D-Link Forums

The Graveyard - Products No Longer Supported => IP Cameras => DCS-942L => Topic started by: Travelmate on June 25, 2012, 04:54:22 PM

Title: 942L and IR
Post by: Travelmate on June 25, 2012, 04:54:22 PM
Now, this is a known issue as reported in the Firmware Wishlist. The IR comes on easily in indoor even if your other cameras still show color unless you point it towards your ceiling light which will then cause the 942L to change from BW to color.

The latest firmware 1.11 is not solving the problem either. Looking at the design of the camera you can see that the detector is flushed with the camera front casing which makes the detection of adequate light difficult.

I believe only a hardware change can solve this issue.

Anybody would like to comment on this?

Note:- Until this issue has been resolved I'll hands-off in buying another 8 cameras

Thanks

Latest info. DLINK is aware of this issue. They're testing with a new A3 hardware version and will release soon. All you need is just bring your camera for an exchange at the service centre

Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: crazyish1 on July 05, 2012, 01:42:14 PM
I am having the same issue.  I had to just turn my camera to daylight always and not turn the IR sensor to 'AUTO'.  I would like to know if they do a 'recall' or exchanged for this problem.
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: Travelmate on July 05, 2012, 08:39:48 PM
I am having the same issue.  I had to just turn my camera to daylight always and not turn the IR sensor to 'AUTO'.  I would like to know if they do a 'recall' or exchanged for this problem.

I doubt they'll do a recall. Very likely you'll need to bring your unit to their service centre for an exchange

That's also why I'm holding back my purchase of the other 8 units
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: Dakota on July 11, 2012, 12:45:59 PM
This issue is also holding me back from purchasing another 3 units. I have been evaluating competitive cameras as well, so if they are going to fix this, they should do it soon.  I do wonder how in heck they ever thought this performance was acceptable? Or, maybe they just do a poor job of product testing and rely on us "beta" testers to find these things.
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: Travelmate on July 12, 2012, 01:24:44 AM
This issue is also holding me back from purchasing another 3 units. I have been evaluating competitive cameras as well, so if they are going to fix this, they should do it soon.  I do wonder how in heck they ever thought this performance was acceptable? Or, maybe they just do a poor job of product testing and rely on us "beta" testers to find these things.

From what I know 932L also have this issue. Because 932L was released earlier and 942L was released almost the same time so DLINK couldn't stopped its entry into the market in time.

At any rate we just have to wait for the new A3 hardware version to be out.
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: Joe Public on July 12, 2012, 12:18:34 PM
This issue is also holding me back from purchasing another 3 units. I have been evaluating competitive cameras as well, so if they are going to fix this, they should do it soon.  I do wonder how in heck they ever thought this performance was acceptable? Or, maybe they just do a poor job of product testing and rely on us "beta" testers to find these things.
I have also DCS-2230 camera and I have never faced this problem with this camera, so I would like to suggest it to all people that need a professional camera with Full-HD video quality. Unfortunately this camera, at the moment, remains with the first firmware issued (only italian and russian users can use an updated firmware). Logically with DCS-2230 we go in another price range (about 200 euro in Italy), but its price is even good if we consider that it is a Full-HD IP cam (in my humble opinion, nothing to do with standard VGA quality IP cams!!!).
Anyway I hope that D-Link may solve this problem of DCS-942L cam, because this cam, with the latest firmware (1.11 - now signed WW in so many countries), is becoming more and more professional.
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: Travelmate on August 12, 2012, 09:25:49 PM
GOOD NEWS!  ;D

Got a call from DLINK a while ago and said that the new hardware version, A3, is available for exchange. They also said the IR issue has been resolved.

Will try to exchange tomorrow

Just visited some of the stores and sure enough the 942L with the new A3 hardware version is already on the shelf
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: Joe Public on August 13, 2012, 12:09:47 PM
GOOD NEWS!  ;D

Got a call from DLINK a while ago and said that the new hardware version, A3, is available for exchange. They also said the IR issue has been resolved.

