New RLC-420 installation - my Amazon review

Here's the review I've just put on Amazon for the RLC-420. Setting up has been a bit of a disappointment. Let's hope the operation is more successful.
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Fitted this yesterday. Physical install was OK excepting the ethernet connector. this is in 2 parts: the ethernet socket and a waterproof cover through which the ethernet cable is threaded. The cover is in two parts. However, if your ethernet cable is already terminated then the cover cannot be used. I had to crudely drill out the larger part of the cover using a countersunk bit as well as trim down the corners of the ethernet connector. Then I had to use electrical insulation table to seal the cable entry. Not fantastic but my installation is not outside. The alternative is to use an unterminated ethernet cable but then you need to buy terminators and the special fixing tool and hope your handiwork is electrically good for a quality signal.

My main gripe is the pretty clunky configuration interface. Opening this by clicking on the cog wheel opens up a window with about 20 icons. Clicking on an icon opens another tab (like in a web browser). Clicking options often opens another tab but sometimes another window. Clicking OK on a window doesn't always close it - you have to click the X in the window. Eventually there are just too many tabs. To close them you need to click the X in the tab. This closes it but the mouse then jumps to the OK button of the next tab (if this option is set in Windows). So you have to move the mouse back to the tab to click the X of that tab to close it.

Worse, some configuration screen are corrupted. On some the fields do fill with the current value. On another 2 or more fields overlap each other. On others fields sometimes appear and at other times do not. For a newbie it gets very frustrating trying to find an option you saw just a few minutes ago.

Even worse, there are options (like push notification) that are not mentioned in the latest downloaded manual and many config screens are different to the latest manual. Talking of manuals. On the CD all the documents are pdfs but over half of them consist of just a web URL link. Why not just have URL short cuts?

I did a firmware update but it did not automatically reboot so I had to force that and surprisingly the password did not change - the manual says a firmware update resets the password. You can set up new users but you cannot delete or rename the admin user.

After some hours I got everything set up (and I've been using PCs for over 25 years and have an IT background). The picture is bright and clear but does lack detail and shimmers a bit. May not be good enough for a police mug shot!

Email & FTP upload notifications worked on movement. For many users each of these notifications will need to be set on and off each time they go out/return otherwise they will get loads of emails and overload their FTP server. However, setting each of these on and off means digging around those horrible configuration forms again. It would be much better if these options were an on/off button on the main screen.

I went to adjust the angle and found it rather warm. On ReoLink's FAQ they say this is normal but to me suggests it's not very green energy wise.

I installed on Windows 7 Professional 64 bit and used a POE injector power plug (Foxnovo DC 48V 0.5A POE Injector Power Supply Over Ethernet Adapter with UK Plug for 12V 24V 48V POE Device). Oh, you will probably need 2 ethernet cables. The supplied one is just 1m long.

Have not tried any remote access (as a principle I do not have open ports) and have therefore not tried the app.

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Alan

It sounds like you have had a day installing and configuring the camera. I have only used the NVR with the camera for configuration and viewing, never just the camera alone, so I cannot speak to the web interface. I usually use the desktop client to make major changes and view with the smartphone app. I have never had a system not reboot/restart after a firmware upgrade, interesting you did. Note what the documentation says is regular behavior. I can also understand the frustration some would have with the waterproof connector. For cameras I have indoors I just use a standard CAT-6 Ethernet termination. For my outdoor systems, I did use the provided waterproof connectors and they work great if you are able to terminate your own cables; crimper and ends. Regarding the quality, make sure you are looking at the "CLEAR" and not "Fluent" image, this is a big difference in quality and image size. Fluent is default for that reason. In the NVR, simply double clicking on the preview bring it up in Fluent mode for crisp images. It also records (based on your setting) in both modes; at least with the NVR.

Hi Quella. Thanks for your advice. Yes I am in Clear mode - Fluent is noticeably worse. I've left the other settings at default. Well, I went to copy the settings and yet again I have a config screen (in this case Encode) that is missing lots of the data values. In fact it is only showing 1 value (see attached).

Closed & restarted. Now I can see the values:

Stream Type Clear
Record Audio ticked
Resolution 2560*1440
Frame Rate 25
Max Bit Rate 6144
H.264 Profile High

Also, using the tab key the selection does not move top to bottom but jumps about. I'm getting the impression that the developed has had no training in user interface design or testing.

Just to be clear I'm using the PC Client software v7.1.2.44. I think this was the one on the CD. I see online that the latest is 7.2.10. I will install that.

Alan

Encode-screen.jpg

Well just installed v7.2.2.10 and immediately I noticed that the picture quality is much worse! Opened the Encode dialogue and again most fields missing - that's not been fixed. Restart; now I can see the values. Encode settings are still the same.

Went to the Alarm dialogue but now the enable switch is missing so cannot set the alarm on or set the area. I've now reverted to v7.1.2.44 and reduced my Amazon rating from 3 to 2 stars.

Here's a comparison

Version-v7-1-2-44.jpg
Version-v7-2-2-10.jpg

I would recommend that you make sure you have the latest version of firmware, at that it is the correct firmware for your camera(s). Some people have found that when they updated the camera's firmware they applied a different devices firmware; which is permitted for some reason. Once you have the latest firmware and that is confirmed in the client settings. Also you can log into the camera directly and maybe see if there is an issue with the installed client on Windows; I use the Mac client and iOS version. Sorry, I do not have experience with the Windows one. I would always use the latest client and firmware downloaded from the vendor's site and give that a try. Based on your details above, you may already be there, but please confirm the cameras firmware version and that it is the proper firmware for that camera if you are running the latest client on windows.

The worse image you are seeing is the Fluent mode it should be lower quality. If you click (double click) on the image itself, it should open up in clear mode in a larger screen. Does that happen for you in your setup?

audrdem

Hi technology, maybe you can share client software version v7.1.2.44. I would like to compare video quality with new client version on my rlc423.
Thanks in advance.

Contact me at atvfanatic@gmail.com, I will try and get it to you.

Bob

Hi technology, make sure you get the latest version from https://reolink.com/software-and-manual/ and there seems some display issue with the software on your end. Do you mind reporting it to our support team at support@reolink.com and our support will help you look into this issue. See whether it is a software bug or compatibility problem. Thank you in advance for your cooperation ~~

Hi Bob. As I stated I have the latest firmware but the latest PC client s/w was worst so I went back to the previous one on the CD

I have sent an email to support along with screen shots

Alan