Configuring: Lorex LNR282C4B (LNR280) with motion detection

Lorex LNR282C4B (LNR280)

This is the system that I have. On their website: http://www.lorextechnology.com/Security+camera+system+Wireless+camera+system/Security+NVR+with+IP+cameras/prod360017.p?skuId=LNR282C4B

I'm having a little trouble configuring motion detection correctly, as it can be configured in many locations on different applications/websites.

Some settings overwrite some settings, but not all, some don't match up and some only exist in one location.

When I edit the camera's sensitivity on the NVR-webpage and look at the camera-webpage, it changes sometimes on the camera, in different increments.

So I know that when I change it on the NVR it does get sent to the camera.

I know when I enable or disable motion detection, that setting does get sent to the camera.

I know the grids to outline motion detection areas is NOT downloaded to the camera. Is this a bug, I think it is, IF the motion detection takes place in the camera.

I would like to know if when motion detection is enabled, is that being detected in the NVR or in the camera?

The time settings in each camera, it looks to me like there is a message from the NVR to each camera, a manual time setting and the cameras are not configured to use the NTP server.

The NTP server and DST offset can be setup in each camera though.

What is the NVR Device No. setting used for? It is set to 255.

The NVR has three video quality stream settings, Main Stream (continuous), Sub stream, Main Stream (Motion), where as the camera only has two, a main and a sub.

I don't like how when using the mobile app, that its possible to change the main stream (s?) configuration.

If anyone has info or experience with this system please let me know, if I'm going wrong somwhere, thanks.

I'm bumping this because these are all good questions and observations.

To expand a little bit and although I have a dahua camera and nvr setup, there is something universal that I'm noticing. Mostly, it's still best to customize settings in the cameras themselves. I had initially thought that an nvr is just like a dvr with analog cameras plugged in. That's not entirely true. With analog, the dvr settings dictate all. With an nvr, mostly it's communicating adjustments to the camera settings. And that integration between the two seems to still need tightening up- even as evidenced with your lorex. In general, it's as though they're taking dvr software and retro fitting it in an nvr. And in these early stages one has to wonder- what is an nvr really good for? As far as I can tell, it's mostly for the hard drive. You put in the most hard drive space the nvr can handle without question- that's the biggest advantage OF the nvr, imo. A centralized location of all your recorded files without worrying about FTP or smart cards- the cards not able to offer anywhere near the storage capability you need for mega pixel cameras. When they get nvr's to perfectly communicate with their own brand of cameras, then the system is truly complete. But if lorex, and from what I'm experiencing, dahua don't tighten up their own gear to communicate perfectly, you'll have to settle for the nvr being a good storage box but you'll still need to hit the cameras directly for complete customizing. And that CAN be done even with the cameras plugged into the nvr. But it shouldn't need to be. You can set a lot up via the nvr, but if you still need to hit the cameras directly for even a single thing, it's still not perfect yet.

I also think that more critical reviewing should be done on nvr's, just like it's done with cameras. With swann, lorex, and dahua in the mix now, their own nvr's need to be judged just as critically as their camera counterparts so people know what the deal is for the system they choose.

Question- does lorex have it's own version of PSS or any kind of multi client software, or is it only a web application?

Question- does lorex have it's own version of PSS or any kind of multi client software, or is it only a web application?

And to expand this a little more - does the Hikvision software work with Lorex, as well as Swann? That is, can you download the Hik version and use it for either of these? Likewise, does the Swann software work with Lorex, and vice-versa? If they're all Hik systems, I'd hope they would.

I think we've seen that the software from the Hik website works with the Swann cameras; how about the rest, like PSS?

I would hope that products from acti and those don't have this issue? do they?

I have the same system as you do.

I am not familiar with all these websites you can configure it for that you mention, just the below:

1) NVR GUI - The Actual NVR software

2) Lorex netHD Client

What other places are you able to set this setting?