Will try to exchange tomorrow

Just visited some of the stores and sure enough the 942L with the new A3 hardware version is already on the shelf

Please keep us updated as I have to spend a lot of money to send all the DCS942L package back for the update, so I prefer to know (really by someone of you) if A3 hardware REALLY has solved this awful problem. Thanks.
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: JavaLawyer on August 13, 2012, 12:13:17 PM
We also need to establish what circumstances constitutes sufficient cause to warrant a hardware swap (e.g. symptoms, date of purchase, etc.).
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: Travelmate on August 13, 2012, 04:52:09 PM
We also need to establish what circumstances constitutes sufficient cause to warrant a hardware swap (e.g. symptoms, date of purchase, etc.).

My answer to them is that I explained the IR condition and that they're selling a lemon set. This IR issue cannot be resolved through a firmware/software update. I believe that if a product comes with an inherent defect then the manufacturer would most likely to have it replaced.

So, exchange is justifiable
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: Travelmate on August 14, 2012, 09:13:50 AM
Please keep us updated as I have to spend a lot of money to send all the DCS942L package back for the update, so I prefer to know (really by someone of you) if A3 hardware REALLY has solved this awful problem. Thanks.

OK, just tested 2x942L cameras. The outlook of the camera is the same as that of the previous one

Yes, there's improvement over the previous hardware release. However, the result is still not meeting my expectation. For indoor, home, use the amount of lighting will be different (i.e. less for normal viewing unless you switches on many lights) say compared to those in the office/shop because the latter usually gives very good lighting condition. The camera do switches from B/W to color when it detects adequate (which is subjective) lightings are being turned on. I'm comparing it to my 2120G/6620G in the same location with color and the same number of light bulbs being switched on.


 ::)



 
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: JavaLawyer on August 14, 2012, 09:17:24 AM
OK, just tested 2x942L cameras. The outlook of the camera is the same as that of the previous one

Yes, there's improvement over the previous hardware release. However, the result is still not meeting my expectation. For indoor, home, use the amount of lighting will be different (i.e. less for normal viewing unless you switches on many lights) say compared to those in the office/shop because the latter usually gives very good lighting condition. The camera do switches from B/W to color when it detects adequate (which is subjective) lightings are being turned on. I'm comparing it to my 2120G/6620G in the same location with color and the same number of light bulbs being switched on.

Thank you for the update.
I'm glad the new hardware has some measure of improvement.
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: Joe Public on August 15, 2012, 11:59:39 AM
OK, just tested 2x942L cameras. The outlook of the camera is the same as that of the previous one

Yes, there's improvement over the previous hardware release. However, the result is still not meeting my expectation. For indoor, home, use the amount of lighting will be different (i.e. less for normal viewing unless you switches on many lights) say compared to those in the office/shop because the latter usually gives very good lighting condition. The camera do switches from B/W to color when it detects adequate (which is subjective) lightings are being turned on. I'm comparing it to my 2120G/6620G in the same location with color and the same number of light bulbs being switched on.


 ::)


My problem is that each day during both early morning and early evening I just listen a continuous "click-clack" of the CAM's IR switch (this awful noise is repeated so many times - even 20-30-40 times - depending on light conditions - this noise pushed me to enable "Always day mode" option).

So have you faced the above-mentioned problem with A3 hardware release? Thanks.
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: JavaLawyer on August 15, 2012, 12:09:53 PM
My problem is that each day during both early morning and early evening I just listen a continuous "click-clack" of the CAM's IR switch (this awful noise is repeated so many times - even 20-30-40 times - depending on light conditions - this noise pushed me to enable "Always day mode" option).

The software should be smart enough to only transition between day/night mode if the light level either substantially changes (via a user defined value) or drops and stays at a specified level for a specific time period (via a user defined delay). The clicking impacts twilight hours and lighting changes due to passing clouds. There are also low light levels where the day mode is sufficient, yet the camera snaps over to night mode.

Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: JavaLawyer on August 15, 2012, 12:13:08 PM
I'll step down from my soapbox now and restate your question so it doesn't get lost in the flurry of posts:  ;)

My problem is that each day during both early morning and early evening I just listen a continuous "click-clack" of the CAM's IR switch (this awful noise is repeated so many times - even 20-30-40 times - depending on light conditions - this noise pushed me to enable "Always day mode" option).

So have you faced the above-mentioned problem with A3 hardware release? Thanks.
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: Travelmate on August 15, 2012, 03:39:58 PM
My problem is that each day during both early morning and early evening I just listen a continuous "click-clack" of the CAM's IR switch (this awful noise is repeated so many times - even 20-30-40 times - depending on light conditions - this noise pushed me to enable "Always day mode" option).

So have you faced the above-mentioned problem with A3 hardware release? Thanks.

Sorry, I leave home to work before the sun comes out and returns home after the sun goes down. Cannot answer this for now unless I'm not on a working day

However, definitely there's an improvement over the previous hardware version. I should say 50%. The reason being I needed to switch on 8 nos. of white fluorescent bulbs in the hall in order to cause the ex-942L to switch from B/W to color. Now, I need only to switch on 4 nos. of light bulbs to do so. With 2 bulbs on the camera still in B/W mode

Actually, I only need to switch on 2 bulbs for normal activity even for reading the papers and that's why I said it's not meeting my expectation as compared to the DCS 2120G/6620G which still shows color without snowing.

At any rate I am using the 2x942L to monitor the corridor so it would not an issue to me now. As for use inside the house I intend to wait for the DCS 2230 which is HD streaming with wider viewing angles
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: Joe Public on August 16, 2012, 02:29:10 AM
With the new firmware 1.12 (see thread "http://forums.dlink.com/index.php?topic=50206.0"), we can use the following URL to know the current sensor (to be used with non-IE browser):

http://[ipcamaddress:port]/vaview.htm

it returns a XML page. With A1 hardware I have:

<sensor>ov7740_dcs942</sensor>

using a search engine, I've found that sensor is "OmniVision OV7740".

So we should know what is the sensor used on A3 hardware, so to understand if D-Links has changed the sensor, IR sensor or both of them.
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: JaCe on August 22, 2012, 08:07:12 AM
Do you know if we can do the exchange in other countries eg Australia? I have two of the 942L a2 and it struggles to correctly set the IR sensor from day to night mode.

On another note, are there any other changes in a3? My plastic ball mount is rubbish and can't hold the weight of the camera up without blu tak! Ironically the much cheaper 930L has a full metal ball for the mount of the camera and is able to hold the camera up much stronger than my 942L cameras can.
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: JavaLawyer on August 22, 2012, 09:11:08 AM
Do you know if we can do the exchange in other countries eg Australia? I have two of the 942L a2 and it struggles to correctly set the IR sensor from day to night mode.

Try calling technical support and give it a shot!


On another note, are there any other changes in a3? My plastic ball mount is rubbish and can't hold the weight of the camera up without blu tak! Ironically the much cheaper 930L has a full metal ball for the mount of the camera and is able to hold the camera up much stronger than my 942L cameras can.

If the dimensions of the mounts for the DCS-930L and DCS-942L are the same and the DCS-942L is heavier than the DCS-930L, then you could try swapping the two mounts to obtain better support for your DCS-942L.

Just a thought...
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: JaCe on August 23, 2012, 05:03:48 PM
Thanks I will try calling the Aussie support. How do you separate the plastic or metal ball mounts though? Isn't it tied to the back of the camera?
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: JavaLawyer on August 24, 2012, 06:18:00 AM
How do you separate the plastic or metal ball mounts though? Isn't it tied to the back of the camera?

Yes, my mistake. I originally thought that the entire mount (ball and all) was attached to the base.  :(
Title: Re: 942L and IR
Post by: JaCe on August 25, 2012, 06:26:16 AM
I just looked closer and realised my 924L is a A1 version!