Spec me a CCTV System

Longbow · 17 Oct 2021 at 14:02

Dandle said:
Yes I use a Hikvision ds-7616ni-k2 gives me about two months footage with four cameras on a 4tb HD. I bought it and the cameras from the Chinese website. They are so cheap that it doesn't matter about warranty and they are all international firmware upgradeable.

Do you use the privacy masks on that NVR? If so how many can you place? My annoyance with my current one is you can only place 4 boxes.

ChrisD. · 18 Oct 2021 at 09:41

I'm going to have to get something set up at home so will be keeping an eye on this thread.

Deep · 18 Oct 2021 at 11:16

WJA96 said:
https://www.broadbandbuyer.com/products/40039-dahua-technology-ipc-hdw3549h-as-pv-0280/ - 2.8mm version. Change the 0280 at the door for 0360 or 0600 for the 3.6mm or 6.0mm versions.

Cheers for that, I can't find the 6.0mm version but can purchase the 3.6mm for £110 (+VAT).
For 1 camera, mounting bracket and NVR (with no hard drives) it's totalling £572. That seems bit expensive all in, is this about correct though?

mushtafa · 19 Oct 2021 at 13:35

Does anyone have any experience with the HiLook NVRs? I have a few questions, as can't find much on Google.

It's this one in particular: HiLook NVR-104MH-C/4P

Does this have motion detection?
Can you add black boxes to hide from view if required?
Is there an easy to use app available?

WJA96 · 19 Oct 2021 at 14:28

Deep said:
Cheers for that, I can't find the 6.0mm version but can purchase the 3.6mm for £110 (+VAT).
For 1 camera, mounting bracket and NVR (with no hard drives) it's totalling £572. That seems bit expensive all in, is this about correct though?

That seems quite pricey. The camera is £100-ish + VAT, the mount is £15+VAT depending on which one you buy (PFA-130E is the usual one) and a suitable 4-channel recorder should be £140-ish + VAT without a HDD.

So £310 should do it for a single camera.

Deep · 20 Oct 2021 at 09:59

WJA96 said:
That seems quite pricey. The camera is £100-ish + VAT, the mount is £15+VAT depending on which one you buy (PFA-130E is the usual one) and a suitable 4-channel recorder should be £140-ish + VAT without a HDD.

So £310 should do it for a single camera.

Ah I should have specified, I'm buying an 8 channel NVR, which would explain the price differential.
In the future I'll be buying another 4-5 cameras to cover the entire property (it's a detached house so need to cover both sides unfortunately).
But the price doesn't seem that different, I'll order the camera today.

Cheers for your help!

WJA96 · 20 Oct 2021 at 11:15

NVR2108HS-8P-I-1T - 8 Channel - IP Network Recording (securitydynamics.co.uk) is the base WizSense NVR (needed to process the alarm requests from the TiOC cameras) and that's £170+VAT. So only about £36 more when the VAT is included. Which recorder are you looking at?

Deep · 20 Oct 2021 at 11:22

I was looking at the https://www.broadbandbuyer.com/products/37826-dahua-technology-nvr5208-8p-4ks2e/

Which is £276 + VAT

WJA96 · 20 Oct 2021 at 11:30

In fact BBB have that recorder for £140+VAT. Which is cheaper than I can get it from Dahua in the UK!

WJA96 · 20 Oct 2021 at 11:34

Deep said:
I was looking at the https://www.broadbandbuyer.com/products/37826-dahua-technology-nvr5208-8p-4ks2e/

Which is £276 + VAT

You're paying a lot of money for features you possibly don't need - auto-tracking on non-auto-track PTZs, ANPR, Facial Recognition and Fisheye Camera deskew. And two HDD. That recorder is a BEAST. It's more computer than NVR. It's a touch overkill for a domestic project. But I can't talk - I have that one myself at home!

