Reolink & SV3C

[GeoffColl]

Okay...

I now know I shouldn't have touched these with a proverbial barge-pole!

1. As I deny Reolink cameras ( 423 ptz & 520 ) access to the Internet ( router block ), the timestamp slowly shifts. The Client software doesn't allow me to point at an ntp server on my BI machine. May I seek guidance on which timestamp to use on BI5 videos...
2. I have similar issue with SV3C ptz camera.
3. Am I correct in that BI only offers digital zoom, and doesn't work the optical zoom in these cameras? They are connected as Generic/ONVIF.

Reolink images are pretty good, but they tend to be a bit unstable. SV3C rather pixelated.

I use the camera more for observing local wildlife, though one camera does observe the comings and goings towards the house on an access we can't see from the house windows.

Geoff

 

[sebastiantombs]

Both brands are junk cameras. Yes, they may be cheap and have a "nice" daytime picture, but at night they are the pits. Both use firmware that decides, for you, what frame, iframe and bit rates to use no matter what you set them to. This makes them difficult to use with any VMS software since that software depends on consistent frame and iframe rates for motion detection. I don't think either of them are actually ONVIF compliant, either, which makes integrating them to VMS software problematic to begin with. I did manage to get a Reolink to perform marginally by setting the frame and bit rates to the highest setting, but even then it wandered all over the place and made night use problematic at best.

 

[GeoffColl]

Thanks Sebastian: When I asked Reolink about the ntp server options I was told I had to give access to the Internet....

Och weel, they'll no doubt go faulty sometime and I can justify suitable replacements....At least I'm getting something on BI.

 

[sebastiantombs]

While the preferred Dahua is the 5442 series, $175-$225 range, there are alternatives for less money without sacrificing too much performance, both in the $130 range -

2231 Review (no audio)
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Review-Dahua IPC-HDW2231RP-ZS Starlight Camera-Varifocal

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ipcamtalk.com

3241T-ZAS Review (has audio)

Review-OEM IPC-T3241-ZAS 2mp AI Lite series Varifocal

IPC-T3241-ZAS from EMPIRETECANDY 2MP WDR Turret Varifocal AI Network Camera Review unit courtesy of Andy (@EMPIRETECANDY) in exchange for a fair and honest review. Purchase in the IPCT Store Andy's ipcamtalk vendor forum: link Andy's AliExpress store: link Andy's Amazon store: link Price...

ipcamtalk.com

There are others that are less expensive but I have no direct experience with them and I can't find the thread but they are under $100.

Edit: Just found it for you - Budget Dahua Cams or china alternatives under $100?

I also got my Reolink to accept the local NTP I run, all cameras are on a subnet blocked from the internet, but it's a fairly old model so YMMV.