Unable to get motion detection working properly?

[RexTheRunt]

Hi there
I've tried finding an answer in the How-To section here, and have watched several videos, but can’t find my issue anywhere. I've set all the parameters according to instructions, but I'm not getting the right result. Perhaps there's another troubleshooting guide someone could point me to?

My models are:
NVR (DS-7604NI-K1) and two cameras (DS-2CD2147G2-SU)

I've set the event type to "motion detection" and I've drawn the areas on both cameras. I've also set the recording schedule to “Event" 24/7, and checked "Human”.
On the live view I get the bell and record icon when motion is detected, and it appears to be recording, but if I go to the playback menu there is nothing under the “Event” tab.
All recordings in the timeline are blue. There are no red recordings.

If I search recordings, drop down event type and select “Motion” I do get a list of event recordings. If I try the “Human” menu, I get one random one and have no idea why it worked once.

So although I’m recording motion detection events, I’m not able to navigate to them or view them as expected.
I’d appreciate some advice.
Thanks!

 

[Dan]

Hi @RexTheRunt

Can you please share a screenshot of the record schedule you have set?

 

[RexTheRunt]

Hi @RexTheRunt

Can you please share a screenshot of the record schedule you have set?

Thanks for your response Dan!
Here is the closest I can get to a "screenshot" at the moment:

 

[Dan]

Thanks @RexTheRunt

We've configured it the same way as you describe on our system and motion recording seems to be working fine.

Can you please share screenshots/photos of the playback timeline and the motion detection area you've drawn?

 

[RexTheRunt]

Thanks @RexTheRunt

We've configured it the same way as you describe on our system and motion recording seems to be working fine.

Can you please share screenshots/photos of the playback timeline and the motion detection area you've drawn?

Thanks Dan, I appreciate your time.

Here we go:

The odd thing is that the grid of red squares only appeared after I'd drawn the area in the browser interface - before that it only appeared as a blue square here on the NVR's interface. I also tried drawing in the ivms-4200 interface, and it wouldn't retain the drawing, and the sensitivity slider would hop back to 1 or 0. After working in the browser interface, it seemed to work properly. (It's a big effort for me to start a Windows VM on my Mac and get network cables attached to my router which is in another building, so I've mostly used the interface directly on the NVR).

 

[Dan]

Thanks @RexTheRunt

It does look like it is working correctly now, you would usually see more gaps in your recording but I think because you have the motion area set to almost the whole image the motion event is triggering more frequently (both correct & incorrect triggers) which leads to more clumped up recordings.

 

[RexTheRunt]

Thanks @RexTheRunt

It does look like it is working correctly now, you would usually see more gaps in your recording but I think because you have the motion area set to almost the whole image the motion event is triggering more frequently (both correct & incorrect triggers) which leads to more clumped up recordings.

Thanks Dan. The issue is that no events are found in the "Playback" menu. Only if I go to the "Search" menu will I find any motion events. And if I try a broad search for "human" I get nothing (except one random video for no apparent reason). Not using face matching.
Normally one would see a red band on the timeline when there's a motion event, but all mine are blue. Seems odd.

 

[Dan]

Okay,

Have you tried going to Normal Playback and clicking the Human filter button in the bottom left of the playback window (see button highlighted in blue in the below image)

If it is working correctly you should see a red marker in each section of the blue event recording (there will always be some just blue areas because these are false detections).

Have you actually watched the footage back in some of the blue areas without markers to confirm if a human was present or not, it might be that you are just getting lots of false detections because you have such a large motion detection area. (Motion Detection is quite a blunt tool, that is why it is referred to as a basic event rather than a smart event, and it can be more prone to false alarms than the more targeted Smart Events)

 

[RexTheRunt]

I've just checked and it doesn't show any red in the time that I found that one human event. There was a human (me testing). If I click on the human icon, and check "Skip normal videos" only that one section will play, so it must working, just not showing red!
It's not a huge issue for me, I just thought seeing as the event search wasn't working as expected, that something might be wrong.

 

[Dan]

Hi @RexTheRunt

Can you please confirm the firmware versions of both the NVR & the cameras?

 

[RexTheRunt]

Thanks for your tenacity Dan!
I've checked that both are the latest...

NVR

Cameras

This below is the latest on their website, but when I tried installing it I got an error "The upgrade firmware version is too low".

 

[Dan]

Hi @RexTheRunt

You've fallen into the trap that has caught out many Hikvision users, the 'check upgrade' button in the Maintenance menu has not worked for many years and you are actually running older firmware. The latest firmware for both the NVR and cameras can be found below:

NVR - V4.72.109 build230107
Camera - V5.7.13 230504

One thing I will say is that these updates might not work as it looks like you might be an American user and these are UK/EU firmware that might not work on American Hikvision hardware, if they don't then I would recommend speaking to Hikvision USA and/or a local CCTV installer who might be able to guide you to the correct latest USA firmware.

 

[RexTheRunt]

Thanks for these links Dan. I'm in South Africa, and it looks like I have the EU versions (both manuals have EU conformity statements).
I'll try the latest firmware now and report back. Is there any risk in using these files, or would I just get an error before the upgrade takes place?

 

[Dan]

Okay,

There shouldn't be any issue trying these firmware versions, if they are not compatible you will just get an 'upgrade failed' error message.

 

[RexTheRunt]

Thanks Dan, I'll try them now.

 

[RexTheRunt]

So I've succeeded with upgrading the firmware on the cameras.

But there's a problem with the NVR. The dropdown "Firmware is greyed out, but I'm able to browse for the file. It starts the upgrade, and then I get the error:

Any ideas? I can't imagine I've got a US NVR and EU cameras...Both manuals have EU certification.

 

[David]

Any ideas? I can't imagine I've got a US NVR and EU cameras...Both manuals have EU certification.

I cannot find your current firmware version anywhere, what is the history behind your NVR? Having worked in Africa I know there is a massive regional variation of products there and some strange firmware loads.

David

 

[RexTheRunt]

I bought it from one of our local suppliers online. The NVR is standard and very common but the cameras were a special order (the ability to take a physical line-in was not standard).
I'm concerned that the firmware dropdown is greyed out to begin with - this is not the case on the cameras. It might be that something is set not to load upgrades?
I will contact Hikvision directly and ask them to give me the correct upgrade link. Don't hold your breath! They generally reply that I need to contact one of my local suppliers, which is always a dead end as I've not bought the hardware from them.

 

[RexTheRunt]

This site (Hikvision Africa) does not even list my model (DS-7604NI-K1/4P).

 

[David]

This site (Hikvision Africa) does not even list my model (DS-7604NI-K1/4P).

Most of the regional sites only list the latest firmware and no older versions. Even an advanced Google search for your NVR firmware and build yielded nothing. Does the NVR serial number plate (on the bottom???) show any regional info?

David