Worth the upgrade from HDCVI?

A

Arkangel86

Young grasshopper
Mar 24, 2018
32
6
Hey folks, first post here.

I currently have a 4 2.4mp Varifocal Cam Dahua HDCVI system. After some close to home burglarys I ordered 4 4MP Varifocal HDCVI Dahuas to upgrade to and move my old ones to surround my house.

Well I found out yesterday that I need a new DVR that supports 4MP, $2-300 plus a new HDD another $115, and a new power supply for 8 cams $50, so I am looking at possibly a whole new IP system since the cost will be close and it seems IP is the future.

I saw the Lorex 4k kit at costco is on sale for 699, but have read mixed reviews, so I am considering just ordering up a Dahua system, since it is what I have been using for a couple years now.

So is it worth changing over to a IP system from my current HDCVI set up? Dahua 4k is too expensive now so Id go with 4mp for now.

I would have to run new wire but at least only 1 wire. I have pretty good ambient lighting in my cul de sac.

Thanks for any insight
 
Arkangel86 said:
Hey folks, first post here.

I currently have a 4 2.4mp Varifocal Cam Dahua HDCVI system. After some close to home burglarys I ordered 4 4MP Varifocal HDCVI Dahuas to upgrade to and move my old ones to surround my house.

Well I found out yesterday that I need a new DVR that supports 4MP, $2-300 plus a new HDD another $115, and a new power supply for 8 cams $50, so I am looking at possibly a whole new IP system since the cost will be close and it seems IP is the future.

I saw the Lorex 4k kit at costco is on sale for 699, but have read mixed reviews, so I am considering just ordering up a Dahua system, since it is what I have been using for a couple years now.

So is it worth changing over to a IP system from my current HDCVI set up? Dahua 4k is too expensive now so Id go with 4mp for now.

I would have to run new wire but at least only 1 wire. I have pretty good ambient lighting in my cul de sac.

Thanks for any insight
Click to expand...

Top of the page, click on wiki and read the cliff notes.
 
Arkangel86 said:
Hey folks, first post here.

I currently have a 4 2.4mp Varifocal Cam Dahua HDCVI system. After some close to home burglarys I ordered 4 4MP Varifocal HDCVI Dahuas to upgrade to and move my old ones to surround my house.

Well I found out yesterday that I need a new DVR that supports 4MP, $2-300 plus a new HDD another $115, and a new power supply for 8 cams $50, so I am looking at possibly a whole new IP system since the cost will be close and it seems IP is the future.

I saw the Lorex 4k kit at costco is on sale for 699, but have read mixed reviews, so I am considering just ordering up a Dahua system, since it is what I have been using for a couple years now.

So is it worth changing over to a IP system from my current HDCVI set up? Dahua 4k is too expensive now so Id go with 4mp for now.

I would have to run new wire but at least only 1 wire. I have pretty good ambient lighting in my cul de sac.

Thanks for any insight
Click to expand...

HI Arkangel86,

iirc Dahua also makes Hybrid NVR/DVR models - so you can run both IP and HDCVI cameras.

Drop Andy @EMPIRETECANDY a line and see what he may have available which would work for your situation.
 
What model are your current cameras?

@bigredfish has some videos of 2mp starlight hdcvi cameras that you should check out. They could very well be better at night than the 4mp, and would work with your current dvr.
**** Search Results | IP Cam Talk ****

There's also a new 4k starlight hdcvi, but I don't think they're out yet.
 
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I have 4 HDW2220-R 2.4mp at the moment

I bought 4 of the HFW2401RP-Z-IRE6 4MP to upgrade to
 
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@Arkangel86 as @tangent mentioned, the 2MP Starlight HDCVI cams outperform the 4MP non-starlights quite a bit at night, with little real difference during the day.

That cam above HAC-HDW2231R-Z | Dahua Technology as well as the Bullet Starlight http:// www.dahuasecurity.com/products/productDetail/6301 will surprise you how well they do compared to your older 2220's or the 4MP's.

3231E-Z Bullet
(switch youtube player to 1080p)



Overcast Daytime


2231R-Z Turret


For perspective, see the attached photo of the same living room from an iPhone6 and how dark it actually is
 

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Wow those look a lot better then my 2220’s for sure!

I just sent Andy from empire a message about the Starlights.

The 4MP cams I bought off ebay from China, they are branded Dahua but now reading here I think maybe theyre hacked since I got them so cheap.

How good is the quality when you zoom into a section of the picture?
 
Yeah i still have a couple of the 2220's which arent too bad at all if you give them enough white light. They're workhorses but cant touch the Starlights at night
Here's one on the pool patio...of course its running heavy WDR due to the big light contrast under the roof vs out at the pool which washes things out a bit more..


You wont get a digital zoom with detail like you might with say a 4K cam , it will pixelate.
 
Thanks,

I picked up the 4k kit from costco to tinker with and compare to my Dahua system, can you tell me what is causing the blur/pixelation seen here? That is my arm moving, is it because of the low light? Seems as though there is some motion blur even on the one I mounted outside, is this a characteristic of IP cams?
 

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No, More a characteristic of not enough light. It takes a lot of white light in the dark to get good color video. Try that same shot in B&W with IR on ....That could be a lot of things, can you post a clip of the one outside?

What settings are you running? bitrate, fps, dnr, etc...
 
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bigredfish said:
No, More a characteristic of not enough light. It takes a lot of white light in the dark to get good color video. Try that same shot in B&W with IR on ....That could be a lot of things, can you post a clip of the one outside?

What settings are you running? bitrate, fpc, dnr, etc...
Click to expand...

I dont even know how to adjust those setting yet as they are not in the standard menu

It wont let me upload a video, says invalid extension. Objects moving are not as fluid as your starlight’s or my 2220’s imo, similar to watching sports on a 120 vs 240 LED TV
 
Assuming for now that your cabling is ok?, you're going to need to get into the direct interface of the camera itself. Not familiar with the Lorex NVR controls, but sounds as if they may be quite basic.

I think @mat200 has some knowledge of that system.
 
Arkangel86 said:
It wont let me upload a video, says invalid extension.
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You have to use YouTube, Vimeo, LiveLeak, etc.... a video hosting service.
 
Ill have to upload it.

Just got my 4mp capable DVR and hooked up that 4mp HDCVI cam, Lorex 4K Blows it out of the water at night at least, its 9pm here

Perhaps ill stick with the Lorex and add a couple starlights
 
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