Dahua IP Camera: Motion Detection Zone Configuration

Dahua IP cameras support multi-zone motion detection where each zone can have independent sensitivity settings. This lets you ignore low-priority background areas — a busy road, waving trees — while remaining responsive in areas that matter, such as a doorway or safe location.

Accessing Motion Detection Settings

1. Log in to the camera web interface.
2. Navigate to Setting > Event > Video Detect > Motion Detect.
3. Tick Enable to activate motion detection.

Anti-Dither (Alarm Hold-Off)

Anti-dither prevents rapid re-triggering when a subject moves through the scene. The camera memorises only one event during the anti-dither period — useful for avoiding repeated alarm notifications from a single continuous movement.

• Range: 0–100 seconds.
• Recommended starting point: 5–10 seconds for most installations.
• Set to 0 only if every individual movement must be logged separately.

Detection Zones and Sensitivity

Click Area to open the zone editor. The camera supports up to four independent detection regions (Region 1–4), each displayed in a different colour overlay.

Per-zone settings:

Setting	Description
Name	Region 1–4 or custom label
Sensitivity	0–100. Higher sensitivity triggers on smaller or slower motion. Recommended range: 30–70.
Area	Draw irregular or discontinuous zones on the frame. Default covers the full scene.

Workflow:

1. Select a region from the dropdown (Region 1, 2, 3, 4).
2. Click and drag on the live view grid to draw the detection zone. Zones can be non-rectangular and non-contiguous.
3. Set the sensitivity for that region.
4. Repeat for each zone you need.
5. Click Save before closing — unsaved zones are discarded.

Practical tips:

• Exclude sky, busy roads, and areas with persistent light movement (foliage, flags) by leaving them outside any detection zone.
• Use lower sensitivity on larger zones and higher sensitivity on critical small zones (e.g., a door frame).
• Commissioning check: walk through each zone and confirm only the intended areas trigger events in the log.

Working Period (Arm Schedule)

Set the arm schedule under Working Period to restrict motion detection to active hours. Six periods per day are available. Outside these periods, motion events are not raised even if motion occurs.

Drag to define each period or click the pencil icon for precise time entry.

Alarm Linkages

Linkage	Notes
Record	Triggers a recording segment. Requires a recording schedule set to "Motion" or "Alarm" mode in Storage > Schedule.
Record Delay	Extends recording after motion stops. Range: 10–300 seconds.
Relay Output	Activates an external alarm device wired to the camera's relay terminal.
Alarm Delay	Extends relay output after alarm ends. Range: 10–300 seconds.
Send Email	Email alert to configured SMTP address when motion starts and ends.
Audio Linkage	Plays an alarm audio clip through the camera's integrated speaker.
Flash Linkage	Activates the camera's white-light strobe during alarm period.
Snapshot	Captures still images on motion trigger.
PTZ	Moves an associated PTZ camera to a defined preset when motion is detected.

Additional Detections on the Video Detect Page

The same page also exposes:

• Video Mask Detection — alarms when the camera lens is deliberately covered or obscured.
• Defocus Detection — alarms when the image becomes blurred (e.g., spray on the lens or intentional defocus).

Enable both for tamper detection on critical cameras.

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This article was adapted from dahuawiki's original guidance: "EventVideoDetect" — https://dahuawiki.com/EventVideoDetect Habitech-edited for UK trade installer context. Original © Dahua Technology Co., Ltd.