Subscriber Discussion

Help Optimizing Video Motion Detection

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Alan Dodds
Aug 29, 2015

Quick question as I am having a hard time dialing in motion detection mixing different brands cameras and NVR together: does the camera side settings typically override the NVR settings? In this case they seem to both affect results.

I'm getting way too many recordings on outdoor cameras as the light changes (especially early mornings but also throughout the day).

I'm trying various combinations of Camera/NVR settings but so far the results are not great.

Thanks.

JH
John Honovich
Aug 29, 2015
IPVM

"does the camera side settings typically override the NVR settings?"

Typically you need to enable the appropriate 'side' on the NVR. If the NVR is configured to do server side detection, it will simply ignore whatever you have on the camera.

What's the camera models and NVR manufacturer?

"I'm getting way too many recordings on outdoor cameras as the light changes (especially early mornings but also throughout the day)."

It depends on the sophistication of the motion detection on the devices you have. Beyond that, the main 2 options are (1) restricting the areas where motion is detected / tracked or (2) decreasing the sensitivity of the motion detection.

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Alan Dodds
Aug 29, 2015

This was a pretty aggressive bid for unmanned entry and exit gates of a small private community. Honeywell (Dahua) NVR and generic Chinese IP cameras from a local distributor (Seetong [?] references in configuration menu).

I will keep playing with the sensitivity settings ("Sensitivity" and "Threshold") but so far it has been very time consuming and the results are poor enough that I've considered swapping cameras.

NVR side detection is definitely a feature, but that seems affected by the camera settings as well (which I find to be strange and counter productive). I'm still pretty new with IP equipment hence the perhaps basic questions. It's been a lot of trial and error and I'm hoping to button things up asap!

JH
John Honovich
Aug 29, 2015
IPVM

Alan, how are these cameras connecting to the NVR? Via ONVIF? If so, I doubt the NVR is even 'understanding' the camera side VMD events.

Equally importantly, really cheap generic Chinese IP cameras typically do not have strong VMD. And even if you switch cameras, you would still need to verify (1) their camera VMD works better and (2) the Honeywell / Dahua NVR can understand the VMD events.

Your best bet is to optimize the Honeywell / Dahua NVR motion detection. I don't have experience with that but I am sure a number of IPVM members and Ethan can offer advice.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Aug 29, 2015

Unless Dahua did something really unique for Honeywell, the VMD is in the camera and it gets configured in the NVR making it appear as though the NVR is doing the motion detection.

JH
John Honovich
Aug 29, 2015
IPVM

But Alan is not using Dahua / Honeywell cameras

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Aug 29, 2015
John, understood. That class of product to my knowledge does not offer any "server side" VMD. What it will do is go the the camera and see if it can configure. As ONViF it sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. It will also connect to several brands of cameras if the firmware is enabled. I don't know that specific model but I'm very familiar with the OEM ;)
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Alan Dodds
Aug 30, 2015

It's definitely connecting via ONVIF and if the NVR is trying to configure the cameras from the settings chosen, then that probably would explain why it has not been working very well.

I would appear that my best bet at this time is to keep making changes to the cameras own internal settings then as wide variations withing the NVR do not seem to create much difference.

"Undisclosed 1 Manufacturer", John, do you know if there is a setting within the NVR that would make the NVR default to the settings within the camera only and prevent the NVR from trying to configure or super-impose its settings to the camera(s)? That might simplify the process here.

It almost feels like I'm out on a limb here trying to make something work that seems rather random. That ONVIF offers no assurance whatsoever and rather is more like a "maybe it will work" is incredible in this day and age. It almost makes it pointless.

Thanks for the feedback guys.

U
Undisclosed #2
Aug 30, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Alan, when you say you are configuring the cameras settings are you going to the cameras web page directly? If use another switch for the camera and shut the NVR off, how well does the motion detection work then?

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Alan Dodds
Aug 30, 2015

Yes, I access the cameras' settings and configuration menu on a web browser. In the browser,

detection alerts pop up to let you know what's happening. I have not tried another switch and turning off the NVR because I feel it would not help me as in the end I need the NVR to record regardless. It does appear that the cameras motion detection would work on their own as there are options to record to a cloud service and so on.

It would be easier and more reliable if I could only work on the camera side to trigger the motion alert and then enable the NVR recording when the alert is sent to it. Or better yet,

it would be easier yet to have an option to ignore the camera settings and have the NVR manage recordings and motion detection settings on its own (same as analog cameras). That would be ideal (no need to log in to each camera and have to deal with its VMD capabilities)

U
Undisclosed #2
Aug 30, 2015
IPVMU Certified

I have not tried another switch and turning off the NVR because I feel it would not help me as in the end I need the NVR to record regardless.

Of course. I was only mentioning it because it was unclear if the NVR was affecting the settings on the camera. The web interface should have a way for you to see when the motion event gets created, so you could isolate the flaky behavior (or not) to just the camera alone.

If the camera works on its own satifactorily, then you could try it with the nvr again, this time watching that the same events that you see thru the web interface are repeated on the nvr.

If they are not in sync, then either the nvr does have its own motion detection*, or the communication between them is failing.

This is definitely a case where getting latest firmware can matter.

Assuming that the firmwares are up to date, I'm not sure what you would do next, as client side motion detection not a requirement of Profile S.

btw, my Dahua NVR says it only supports motion detection from Dahua cameras. Perhaps, as has been suggested, the Seetong cameras have a firmware that is Dahuan in origin, but not fully compatible.

*though I agree with others that it is unlikely to have this capability.

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Alan Dodds
Sep 01, 2015

I'm still trying to isolate the relative influence of the cameras vs the NVR. It seems as though I have been able to improve things by mostly focusing on the camera set up.

What I have found to help tis to restart the NVR each time the settings are modified in the camera (all cameras in the NVR are otherwise set up identically where motion detection is enabled and at mid-range in sensitivity level).

I still have too many false alarms during the changing light hours (mornings mostly) so I'll be trying to tweak that some more. During the day it seems to function OK. I will keep plaing with the sensitivity controls ("Sensitivity" and "Threshold") on the cameras to see if I can fix this.

I do get motion detection alerts on the cameras that do not trigger the NVR recording. So I increase sensitivity and reset each time until it behaves better. I may have to come by at dawn and make adjustements "real time" when the recordings are triggerd on the NVR to get the best results!

Thanks again for all the feedback. It helps.

U
Undisclosed #2
Sep 01, 2015
IPVMU Certified

Maybe you could swap one of the Seetong cameras for a real Honeywell (Dahua) model, to use a as baseline.

Which model do you have? Mine says the motion detect only works with Dahua, so you might be unable to fully integrate another brand, IMHO.

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Alan Dodds
Sep 02, 2015

Mine is part of the new Performance Series. When finding a camera, there's a drop down menu and a number of brands are present in addition to ONVIF. I don't remember them all but Axis, Panasonic were on the list I think...

The issue here is unfortunate. I will not try to mix and match moving forward. It's not worth the headaches. I come from the AV world and custom installed AV systems. This issue would be tantamount to a Sony blurry player not working with a Samsung TV. Unthinkable. But here we are.

I might get. Honeywell camera, but going down that road I might as well swap them all. Another puzzling thing is to find rebranded Dahua equipment and software to be incompatible with one another (like the IC Realtime mobile app with the Honeywell NVR and vice versa).

Oh well. I'll chalk it up to on the job training - not in a good way though.

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