its listed since a few months.
there are 2 versions of the 2mp model
one with 940nm IR and one with 850nm.
the 940 has invisible IR, but only 50m
Review-SD4A425DB-HNY 1/2.8" CMOS 4MP 25x Starlight Auto-tracking MiniPTZ
- Thread starter looney2ns
- Start date
its listed since a few months.
there are 2 versions of the 2mp model
one with 940nm IR and one with 850nm.
the 940 has invisible IR, but only 50m
940nm version:
850nm version:
There is no built in mic with this mini ptz. You have to connect your own external microphone to it if you want sound.
And keep in mind you will hear a lot of R2D2ing when it moves.
Hello,
I own several SD4A425DB-HNY 4MP 25x (Mini PTZs) from EmpireTech. I find it to be a discreet, and quite capable camera, if only it were a bit brighter at night, otherwise, it is perhaps my fav PTZ. Ever since I updated the original factory FirmWare to the, 2023-07-04 build (V2.821.000013.1.R), I lost the ability to choose from the GUI, the OSD info to display on the camera's live feed. (temperature, zoom, coordinates, etc). The path to this tab is Setting / Camera / Encode / Overlay / OSD Info.
This feature was fully enabled in the original factory FW, but after this update, when I now click on that tab (OSD info), the computer GUI screen goes blank white, and does not recover, forcing you to log back in. All my SD4A425DB-HNY (8), do the exact same thing. This happens regardless of browser (Explorer, Chrome, Safari).
I recently saw there was a new FW posted for this cam on 2024-01-22. System 3.200.0000006.0.R Build Date 2023-12-21 , so I updated a couple cams just to see if this feature would now work, but unfortunately , nothing changed, and it does the same erratic blank screen once you click the OSD info tab. So I decided to not update the rest, because I am not a big fan of updating , unless there is a serious issue.
Andy helped me a great deal, to set them up initially , when they were just purchased, but with this specific issue, I decided instead to post and ask here in the forum, if perhaps anyone that owns, and has experience or is familiar with this particular cam, has run into the issue I describe? Or can perhaps replicate the path to see if it works on their current build.
Any help , would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Luis
EMPIRETECANDY
I own several SD4A425DB-HNY 4MP 25x (Mini PTZs) from EmpireTech. I find it to be a discreet, and quite capable camera, if only it were a bit brighter at night, otherwise, it is perhaps my fav PTZ. Ever since I updated the original factory FirmWare to the, 2023-07-04 build (V2.821.000013.1.R), I lost the ability to choose from the GUI, the OSD info to display on the camera's live feed. (temperature, zoom, coordinates, etc). The path to this tab is Setting / Camera / Encode / Overlay / OSD Info.
This feature was fully enabled in the original factory FW, but after this update, when I now click on that tab (OSD info), the computer GUI screen goes blank white, and does not recover, forcing you to log back in. All my SD4A425DB-HNY (8), do the exact same thing. This happens regardless of browser (Explorer, Chrome, Safari).
I recently saw there was a new FW posted for this cam on 2024-01-22. System 3.200.0000006.0.R Build Date 2023-12-21 , so I updated a couple cams just to see if this feature would now work, but unfortunately , nothing changed, and it does the same erratic blank screen once you click the OSD info tab. So I decided to not update the rest, because I am not a big fan of updating , unless there is a serious issue.
Andy helped me a great deal, to set them up initially , when they were just purchased, but with this specific issue, I decided instead to post and ask here in the forum, if perhaps anyone that owns, and has experience or is familiar with this particular cam, has run into the issue I describe? Or can perhaps replicate the path to see if it works on their current build.
Any help , would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Luis
EMPIRETECANDY
StevenFromTexas
Getting comfortable
I was wondering if anyone had anything good to say about that latest update; doesn't look like I need to look further. The PTZ camera is a nice daytime addition, but it really stinks at night. No matter how much infrared I throw out from other devices to help it, the camera at night is mostly a failure. The same supplemental infrared that helps my license plate capture cameras work better at night just doesn't do much for this PTZ model.
StevenFromTexas
Getting comfortable
Yeah, this solar salesman was looking at both PTZ cameras to see which one was following him audibly. He found it in the second picture. His eyes were not on any of the four bullet non-PTZ cameras used for license plate capture or looking way down the street at intersections.
They really do struggle at night.
Do your cams have that OSD info bug?
Around half of my Minis do alright at night, I even run them in color, mainly b/c I live in a well light area, corner house. I still find a lot of value in the small format. I wouldn’t hang a regular sized ptz on the outside of my house.
