Ideas Please For Lux Level

[Steevo25]

Hi All Again,

Someone may have an idea on this. I have a camera that I have had for a little while that used to be used for a specific purpose but is no longer required for that purpose. Instead of getting rid of the camera ( as it is a good camera ), I thought I would re-use it.

The camera in question is http://www.sctltd.co.uk/acatalog/Day_Night_Cameras.html its the VPW325.

The camera is now installed in my upstairs hallway. The problem is that there is not quite as much light in this position as there was when it was outside, but still ample light for most cameras. The camera works fine and produces an excellent quality picture both in day mode and night mode. My problem is that it switches to night mode just a little while before my other cameras but in the morning it never switches back to day mode again unless I direct some light at it ( e.g. turn the hall light on and then turn it so that the light comes out above the lamp shade ). Once it has gone to day mode ( colour ) it then stays that way until it gets dark again. Then I have to repeat the process in the morning again. It seems as though the LUX level for the filter change control is a little too high for going from night mode to day mode.

The instructions ( which can also be viewed on the website above ) show that there are a few DIP Switches and one of them is to adjust the LUX level of the filter change control. I have just taken the camera apart to see if the DIP SW made any difference to find that there are not any DIP Switches in the camera. It looks as though it may have originaly been designed for DIP Switches and then they changed their minds. I can see the space on the circuit board where the DIP Switches should be.

Is there any way that I can change anything that will let the camera switch at a lower light level. Unfortunately, there is now way I can bring more light to the camera. I could change the bulb in our normal hall light to a higher wattage so that it will switch to day mode when you turn a light on, but I would like it to do this automatically. Although the area is not quite as bright as other places, there is still ample light during daylight hours. Certainly a cheapo camera I have switches from night mode to day mode fine but I don't want to use that one because the picture quality is bad.

The only adjustment I can find inside the camera is a POT which looks like it is the IRIS level adjustement. Externally, there is a screw adjustment for Zoom, Focus and DC Level.

Despite this problem, the camera is excellent in every other way which is the reason I don't want to get rid of it.

Any ideas would be much appreciated.

[Rich]

Depending on what causes the camera to switch between day and night, it could be the light level of the lens or possibly the sensor for the IR LED's.

Lets assume its the lens, with the hall light on, with the camera in night mode, adjust the DC pot on the outside of the camera, turn it fully anti clockwise, then very slowly turn it clockwise until the camera switches back to colour, ideally you would be able to watch the picture from the camera as you do this. Hopefully the camera will switch, then turn the light off and it should switch back to night mode.

Test it with the hall light and if it doesnt quite work, make little adjustments to the DC pot.

[Steevo25]

Thanks for the reply, I tried adjusting the DC Level. All it achieved was the contrast of the camera and colour saturation changed and then after about half a turn either way the picture went black. Turned it back to where it was and the picture went back to being fine again. The camera still stayed in night mode. Since there is very little configuration that can be done I guess it is going to be the case of getting another camera. As it stands the image during the day is bad because it is in night mode with too much light that the image appears washed out. Once I force it into colour mode the picture is perfect.

I think its a bit bad of the manufacturer to sell the camera saying that these features are adjustablebut actually they are not. Even the instructions that come with the camera show the DIP SW functions but in reality they do not exist.

I can't find out who the manufacturer actually is as nothing seems to come up on that model number.

Depending on what causes the camera to switch between day and night, it could be the light level of the lens or possibly the sensor for the IR LED's.

Lets assume its the lens, with the hall light on, with the camera in night mode, adjust the DC pot on the outside of the camera, turn it fully anti clockwise, then very slowly turn it clockwise until the camera switches back to colour, ideally you would be able to watch the picture from the camera as you do this. Hopefully the camera will switch, then turn the light off and it should switch back to night mode.

Test it with the hall light and if it doesnt quite work, make little adjustments to the DC pot.

[Rich]

I very much doubt you will find a manufacturer of the camera, your only real hope is to talk to the origional supplier.

Around the lens there is a ring of LED's is that right? try and cover just the lens and you will see one of the LED's is actually a light sensor. If you cover the light sensor up or give it some light (seperate to the light getting into the lens), does that alter the camera?

[Steevo25]

Yes, I can see the sensor, it is the only area in the 'ring' that does not glow red. If I provide a little additional light then it does switch back to day mode ( i.e. just turn the lamp shade on the main light so it shines at the sensor ).

Also, yesterday it did switch into day mode just for a couple of hours all on its own, I guess there was just a little bit of extra light getting into the window. During the day, although it is not quite as bright in that position as i is in the other rooms of the house, there is still ample lighting. For example, if I take a picture with my normal digital camera I get a perfect picture without the flash.

