Setting up spotter camera for ptz

Just get a Dahua OEM and call it done.

Toy PTZs with autotracking fail miserably. I tried to save $120 by going with a cheaper one and it never did work properly.



Amazon.com : EmpireTech Ultra Smart PTZ Camera 4MP IP POE+ Camera 1/1.8" CMOS Starlight 25x Optical Zoom,Auto Tracking and IVS,Motion Detection,IP67, IK10,PTZ5A4M-25X-S2 : Electronics

Amazon.com : EmpireTech Ultra Smart PTZ Camera 4MP IP POE+ Camera 1/1.8" CMOS Starlight 25x Optical Zoom,Auto Tracking and IVS,Motion Detection,IP67, IK10,PTZ5A4M-25X-S2 : Electronics
www.amazon.com


 
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I appreciate you taking out the time to deal with us newbies. Before asking my question here I was looking around and came across this ptz DS-2SE4C425MWG-E. The main reason was the dual cam I need for a certain area. I looked at all the ones you linked. As for the "Tracks targets based on ratio" what part of the specs am I looking at, to see if they come with it?

I've also read your info on running a ptz with a spotter cam and that is something I would rather do but I'm in a time sensitive situation. Starting in Dec, my house is being targeted by kids I guess. 1st time was rock thrown at window, 2nd at front door. They tried again beginning Feb but I started staying up late and at 2am I seen them pull up on motor scooter from my cam. So i ran outside trying to catch them (Yes I know not smart, but I need to stop this somehow)...they took off but I'm sure they will come back. I went to police and really not much they can do. The kids were dressed like ninja's. They patrolled my block few days but they cannot stay everyday for months and I dont expect them too either. So, yes I would much rather go the BI or better NVR but need to get something in place now.

When you have a free moment, could you let me know what certain spec i'm looking to see if the cam has, so it could perform how the cam did in this video. Thanks so much for your time. This is by far the best forum out there!
 
riot2024 said:
I appreciate you taking out the time to deal with us newbies. Before asking my question here I was looking around and came across this ptz DS-2SE4C425MWG-E. The main reason was the dual cam I need for a certain area. I looked at all the ones you linked. As for the "Tracks targets based on ratio" what part of the specs am I looking at, to see if they come with it?

I've also read your info on running a ptz with a spotter cam and that is something I would rather do but I'm in a time sensitive situation. Starting in Dec, my house is being targeted by kids I guess. 1st time was rock thrown at window, 2nd at front door. They tried again beginning Feb but I started staying up late and at 2am I seen them pull up on motor scooter from my cam. So i ran outside trying to catch them (Yes I know not smart, but I need to stop this somehow)...they took off but I'm sure they will come back. I went to police and really not much they can do. The kids were dressed like ninja's. They patrolled my block few days but they cannot stay everyday for months and I dont expect them too either. So, yes I would much rather go the BI or better NVR but need to get something in place now.

When you have a free moment, could you let me know what certain spec i'm looking to see if the cam has, so it could perform how the cam did in this video. Thanks so much for your time. This is by far the best forum out there!
Click to expand...

Auto tracking is not plug-n-play.

Many cameras claim to have that capability.

The cheaper cams fail miserably. The algorithms for tracking take time to develop and implement and the Dahua, Hikvision, Axis are probably the leaders.

Heck even the good ones fail if you don't take the time to set them up and dial them in to your setting.

If you want performance like we have shown, then go with the links I provided.

Hikvision should be able to provide comparable performance but most here use the Dahua OEM and would be in better position to help you dial it in.

Do keep in mind the a PTZ is a compliment to an existing fixed cam system. If you rely on a PTZ solely it will fail you.
 
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walkjp1 said:
May I ask what you mean by this?
Click to expand...

Meaning that a PTZ isn't perfect and can lose tracking or looking at the wrong place. Especially if it is more than one person, it may miss the other people completely.

You need to have fixed cams, a mixture of overview and varifocals optically zoomed in to pinch points, as it will then catch everyone because they are not off looking somewhere else or tracking only one person.

Like several times just the week I watched neighbors walk by and they are spread out about 100 feet apart and the PTZ tracks the first person/group and there is zero video of the 2nd group on the PTZ video. Meanwhile my fixed cams at pinch points captured every group.
 
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^^^^^
This
Not uncommon for the ptz to be looking the “wrong” way. They don’t “think” they react to movement and do very well at tracking that movement, until you realize it’s tracking the “wrong” movement.
 
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wittaj said:
Meaning that a PTZ isn't perfect and can lose tracking or looking at the wrong place. Especially if it is more than one person, it may miss the other people completely.

Yeah need to have fixed cams, a mixture of overview and varifocals optically zoomed in to pinch points, as it will then catch everyone because they are not off looking somewhere else or tracking only one person.

Like several times just the week I watched neighbors walk by and they are spread out about 100 feet apart and the PTZ tracks the first person/group and there is zero video of the 2nd group on the PTZ video. Meanwhile my fixed cams at pinch points captured every group.
Click to expand...

