Review-Dahua IPC-HDBW4231F-E2-M Dual Starlight Cam

ajwitt

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This is a very cost-effective way to get additional POE/Power...I am using several of these.

 
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abolition

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With a 2.8mm lens to get reliable identification the subject needs to be within less than two meters of the camera and the camera needs a good, straight on, face level, view. At two meters from the camera mounted on a 2.25 meter ceiling the angle will be approaching 45 degrees at two meters. When mounting and deciding on lens size, height and angle of view are key considerations. Try wearing a hoodie and keeping your head level or tilted down a bit and see what kind of identification you will get, and you'll already know it's you but would anyone else?
Try 2.6m ceiling... that is a very good point and indeed disappointing, I didn’t think of that... I cannot install a camera at 1.7M heightunfortunately. Then my options will need to include door sensors as well as an alarm.

how do you have it setup?

This is a very cost-effective way to get additional POE/Power...I am using several of these.

This is awesome! However looking at the earlier remark, with such height I’m not sure if two cameras are going to be better than the dual sensor, no?
 
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sebastiantombs

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I don't have a "boobie camera", just commenting on the physics of lenses and angles from experience with outside cameras. You'd do better with a 3.6mm or even a 6mm lens in that camera and get an ID shot from further out and, likely, before an intruder would even see the camera and react by looking down or away from it. We all get caught in the nice, broad, view that a short focal length produces but, unfortunately, it's not good for the real purpose of the camera unless it's just a broad overwatch purpose.
 

Marc Finns

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Try 2.6m ceiling... that is a very good point and indeed disappointing, I didn’t think of that... I cannot install a camera at 1.7M heightunfortunately. Then my options will need to include door sensors as well as an alarm.

how do you have it setup?



This is awesome! However looking at the earlier remark, with such height I’m not sure if two cameras are going to be better than the dual sensor, no?
Use cameras with higher resolution..
 
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Ah, ok, i thought it was different per lens, my bad.
It is different FOV based on the lens, I would interpret that the (3.6mm optional) in parenthesis and corresponding lower FOV's (in parenthesis) are connected.

So the 2.8mm has 110 degree horizontal FOV and 60 degree vertical.
the 3.6mm lens has 86 degree horizontal and 45 degree vertical.

Mind you with this camera each individual camera has significant adjustment in every direction so you can fine tune how those FOV's are directed.
 
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replace a cable to try, and make some hard reset on the reset button, what is the currently firmware you are using?
The cameras was installed in the water proof box, with the waterproof cable connector. The unit never got wet where it was installed, inside my covered deck.
I pulled the unit and plugged it directly into my POE switch.
One channel seems dead on it. It doesn't show a live view.

1610726286495.png
 

wittaj

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Make sure that cam 2 isn't set to H265. One of my computers will not see that camera if coding is set to H265, but will with H264.
 
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Make sure that cam 2 isn't set to H265. One of my computers will not see that camera if coding is set to H265, but will with H264.
I tried that and when changed to H265 it won't show, but can see it is connectect.
So I did make sure it is set that way.
 

wittaj

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I would try the other codings and if that doesn't work then try a factory reset or a reboot.

Also, if you are running Blue Iris, see if you can see the second cam on there.
 

wittaj

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So are you able to see it in zoneminder? Is it just the web gui you do not see it?
 

wittaj

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Try unplugging everything from the POE switch - maybe there isn't enough power to run these two cams with other items on it? Just because a POE switch has X number of ports doesn't mean that they can actually run X number cameras - they are limited to so much total power consumption. Or a power supply.

Maybe disable cam 1 and see if cam 2 turns on. I think it is a power issue. The pic above is in B/W so it has IR on so it will consume more power.
 
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I get it, will reboot everything. All ran fine for close to a year... And now this out of the blue.
 
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Rebooted the entire network, camera is power from the wall, ethernet direct to the router. Still the same. Camera #1 is fine, #2 is dead.
 

Billyjack5

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Has anyone with this camera swapped out one of the lenses like in this video?
If so, am curious what lens was used. I've got the perfect spot for this camera with a 2.8mm and a 12mm or slightly longer lens for the other cam and wanted to make sure that I bought one that is confirmed to fit.
 
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