Couple NVR related questions...

[bobreck]

Hi, still pretty new to this stuff and trying to find some answers but not being successful.

1) I have 5 ProHD WiFi cams. They are all connected to the AMDV10808 PoE NVR using the Amcrest PoE Splitters. Everything is working great except being able to talk through the cameras to the room. I can hear audio from the room on my phone/computer, but I can not get the microphone to send audio to the camera. Is there a specific setting I need to use?

2) I need to change my passwords for my cameras. Is there a way to change it through the NVR interface? If not, how exactly do I do that?

Thanks.
Bob

[Melvin]

Hello bobreck,

1) There is no specific setting for MIC, just need to enable the MIC on the live view interface. But it could be because you are on the NVR page. It seems that there is a limitation for the talk function when using the talk function through the NVR.

2) When you connect the cameras through the NVR, the NVR kind of hides the camera behind the NVR from all network activities. To change the password, you will have to login into the web interface of the camera individually. For this though, the camera needs to be connected to the Network directly, not through the NVR. A workaround would be to connect the cable from the router to the NVR on one of the POE ports on the NVR. This way all cameras would get an ip directly from the NVR and then you can access the cameras from a PC connected to the same network. Another way is to connect a PC to one of the POE ports directly and then find the cameras with the IP config tool.

[bobreck]

Melvin, thanks again for the response.

So, should I have all the cameras setup individually in the app as P2P devices too to be able to talk? And then access the individual camera screen instead of the NVR screen?

I'll try connecting to the camera as you suggested for changing the passwords.
Bob

[Melvin]

Hello Bob,

It appears that is the only option currently if you want to use the talk function.

[bobreck]

Ok, so I tried to setup a camera that is connected to the NVR via PoE port as wireless also. The problem is, it seems that connecting an Ethernet (PoE) cable to the camera disables the wireless (or interferes somehow). So I can not have them setup both ways. Only one or the other. When I removed the camera from the NVR and setup as wireless only, the mic started working. But then connecting it back to the NVR appeared to disable the wireless and the camera was no longer directly accessible through the AmcrestView app. It timed out connecting to it.

Is there any chance that cameras connected to an NVR will allow the mic option in the future? If not, please talk to your technical team and let them know this really needs to be fixed. I setup this system to monitor my kids at home before and after school and during the summer vacation months. We need to be able to quickly communicate to them. ("Hey! Stop hitting your brother" and such.) This was a big factor in choosing the cams I did and now I find out that one very sought after function is not available in my configuration (using all Amcrest components).

Appreciate the help you've given me Melvin.
Bob

[Melvin]

Hello bob,

So when the cameras were connected via wifi on the NVR, the audio worked? Did it work only when you added the camera separately on the app or as part of the NVR? Let me knew and I will definitely forward it our R&D team.

[bobreck]

Melvin,
Mic audio will only work (or at least I can only get it to work) when the cameras are connected to my home router (not the NVR) via wifi. I have to disconnect the POE splitter data cable from the rear of the camera (ProHD PTZ) for the wifi to even work/connect. Due to my install requirements (PoE) I left the power portion of the splitter connected to the camera to have power to it.

So, with the wifi camera drawing power only from an NVR PoE port, the wifi was able to connect directly to my router and I could use the mic option. But as soon as I connected the PoE splitter data cable, the wifi camera was unavailable through the app (seems wifi was immediately turned off by connecting the Ethernet cable).

Oh, I believe I had to remove the camera from the NVR first. The setup recognized the serial number as already being connected to the NVR and wouldn't let me add it as wifi. That's when I got the sound tow work through the mic. So it does not seem that it's possible to have it connected to wifi and part of the NVR in the app at the same time. Maybe I did something wrong though.

In the end, I really don't see why I couldn't be able to use the mic option when connected to the NVR. The mic displays on the screen. It says it turns on. The icon in the lower right turns red as if it's ready to record your voice. But nothing gets sent to the camera. There's even a talk option through the NVR interface. I would appreciate you forwarding this on. If there's anything else I can try or provide, I'll be glad to help.

Thanks,
Bob

[Melvin]

Hello Bob,

I will report this issue.

[bobreck]

Hello Bob,

I will report this issue.

Melvin, just checking back since it's been a few weeks. Any input on this from the tech team? I'd like to know if they have at least confirmed that it's an issue. I also see that now Amcrest is offering the ProHD PTZ 1080P cameras with POE. Really wish this was around a few months back when I was building my system. I'm curious if the two way audio works on these when connected to an NVR? Can you inquire about that? Thanks!

Bob

[Melvin]

Hello bobreck,

As per the R&D team there is an issue when cameras are connected to the NVR's POE port. If the cameras are connected wirelessly to the same router the NVR is connected to and then added to the NVR the audio should work. The MIC option still might not work through the NVR on the app but you will get audio on the recordings.