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I don't have hard data, but my older Vivotek FD8134 dome died not long back when running from POE. I connected it to 12Vdc and it works fine, and it felt quite a bit cooler. I'll look at pulling some data on this when I get a chance. I have multiple cams that have been running in the 120 degree F range when the ambient temp is 70 or above, and some of them have been running for years. High temp probably shortens the cam's life, but so far, it looks like they'll go obsolete before they die. Most of my older cams are Taiwanese, though, and were more expensive when new, with more solid builds than modern Chinese cams. I haven't been running Chinese cams long enough to tell yet.

Your symptoms sound like you're losing network packets, so the software's unable to completely re-assemble the frame for display. Whether that's the hardware or software is hard to say. You might try these things to see if they help: - Reduce the frame rate - Reduce the bit rate - Reduce the resolution - Change from CBR to VBR, or vice-versa You could also try downloading the demo version of Blue Iris for a 3rd opinion. It's pretty CPU hungry, but I run a 1st gen i3-540 desktop using BI with 6 cams, 8MP, at 10 fps with no problems, so your i3 laptop should be able to handle one camera.

What's that in real money? Oh, yeah, 120 degrees F. My POE Hik 2032s often run that hot, especially if it's a hot day or if they're in direct sun. I've checked a few cams (not Hiks) for where the most heat is generated, and it's almost always on the POE converter board. There's a possibility that you're getting extra power drops from having 2 POE sources. I'd disconnect one unless there's a specific reason for running 2, and then I'd be interested in what the reason is!

Hik posted in the release notes for newer versions that Chinese cams won't work with IVMS4200. I don't have any, so haven't tried it. The camera can be permanently set to the English version by CBX's region code changer: viewtopic.php?f=19&t=41225

Often the main difference between PAL and NTSC is the frame rate settings. PAL goes to 25 fps max, while NTSC goes to 30 fps max. The lower settings are often offset a little (like 12.5 vs 15 fps). The other difference is in anti-flicker, for cams recording under fluorescent lights. PAL uses 50 Hz, and NTSC uses 60 Hz anti-flicker settings. Since IP cams don't send out scan line video directly, the NTSC vs PAL settings often don't mean much aside from the above.

I don't know anything about SDI, but for normal IP cams, you generally set the bit rate in the cam's configuration, and that sets the recording size. For example, using 4096 kbps bit rate: 4096kbps (bits)/8 = 512 kBps (bytes) 512 kBps x 60 = 31 MB/minute 31 MB/minute x 60 = 1.8 GB/hour, and so on.

These people have a variety of enclosures for difficult environments: http://www.dotworkz.com/ ETA: Sorry, I thought they had washer enclosures, but I don't see them now. Here are some: http://www.2bsecurity.com/cctv-camera-housing.html

It works on 5.1.2 on mine, even without using any of the other motion detect features. You have to enable it in 2 different places, though. From the manual:

That one looks ok, with the following considerations: - It's POE+, giving up to 30W per port. This is handy if you use PTZ or heated cams, or anything that uses more than 13W, but it usually costs extra if you don't need it. - Total power budget is 125W, or 15.6W per port average, so they can't all run POE+ at once. This will power pretty much any non-motorized or heated cams. Most modern compact cams only use 6-8W, though there are exceptions. - One of your 8 ports will need to connect to the rest of the network, so you'll only have 7 available for cams. - There's no Gb uplink. This switch should handle 8 3MP cams, which would rarely need more than 8Mbps per cam, for 64Mbps total if you could use all 8. Still, many people like Gb uplinks to avoid any chance of network congestion. Most 10/100 switches with a GB uplink use an extra port or two for the uplink, so you'd be able to use all 8 ports for cams. Managed means it's got an IP address and a user interface. Most managed switches are for corporate style networks, where you can adjust a wide variety of parameters to make it more efficient or keep out unwanted traffic. For cams, the useful thing most managed POE switches do is let you disable and enable ports, so you can power cycle a cam without unplugging the connector or power cycling the switch. You can usually get the power draw for each port as well, which can be handy. I've got a couple of managed switches, but on a simple home network, I don't use much except the features mentioned.