Deep · 20 Oct 2021 at 11:41

WJA96 said:
You're paying a lot of money for features you possibly don't need - auto-tracking on non-auto-track PTZs, ANPR, Facial Recognition and Fisheye Camera deskew. And two HDD. That recorder is a BEAST. It's more computer than NVR. It's a touch overkill for a domestic project. But I can't talk - I have that one myself at home!

Bloody hell no wonder I couldn't find any cheaper ones.

I've been selecting 8-Channel NVRs on the filter, and that only gives you the 2 bay bad boy.
If you select all NVRs then filter Dahua, then 8 on No. of Channels you get a lot more options!

I'm going to change it to the one you recommended, I very much doubt I'd need any of that stuff tbh
I just want a clear recorded image of a face and number plate if needed.

Vimes · 20 Oct 2021 at 11:56

For that NVR linked, as an example, how compatible would it be with Hikvision cameras?

I noted they list....

Arecont Vision, Airlive, AXIS, Canon, Dynacolor, JVC, LG, Panasonic, Pelco, PSIA, Samsung, Sanyo, Sony, Watchnet and more

........ and whilst more might cover Hikvision I wondered if compatibility might be an issue with either manufacturer, using mixed cameras or NVR..?

WJA96 · 20 Oct 2021 at 12:25

Vimes said:
For that NVR linked, as an example, how compatible would it be with Hikvision cameras?

I noted they list....

Arecont Vision, Airlive, AXIS, Canon, Dynacolor, JVC, LG, Panasonic, Pelco, PSIA, Samsung, Sanyo, Sony, Watchnet and more

........ and whilst more might cover Hikvision I wondered if compatibility might be an issue with either manufacturer, using mixed cameras or NVR..?

What you may have been aware of but didn’t connect is those brands are all OEM’d by Dahua. Hikvision have a similar, but different, group of brands on their compatibility list.

It will take images from any ONVIF compatible camera but you may need to independently configure any advanced capabilities on the camera itself whereas with Dahua cameras it can configure them from the NVR interface without having to shell out to the camera's own control panel.

Vimes · 20 Oct 2021 at 12:42

@WJA96 Probably no different to the NVR's made by Hikvision in relation to any other branded camera then. It can be somewhat easier to do as you suggested but in our home use it also isn't much of an issue to log into each of the cameras and make adjustments there, the advanced aspects of control needs to be done on the camera in any case for my setup. Altho that might reflect my aged NVR.

good to know that they would work tho. Surprised how much cheaper it is at Ali over BBB, usual caveats apply.

WJA96 · 20 Oct 2021 at 15:32

Vimes said:
@WJA96 Probably no different to the NVR's made by Hikvision in relation to any other branded camera then. It can be somewhat easier to do as you suggested but in our home use it also isn't much of an issue to log into each of the cameras and make adjustments there, the advanced aspects of control needs to be done on the camera in any case for my setup. Altho that might reflect my aged NVR.

good to know that they would work tho. Surprised how much cheaper it is at Ali over BBB, usual caveats apply.

BBB are bringing their gear in through a grey channel from Holland (which is why they have prices on their website for people who are not validated by Dahua as genuine trained installers) and it's not supported by Dahua so you get 12 months warranty (business-to-business sale) rather than 3 years when bought from and installed by an authorised dealer.

Likewise, the stuff on AliExpress can be literally anything. The unbranded stuff is generally factory cosmetic rejects that sometimes have never been QA tested but generally work just fine. You just need to make sure it has the international firmware so it's upgradeable rather than Chinese firmware that generally isn't. And despite what the sellers on AliExpress say, good luck getting any form of warranty cover out of them, and HMRC have really tightened up on imports since Brexit, so sometimes you get a bill from the courier before they deliver it.