I would say, always trust the NVR GUI as it is the one that is actually doing the motion pixel comparing - not the cameras themself (as far as I know, but I'm still a noob with POE/IP Cams)

I always set the motion settings on the NVR GUI itself on the unit, not the hdClient App. My question to Lorex (still un-answered) is on the sensitivity level is it more sensitive or less sensitive as the slider goes to the right? (undocumented everywhere)

Lorex LNR282C4B (LNR280)

 

This is the system that I have. On their website: http://www.lorextechnology.com/Security+camera+system+Wireless+camera+system/Security+NVR+with+IP+cameras/prod360017.p?skuId=LNR282C4B

 

I'm having a little trouble configuring motion detection correctly, as it can be configured in many locations on different applications/websites.

Some settings overwrite some settings, but not all, some don't match up and some only exist in one location.

 

 

 

When I edit the camera's sensitivity on the NVR-webpage and look at the camera-webpage, it changes sometimes on the camera, in different increments.

 

So I know that when I change it on the NVR it does get sent to the camera.

 

I know when I enable or disable motion detection, that setting does get sent to the camera.

 

I know the grids to outline motion detection areas is NOT downloaded to the camera. Is this a bug, I think it is, IF the motion detection takes place in the camera.

 

I would like to know if when motion detection is enabled, is that being detected in the NVR or in the camera?

 

The time settings in each camera, it looks to me like there is a message from the NVR to each camera, a manual time setting and the cameras are not configured to use the NTP server.

The NTP server and DST offset can be setup in each camera though.

 

What is the NVR Device No. setting used for? It is set to 255.

 

The NVR has three video quality stream settings, Main Stream (continuous), Sub stream, Main Stream (Motion), where as the camera only has two, a main and a sub.

I don't like how when using the mobile app, that its possible to change the main stream (s?) configuration.

 

If anyone has info or experience with this system please let me know, if I'm going wrong somwhere, thanks.

I have the same system as you do.

 

I am not familiar with all these websites you can configure it for that you mention, just the below:

 

1) NVR GUI - The Actual NVR software

2) Lorex netHD Client

 

What other places are you able to set this setting?

 

I would say, always trust the NVR GUI as it is the one that is actually doing the motion pixel comparing - not the cameras themself (as far as I know, but I'm still a noob with POE/IP Cams)

 

I always set the motion settings on the NVR GUI itself on the unit, not the hdClient App. My question to Lorex (still un-answered) is on the sensitivity level is it more sensitive or less sensitive as the slider goes to the right? (undocumented everywhere)

Are you sure that the motion is being checked in the NVR and not in the camera?

I have been unable to figure that out with certainty.

Because when I enable motion detection in the nvr, the motion detection is also enabled in the camera, the same for sensitivity value.

If the motion is in the nvr, i'm ok with that, as long as I know.

The grid you draw in the lorexapp doesn't match the grid in the nvr when it is saved, the aspect ratios are different, the bottom of the image is chopped off. I will post screen caps later.

Have you been successful in getting any motion alarms at all, ever?

For the sensitivity setting, from the LorexApp, from left to right it is -1 , 0, 1, 2, 3, 4.

From my testing, the higher the number, the more sensitive it is, to the right.

JoeyJoey,

I feel ya on the motion setup I get lots of false alerts. Mostly from Tree limb shadows, Insects, Birds, and Car lights. Its irritating but something I can live with.

I set most of mine at 0 or 1 (never -1) on the netHD Client (or the 2nd tick on the NVR GUI). I too see some differences in the grids, so I always do it on the NVR as I thought the NVR was doing the compare.

How are you able to go directly into the camera settings? Are you unplugging it from the NVR and plugging it into your switch/hub and hitting the device directly?

I have the same system as you do.

 

I am not familiar with all these websites you can configure it for that you mention, just the below:

 

1) NVR GUI - The Actual NVR software

2) Lorex netHD Client

 

What other places are you able to set this setting?

 

I would say, always trust the NVR GUI as it is the one that is actually doing the motion pixel comparing - not the cameras themself (as far as I know, but I'm still a noob with POE/IP Cams)

 

I always set the motion settings on the NVR GUI itself on the unit, not the hdClient App. My question to Lorex (still un-answered) is on the sensitivity level is it more sensitive or less sensitive as the slider goes to the right? (undocumented everywhere)

 

Are you sure that the motion is being checked in the NVR and not in the camera?

I have been unable to figure that out with certainty.

Because when I enable motion detection in the nvr, the motion detection is also enabled in the camera, the same for sensitivity value.

