Hi. I’ve got the microphone enabled on a few of my cameras and when I view the camera directly through it’s UI the audio is clean. When I view that same camera through the web UI of NCS I get a terrible clicking sound. This leads me to believe the issue lies within NCS somewhere. What is causing this? Below is a link to an example…
Hi Neal,
The camera have a built in ultrasonic rangefinder. The frequency of the sound is a function of the distance to the car. You can use it as a burglar alarms so when the car is moved the frequency of the clicking sound will change. Nice feature, don´t you think ;).
Just kidding! Yes, sort of annoying sound. I really need to know more about the camera, but here are some things that you can test. How did you connect the camera. Using a template, onvif or custom url? It probably have something to do with how the sound in the camera is encoded and the codec in NCS. In the configuration of the camera can you change how it is encoded. Sometimes it is possible to change between AAC, g.711 and g.726. Test if that is possible. Also if it is possible to connect the camera to NCS using a different method than you use now. Is it the same problem with all cameras or is it with a specific one?
This is what I have for the moment.
-Henrik
Thanks. I’ve tried all the audio settings for the cameras. The options there are LPCM, G.726, and G.711. All have the same clicking sound after a reconnect. I’m using RTSP through a custom URL but the same happens when using an MJPEG template (which is all that’s available in NCS for my camera manufacturer). It’s an iCam 2 (Sercomm made).
Does the template for QTY6 works for your camera? What rtsp do you use?
If the sound is still there for mjpeg then it is something in the computer that interferes with the audio system when ncs is running. I have never heard of this problem before so it must be something local that we must find.
-If you use the rtsp and connect to the cam using VLC do you have this ticking sound also?
-If you view it through the windows client is the sound there also?
-When running ncs and have that sound and remove the LAN cable from the computer is the sound still there?
-If you run ncs and close ALL other applications is the ticking still there?
-Do you have another computer to run ncs on?
-Have you uninstalled ncs and installed it again if something went wrong in the process.
When starting NCS X are there any errors or warnings in the list of text?
-Henrik
-Does the template for QTY6 works for your camera? ANSWER: yes, QTY6 works but it’s only for MJPEG and the sound is still there.
-What rtsp do you use? ANSWER: rtsp://IP_ADDRESS/img/media.sav
-If you use the rtsp and connect to the cam using VLC do you have this ticking sound also? ANSWER: No, the clicking noise is not there through VLC
-If you view it through the windows client is the sound there also? ANSWER: No, the clicking noise only happens when viewing a live stream or recording from NCS.
-When running ncs and have that sound and remove the LAN cable from the computer is the sound still there? ANSWER: No, the network is disconnected so the stream stops from all the cameras.
-If you run ncs and close ALL other applications is the ticking still there? ANSWER: Yes, the ticking is still there.
-Do you have another computer to run ncs on? ANSWER: YES, I run NCS on another machine at a different property and it also exhibits the same behavior with the same cameras.
-Have you uninstalled ncs and installed it again if something went wrong in the process. ANSWER- Yes, several times.
When starting NCS X are there any errors or warnings in the list of text? ANSWER-No
ALSO—If it’s helpful, I can upload a recorded clip to YouTube for you to hear the noise.----
Here’s a link to a clip I just put up on YouTube:
Thanks for all your testing and answers. Well, it´s certainly an annoying sound.
Do have only this type of camera and is it the same problem from them all?
If you have another brand is it quiet from them?
I have worked with so many different cameras and never had this noise. However, it is always a first. Just now I suspect a mismatch between the audio codec in the camera and the decoder used in NCS. It is very sensitive and if some parameter to not follow standard it can generate unwanted sounds. But I am not sure.
I would very much like to have access to the camera to do some tests. I send you a PM for exchange of details.
-Henrik
Thanks. I replied to your PM with details. This is the only camera brand I have. I have a few of the older model but they behave the same way. I’ve tried all the different audio formats in the camera settings and they behave the same way.
What brand and model(s) do you have? Only asking to aviod it until a solution have been found.
It’s a Sercomm iCam 2.
The solution is in NCS to use the Software_VLC in the Decoding Settings.
@Henrik that was only a temporary fix. The noise is back again on more than one camera (all Sercomm iCam2 at my house).