Motion detection issue on Hikvision DS-2CD2387G2H-LISU/SL

[ek0]

I have a Hikvision DS-2CD2387G2H-LISU/SL running firmware V5.7.23 build 260320. The camera is configured for legacy motion detection (as opposed to "Smart event"). While continuous motion is occurring in front of the camera, the LiveView screen shows motion is being detected (i.e. green squares lighting up within areas with motion). However, the camera generates ISAPI motion detection events in a weird pattern. It generates 6 motion detection alerts in a row, with 1 second interval in between, then does not send any motion alerts for 63 seconds, then generates 6 motion detection alerts in a row, with 1 second interval in between again, then does not send any motion alerts for 63 seconds again. This pattern repeats perpetually as long as motion keep occurring. Looking at the log, time stamps of motion events look like this:

2026-07-29T19:21:18-04:00
2026-07-29T19:21:19-04:00
2026-07-29T19:21:20-04:00
2026-07-29T19:21:21-04:00
2026-07-29T19:21:22-04:00
2026-07-29T19:21:23-04:00
2026-07-29T19:22:26-04:00
2026-07-29T19:22:27-04:00
2026-07-29T19:22:28-04:00
2026-07-29T19:22:29-04:00
2026-07-29T19:22:30-04:00
2026-07-29T19:22:31-04:00
2026-07-29T19:23:34-04:00
2026-07-29T19:23:35-04:00
2026-07-29T19:23:36-04:00
2026-07-29T19:23:37-04:00
2026-07-29T19:23:38-04:00
2026-07-29T19:23:39-04:00
2026-07-29T19:24:44-04:00
2026-07-29T19:24:45-04:00
2026-07-29T19:24:46-04:00
2026-07-29T19:24:47-04:00
2026-07-29T19:24:48-04:00
2026-07-29T19:24:49-04:00
2026-07-29T19:25:52-04:00
2026-07-29T19:25:53-04:00
2026-07-29T19:25:54-04:00
2026-07-29T19:25:55-04:00
2026-07-29T19:25:56-04:00
2026-07-29T19:25:57-04:00
2026-07-29T19:27:00-04:00
2026-07-29T19:27:01-04:00
2026-07-29T19:27:02-04:00
2026-07-29T19:27:03-04:00
2026-07-29T19:27:04-04:00
2026-07-29T19:27:05-04:00

I prefer not to use "Smart" / AI-based detection algorithms because they do not consistently detect things. For example, they seem to concentrate on vehicle/people detection and do not detect correctly detect animals or debris.

I have older Hikvision cams that also use the same motion detection method and they work without issues (meaning they generate motion detection alarms for as long as motion is occurring in front of the camera).

Any suggestions? This is incredibly annoying.

 

[lewic]

Motion detection works off of pixel changes in the image. So depending on how sensitive you have the motion detection set and where you put the grid in the image. Any change in color to the pixel will set it off. Now they have improved it with the human/vehicle filtering which is detecting shapes of the pixels. If you are detecting something that is neither, some cameras will have also a "min" and "max" button in the detection settings. You will basically draw two boxes on the screen anywhere. Min is going to be the pixels changing colors need to be at least bigger than that box. Max is the pixels need to be smaller than the box.

 

[amongusfree]

The fact that you're getting exactly six seconds of events and then roughly a minute without them makes me suspicious of some internal event-state/timer behavior rather than the motion detector itself.
Among Us

 

[lewic]

I remember there is a setting where you would set an amount of time in seconds before another detection can be triggered. Now.... I would check the logs on what type of detection is being triggered. It could be that one is a motion detection or another is a VCA. It could also be that one is a motion detection on the camera side where the other is a motion detection for that camera being processed on the NVR side. You can try defaulting the camera and seeing if that fixes the issue. Can also see if there is a firmware update that fixes bugs like the one you mention.

 

[fullboogie]

I have 7 of those exact cameras and if yours "don't consistently detect things" using smart events then you don't have them setup properly.

 

[trempa92]

I have 7 of those exact cameras and if yours "don't consistently detect things" using smart events then you don't have them setup properly.

You totally missed the po8nt, he is not using smart, he is using pixel motion to get everything not to filter out what most consider unecesarry nowdays.

Back to the topic
If you upgraded camera and didnt factory restore afterwards, there could be an issue of old stale configs,structs which are in conflict with new and camera can behave abnormal.
Do a factory, reconfigure and try again

 

[fullboogie]

because they do not consistently detect things. For example, they seem to concentrate on vehicle/people detection and do not detect correctly detect animals or debris

I totally understood his point: "because they do not consistently detect things. For example, they seem to concentrate on vehicle/people detection and do not detect correctly detect animals or debris." If he were to setup smart events correctly he wouldn't have to use the shitty normal motion detection. It's also obvious he doesn't have them setup right if they mostly pick up "vehicle/people". Or are you of the opinion that's more reliable than smart events?

 

[ek0]

I have 7 of those exact cameras and if yours "don't consistently detect things" using smart events then you don't have them setup properly.

Can you please define "not having them setup properly"? Which part are you referring to? Maybe you can post your settings and I can compare them to mine.

Just an FYI - I did try the "Smart" events and saw exactly the same pattern - the camera DOES detect motion, but stops sending the "motion detected" signal to the NVR even though motion continues to occur. I switched back to regular motion detection because it has better detection of objects other than people and vehicles - like a tree branch falling on a stationary car or a small animal (cat) crossing the street. Yet another issue was - I could not "draw" the motion detection area on the screen - it has a limited number of corners (I think 7) and I was unable to draw the correct area the same way I was able to with regular motion detection (which allows you to draw the area using square blocks.

If there is a way to force "Smart" events to detect ANY motion, regardless if caused by people or vehicles, while explicitly defining specific portions of the frame without limitations - please explain exactly what you mean and how your cameras are set up.

 

[ek0]

You totally missed the po8nt, he is not using smart, he is using pixel motion to get everything not to filter out what most consider unecesarry nowdays.

Back to the topic
If you upgraded camera and didnt factory restore afterwards, there could be an issue of old stale configs,structs which are in conflict with new and camera can behave abnormal.
Do a factory, reconfigure and try again

Great idea, I did exactly that (upgraded firmware, but did not do a factory reset). Will try it this weekend.

 

[ek0]

I remember there is a setting where you would set an amount of time in seconds before another detection can be triggered. Now.... I would check the logs on what type of detection is being triggered. It could be that one is a motion detection or another is a VCA. It could also be that one is a motion detection on the camera side where the other is a motion detection for that camera being processed on the NVR side. You can try defaulting the camera and seeing if that fixes the issue. Can also see if there is a firmware update that fixes bugs like the one you mention.

There are 2 settings: "Pre-record" and "Record Delay". The first one determines how many seconds are to be recorded BEFORE the event was triggered. The second one determines the number of seconds to KEEP recording after the event concluded (i.e. motion stopped). I have pre-record set to 15 seconds and record delay to 10. I do not want to use the "record delay" to mask my issue of camera not sending motion detection signals properly because if I set it for too long, I will end up with hours of recordings where nothing is happening (i.e. every single motion event will be accompanied by a number of trailing minutes where nothing is happening. For example, if I have it set to 2 minutes, every 30 seconds of motion will end up being recorded as 2 minutes 45 seconds (i.e. 15 seconds pre-record, 30 seconds of actual motion and 2 minutes of record delay).