I mentioned in a previous post that I wanted to be able to disable the IR (infrared) lights on the front of my Hootoo Pan and Tilt IP Camera that come on when it detects low light. When these cameras are setup inside, but directed outside, the IR just bounces off of the window. So far I have been unsuccessful searching for a software solution to disable the IR lights, and as far as I know there is no physical switch or jumper to disable them. So today, being the mechanical type, I decided to open up the camera to find out if there was a way to electro-mechanically disable them without rendering them permanently disabled. I was afraid that the entire camera/light assembly would be fully integrated, but to my luck the IR assembly was separate from the camera assembly, separated by a four wire jumper harness.
I simply removed two screws in the back of the camera with a Phillips screwdriver to separate the camera housing. Them I used a flat screwdriver to pop off the harness at the IR board. the jumper harness can be easily reconnected, but will require removing the main camera board with two additional Phillips screws simply to gain better access so that I can reconnect with my fat fingers. Everything else including motion detection is still functioning. So, this will be a good short-term solution to the IR light issue. Next step may be to actually put a switch in the power source of the four wire harness and install an external switch so that I can manually enable and disable the IR without disassembling. This would be great for the camera that I sometimes re-position for specific needs, like tornado watching out the front and back windows.
I included a few pictures of the process below so you can decide if this is something you would want to pursue.
Still, I need to keep a piece of dark paper taped to the front of the camera to suppress the natural reflection of the camera itself in the glass just due to ambient lighting hitting the camera.
Now, if I could only figure out what to do about the motion detection dumping too many pictures to the FTP.
UPDATE: I think I figured out a work around to the motion detection issue here.
I simply removed two screws in the back of the camera with a Phillips screwdriver to separate the camera housing. Them I used a flat screwdriver to pop off the harness at the IR board. the jumper harness can be easily reconnected, but will require removing the main camera board with two additional Phillips screws simply to gain better access so that I can reconnect with my fat fingers. Everything else including motion detection is still functioning. So, this will be a good short-term solution to the IR light issue. Next step may be to actually put a switch in the power source of the four wire harness and install an external switch so that I can manually enable and disable the IR without disassembling. This would be great for the camera that I sometimes re-position for specific needs, like tornado watching out the front and back windows.
I included a few pictures of the process below so you can decide if this is something you would want to pursue.
Still, I need to keep a piece of dark paper taped to the front of the camera to suppress the natural reflection of the camera itself in the glass just due to ambient lighting hitting the camera.
Now, if I could only figure out what to do about the motion detection dumping too many pictures to the FTP.
UPDATE: I think I figured out a work around to the motion detection issue here.
1 comment:
Years of aggravation, solved by your blog post. Thank you. My Camera announced itself in the most glaring way possible with it's distracting red IR lights. I could not turn if off even thought there was a link switch to do so. Now it fades into the background and the colors are so much sharper without the constant IR. This WANSCAM (a little different than yours) works in the minimum of light. Now I am so happy. Thank you.
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