Struggling to choose - HikVision or Dahua?

[TheConsultant]

Hi all, I'm struggling to choose between HikVision and Dahua setups for a domestic installation. I have a couple of installers I've spoken to who each have their pros and cons, but one offers HikVision and the other Dahua. The guy who does Dahua is brilliant at installs - he's an expert at chasing and fishing cables and it's all incredibly neatly done. However, he only supplies Dahua.

My first instinct was for HikVision. From what I read, it sounded like the more flexible, enterprise-orientated solution. I'm sure it has plenty features that I don't need, but as a technical person I like to get the most out of the kit and would probably find ways of making use of some features, although they're most definitely not essential. In contrast, I got the impression that Dahua is generally easier to set up out of the box ("it just works"), with better controlled and tested firmware updates and better UK support.

Looking at NVRs with 8 PoE ports and 2 HDD bays (e.g. HikVision DS-7608NI-M2 vs Dahua NVR5208-8P-EI), and poring through the manuals and spec sheets, the following observations and questions came to mind - any and all comments and opinions are appreciated!

- HikVision cameras generally seem to be a higher bitrate than Dahua, and the Hikvision 7608NI-M2 has lower incoming bandwidth then the Dahua 5208, yet the HikVision unit can decode more streams at a higher resolution than the Dahua? The Dahua unit's bandwidth and decoding capabilities seem to drop significantly if AI is switched on, but this isn't differentiated for HikVision. Does this mean there's a lack of processing power for the AI in the Dahua? And is this related to the AI in the NVR only? (i.e. if you're using AI-equipped cameras, you don't need the AI in the NVR and can rely on the metadata from the cameras?)

- It's clear from the user manuals that the HikVision can be set up fully remotely over the network - just connect it and go to the default IP address and off you go. All the documentation for Dahua seems to imply/expect that at least the initial setup is done locally on the NVR with monitor and keyboard/mouse attached. Does Dahua offer the same setup and management functionality via browser/network/client software as HikVision?

- For storage, both systems offer the ability to do RAID 0/1, although apparently only in software rather than as a hardware controller. However the HikVision goes a step further by supporting network storage and the ability to direct different camera streams to different HDD groups, something I can't find in the Dahua documentation.

- HikVision offers the H.265+ codec, but Dahua employs what they call "Smart H.265+". Seems to me like these are both the same competing developments of H.265. Do either have compatibility or overhead (CPU processing) issues to be aware of?

- The Dahua Tioc2 5MP turret cameras I've been quoted for look pretty good, but I'm unclear on how they compare to HikVision's AcuSense and ColorVu cameras. Seems like the Tioc2 combines the best of both worlds of AcuSense and ColorVu, but on all the Dahua cameras the fps drops to 20 when AI is enabled at the max resolution. The HikVision cameras offer higher fps and output a higher bitrate, but generally need to either choose between the AI (AcuSense) or the low-light capability (ColorVu) whereas Tioc2 does both?

Appreciate any thoughts or clarifications on the above!

 

[Phil]

As with your installers, most people are firmly in one camp or another with regards to Hikvision OR Dahua.
It's going to be hard to find somebody with deep experience of both who is willing and able to provide you with reasoned pros & cons.

We, at use-IP, last assessed Dahua more than 5yrs ago.
At that time their products were a lot less polished than Hikvision's.
So, we stuck with Hik and have remained in that camp ever since.

IMO, for a domestic CCTV system - don't tax your brain / push the boundaries of what they can realistically deliver.
Get good cameras, in Hik's range probably 8MP ColorVu, but if no ambient light, then IR & DarkFighter.

Record them continuously.
15fps is fine.
h.265 is fine.
Review the results that you are achieving e.g. play back and check.

You don't need RAID, backups, duplicates, etc. (if HDDs begin to fail they will let you know) [you'll only get RAID on top-end Hik models e.g. 96xx].
Fit Security-specific HDDs e.g. WD Purple (we have sold hundreds, for years, and rarely see any issues).

 

[TheConsultant]

Cheers Phil, appreciate the frank response and I'm sure you're right, I'm over-thinking about the details of the systems for domestic use.

But there's always that part of my brain nagging at me to make sure that if I'm making an investment in something, it's going to be flexible and future-proof and getting the best bang for my buck. Plus, as someone who works with technology, I always enjoy exploring the system capabilities even if they're not essential features by any means.

On balance, I feel like I want the Dahua Tioc2 cameras combined with the strengths of the Hik NVRs, although of course such combinations make no sense. And you're right, don't need RAID, but it's a nice option to have. I don't technically need RAID on my NAS drive, but it's extremely reassuring knowing that if anything went wrong, nothing is lost and I just need to rebuild the array. However on the NVR, I'm more likely to use the two HDD bays to plug in a pair of 4TB drives rather than a single 8TB, to achieve the same retention at lower cost.

I think one of the biggest issues is actually the remote setup/access ability of the two systems, as I plan to house the NVR in a cabinet alongside the router, switches and other kit, where it's just not feasible to attach a monitor and keyboard. Might seem a minor point, but any system that is designed to be fully configured and managed through a web browser rather than restrictions on local connectivity or having management software installed is a big tick for me.