Best posts made by Chopstix

Is the Amcrest connected via an external PoE switch? You can not use 3rd party cameras on the built-in switch unless the RLN36 supports the feature of disabling the internal private network 172.16.25.x and bridging the internal switch to the external LAN.

@forumspost_440211376681112 I am not an Android user but it could very well be a compatibility issue with the software on the new device. I recommend that you open a support ticket with Reolink Support. Include the description and photos as you have here.

@joseph_1979 From my limited use of this unit so far, agreed... Battery cams that support 24/7 recording (always on) are better candidates for motion tracking. I have found that if the object is coming towards the camera, there is enough time to power-up and track. However if the object is moving across the FOV, it has a high probability of missing. I'd like to give the Atlas a try at some point.

As for 360 PIR, they could simply add multiple sensors around the base. If one or more sensors detects motion, the camera rotates to that direction. It might not be that simple, but it works like that in my head.

I am going to have to test the solar panel. Granted it is winter here and the sun is at it's lowest azimuth to me (although I do have the panel angled to match), but even if there are zero detection events in a given day, the battery percentage does not go up. It has been a steady decrease at an average of 1-percent per day. The days that I test the camera, it drop 2-3 percent. I am wondering if perhaps the panel is defective.

I like the specs on the TrackMix but for this area I don't need wide-angle as I have a Duo2 overhead on the 2nd floor roofline. Honestly, I don't even really need motion tracking for this application (I just need to monitor the deck door) but I like the option of manually panning over to the pond and capturing events.

I am having zero Wi-Fi issues. My Home Hub Pro is at the front of the house on the second floor so assuming the antenna has a donut signal shape, this orientation is ideal. But to our points, having RSSI or a percentage would help users fine-tune placement although I think percentage would be more user-friendly. Or why not both? Case-in-point, the HHP is in the room directly above my Wi-Fi doorbell and that shows 2 bars signal strength. No signal issues but I am very curious on he actual signal strength.

My recording schedule is set for always. The post-detection recording is set for 8-seconds and oddly, the first video segment of any event is always 8-seconds. It's almost if the camera is not recognizing that the event is longer than 8-seconds so it stops recording and then immediately starts again. But that does not explain the continuous video fragmentation (at random lengths) for a single event. I am going to increase the post-detection recording time to see if the first video segment time matches.

Is the bar wider than the distance between two of the 3 camera mounting holes? if not, orient the camera mount so that one hole is either at 12 or 6 o'clock. Use a screw to fasten the mount directly to the bar through that hole.

The other two holes will now be on each side of the bar. Use a flexible pipe strap (or flat stock) across the back of the pipe to secure the other two holes.

@gahoak_900061514571953 I am running the same version. Expand the device list of camera on the left side pane. Click the setting cog for the camera you wish to check firmware then click Info.

@kimchigun Happy wife, happy life something something hahaha. I did have to disable "Other" as well as "Vehicle" since turning up the PIR sensitivity.

@reolink-oskar I have some WP DTNVG's for running around in the dark but that tech is far too cost prohibitive for residential and commercial cameras. I think low LUX cameras are the way to go. My RLC-843A's far out perform my 1240A's in low lighting. In the suburbs with skyline glow, my 843's do not need IR while my 1240's do. I don't like color NV as it requires white light. As a result, depth of field is only as good as the throw of the light. On one of my 843's I have disabled the spot light for this reason. If low LUX cameras are not an option, external IR flood lights. I have a Duo2 mounted on my second story roofline for overwatch of my back yard. At that distance, the built-in IR is useless so I splash the property with two IR floods.

For tactical use, companies are mixing thermal over one eye and NV over the other. The tubes are matched and calibrated and the end result is amazing recognition ability in the dark for the operator. Not sure if that could be incorporated cost effectively into a security camera, but it would be sweet.

@celina_867750978158811 your SMTP server address is incomplete. It is missing the host. Try using mail<dot>disroot<dot>org for the SMTP server address.