 

If the motion is in the nvr, i'm ok with that, as long as I know.

 

The grid you draw in the lorexapp doesn't match the grid in the nvr when it is saved, the aspect ratios are different, the bottom of the image is chopped off. I will post screen caps later.

 

Have you been successful in getting any motion alarms at all, ever?

 

For the sensitivity setting, from the LorexApp, from left to right it is -1 , 0, 1, 2, 3, 4.

From my testing, the higher the number, the more sensitive it is, to the right.

JoeyJoey,

 

I feel ya on the motion setup I get lots of false alerts. Mostly from Tree limb shadows, Insects, Birds, and Car lights. Its irritating but something I can live with.

 

I set most of mine at 0 or 1 (never -1) on the netHD Client (or the 2nd tick on the NVR GUI). I too see some differences in the grids, so I always do it on the NVR as I thought the NVR was doing the compare.

 

How are you able to go directly into the camera settings? Are you unplugging it from the NVR and plugging it into your switch/hub and hitting the device directly?

Yep, that is what I'm doing, connecting to a POE switch.

See below for the grid difference I see.

You can go into the website of the NVR too, that is the quickest way to get to all the settings, best laid out.

The only thing that you can't do from that site is add/delete cameras. Login with admin and the password (default is 000000)

I wished the webpage included the network stats like the local nvr GUI does.

I think you're right in that the NVR is doing the motion detection, which is different from a previous system I am using on a QNAP NAS where the cameras did the checking.

This way with the Lorex, the cameras are always streaming video to the NVR, with the QNAP, the video is only streamed when someone is looking at it or a motion alarm is being reported.

I'm using Ethernet over Powerline to some cameras, its bogging down the network with the continual streaming, this is why I think its always streaming.

This would make sense how its working because the NVR has two different video rates for the main stream cont/motion, where the camera only has one main stream.

Motion alarms from trees and the wind, insects I'm ok with, but at night its like a continual motion alarm.

In the camera directly there is a BLC and a WDR setting. There are few others that might be useful, such as day/night switch sensitivity. I have been reading the Hikvision manual, as they make the camera, Lorex resells it.

See the image below for the camera settings.

I'm slowly figuring this system out, making the best of it.

In case you guys are interested, here are some video from when the motion detected birds flying by.

The first some is a few swallows. I personally think the picture quality is amazing.

http://goo.gl/SF6Ae

The second one is a crow flying really close.

http://goo.gl/JSu86

If the motion is just enabled in the camera (by having a grid in the camera), it will also be recorded on the NVR, even if the NVR does not have a grid defined. Most of you won't even get to that area. They kind of work together, but the one in the camera isn't required.

You can use it though as another feed for video going to another location besides the NVR. But the sensitivity settings don't get changed the same way, something up there.

If you have the 'Notify Surveillance Center' option enabled in the camera, then that message will also be displayed in the Lorex-app.

Interesting.

It is likely you can hit the cameras web interfaces through the nvr, as I have done this with dahua's nvr/cameras. Take note of all the cameras addresses once they are hooked up to the nvr- probably within a remote device menu in the nvr. Unplug one camera and plug a pc, laptop or netbook into one of the poe ports on the nvr. Under LAN network settings in the pc, change it to the same subnet as all the cameras, but be sure you don't use any cameras actual addresses. Open up a browser in IE and type in the address of any of your cameras in the other poe ports and you should hit the web interface for it. The nice part of this is that you can hit the cameras web interface and view it on your pc, and still view the live feed on the nvr's monitor too, so any adjustments you make in the camera will show on the monitor as well. This is a good way to hit the cameras while they are hooked up the the nvr's poe. Once you're done, unplug the pc from the poe port and change it back to 'find an address automatically'.

Thanks shockwave, I haven't done that yet.

I wonder if there is a DHCP server on the NVR-POE_LAN, if there isn't I wonder if I can just connect that network to my LAN.

Thanks shockwave, I haven't done that yet.

 

I wonder if there is a DHCP server on the NVR-POE_LAN, if there isn't I wonder if I can just connect that network to my LAN.

There is some kind of dhcp going on there

When you plug the cameras into a POE NVR, it creates it's own adresses for the cameras. They all have the addresses in common- just the last numbers in the address change for each camera.

