
So, this paired with camera selection from about 2-2.5 years ago, left me with few options. I already said the PTZ wouldn’t work worth any thing but was told to put it up anyway.
Even with the SFV-631LT spec and extra zoom lens at 200ft the IR was completely useless. But I could get stable and clean images if someone stood still (never) around the statue at night facing the camera for about 10 sec. Daytime shots were excellent as I would have been able to get with any camera in production during that time. Night time shots were my bane, Tons of motion blur or insufficient IR to make out anything along with the Lamp post blurring out the images depending on the settings.
WV-SW598 Night shot
So Now I See IR Beam illuminators integrated into PTZ’s becoming more mainstream and better SoC’s being used I reached out to Hanwha explained my situation and they Let me demo an X-series PTZ in place of the our PTZ.
So after grabbing the specs ( along with a friendly reminder from the Hanwha rep) and seeing I needed to pull a 18-2 to the camera as it needs a >90W power supply, so I went through my old used stock and found a Pelco http://www.signalcontrol.com/products/pelco/Pelco_WCS_Series_Power_Supply.pdf power supply (~100W per channel) that did the trick. Got everything in place and swapped out the old PTZ for the new XNP-6370R, and came in at night for some testing.
XNP-6370R Day
XNP-6370R Night no IR
(Cursed motion blur)
XNP-6370R IR on, WDR off
XNP=6370R IR on WDR on
I must say I am impressed, with just a little bit of IR ghosting/motion blur (very small and inconsistent) on the outside of the image between 100-150ft while the camera is zoomed in, its hard to find any faults with it, especially since the Bike racks are about 400ft from where the PTZ is mounted. And you can clearly make out where they are and what is in them considering you can barely see the statue base from where the PTZ is mounted under normal conditions with the human eye.
It is not even fair to compare it to WV-SW598 (gen1) as there is no IR built into the camera and was about 2 generations behind Panasonics newest PTZ’s (still with no IR). Low light settings are about on par maybe slightly better than the WV-SFV631LT, but the motion blur is not worth running in that setting for me. Plus, being able to tell if it’s a diet or regular soda on the base at ~200ft at ~0.1-0.5 lux is neat too.
Cons: I have very few cons about this camera. They aren’t really cons just preferences at this point. I prefer a dome style covering over the PTZ Lens rather than the exposed style like this model. I know it would destroy whatever performance/quality I am currently getting now, but I can dream, can’t I? It would be great if it ran on Some sort PoE as well, but given the power requirements and current PoE standards 802.3.af and 802.3.at I would be asking for a lot. Even the fabled 60W standard that is being floated around would not be enough.
I would like everyone keep in mind I was going for the best possible image/images and everything else was considered secondary. So, I didn’t turn on wise stream, I didn’t use low light settings (other than testing), I didn’t limit FPS, I quite simply went for the best possible 30fps stream I could get. So, my day stream ran around 4mbps and my night streams ran between 5-7mpbs depending on activity. I am sure if I tweaked the setting’s I could get under 1mbps during the day and around 2mbps at night (Lamp posts are evil).
Street price for the PTZ, Mount, and box adapter. Is about ~$3700 Street price for the current Panasonic model(WV-SW598A) is about ~$2800. So, while the Hanwha model cost more is quite simply coming with far more camera options than the Panasonic model. And if I was to use the most recent model (besides the Dahua OEM) the WV-X6531N still doesn’t come with integrated IR just like all the PTZ’s they make.
Obviously its is step up from what was there previously, but still pretty good results for the Brand new X-series line from the first generation under the Hanwha name.