I think that the filter change level is just set slightly too high. The camera says it is for internal or external use but I think the manufacturer has geared it more for external use where there is much more light than there is in the position it is now.

My cheapo camera that I have just hung next to it switches to day mode at about 8am in the morning and then switches back to night mode at about 4pm. It also switches back to day mode if we switch the hall light on. But unfortunately the picture quality of that cheapo camera is total rubbish ( lots of noise in night mode and not really a crisp image in day or night mode ). The cheapo camera also has problems with the colour blue as it shows it as green.

When working, this better camera gives a perfect image in both day and night mode with a clear crisp picture and absolutely no noise in night mode. The IR also illuminates the hallway and stairs at night perfectly. Its just a shame that the LEDs will probably be burnt out within the year.

The original suppliers couldn' really tell me much more about the camera than I have already discovered. They were as surprised as I was to find no DIP Switches. They even took one apart when I was on the phone as I don't think they believed me at first.

I very much doubt you will find a manufacturer of the camera, your only real hope is to talk to the origional supplier.

Around the lens there is a ring of LED's is that right? try and cover just the lens and you will see one of the LED's is actually a light sensor. If you cover the light sensor up or give it some light (seperate to the light getting into the lens), does that alter the camera?

[Rich]

So its the sensor on the camera that appears to cause the camera to switch between day and night?

It mentioned under the info for that camera that you can switch between 1 or 2 lux, this could be as simple as linking one of the sections where the dip switch was, but I couldn't really help you more than that.

For your other camera, you say the colour is wrong, blue is green, this is because there is no IR filter in place, maybe your camera is switched perm on night mode, or it has a mechanical filter that isn't moving into place properly, try and give it a short sharp tap and see if the colour corrects itself. Although you say its cheap then that could be one of the reasons why.

[Steevo25]

The cheapo camera wont be used anymore, I only use it now for testing. You know how it is, you start with a cheap and cheefull CCTV system and then you start improving things. I started with a cheap DVR and a couple of cameras that cost about

[Doktor Jon]

Steevo25,

You seem to have a pretty good idea what you're looking for on the PCB's so it would be difficult to offer any suggestions above and beyond what you've already thought of. I'd be a bit hesitant to fit any DIP's unless you are absolutely certain what it is you are switching.

The pot you mentioned could be to adjust absolutely anything, so unless you are fairly confident that you know what it's for, then I'd suggest you leave it alone.

The only suggestion I could make, and this is only if you are feeling brave, is perhaps remove the light sensor and relocate it outside of the camera pointing towards a window / light source, and reconnect it to the camera using a couple of extended 7/0.2mm conductors. If it's able to see the light changes earlier, then hopefully it will respond better (obviously make a note if there are any polarity issues).

Obviously you don't want to compromise the warranty, so perhaps that is the final action of a desperate man, rather than a preferred option

[Steevo25]

I am gradually finding out more and more as I look at it. I took it to bits last night and had a good look. There are positions for 5 DIP Switches. Following them it seems to be configured as the following

DIP1 - Filter Change Control ( ON - 1LUX, OFF = 2LUX )

DIP2 - Flicker Control ( ON, OFF )

DIP3 - BLC ( ON, OFF )

DIP4 - AGC ( ON, OFF )

DIP5 - EL/ML Shutter ( OFF - EL, ON - ML )

Also, looking at the circuit board it seems that DIP4 has a jumper wire underneathe that makes it on. The POT seems to be the GAIN control that basically does nothing because the AGC is jumpered on. Every other DIP SW is in the off position. So as it stands it looks like the camera is preset at the factory with the following settings and cannot be changed by default.

Filter Change Control = 2LUX

Flicker Control = OFF

BLC = OFF

AGC = ON

ML Shutter ( Not sure what the difference is between EL and ML shutter, I understand all the other settings )

It looks like I can set the Filter Change Level to 1LUX by placing a jumper wire on where DIP1 should be.

Steevo25,

You seem to have a pretty good idea what you're looking for on the PCB's so it would be difficult to offer any suggestions above and beyond what you've already thought of. I'd be a bit hesitant to fit any DIP's unless you are absolutely certain what it is you are switching.

The pot you mentioned could be to adjust absolutely anything, so unless you are fairly confident that you know what it's for, then I'd suggest you leave it alone.

The only suggestion I could make, and this is only if you are feeling brave, is perhaps remove the light sensor and relocate it outside of the camera pointing towards a window / light source, and reconnect it to the camera using a couple of extended 7/0.2mm conductors. If it's able to see the light changes earlier, then hopefully it will respond better (obviously make a note if there are any polarity issues).

Obviously you don't want to compromise the warranty, so perhaps that is the final action of a desperate man, rather than a preferred option