Do this-

- Plug all cameras into the NVR POE ports and get them live, so they are assigned IP addresses by the NVR

- Write all those addresses down, probably found in a remote device menu in the NVR

- Preferably use a laptop or netbook and do this;

- Go to your local area connection page

- Click on properties

- Double click on internet protocol [TCP/IP]

- Change 'obtain an IP address automatically' to 'use the following IP address'

- Put the subnet in for your cameras. Example, if they're all 192.168.1.125 through like 192.168.1.130, plug in something not taken by any of the cameras, such as 192.168.1.5

- Click in the subnet mask and it should automatically dump in 255.0.0.0. I actually put in 255.255.255.0 and it worked as well. But it'll auto dump in 255.0.0.0 and you should be fine with that.

- Click OK

- If you haven't set your IE activeX for the laptop yet, now's the time to do it per your manufactures instructions

- Plug the laptop into an open POE port on the NVR

- Open an IE browser and type in any cameras address that you wrote down earlier, making sure that camera is plugged into the NVR as well

- You should hit the cameras web page. Do the same for all of them- browse to their addresses.

- After all is done, unplug the laptop go back into the local area connection properties/internet protocal [TCP/IP] and check off 'obtain an address automatically' again.

Done!

Very slick indeed for POE NVR'S.

I was playing with the NVR-private network tonight, found out there is not a DHCP server.

I had previously configured the cameras to use DHCP, by default they aren't configured to get an IP address via DHCP.

I do not fully understand it, but it looks like they are using Layer 2 communication. http://www.itpro.co.uk/88699/layer-2-and-layer-3-switches

So I plugged the NVR_POE_Private network into my LAN, everything works.

In my router (pfsense) I have the reserved IP addresses/MAC addresses configured. The camera still get their IP addresses from the router.

I like this system more now.

I thought this might help others in getting the stand alone Lorex/Hikvision/Swann cameras recording to an external NAS device.

The cameras can record to the NAS at the same as the NVR recording, this can you give you data redundancy.

I tested this with continuous recording to both devices.

See the descriptions of each jpg.

Hope this helps.

I also added a NAS share to the Lorex NVR and it allowed me to configure it for mirroring, so the motion detection videos are written both to the NVR drive and an external NAS drive.

For this to work, you go to the advanced schedule setting of the camera and select mirror record. See here.

I've been going over all this in my head to see what would be easier on me and the client. This is why i've chosen to go with AVTECH. I've been blessed to have been offered an account from my local supplier to start moving the AVTECH products.I'm going to be sampling some cameras soon to see just how effective their PUSH software is.I will keep you guys posted.It seems like with some of these other camera manufacturers with their software you really have to jump thru hoops to get it to do what you want instead of an easy integration process.Too bad Scorpion still isn't around. I know he's dealt with the AVTECH line for a long time now.

What kind of NAS did you have? I tried with both NAS on my TL-WDR4300 router and PC's shared drives but the Lorex NVR could not connect to them (showing offline in HDD management).

I thought this might help others in getting the stand alone Lorex/Hikvision/Swann cameras recording to an external NAS device.

 

The cameras can record to the NAS at the same as the NVR recording, this can you give you data redundancy.

I tested this with continuous recording to both devices.

 

See the descriptions of each jpg.

 

[attachment=2]t1.jpg[/attachment]

 

[attachment=1]t2.jpg[/attachment]

 

[attachment=0]t3.jpg[/attachment]

What kind of NAS did you have? I tried with both NAS on my TL-WDR4300 router and PC's shared drives but the Lorex NVR could not connect to them (showing offline in HDD management).

A QNAP NAS with NFS enabled.

This article might help you here: http://www.networkcameracritic.com/?p=1729

Try using a software NFS drive on windows.

What kind of NAS did you have? I tried with both NAS on my TL-WDR4300 router and PC's shared drives but the Lorex NVR could not connect to them (showing offline in HDD management).

 

A QNAP NAS with NFS enabled.

 

This article might help you here: http://www.networkcameracritic.com/?p=1729

Try using a software NFS drive on windows.

Thank you Joey for the link. It really helps.