Looks good.

I have a few suggestions, if not applicable to you then they may assist other readers.

If you have a local Bunnings, they have galvanised 16mm pipe with 1.2mm wall thickness in 3 meter lengths for AUD$12.25 (Apparently I can't add links but if you go to the Bunnings web site and search for "Metal Mate round tube" you should find it). Or you could spend another couple of dollars to get the larger diameter (19mm) which might remove the need for the foam packing on the PT mount.Would also make the pipe stronger with less chance of any sway.

Another cheap and sturdy option might be to just use a length of framing timber screwed to the post. This would give a nice flat surface to screw the PT and solar panel to.

If using the PVC pipe then you could possibly strengthen it by using a length of wooden dowel fitted snugly inside, that would stiffen it up quite a bit. Use the same length of dowel as the pipe.
Maybe add a PVC cap (AUD$2.25 from Bunnings) to the top to prevent water getting into the dowel.
The dowel also prevents the PVC pipe from being able to distort and fold under load.

The leverage forces on the saddle clamps holding it to the post will be greatly reduced if you use a longer piece of pipe and have the pipe extend much further down the post.

Depending on the type of livestock in the field and their tendency to destroy things, you could mount the solar panel on the fence top rail. This would be more sturdy and also reduce the wind loading on the PVC pole. The solar panel doesn't care where it is mounted as long as it pointed at the sun and has no shading.

@joseph_1979 Couldn't this be implemented at the NVR level? That way it would work for all connected cams not just new models.

It does seem like a feature that should be included. Physically rotating a security camera by 90 degrees (portrait rather than landscape) to cover a corridor, hallway, path, narrow side of a yard, etc is a fairly common practice. I did see on the Reolink Q&A site that they say mounting cameras sideways is not recommended. (https://support.reolink.com/hc/en-us/articles/900000603746-Can-I-Rotate-Camera-Image-90-Degrees). So I would say that it is not likely that they will include the rotation feature.

@joseph_1979 Couldn't this be implemented at the NVR level? That way it would work for all connected cams not just new models.

@user_630673173327926_630673173327926 It is such a basic feature, to be able to navigate to an event. If the camera isn't recording 24/7 and only recording motion events then it is easier but when the motion event may be within a 60 minute block of continuous recording it is frustrating to get to. Even if when you clicked on a block of recording that had the event in it, if the navigation bar was zoomable or if it navigated just the video block you selected it would be an improvement. At the moment if I click on a 60 minute block of recording that has an event in it, the navigation bar still shows the entire 24 hour day. To try and get to the event is an exercise in frustration, especially on a mobile phone screen.
As mentioned, a jump to next/previous event button would go a long was towards easing the suffering.

I have several RLC-520 cameras (recording to a RLN8-410 NVR) and they all have this issue. Even worse they will even trigger when the cameras alter their exposure settings in response to changes in lighting. So I get motion alerts to let me know when a cloud blocks the sun and then another alert when the sun comes out from behind the cloud again. Watching the video the picture goes momentarily noisy and there is a rolling shutter sort of effect as the camera adjusts to the change in lighting.

@davidjames1701_221130933932163 I believe the "Pack Duration" is just the maximum chunk of video it saves as a single file before closing the file and starting a new one. For short duration clips, like those caused by a few minutes of motion it doesn't change anything. The clip will just be the length of the detected motion plus any "Pre-Motion" (4 to 8 seconds) or "Post Motion" (can be set to 1 to 10 minutes) recording.
If you are getting constant 30 minute videos being recorded then I would look at the Scheduling. For each camera there is one schedule that sets when the camera should record motion, it's called "Alarm". Then there is another schedule for setting when the camera will do continuous recording, called "Timer". Any block in the schedule that is blue is a block of time when the camera will record continuously or when triggered by motion depending on what schedule the block is in. If you don't want any continuous recording then make sure that all time blocks for that cameras "Timer" schedule are grey. And set all the "Alarm" schedule blocks to blue if you want it to always record when triggered by motion. Also remember to save any changes as you go.

@reolink-fiona I'll add my +1 for the rotation feature. Until then I will just have to turn my monitor on it's side to work around the issue.

