2 1080P IR Bullets at Costco for 349

[Q2U 0]

For like the 10,000th time...

 

You're exaggerating...it's only been line 6,245 times you've told us that

[namkcitS 0]

Well, that's what I was thinking when I used VLC to give me the info on the video.

 

Sorry STtickman, I'm a tad confused: which video did you inspect that resulted in the reported 1280x960 resolution? Was this video from a Swann SWNHD-820CAM which had been flashed with the Hikvision firmware?

 

No it's from my Dahua 2100 which I used just to show how VLC will tell you what resolution the VIDEO is

[zikronix 0]

For like the 10,000th time...

 

You're exaggerating...it's only been line 6,245 times you've told us that

 

6246 now....lol

[Q2U 0]

Well, that's what I was thinking when I used VLC to give me the info on the video.

Sorry STtickman, I'm a tad confused: which video did you inspect that resulted in the reported 1280x960 resolution? Was this video from a Swann SWNHD-820CAM which had been flashed with the Hikvision firmware?

No it's from my Dahua 2100 which I used just to show how VLC will tell you what resolution the VIDEO is

 

OK then. To the best of my knowledge, below is the only video which has been posted from a HIK flashed SWNHD-820CAM. Are you able to ascertain anything from this video? Or do you need access to the original video before it was uploaded to YouTube?

http://youtu.be/scgCr0rf7Kg

[namkcitS 0]

Yes, need original video.

[MaxIcon 0]

For like the 10,000th time.

 

The camera max snapshot / image capture resolution is not 3MP, its some other funky res.

 

You must do your testing from the VIDEO SIDE. Like I said earilier set the camera to the highest res with quality to highest and a bit rate of 4096 or 6144 @ 30 fps @25 FPS and 15FPS take a video using ivms or the camera directly.

 

Both of the snaps posted are in the correct resolutions for the settings chosen (3MP and 1080p), so it appears this is what the camera's putting out. The question is what resolution the sensor output is before the firmware adjusts it to these resolutions. One or the other of those snaps is not at native sensor resolution.

 

Blue Iris captures snapshots at the video resolution. It also won't allow you to set a different resolution than the incoming video; if you select something different, it switches back to the native video resolution when you click OK. I took a few unrelated snaps from BI the other night and verified this.

 

Bitrate and fps won't make a difference in still captures.

 

This isn't actually an easy thing to figure out without access to sensor details.

 

Q, can you post a snap of the 720p resolution? Are there only 3 resolutions available, as it appears from the firmware shots earlier?

[zikronix 0]

For like the 10,000th time.

 

The camera max snapshot / image capture resolution is not 3MP, its some other funky res.

 

You must do your testing from the VIDEO SIDE. Like I said earilier set the camera to the highest res with quality to highest and a bit rate of 4096 or 6144 @ 30 fps @25 FPS and 15FPS take a video using ivms or the camera directly.

 

Both of the snaps posted are in the correct resolutions for the settings chosen (3MP and 1080p), so it appears this is what the camera's putting out. The question is what resolution the sensor output is before the firmware adjusts it to these resolutions. One or the other of those snaps is not at native sensor resolution.

 

Blue Iris captures snapshots at the video resolution. It also won't allow you to set a different resolution than the incoming video; if you select something different, it switches back to the native video resolution when you click OK. I took a few unrelated snaps from BI the other night and verified this.

 

Bitrate and fps won't make a difference in still captures.

 

This isn't actually an easy thing to figure out without access to sensor details.

 

Q, can you post a snap of the 720p resolution? Are there only 3 resolutions available, as it appears from the firmware shots earlier?

 

 

I wasnt aware BI took at video res...so my bad there.

[MaxIcon 0]

Yeah, that's why I checked it, because many packages don't. I have a Messoa that only shows 4CIF resolution on the web page and I needed a screen shot, so I took it from BI, but had to verify that it was correct.

 

So, it looks like the main difference between the 1.3MP and 3MP versions of this cam are the sensor size. Hik doesn't actually offer a 1080p version that I'm aware of.

 

DS-2CD2032-I (3MP) - 1/2.5" sensor = 0.4" diagonal

DS-2CD2012-I (1.3MP) - 1/3" sensor = 0.33" diagonal

There is no 2022 version listed.

 

This is assuming they're not being imprecise with their specs, which many vendors do.

 

Both of these sensors have 4:3 format at max resolution, so if the Swann is truly hardware limited to 1080p, it'll have a 16:9 sensor, which is much more rectangular than the traditional old-school 4:3 almost-square sensor.

 

This still doesn't prove anything, but if the Swann has a 4:3 looking sensor instead of a 16:9 looking sensor, and truly does 1080p, then it would stand to reason that it's a 3MP capable sensor.

[Q2U 0]

...Q, can you post a snap of the 720p resolution? Are there only 3 resolutions available, as it appears from the firmware shots earlier?

 

Sure enough, here's the perp walk bro...

 

2048x1536 resolution with a 2,000kb (2,047,194 bytes) file size:

http://www.zombiesmustdie.com/img/cams/hikflash04.jpg

 

1920x1080 resolution with a 1,398kb (1,398,368 bytes) file size:

http://www.zombiesmustdie.com/img/cams/hikflash05.jpg

 

1280x720 resolution with a 738kb (756,143 bytes) file size:

http://www.zombiesmustdie.com/img/cams/hikflash06.jpg

[MaxIcon 0]

Well, that's amusing.

