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How to use night mode (IR sensitive) with the IR illuminators off

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How to use night mode (IR sensitive) with the IR illuminators off

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How to use night mode (IR sensitive) with the IR illuminators off
How to use night mode (IR sensitive) with the IR illuminators off
2023-09-06 10:17:52
Tags: #VIGI Camera
Model: VIGI C330  
Hardware Version: V1
Firmware Version: 1.0.2

As the title reads, I am struggling to turn the IR lights off but have the camera in IR sensitive mode. For some reason it keeps going to colour mode (and then can't see anything) whenever I attempt to turn the IR lights off. The space these cameras operate in is well lit by other IR lighting so the camera lights are completely unnecessary, this has been verified by taping over the lights. Having these lights on constantly makes these cameras very visible. The lights on the camera also attract bugs and reflect off the bugs causing false motion readings all night which is clogging up the event log - the bugs are not an issue if I tape over the camera lights and only use the external illumination.

 

Settings are primarily being changed in the NVR menu as its the most detailed however the app doesn't work either.

 

If I set the illuminator to always off and select the IR illuminator as the illumination source I would expect the camera to be in IR mode with the light off but it goes to colour mode instead, this seems to be a bug. The same thing happens if I select the white light and force the brightness to 0, it stays in colour mode as one would expect. The only way I can activate IR mode is by setting it to auto and selecting the IR illuminator but then this turns the light on and there is not option to disable it.

 

Desired configuration:

  1. Camera is in IR sensitive mode ie black and white
  2. IR illumination is off

 

If anyone has a way of achieving this setting that would be appreciated, if its not possible I'll have to return these devices as they aren't fit for purpose.

 

Thanks.

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#1
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11 Reply
Re:How to use night mode (IR sensitive) with the IR illuminators off
2023-09-07 07:34:28

Hi @Branyon 

Thanks for posting in our business forum.

App does not have as much configuration as the web page or NVR.

I suggest you check the web page. Both illumination and night mode can be switched on schedule. You may try it.

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#2
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Re:How to use night mode (IR sensitive) with the IR illuminators off
2023-09-07 08:46:36

Hi @Clive_A, thanks for your reply.

 

As I mentioned in my original post, I am already using the NVR menu to change settings. I am aware the app is limited in functionality. I did just try the web page but it has the same settings as the NVR and produces the same results. If I set the settings as per your screen shot the illuminators still turn on which is not the desired behavior.

 

Regards.

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#3
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Re:How to use night mode (IR sensitive) with the IR illuminators off
2023-09-07 09:03:32 - last edited 2023-09-07 09:16:16

  @Branyon 

What are your settings? I tested it with C540-W V1.0 and it worked as expected. I turned off white light alarm in the Event settings. There is no illuminator on. Can switch from full-color to IR mode.

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#4
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Re:How to use night mode (IR sensitive) with the IR illuminators off
2023-09-07 09:17:55

  @Clive_A 

 

If I set the settings as per your screenshot, they look like the below. Please note that like I described in my original post whilst this does turn the IR lights off, but it puts the camera into colour mode instead of IR sensitive so the camera is unable to see anything. I need both things at once, IR lights off and camera in IR sensitive mode - not one or the other.

 

It appears its not possible with these cameras?

 

 

Regards.

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#5
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Re:How to use night mode (IR sensitive) with the IR illuminators off
2023-09-07 09:47:14

Hi @Branyon 

Thanks for posting in our business forum.

Sorry, can you tell me which one do you need to be off?

IR illuminator, which setting is that?

I can understand your first desired need, black and white mode, yep, but what does it mean IR illuminator?

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#6
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Re:How to use night mode (IR sensitive) with the IR illuminators off
2023-09-08 00:51:51

  @Clive_A 

 

The IR illuminator I'm referring to are the IR lights on the camera. The camera has 4 lights on the front of it - 2 of them are white / visible light, the other 2 are infrared (IR) lights that turn on when the camera goes into black and white mode. I would like to know what setting I can use to turn those off but keep the camera in black and white mode.

 

Thanks.

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#7
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Re:How to use night mode (IR sensitive) with the IR illuminators off
2023-09-08 01:16:41

Hi @Branyon 

Branyon wrote

  @Clive_A 

 

The IR illuminator I'm referring to are the IR lights on the camera. The camera has 4 lights on the front of it - 2 of them are white / visible light, the other 2 are infrared (IR) lights that turn on when the camera goes into black and white mode. I would like to know what setting I can use to turn those off but keep the camera in black and white mode.

 

Thanks.

You can turn off visible light when in the dark. And leave the IR light on to have the black and white image with the IR cutter.

If you turn off IR light, then it is pure black if there is no light, or you can only see blurry images of the objects with the surrounding light.

 

IR does not attract as many insects or bugs as visible light.

 

I think what you need is something like high-end night vision. We don't have such a high-end product that does not illuminate IR and still allow you to see black and white image.

I am quite suspicious if there is one on the market based on my knowledge of the IR and night vision.

You may return it and find a suitable one on the market.

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#8
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Re:How to use night mode (IR sensitive) with the IR illuminators off
2023-09-08 06:12:09

  @Clive_A 

 

As I said in my original post I have tested the camera with the IR lights covered up and it works. Please take the time to properly read my post carefully before replying, all the information you have requested in each of your replies has been in the original post and I have simply been repeating myself.

 

I have a separate IR spotlight, I do not require the lights on the camera. This spotlight covers the FOV of the camera and is many times brighter than the ones built into the camera, it is a huge spotlight. It may as well be daylight from the perspective of the camera, there is far more light available than is necessary and everything is fully visibile in full detail. The illuminators on the camera do nothing when uncovered, you don't even notice a difference in the image they are that dull. All they do is reveal the location of the camera and reflect off bugs causing annoying motion detections, this is what I am trying to rectify as I have already said.

 

The settings that disable the IR illuminators also set the camera to colour mode, all it needs to do is leave it in black and white mode and everything would work completely fine. From your responses I gather it is not possible to achieve the configuration I have described perhaps this should be a feature request instead.

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#9
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Re:How to use night mode (IR sensitive) with the IR illuminators off
2023-09-08 09:46:46

Hi @Branyon 

With more information you provided, I consulted a senior engineer if this is possible. You can try this and set the exposure to 100. This might be a workaround to meet your expectation.

But this device is not designed to be used in the way you want. If you seek a product that can disable the infrared light entirely and still keep IR mode on, we cannot do that.

Best Regards! If you are new to the forum, please read: Howto - A Guide to Use Forum Effectively. Read Before You Post. Look for a model? Search your model NOW Official and Beta firmware. NEW features! Subscribe for the latest update! ☛Download Beta Here☚ ☛ ★ Configuration Guide ★ ☚ ☛ ★ Knowledge Base ★ ☚ ☛ ★ Troubleshooting ★ ☚ ● Be kind and nice. ● Stay on the topic. ● Post details. ● Search first. ● Please don't take it for granted. ● No email confidentiality should be violated. ● S/N, MAC, and your true public IP should be mosaiced.
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#10
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Re:How to use night mode (IR sensitive) with the IR illuminators off
2023-09-08 09:55:36

Thanks @Clive_A 

 

Unfortunately the work around doesn't work, it remains in colour mode. That's disappointing, it is simple to fix in software. The camera hardware is entirely capable of functioning as desired I just can't set the setting.

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