I’ve been surprised at how little people notice them, if at all. Very rarely does anyone stare at any of my cams.
I have done deep dives for hours into this camera’s OS, and I couldn’t notice a single change in the newer firmware ..I was hoping it would address some of the slugishness in the GUI control, also the tracking that is starting to go bezerk lately, plus the previously mentioned issue. But At this point, I have stoped tinkering w them, Just let them do their thing.
For now, Waiting for a small ptz on a better MP/sensor ratio. … might be a while.
StevenFromTexas
Getting comfortable
My two PTZs came pre-installed with System Version: 2.821.0000013.1.R Build Date: 2023-07-04 and I have not updated the firmware. I don't use the OSD feature, but did activate and deactivate it without any problems. Here is a screen shot with it activated:
Most people don't pay any attention to the cameras, but the PTZs like to make themselves known. So sometimes I get a reaction from a human with good hearing.
Like you, I often have substantial tracking problems and both PTZ cameras have a fixation with stationary vehicle tires! The tracking will quit following a moving human and just go directly to a nearby tire, freeze on the tire, and then the camera returns to home base. Or the camera is clearly locked in on a moving human and it just zooms to somewhere in the sky or elsewhere before returning to home base.
It may be time for you to do one of those famous repeated factory resets and try the firmware update again.
StevenFromTexas
Getting comfortable
The following is stolen word for word from wittaj:
Unless the firmware update is fixing something you have a problem with, best practice is to not update the firmware. IF someone decides to update is:
Unless the firmware update is fixing something you have a problem with, best practice is to not update the firmware. IF someone decides to update is:
- Factory reset 3 times
- Apply firmware update
- Factory reset 3 times
- Setup camera from scratch
Mine OSD works fine. It does tend to be sluggish in tracking sometimes, other times not.
System Version
V2.821.0000004.1.R, Build Date: 2022-11-29
Web Version
V5.01.0.1350895.T4
PTZ Version
V2.401.0000001.47.RHNDG_220906_42754
Algorithm Version
1.0.2
Security Baseline Version
V2.3
System Version
V2.821.0000004.1.R, Build Date: 2022-11-29
Web Version
V5.01.0.1350895.T4
PTZ Version
V2.401.0000001.47.RHNDG_220906_42754
Algorithm Version
1.0.2
Security Baseline Version
V2.3
My two PTZs came pre-installed with System Version: 2.821.0000013.1.R Build Date: 2023-07-04 and I have not updated the firmware. I don't use the OSD feature, but did activate and deactivate it without any problems. Here is a screen shot with it activated:
View attachment 189838
Most people don't pay any attention to the cameras, but the PTZs like to make themselves known. So sometimes I get a reaction from a human with good hearing.
Like you, I often have substantial tracking problems and both PTZ cameras have a fixation with stationary vehicle tires! The tracking will quit following a moving human and just go directly to a nearby tire, freeze on the tire, and then the camera returns to home base. Or the camera is clearly locked in on a moving human and it just zooms to somewhere in the sky or elsewhere before returning to home base.
It may be time for you to do one of those famous repeated factory resets and try the firmware update again.
Thank you for going through the steps of trying it out on your system, and posting reset instructions. I also follow wittaj and bigredfish, always useful info in their posts.
I believe you are correct, that my cams are due for a deep reset. In regards to the whacky tracking, it sometimes seems to me, as if the camera's algorithms were trying too hard to "learn" and predict, and that, is when the tracking begins to get erratic, because initially they tracked well.... Hard to know for sure what it is.
Anyway, thank you all, I will post back if I manage to get them stabilized.
I totally agree with that statement, especially the part: MOST people.
But I do have a few folks that are daily walkers, some with their dog(s). Since I live on a corner and have a B5442 Z4E doing overview of that corner, these few people will look directly at the cam. Every single time. Especially when they stop there for their dog or pausing to cross the street. The same people, every single time. They look directly at the cam, sometimes for several seconds. One woman walking her dog in the morning always has a cup of coffee and stops there, as her dog is nosing at the light pole, she stares at the cam and takes a few sips, then moves on. I wonder what they are thinking?
No one ever looks at all of the other cams on my house.
They are thinking you are a perv
JK they are probably thinking that is a weird looking light LOL
She's thinking "what the heck is that?"
StevenFromTexas
Getting comfortable
Or maybe: "He's going to post a video on the Internet if my dog poops and I don't pick it up."
I'd say they are thinking I wish I had cameras on my house too!
Kitsap
Getting the hang of it
After tracking a subject, my two SD4A425DB-HNY cameras make a very audible sound when returning to the default position. It is loud enough to draw the subjects attention.