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The Graveyard - Products No Longer Supported => IP Cameras => DCS-5030L => Topic started by: pspens on November 08, 2017, 08:08:49 AM

Title: Light washout
Post by: pspens on November 08, 2017, 08:08:49 AM
When I aim my camera at the window of my living room, the light appears to overwhelm the camera and I cannot see anything outside the window--it is a total whiteout.  With a normal camera I would close the aperture but there is no way to do that with this camera, is there?  The light coming through is not really bright, either... it is just a normal outside view to the north.   The rest of the room looks good... does this camera have a fixed aperture?  Probably a stupid question.
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: GreenBay42 on November 08, 2017, 08:13:54 AM
Unfortunately you cannot turn off the IR LEDs so pointing out a window at night will get that nice white spotlight. If there is any light outside lock the camera to day mode, otherwise try black electrical tape but it is impossible to block 100% of the LED.

EDIT - Actually are you talking about in general day time viewing or at night?
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: pspens on November 08, 2017, 08:16:35 AM
Well, I'm talking about day mode, here, so there IR isn't operating, right?
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: GreenBay42 on November 08, 2017, 08:23:15 AM
Sorry I assumed night viewing....

Does this happen all day or at certain times?
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: pspens on November 08, 2017, 08:28:27 AM
Well, I would assume it would get a little better in the evening near dusk.  It is normal daylight out (in Indy).  I will attempt to add an image to this message.  Hmm, I don't know how to do that :)   I'll have to figure that out.  I see there is an Insert Image button, but I don't know how to put my jpeg between the tags.
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: GreenBay42 on November 08, 2017, 08:32:08 AM
It is a fixed aperture.

Log into the web UI > setup > image setup and disable anti-flicker, and play with the brightness/saturation settings.

Is the light reflecting off the window from internal lighting or is it bright outside?
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: GreenBay42 on November 08, 2017, 08:42:02 AM
To add an image, enter the URL (must be on 3rd party site), highlight it and click the Insert Image button (above the emojis, below the B). 
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: pspens on November 08, 2017, 10:03:50 AM
It is a fixed aperture.

Log into the web UI > setup > image setup and disable anti-flicker, and play with the brightness/saturation settings.

Is the light reflecting off the window from internal lighting or is it bright outside?

Yeah, I've played with the brightness settings, etc.  It doesn't help.  This is light from the outside, not reflected light from inside.  The camera is positioned about 15 feet from the window and looking out at an angle to my front yard.  There is a tree right there and it is not bright, but the light washes out the whole of the windows (there are 3).  The rest of the room living room looks fine. I need to find a site I can upload a picture to.
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: pspens on November 08, 2017, 10:15:57 AM
Here is an attempt to post an image:



(https://i.imgur.com/iNN7X2B.jpg)
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: pspens on November 08, 2017, 10:30:03 AM
Well,  I took a picture with my camera which has the outside looking ok and the rest of the room is pretty much in darkness.  I guess that means the difference in brightness is just too great.  If the aperture is fixed then the camera cannot average the brightness about the room, so I guess we're just stuck with it.
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: GreenBay42 on November 08, 2017, 10:34:47 AM
I know disabling the anti-flicker has helped a few customers with bright spot issues. Let me forward to a tech and see if they have any advice or settings that could help.
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: pspens on November 08, 2017, 01:49:56 PM
I know disabling the anti-flicker has helped a few customers with bright spot issues. Let me forward to a tech and see if they have any advice or settings that could help.

By default anti-flicker is disabled.
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: FurryNutz on November 14, 2017, 09:26:44 AM
Try new updated FW?
http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=72707.0 (http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=72707.0)
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: pspens on November 18, 2017, 08:26:54 AM
Try new updated FW?
http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=72707.0 (http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=72707.0)

I upgraded the firmware.  Now it is sometimes asking for authentication where it didn't before... and it is not consistent.  It is asking for it when I try to view .avi files off of the SD card.

Is there anyway I can go back to the previous firmware??
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: pspens on November 18, 2017, 12:19:31 PM
I have placed the older version of the firmware back on my camera and the weird behavior continues, which seems to mean that the F/W upgrade is not what caused this anomaly.  The weird behavior is that changing the day in which a .avi is located causes the camera to issue a security dialog asking for the password.  I give it the password and check "Remember my credentials".  Then the next file I try to read does the same thing... gives me the dialog and the password wasn't remembered, so I have to enter it again.  I'm wondering  what the heck is causing this behavior.  As far as I know, I haven't made any browser changes, so what could be causing this behavior?  Also, I want to point out that it didn't do this prior to the firmware upgrade.

Any help?  I now have one camera on version 1.03.06 and a different camera on the new firmware 1.04.10.  Both of them are exhibiting the same issue.
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: pspens on November 19, 2017, 03:33:43 PM
Further update:  it seems the bad behavior only lingered for a bit.  It is now back to normal with the old firmware.  BTW, I use IE to connect directly to my cameras.  I'm surprised others haven't had the problem I experienced.
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: FurryNutz on November 20, 2017, 10:17:16 AM
So does the bad behavior linger with the new version of FW?
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: pspens on November 21, 2017, 02:35:31 PM
So does the bad behavior linger with the new version of FW?

It seemed to, yes.  I could try it again and give it more time on one of my cameras.
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: FurryNutz on November 21, 2017, 03:01:11 PM
If you can, that would be great to know...
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: pspens on November 28, 2017, 06:15:07 AM
I have reinstalled firmware version 1.04.10 on one of my cameras.  First the installation is not clean... the camera reboots itself and then the browser gives a  403 error when trying to connect to the camera until the camera is power-cycled... so that is one problem.  Secondly, the firmware does indeed frequently ask for duplicate authentications from  "NIPCA", whatever that is.  When clicking on a .avi file for viewing often you get an immediate request for authentication followed by another request for authentication from the same source "NIPCA".  I am reinstalling the older version.
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: FurryNutz on November 28, 2017, 11:00:45 AM
One thing you might try is to load FW with out the SD card installed. Get the camera loaded fully and clean.
I would erase the SD card in a PC. Then install the card back in and see if the problem continues.
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: pspens on November 28, 2017, 05:46:32 PM
I'm not sure I want to bother.  The update doesn't do anything for me other than keep me up-to-date.  Not sure why you think erasing the SD card will be of benefit.  The SD card has been empty in my tests.  I agree that the presence of the SD might cause a problem with a clean install, but I'd just as soon wait for an
update that will be of benefit to me.
Title: Re: Light washout
Post by: FurryNutz on November 28, 2017, 07:41:32 PM
Good Luck.