It does seem like a feature that should be included. Physically rotating a security camera by 90 degrees (portrait rather than landscape) to cover a corridor, hallway, path, narrow side of a yard, etc is a fairly common practice. I did see on the Reolink Q&A site that they say mounting cameras sideways is not recommended. (https://support.reolink.com/hc/en-us/articles/900000603746-Can-I-Rotate-Camera-Image-90-Degrees). So I would say that it is not likely that they will include the rotation feature.

@der-kohli_43923489157

Below is a Google Translate to English of Thomas's original post. I couldn't include Thomas's dropbox URL as the site won't let me post URLs. Check Thomas's original post for the URL.


since the blue status LED really annoyed me or is somehow counterproductive for monitoring and I didn't want to wait for the software update, I decided to take the camera apart.

A sticker doesn't really help, as the housing for the IR LEDs is translucent and it just shines through at the edges. A sticker that is too big will then cover the IR LEDS. Besides, it looks stupid.

So take the battery cover off and by the way under the white sticker is a mini USB port, which is also suitable for power supply. I think it's totally awesome if you like to hang up a power bank. Works flawlessly for me and you save yourself the expensive CR123A if you have the option. By the way, I use the Olight CR123A batteries there, you only have to loosen the casing a bit on the head, otherwise they will not come into contact.

5 screws must be loosened, then it is advisable to pry it apart with the plastic spatula that is included. You do that on the rubber seal.
Carefully fold the back aside and detach the two power plugs from the mainboard. It is best to work with plastic tweezers or a spatula.
If you are already at it, you can remove the other 4 connectors including antenna from the mainboard. Please be careful when doing this.

Then there are 4 screws at the top that have to be removed. The top and bottom are different. It is best to put them down with a system that you then know where to go again. the tips are the bottom two.

Then slowly lever out the mainboard with the spatula, preferably from below as it is plugged in there. it then folds up slightly because the connector from the IR LEDS is still there.

IMPORTANT
DO NOT HANDLE THE SENSORS

Put the mainboard aside with the sensors facing up

now you can slowly and carefully pull out the lens unit. It is advisable to remove the protective transport sticker from the lens beforehand. then the lens unit pulls out more easily.

The IR ring is only fixed with 3 short screws, there is no screw in the top right.
Then please pull the IR ring straight up and out.

below you can see a protruding LED, that is the status LED.
These can be coated with Edding or latex paint. Otherwise you can put a thin, opaque film on the inside, where the LED is plugged into the housing. not too big, otherwise you will cover the IR LEDS.
Then carefully put the IR ring back on so that the film presses into the opening.

and now everything is reassembled the other way around.

So you can first suppress the flashing and permanent lighting of the status LED.

This is just a little how to do
you do this conversion at your own risk. I do not take any guarantees or responsibility for it.

You can lose any warranty claims.


The pictures are all in the dropbox, as you cannot upload all of them here.
please sort them by name, then it is chronological.

Looks good.

I have a few suggestions, if not applicable to you then they may assist other readers.

If you have a local Bunnings, they have galvanised 16mm pipe with 1.2mm wall thickness in 3 meter lengths for AUD$12.25 (Apparently I can't add links but if you go to the Bunnings web site and search for "Metal Mate round tube" you should find it). Or you could spend another couple of dollars to get the larger diameter (19mm) which might remove the need for the foam packing on the PT mount.Would also make the pipe stronger with less chance of any sway.

Another cheap and sturdy option might be to just use a length of framing timber screwed to the post. This would give a nice flat surface to screw the PT and solar panel to.

If using the PVC pipe then you could possibly strengthen it by using a length of wooden dowel fitted snugly inside, that would stiffen it up quite a bit. Use the same length of dowel as the pipe.
Maybe add a PVC cap (AUD$2.25 from Bunnings) to the top to prevent water getting into the dowel.
The dowel also prevents the PVC pipe from being able to distort and fold under load.

The leverage forces on the saddle clamps holding it to the post will be greatly reduced if you use a longer piece of pipe and have the pipe extend much further down the post.

Depending on the type of livestock in the field and their tendency to destroy things, you could mount the solar panel on the fence top rail. This would be more sturdy and also reduce the wind loading on the PVC pole. The solar panel doesn't care where it is mounted as long as it pointed at the sun and has no shading.