@joseph_1979 that's how it SHOULD work, but it does not. With this camera (at least with mine), post-recording time starts as soon as motion is detected NOT after the motion stops. I can jump in front of the camera momentarily and it will recorded the full 30 seconds. My son can do a 3-minute Fortnite dance in middle of the FOV and it will fragment after 30-seconds with multiple video fragments to follow. I have tried this repeated times and the initial fragment is 8, 15, 30 seconds respectively. I am convinced that there is a firmware bug.

@radioastronomy_410111540293820 I have two external IR flood lights in my back yard for this reason. I have the cameras IR turned off and my two external out of view from the cameras while still splashing the the grounds. Reolink already makes an external camera controlled flood light so I don't see why they could not do the same with an IR light.

@lafunamor If you have the NVR in your Reolink app, you should be able to click on the NVR and then find Event History.

@kimchigun it’s 8° today however last week it was above freezing, 34 to 38° daily on average with sun and I wasn’t getting charging. Could simply be some quality consistency issues with whoever supplies the batteries. I know of a lot of batteries won’t charge below 40F. Maybe that’s what I am experiencing.

@reolink-oskar off-grid users take their gear seriously. If you really want to make a statement, offer a complete ecosystem. As @joseph_1979 stated, for multiple cameras, offer a Reolink branded 4G Wi-Fi router (we use these in motorhomes) paired with multiple solar-powered Wi-Fi cams. For single camera deployments, 4G solar-powered cameras which you already have. Now to top it all off, offer a line of Reolink branded all-weather high-capacity external battery packs (different capacities for various need) with large solar panels. By offering these things directly, you create your own sustainable branded off-grid ecosystem. Penty of Chinese-based companies already offer these solutions that Reolink could partner with.

@kiwi-racer_822219571581076 I use the Home Hub Pro and in the app I can click on Event History and then I can click on each one to view the captured video. I can only assume that the NVR would behave the same way.

Quick update. After some discussion with @joseph_1979 and @KimchiGUN I tweaked some settings and the results are as follows:

1) Increasing the post-detection recording from 8-seconds to 15-seconds and 30-seconds does not prevent fragmenting of the event the video. It only affects the first fragment of the event. The first fragment is 8, 15, or 30 seconds (based on setting) and the remaining event video is fragment at random lengths. I suspect this is a firmware oversight as the post-detection timer should trigger ONLY after motion is no longer detected. The way it is now, you get either 8, 15 or 30 seconds of static video before another function takes over.

2) The default PIR sensitivity is 80. Increasing to 90 reduced some fragmenting. Increasing to 100 further reduced fragmenting however I could not get fewer than 3 fragments even with 2 minutes of continuous motion. First fragment was 30 seconds, second fragment was 48 seconds and third fragment was 46 seconds. Having the sensitivity up that high introduces other issues but I will attempt to overcome those via settings before I comment.

Without a better understanding of how the camera determines when to split video, I can only assume that there is a firmware oversight or a bug.

@weiliang_905921904210101 the Argus 3 Ultra does not support encryption to its SD card. For encrypted recordings, you must use their cloud service or the Home Hub as you are currently doing.

Looks to be an unsupported configuration at the moment...

https://www.reddit.com/r/reolinkcam/comments/1gemayq/doorbell_chime_v2_and_home_hub_incompatibility/

I can tell you that the wired WiFi doorbell does with with both (that's what I have). I can only assume that's it's a battery capacity issue... the more lines of code in the firmware means more power for processing. Having to send two alert signals to two different devices also means more power.

@lafunamor ahhhh. Let's hope they add that soon. Thanks for the clarity.

@joseph_1979 very good. Then we are in agreement with that wired backhaul will be the preferred method. I would also like to see the OP check the Wi-Fi connection from camera 2 to the AP as he states he is only getting two bars. Forcing 2.4GHz may improve that.

@peter_748442346729617 a visible camera caused social problems. A hidden camera, if discovered, would also cause problems. So you are looking for something that can be hidden but if discovered doesn't look like it has been hidden... because... you think that won't cause problems? Is there a legal issue at play here? None of my business but it sounds like you either need to 1) not monitor that area -or- 2) work out the social problems.

In any event, 1" - 2" sized minimalist cameras do exist. Not from Reolink, but there are dozens of options out there.