That's about right. Someone recently removed the glue with a heat gun using a directed nozzle, but I used brake cleaner applied with a fine paintbrush for mine, then pried at the glue with a tiny screwdriver until it popped off. I've had good luck with the lenses from M12lenses.com. There are 2 main risks with a replacement lens: - Needs to screw in too far to focus, and the back of the lens hits the IR filter assembly. - Doesn't need to screw in as far to focus, leaving the lens protruding enough to hit the glass when the sensor board is remounted. - Lens body above the threaded portion is too big to fit into the IR board hole. I've had both of these problems with various lenses and cams, but all my M12lenses gear has fit so far (I haven't ordered any of the big body styles). Still, you never know with a particular lens until you try. The other problem I had with an M12lenses 16mm lens was that it screwed in just the right amount, leaving the lens body nearly flush with the IR LEDs. This meant I couldn't get a good grip on the lens to focus it without blocking it. In hindsight, I should have removed the IR board for focusing, as it only takes a few moments extra.

The lens is also critical with tiny sensor elements. A lens that gives good resolution at 1080p may not show much improvement at 10mp if it's optimized for 2MP resolution. Also, going from 1080p (1920x1080, 2.1MP) to 10MP (ACTi's 3648x2736, 10MP) looks like a 5x resolution increase, but what most people care about is linear resolution, as it's pixels per foot (or whatever) that makes the difference. 10MP gives a 1.9x (horizontal) and 2.5x (vertical) increase in linear resolution, so going from 1080p to 10MP basically gives you a 2x better image when it comes to identifying details, assuming the lens resolution is improved enough to enable this.

Some nice specs on it; it'll be interesting to see how well it works, especially the WDR. It draws 12W per specs. Here's a listing for $355 shipped; can't say if it's in stock or not: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/DAHUA-3MP-WDR-IP-IR-Bullet-Camera-Waterproof-IP66-Outdoor-IP-Camera-with-POE-IPC-HFW8301E/1921935492.html

A POE switch with 4 powered ports should be fine. Many only supply half-power average over all ports, and that works fine on many cams, but you want to verify the switch's total power, just so you know. I've never used the ivms app, but others here have.

Nice post - thanks for the detail! This looks pretty straight forward compared to the bullet cams. I worked on my test 2032 this weekend, and it was a real pain; much more trouble than this one. With the terrible quality 6mm ebay lens I put in, the lens stuck up enough at the focus point to turn pretty easily, but it hit the cam body front glass and the lens board barely screwed back in. I swapped for a 16mm lens, and it fit much better, with the lens nearly flush with the IR LEDs at the focus point. This got rid of the fit problem, but it's very hard to get a grip on the lens to adjust focus without my fingers blocking it, so fine-tuning the focus (especially on 16mm) is pretty finicky. I think I need some rubber-tipped offset needle-nose pliers to focus this thing!

Smoked domes are usually for not letting people see where the cam is pointed. You definitely pick up more low-light sensitivity with clear domes. The rule of thumb is you lose 1/2 f-stop with a smoked dome. There shouldn't be any extra problems with glare or washout, but that can depend on the dome.

I think you have to contact the seller to get different lenses. Aliexpress vendors sometimes ship the wrong thing even after requests, so you'd want to be clear in the email to avoid confusion. Check other posts for recommendations on which ali vendor to use. You can buy decent quality lenses at m12lenses.com, but fit in the 2032 is tight, and it doesn't take much to cause problems. That along with how much trouble it is to change lenses (all adjustments have to be done with the camera completely disassembled) definitely makes it better to buy it configured. Most people are happy with 4mm and 6mm. 12mm is pretty zoomed in for these cams, so if you wanted to see, say, out to the end of the driveway with good resolution, 12mm would work out. Here are some lens size comparison threads from cam-it: http://www.cam-it.org/index.php?topic=7988.msg47638 http://www.cam-it.org/index.php?topic=7860.msg46993

The onboard graphics on recent-gen i5 and i7 chips is fine, since there's no 3D required. The 2032s are great cams for the money, and for the ones up high, you don't need domes to avoid tampering. The main downside is changing the lens is a big pain, so it's easier to get them with the right size. The 4mm is a good general starting point, though you won't have the resolution to ID someone too far away, especially at night. It would be good for the doorway, I bet.