Thanks, just what I was thinking. Where I want to put an auto tracking camera. I also have a 12 megapixel higher up on overwatch. So I am hoping this would work for me.
 
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Can someone point me in rite direction of how to configure the tracking to follow people please? I have watched some of the videos, I see face detection, tripwire, etc. But not tracking and following.
ELI5
 
walkjp1 said:
Can someone point me in rite direction of how to configure the tracking to follow people please? I have watched some of the videos, I see face detection, tripwire, etc. But not tracking and following.
ELI5
Click to expand...

Auto tracking is done in the camera and every camera is a little different. What camera model so you have?
 
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NVR or Blue Iris?

If using an NVR, its on the first page of this thread, post #6

Setting up spotter camera for ptz

Hi all, i purchased a spotter camera from @EMPIRETECANDY and also have a PTZ from empire as well. Can someone explain or show me how to set it up to turn the ptz when the spotter detects? I have everything set up on both cameras with IVS, but need to know how to set the alarm or what ever to...
ipcamtalk.com ipcamtalk.com
 
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bigredfish said:
NVR or Blue Iris?

If using an NVR, its on the first page of this thread, post #6

Setting up spotter camera for ptz

Hi all, i purchased a spotter camera from @EMPIRETECANDY and also have a PTZ from empire as well. Can someone explain or show me how to set it up to turn the ptz when the spotter detects? I have everything set up on both cameras with IVS, but need to know how to set the alarm or what ever to...
ipcamtalk.com ipcamtalk.com
Click to expand...
Acually,
I am hoping to set it up in camera itself? I have both blue iris and NVR. But, Usually shut down blue iris when i leave for long periods.
 
walkjp1 said:
Acually,
I am hoping to set it up in camera itself? I have both blue iris and NVR. But, Usually shut down blue iris when i leave for long periods.
Click to expand...

I think we have two different discussions going on.

I interpreted your post as you asking how do you make the camera autotrack and @bigredfish interpreted your post as to how to use spotter cams.

The camera itself does all of the autotracking and an NVR or BI is not involved with that.

If you want to do spotter cams to direct the PTZ where to look to then start tracking, then that is when you need an NVR or BI to coordinate that with the camera.
 
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:facepalm: ooopsss. Sorry. I blame it on bourbon
 
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wittaj said:
I think we have two different discussions going on.

I interpreted your post as you asking how do you make the camera autotrack and @bigredfish interpreted your post as to how to use spotter cams.

The camera itself does all of the autotracking and an NVR or BI is not involved with that.

If you want to do spotter cams to direct the PTZ where to look to then start tracking, then that is when you need an NVR or BI to coordinate that with the camera.
Click to expand...
Thank you,

Actually both discussions apply. First thing I am looking for is how to set up the camera for autotracking. Not finding any clear directions on this.
After that, I will be looking at how to set up spotter cams.

Thanks
 
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Have you setup IVS tripwire or Intrusion yet?

That’s a new camera so most of us haven’t seen the interface. Typically there is no “tracking” tab, it’s built into the IVS tab as a setting called “Tracking Target Size Ratio
ptz-IVS-TargetSize.jpg

The camera needs some trigger to initiate tracking. So..

Before you start set a home Preset then..
ptz-presets.jpg

1- setup IVS and a tripwire where you want motion detected. Also set the target size
2- choose to filter on humans and/or vehicles
3- test the tripwire by walking through it and in the NVR seeing the line flash red when you cross it and the camera should track you
 
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bigredfish said:
Have you setup IVS tripwire or Intrusion yet?

That’s a new camera so most of us haven’t seen the interface. Typically there is no “tracking” tab, it’s built into the IVS tab as a setting called “Tracking Target Size Ratio
View attachment 190295

The camera needs some trigger to initiate tracking. So..

Before you start set a home Preset then..
View attachment 190294

1- setup IVS and a tripwire where you want motion detected. Also set the target size
2- choose to filter on humans and/or vehicles
3- test the tripwire by walking through it and in the NVR seeing the line flash red when you cross it and the camera should track you
Click to expand...
Thank you, have it working now. Had a cable problem that was slowing everything down. Now I am wondering if anyone has made any "interesting" audio files for these cameras?
 
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walkjp1 said:
Now I am wondering if anyone has made any "interesting" audio files for these cameras?
Click to expand...
I went online and searched for audio files containing memorable lines from movies or TV shows. Some good ones I like are
  1. Are you feeling lucky?
  2. Nobody touch nuttin
  3. Get out!
  4. Who are you?!
  5. What was that?
  6. How dare you!
  7. Winchester rifle cocking and firing
Pick your favorite lines from any shows, you can probably find the audio online. I had to convert them to 8kHz wav files before I could upload them to my Color4k-X. The audio is much quieter than it appears in the following video.

View attachment GR126.20211120_210000_1 Clipped.mp4
 
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