Problem: intermittent static clicking makes DCS-2310L audio useless. Actual audio is also variable - sometimes there is real-life sound from the camera microphone, sometimes there is none. Background camera noise, similar to but different from the DCS-942L cameras, is annoying.
Background: I've been using two DCS-942L cameras for about one year, as well as D-ViewCam (now v. 3.3) to monitor the cameras. There are no static noise issues on the DCS-942L cameras. The DCS-2310L has been updated to Firmware Version 1.00.06, without changing the static noise affliction.
Operating system is Windows 7.
The static clicking noise is loud but not predictably cyclic, i.e. it is random. It seems to be most frequent when initially clicking on the DCS-2310L window in D-ViewCam. There can be periods of up to 30 seconds without static clicking noise, but this is not common. The noise occurs in all modes (day, night, auto) and in all configuration combinations I have tried.
In audio settings, Encoding G.711 is useless, and causes a continuous high-pitched sound, almost a feedback and also with clicking noise, but "Audio in off" is not checked, and "Audio out off" is checked. The camera is located far from the PC, it is not feedback. I've tried combinations of both settings for Audio in and Audio out, without resolution. Encoding G.726 eliminates the high-pitched sound, but the clicking noise remains.
The clicking noise is also present in Explorer and Firefox live views.
In addition, the camera configuration for Explorer and Firefox is very poor. In Firefox, many options are just plain missing, such as all but four button options shown during live view, as well as other menu options that are otherwise visible in Explorer. In Explorer, playback in live view is erratic and slow, and camera configuration changes do not always stick. In Firefox, without Quicktime, playback is reasonable, but with the Quicktime 7 plug-in installed, there is no live view, and only a blank white window is displayed, without sound.
The clicking noise is present when wired (ethernet), and when using wireless N. Varying wireless frequencies has no impact on the clicking noise.
When microphone sound is incorrectly absent, the clicking noises are still present. Rebooting the camera may, or may not, bring back live microphone sounds - but the clicking noises are again still present.
It would be nice if all this was due to firmware problems, but at this point I am wondering if this camera is actually ready for prime time. It is important to note that I do not have this clicking noise problem with the DCS-942Ls, which are otherwise running on the identically configured system, and at the same time the DCS-2310L is running.
The complete output difference between encoding options G.711 and G.726 suggests that indeed there is a firmware problem for video encoding - unless audio circuits on the camera are in fact faulty.
Any comments?
At this point, I see no choice but to return the camera as defective, and I fear that a replacement will have the same problems. Importantly, I want to continue to use a DCS-2310L because the improvements in on-board configuration options are dramatic and very important for a mission-critical application/use for which this camera is now deployed.
Thanks for any input...
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Topic: DCS-2310L audio problems (Read 18912 times)