Vimes · 21 Oct 2021 at 08:48

I suppose, like I mentioned, you have to be aware of the potential risks, against some pretty good savings, when buying from AliExpress.
I have been fortunate with the dealers I have bought from, going back to just over a decade when I bought Analogue CCTV stuff from them.
I have saved a comparative fortune over the years against the prices in the UK. I do remember one of the dealers I bought from sold me a replacement lens kit, when I changed an analogue camera from 6mm to either 2.8 or 4mm. That kit was very cheap and the contact and service was great.
Neither myself or my friend has had issues with either cameras, DVR's or, later, NVR's when bought from them.
The earlier stuff seemed to be hacked Chinese kit, hacked to the English language. There were ways of upgrading the firmware, long forgotten, but there were very real risks as well.
The two Hikvision cameras I recently bought from them are Internal based and both have been updated to the recently released firmware with no issues.
Always going to be risks, real or not. But offsetting that is the potential to make some damn good savings over what can be charged here.

EDIT: Thinking about it, a little vague tho as it was a long time ago. I did have some issues with one analogue camera many years ago, that was several months after buying it. I sent details etc to the seller, including video of the problem with the image, they sent me a brand new replacement camera. Again a little hazy on the details, but it worked out well in the end.

Mark M · 23 Oct 2021 at 22:47

Could anyone suggest a basic 4 camera and NVR set up for an office? I need 2 outdoor cameras and 2 internal but Id like them to be quite discrete. Probably leaning towards dome cameras but open to options.

I’ve got a hikvision 8 camera NVR set up at home which I got from Aliexpress about 5 years ago but I know there’s been lots of changes with Ali, Hik and HMRC!

WJA96 · 26 Oct 2021 at 06:02

Mark M said:
Could anyone suggest a basic 4 camera and NVR set up for an office? I need 2 outdoor cameras and 2 internal but Id like them to be quite discrete. Probably leaning towards dome cameras but open to options.

I’ve got a hikvision 8 camera NVR set up at home which I got from Aliexpress about 5 years ago but I know there’s been lots of changes with Ali, Hik and HMRC!

Why would you want discrete? Surveillance cameras have two functions - surveillance, obviously, and deterrence. Discrete cameras won’t give you any deterrence.

That said, what area do you want to cover and do you want colour images in the dark?

Mark M · 26 Oct 2021 at 07:21

WJA96 said:
Why would you want discrete? Surveillance cameras have two functions - surveillance, obviously, and deterrence. Discrete cameras won’t give you any deterrence.

That said, what area do you want to cover and do you want colour images in the dark?

That’s a good point! Let’s go for massive yellow ones

I don’t think colour images in the dark are a requirement for all 4 but possibly 1 of them that covers the car park

WJA96 · 26 Oct 2021 at 08:18

https://w.cop-eu.com/ip-cameras-nvrs/ip-cameras/DS-2CD2347G2-LU(2.8MM) is a good colour in the dark camera - I'd be tempted to use these throughout. Target price is about 100+VAT. That's a 4MP camera. There is also an 8MP/4K version at about £140+VAT. https://w.cop-eu.com/ip-cameras-nvrs/ip-cameras/DS-2CD2387G2-LU(2.8MM)(C).

These are also available as domes https://w.cop-eu.com/ip-cameras-nvrs/ip-cameras/DS-2CD2147G2-SU(2.8MM) and bullets https://w.cop-eu.com/ip-cameras-nvrs/ip-cameras/DS-2CD2047G2-LU(2.8MM).

As a general rule of thumb, bullets are best for actual performance and deterrence. Domes look great and you get no issue with spiders but you do need to clean them to be able to see and turrets tend to be the best compromise between the two.

For a recorder, if you only want 4 cameras then https://w.cop-eu.com/ip-cameras-nvrs/nvrs/DS-7604NI-K1-4P(B)-1T is about as basic as it gets - it should be about £100+VAT plus a HDD of your choice.

I've suggested Hikvision as you have that at home. There is obviously a Dahua alternative that is maybe a fraction more functional (alarm) but I don't think you'd be disappointed with what I've suggested.