Not Getting Alerts? A Guide to Fixing Fermax Motion Detection
Your Fermax video intercom system provides a crucial layer of security by alerting you to activity at your property. When its motion detection feature fails to work, you lose that proactive monitoring. Whether you're missing visitor notifications or the system isn't recording events as expected, the issue is often related to configuration and settings.
This guide will walk you through the essential checks and adjustments to get your Fermax motion detection working reliably.
## How Fermax Video Motion Detection Works
Most modern Fermax systems use pixel-based motion detection. The system continuously analyses the video feed, looking for changes in the pixels from one frame to the next. When a significant number of pixels change in a defined area, it triggers a motion event. Understanding this is key to troubleshooting, as the system isn't 'seeing' a person, but rather a change in the image.
Troubleshooting Steps for Fermax Motion Detection
Let's systematically address the potential reasons your system isn't triggering alerts.
### 1. Confirm Motion Detection is Enabled
This may seem basic, but it's the most common reason for a lack of alerts. Settings can be accidentally changed or misconfigured during initial setup.
- Access your Fermax system's configuration settings. This might be through a dedicated software on a PC, a web interface, or directly through the monitor panel.
- Navigate to the settings for the specific outdoor panel or camera in question.
- Locate the "Motion Detection" or "Video Motion" section.
- Ensure that the feature is enabled or toggled on.
- Check for any scheduling settings. Make sure motion detection is active during the times and days you expect it to be.
### 2. Configure Motion Detection Zones
Running motion detection on the entire screen can be inefficient and lead to missed events or false alarms. Defining specific zones is crucial.
- Define the Area: In the motion detection settings, you should see an option to set up "Activity Zones" or "Detection Areas". This usually involves drawing a grid or box over the parts of the video you want to monitor.
- Be Specific: Draw zones tightly around the areas of interest, such as your walkway, porch, or gate entrance.
- Exclude Nuisance Areas: Make sure you do not include areas with constant, irrelevant motion, like a public road, rustling trees, or a flag blowing in the wind. Monitoring these areas can overwhelm the system or cause it to ignore genuine events.
### 3. Adjust Sensitivity and Threshold Levels
Sensitivity determines how much change is needed to trigger an event.
- Sensitivity: This setting controls how sensitive the system is to changes in the pixels. A setting that is too low will require a very large object to move before it triggers. A setting that is too high will trigger from shadows or rain.
- Threshold/Object Size: Some systems have a secondary setting for object size or threshold. This helps the system ignore very small changes (like insects flying by) and focus on larger objects.
Action: Start with the sensitivity at a medium level. If you are missing events, increase the sensitivity in small increments. Test after each change. Finding the right balance may take some trial and error.
### 4. Check Lighting and Environmental Conditions
The performance of video motion detection is highly dependent on the quality of the video image.
- Sufficient Light: During the day, ensure the camera isn't pointed directly at the sun, which can create glare and dark silhouettes.
- Night Vision: At night, verify that the system's infrared (IR) illumination is working correctly. If the night vision is weak or blurry, it cannot effectively detect motion in the dark. Make sure the IR LEDs are clean and unobstructed.
- Weather: Heavy rain, snow, or fog can sometimes trigger false alerts or, conversely, obscure real motion. While you can't control the weather, be aware of its impact.
### 5. Update System Firmware
Fermax may release firmware updates for their panels and monitors to improve performance and fix known software bugs. A glitch in the existing firmware could be affecting the motion detection logic.
- Check the official Fermax website or contact your installer to see if there are any available firmware updates for your specific model.
- Updating the firmware can often resolve persistent and unexplained issues.
### 6. Review App and Notification Settings
If the system is recording events but you are not receiving alerts on your smartphone, the issue lies with the notification settings, not the detection itself.
- Open the Fermax app (e.g., BLUE) on your phone.
- Go into the app's settings and ensure that push notifications are enabled for your system and for motion events specifically.
- Also, check your phone's main settings to make sure you haven't accidentally blocked notifications from the Fermax app.
By systematically working through these steps, you can identify and correct the vast majority of issues preventing your Fermax system from detecting motion. If the problem persists, there may be a more complex network or hardware issue that requires assistance from a professional installer.