PTZ illuminator and soft focus issues

[Billyjack5]

I'm running two PTZs that I purchased from Andy, a (1) PTZ1A225-HNR-XA (running V2.810.0000001.3.R.P9.2520.UN.NR, Build Date: 2020-06-08) and (2 ) a DH-SD6CE445XA-HNR (V2.812.0000005.4.R.P9.4512.UN.NR, Build Date: 2021-09-02).

I'm playing around with them to use for long range LPR and both have decent angles and zoom to do so. I cannot, however, find a way to adjust the illuminator settings in either camera above the default value of 50. The slider is there under the "manual" setting for each, but it does not allow me to adjust to 100 or anything over 50. I can adjust below 50, but not above. Any thoughts on this or a potential fix?

Also, when the cameras switch into night model, there are soft focus issues. While I'm able to push an API command through Blue Iris for my Dahua traffic camera (ITC237), I can't seem to locate a way of doing the same for these PTZs. Again, any thoughts appreciated.

 

[wittaj]

I do not have either of those PTZs, but in general that is the biggest issue with trying to use a PTZ for LPR is you cannot set a focus for it and I have not found an API for the PTZ that works either.

Folks here that use a PTZ for LPR will kick it into B/W well before dark so that it can get a focus.

Does that PTZ have a near and far IR? If so, it may not allow the total to be over 100. One of my cams does that.

 

[Billyjack5]

Appreciate it wittaj, that was indeed the issue: the near light and far light couldn't together exceed 100, but I can set near light to zero and far light to 100. My capture point is right at 400 feet so my guess is I'll need to snag a 10 degree Axton illuminator, but I'll see how this works. Appreciate the insight on the API. I figured I wasn't looking in the right place.

 

[Justin Blackburn]

Have you tried using the web hook commands? I just got a 49225 a week ago and I’m successfully adjusting presets using this API. I haven’t tried focus tho.

 

[wittaj]

I have tried those with my 49225 as well for LPR purposes, but the issue is for a PTZ, the focus is not a step interval like they are in fixed cams, so you have no idea what the focus number is to be able to set it to. And the get function didn't return anything of value.

This is problematic for LPR purposes because at night the image is black except for the head/tail light and the plate, so the PTZ hunts all night trying to find a focus unless you have it autofocus while still enough light out.

 

[Billyjack5]

I have tried those with my 49225 as well for LPR purposes, but the issue is for a PTZ, the focus is not a step interval like they are in fixed cams, so you have no idea what the focus number is to be able to set it to. And the get function didn't return anything of value.

This is problematic for LPR purposes because at night the image is black except for the head/tail light and the plate, so the PTZ hunts all night trying to find a focus unless you have it autofocus while still enough light out.

View attachment 117533

While were are on the topic of APIs for PTZs, is there a comparable API that will switch the PTZ into day or night mode? I'd prefer to do it through Blue Iris so that I can set the switch relative to sunrise and sunset, as opposed to keep having to adjust the schedule function. What I'm seeing doesn't look like it.

 

[wittaj]

There is an API, but most of us use this utility as it is simple, works, and keeps them all in one place:

Dahua day/night switch utility - DahuaSunriseSunset

I wanted to use stronger noise reduction at night and weaker during the day, but Dahua seems to have made a mess of the profile management. On most cameras, there doesn't seem to be a way to have the camera switch automatically between Day and Night profiles when the camera changes between...

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[Mike A.]

See here too:

How can I get BI to send a HTTP command at sunrise and sunset

How can I get BI to send the below HTTP commands at sunrise and sunset Sunrise: http://192.168.1.204/cgi-bin/coaxialControlIO.cgi?action=control&channel=1&info[0].Type=1&info[0].IO=0 Sunset: http://192.168.1.204/cgi-bin/coaxialControlIO.cgi?action=control&channel=1&info[0].Type=1&info[0].IO=1...

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