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[shervine6]

I'm trying to set-up my camera with a power timer. So it comes on at 10pm and turns off at 6am.
(I have the cameras record settings @ 10:30pm to 5:30am)
Is this even possible, or does it require constant power?
Thank you all in advance.
shervine6

[JavaLawyer]

A number of  DCS-9XXL owners have successfully tethered their IP cameras to house timers for the purpose of performing a daily reboot to ensure camera access in the event the camera freezes or becomes unresponsive. This scheduled power cycling is most likely a much shorter duration than you are considering, but doesn't seem to have had an adverse impact to their cameras.

Please post your results if you opt to place your DCS-942L on a schedule.  

[Joe Public]

If you read the DCS-942L WishList there is a known bug that affects DCS942L users whenever the cam is powered-off and then powered-on again regarding the time using NTP server (the wishlist says "Time - NTP not functioning properly (issue reported by multiple users)").

So every time the cam is powered-on (after power-off logically), it is not able to get the current date/time, so you must update it manually.

This bug prevents users to use a power schedule on this cam. For this reason cam must remain always powered-on (you even need a UPS device in order to do it!!!).

This awful behavior doesn't affect other D-Link cams, such as my DCS-2230 for example.... this gives me the idea that D-Link doesn't share the same useful code on their several cams!!!

[JavaLawyer]

If you read the DCS-942L WishList there is a known bug that affects DCS942L users whenever the cam is powered-off and then powered-on again regarding the time using NTP server (the wishlist says "Time - NTP not functioning properly (issue reported by multiple users)").

So every time the cam is powered-on (after power-off logically), it is not able to get the current date/time, so you must update it manually.

This bug prevents users to use a power schedule on this cam. For this reason cam must remain always powered-on (you even need a UPS device in order to do it!!!).

This awful behavior doesn't affect other D-Link cams, such as my DCS-2230 for example.... this gives me the idea that D-Link doesn't share the same useful code on their several cams!!!

Thanks for the clarification. . . I didn't connect the dots on that one. 

[brian5]

This may have been something fixed in 1.11, I'm not sure, but 1 of the bug fixes was:

2. Improving ntpd compatibility (Fixed the camera is not getting synchronized with NTP server - a.st1.ntp.br)

Version: 1.11-1330_WW
Date: Mar. 30, 2012

Firmware history from support site:
 http://tsd.dlink.com.tw/temp/PMD/9597/DCS-942L_FW1.11-1426WW_ReleaseNote.doc

[Joe Public]

This may have been something fixed in 1.11, I'm not sure, but 1 of the bug fixes was:

2. Improving ntpd compatibility (Fixed the camera is not getting synchronized with NTP server - a.st1.ntp.br)

Version: 1.11-1330_WW
Date: Mar. 30, 2012

Firmware history from support site:
 http://tsd.dlink.com.tw/temp/PMD/9597/DCS-942L_FW1.11-1426WW_ReleaseNote.doc

Please take note that "a.st1.ntp.br" is a real NTP server (located in Brazil), search on Google to have some references for it (so may that firmware 1.11 has solved the problem to get date/time from a/m NTP server).
I have firmware 1.11 (EU version) and I still have this problem with NTP server (after a power-off), even using an alternate NTP server (I have DHCP enabled on cam, I've not tested with a fixed IP address).
For this reason, I am obliged to keep the cam always powered-on.
Hope this problem may be solved on next firmwares.
Strangely this problem doesn't exist on my other cam DCS2230 (for this reason I presume that they have different binary code for retrieving current time/date from NTP server or they have a different behavior after power-loss).

[Joe Public]

Thanks for the clarification. . . I didn't connect the dots on that one. 

I suggest you to include in the WishList also the phrase "Time - NTP not functioning properly after power-loss" in order to push D-Link solve this serious bug that happens after a power-loss.

[JavaLawyer]

I suggest you to include in the WishList also the phrase "Time - NTP not functioning properly after power-loss" in order to push D-Link solve this serious bug that happens after a power-loss.

That request was previously included on the list.  

[brian5]

Would I need to leave it unplugged for a certain length of time to see this? (I assume there's no short term internal power for the clock?) I usually leave mine plugged in, but I tried a few times unplugging it for half an hour then plugging it back in and it seems to contact the NTP server pretty quickly.(non-eu firmware, using pool.ntp.org)

[Joe Public]

Would I need to leave it unplugged for a certain length of time to see this? (I assume there's no short term internal power for the clock?) I usually leave mine plugged in, but I tried a few times unplugging it for half an hour then plugging it back in and it seems to contact the NTP server pretty quickly.(non-eu firmware, using pool.ntp.org)

Today evening I've updated the firmware to latest EU release 1.12.1628 (downloaded from mydlink support page), and I've tested this behavior again to see if this bug still exists. I've powered-off and then powered-on the cam six times, with a delay of at least two minutes between power-off and power-on. The log confirmed, with following two lines, to get time from NTP server without any problem:

[date time]  System time is set directly with NTP time, some time-based services may be restarted.
[date time]  Synchronization with NTP server is OK.

Next days I will try to test it again many times in order to confirm if this bug has been solved with 1.12 firmware release (now I've not any opportunities to test this bug with older 1.11 firmware release).

Keep you posted.

[update]
On Mydlink support page there is also a new WW firmware release 1.12.1608 (dated July 4th, 2012).

[Joe Public]

This is part of the release note .doc file for firmware 1.12 (found on french FTP site) - note that NTP bug has been solved:

V1.12_1628 (EU)
V1.12_1608 (WW)

* Update mydlink agent to 2.0.15-B11.
* Add SD card warning message.
* Add mydlink agent version information.
* Fine tune NTP failure when network is not accessible at boot time.
* Support Direct View Web Pages.
* Using following URL to get live video
   - http://camera_ip/vaview.htm for Windows IE
   - http://camera_ip/vjview.htm for non-Windows IE