 

The 720p and 1020p are exact same field of view, just different pixel counts. So, that brings up the next question:

 

Is the 720p a downsampled 1080p capture, is the 1080p an upsampled 720p capture, or are both scaled from some other resolution?

 

I know lots of people like interpolated images, and are disappointed when a camera crops as the resolution changes, which many IP cams do. There's an argument to be made for either - interpolation lets you keep the same field of view as you change resolution, while cropping gives a more precise image - 1 sensor pixel equals 1 image pixel.

 

If the sensor has the right number of elements, an interpolated image can actually be an improvement. For instance, a 1/4 resolution image can be made by combining 2x2 elements into a single pixel, which gives you better low-light performance as you drop the resolution, but if your elements aren't a multiple of the final resolution, you can end up with aliasing errors (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aliasing), moire patterns, image distortion, etc.

 

Software can include anti-aliasing filters, which require more CPU power and costs more, so it's a trade-off, as usual.

 

It'll be interesting to see where this all falls out.

 

Q, if you get a chance to print an ISO 12233 test chart, tape it to the front of the monitor, and take the same 3 snaps, that would be illuminating. That's assuming you want to keep tilting at this windmill, of course!

 

http://www.graphics.cornell.edu/~westin/misc/ISO_12233-reschart.pdf

(from http://www.graphics.cornell.edu/~westin/misc/res-chart.html)

[Q2U 0]

...Q, if you get a chance to print an ISO 12233 test chart, tape it to the front of the monitor, and take the same 3 snaps, that would be illuminating. That's assuming you want to keep tilting at this windmill, of course!...

 

How about if I just loan the camera to you Max? If you're interested, PM me a shiping address. I can USPS 3-Day Priority Mail it to you tomorrow, if you're interested. This is a 2-week loan offer from date of receipt (then I need to put it to work doing what it's supposed to be doing!). Cannot be combined with any other offers. Void where prohibited by law. Some assembly required. Act now. Supplies limited!

[shockwave199 0]

Send the camera in for a replacement- it has the soft right edge problem to begin with. Don't settle for that.

 

Btw- where did the swann tech go? It would put to bed the guess work.

[buellwinkle 0]

Btw- where did the swann tech go?

 

Maybe they went to Lorex like Costco did.

 

I took the 1080P image and superimposed with 50% transparency over the 3MP image and it's not a crop.

 

[zikronix 0]

Send the camera in for a replacement- it has the soft right edge problem to begin with. Don't settle for that.

 

Btw- where did the swann tech go? It would put to bed the guess work.

 

 

He has been helping me with the soft right side...They have been awesome!

[SB_Jim 1]

What do they say about it thus far??

[zikronix 0]

What do they say about it thus far??

 

Im moving a camera that has it to another location so they can compare and contrast. Im a busy dude havnt had the time to move it yet.

[spadjen 0]

hey. they are back:

 

http://www.costco.com/Swann-1080p-2-Pack-NVR-IP-Bullet-Cameras.product.100039914.html

 

must have been out of stock.

[cnguyen 0]

Anyone has a link to the new firmware? I tried looking on their website but couldn't find it. Gonna try to flash my camera when it comes in.

[buellwinkle 0]

Why not just call Lorex and Swann tech support and see which one will provide that for you, which one responds better. Since the cameras are the same, let support and firmware updates be the deciding factor.

[spadjen 0]

Anyone has a link to the new firmware? I tried looking on their website but couldn't find it. Gonna try to flash my camera when it comes in.

its on page 8 of this forum

[Q2U 0]

Anyone has a link to the new firmware? I tried looking on their website but couldn't find it. Gonna try to flash my camera when it comes in.

 

You should WAIT before you flash your camera. I sent my Hikvision flashed SWNHD-820CAM to MaxIcon to tear apart. Let's see what Sherlock Holmes has to say about the inner most workings of these units before you go radically altering the functionality of your camera. In addition, the only POSSIBLE benefit of flashing these cameras is to those individuals who are not using a Swann NVR. As I understand it, Swan NVR's will limit your camera to 2MP, so flashing under such circumstances does not make a whole lot of sense.

[spadjen 0]

I already flashed all my cameras. Next i have to install them....after i put my clothes on. My cameras have been traumatized.

[gencom 0]

I've just ordered 4 of these.

 

Hopefully they work well with Blue Iris..

 

kinda pricy with $35 non member fee + $65 tax.

 

but it's COSTCO.. and I can return if broken potentilly in even 2 or 3 years

even if I just don't work out I can just drive to store and return.

[zikronix 0]

I would have bought them and had them shipped To you lol and you could have paid me

[spadjen 0]

I've just ordered 4 of these.

 

Hopefully they work well with Blue Iris..

 

kinda pricy with $35 non member fee + $65 tax.

 

but it's COSTCO.. and I can return if broken potentilly in even 2 or 3 years

even if I just don't work out I can just drive to store and return.

$65 tax. ouch. guess i have been spoiled with no takes in nh.