By accessing the camera's configuration directly. You'll also need relatively new firmware. I think the ability to turn IR on and off separately was introduced in 5.1.0 or 5.1.2. Once you get access to the camera, you can check that.

There are lots of 24 and 48 port POE switches. These are corporate switches, and are expensive new as well as noisy, but you can buy them used pretty cheap sometimes. I run a Dell 24 port POE switch that was around $120.

I unglued one recently, and it was a bit of a pain, but not too bad. I used brake cleaner, lightly applied with a small paintbrush to the glue dabs, then popped them off with a small screwdriver. Normally, I put teflon tape on the lens to keep it in place after removing locking rings/setscrews/glue dabs, but on my Hik 2032, the fit was tight enough that a single wrap of tape was too tight. That's uncommon on M12 lenses, and may not be the case with all Hiks.

I won't go into a lot of details, but here are a few big picture points. It's hard to go wrong with a PC based system for flexibility and control. There's a wide variety of software out there. I'm partial to BI (which is CPU hungry), but many people like Xprotect, and others may chime in with their favorites. If you get a mini-ITX box with a 4th gen i7, you can run 8 cams or more with BI (depending on frame rate and resolution), and other software like Xprotect will run without stressing it at all. You can get both as free or demo versions, run them on the same system, and see what you like. Likewise, running a big TV as a monitor is no problem with a PC. Stand-alone NVRs are robust and reliable, but if there's something they won't do, a camera they won't support, or if support falls off, you're out of luck. For cams and coverage, you'll be working with the trade-offs between coverage and detail, especially with some of them mounted way up high, so don't buy all your cams at once. I'd recommend getting a couple of solid basic cams like the Hik 2032 and a similar dome, or maybe get a vari-focal for one. You can then try them out in the various positions and will then have a much better idea of what you'll want, and you can always re-use a good cam somewhere else. I have wide coverage cams to watch the area, then some detail cams to watch the driveway and door up close. As for temp, most specs are conservative. There was lots of feedback on Hiks after the polar vortex last winter that they held up just fine in sub-zero temps. Your budget should cover a capable PC, POE switch, and 6 basic cams, no problem. If you like BI, you'll have money left over; if you go with a per-cam license software, you'll be able to cover 6 cams as well.

The problem was one of forum rules, not customer satisfaction. If you go to the BI forum at cam-it.org, you can see more feedback.

I saw at least one user there with 21 posts, so unless they've changed it recently, you should be pretty much there...

Sounds like everything should be able to handle it, according to spec. That's typical power draw these days, the cable length is fine, and the switch should have plenty of power. This makes me think it's one of a few things: - The connection at the camera, especially if there's been any water leakage, bugs getting into the junction box, or whatever. That would require getting up to the camera and inspecting the connection. - The camera's dying. Not much to be done here except swap it out. - The POE switch is having problems. You could try a different POE port, a different POE switch, or one of the non-POE ports with an injector. If you decide to replace the camera, it's probably a good idea to test it on the bench for a week.

Some firmware versions on some cams are providing what they call hallway mode, where it will rotate both the camera and the image so you can get a tall field of view instead of a wide one. This helps most with 1080p or other 16:9 resolutions (which yours appears to be). I have a cam that looks down a side yard, and it appears to be pointed right at the neighbor's windows, so I showed them what I could see (essentially just the lights turning on and off inside, no detail beyond the windows). That one gave me IR trouble for a long time because it's mounted under the eaves, and looking long ways, there was no way to avoid IR reflection causing a lot of washout. I finally turned off the IR and put up an external illuminator, and it made a huge difference: http://www.cam-it.org/index.php?topic=7429.0