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VIGI by TP-Link: An Introduction

use-IP now offers TP-Link’s exciting new range of VIGI InSight IP cameras and NVRs, which can all be found in the VIGI category on our Webshop.

What sets VIGI apart is its “4E” design principle: Easy Planning, Installation, Setup, and Maintenance.

The VIGI range is a long-awaited NDAA-compliant solution that is cost-effective and easy to set up. It also offers all the core features we have come to expect from a professional security system in 2025.

For the cameras, these include:

  • 4MP, 5MP and 8MP resolution options
  • Fixed 2.8mm and 4mm focal lengths, or motorised varifocal models
  • Dual illumination for full colour or IR at night
  • Smart IR that automatically adjusts to suit the scene
  • Active Defence models, which have a flashing light and a speaker for automatic intruder deterrence
  • AI human and vehicle classification with a range of events including Motion, Intrusion and Line-Crossing Detection
  • 1TB+ microSD card support for extensive storage at the edge
  • Post-event search based on a person’s or vehicle’s attributes
  • IP67 and IK10 ratings
  • Built-in microphones or two-way audio
The NVRs offer:
  • An easy-to-use local UI, as well as a web UI or VMS, which work well in modern browsers on both Windows and macOS
  • Streamlined setup with automatic camera discovery and connection
  • Plug & Play for effortless adding of VIGI cameras
  • A full set of PoE+ ports or cost-effective non-PoE models
  • Real-time live view of all channels at once with a customizable layout
  • Intuitive playback with Smart Playback Modes to quickly find the footage you need
  • Fanless 4 and 8 channel models
  • Compact designs which are also rack-mountable for flexibility over location
  • H.265+ compression for significant savings on bandwidth and storage
  • Good bandwidth capabilities
  • ONVIF Profile S conformance
  • Status LEDs on the front of the unit to easily monitor the PoE ports, hard drive and network connection
  • HDMI and VGA display outputs which can be used simultaneously
  • Two-way audio support
This introduction will discuss what differentiates VIGI from other brands, who we think it is best-suited to, and a breakdown of the key specs of everything currently available, to provide a better understanding of VIGI and if it's the right solution for you.


Why Choose VIGI?

Brand Reputation: TP-Link’s strong foundation in networking equipment also means that they are well-placed to ensure their CCTV systems stay reliably connected and easy to manage. Moreover, if you are using TP-Link networking equipment, the Omada Central software and app will allow you to monitor your entire network and VIGI video surveillance equipment in a single place, which is useful for all sites, but especially so for those with large and complicated network environments.

Great Warranty: All VIGI equipment also comes with an excellent 5-year warranty, which is the longest we have seen in the space and points to the confidence TP-Link have in the reliability and build quality of their kit.

Simple Setup: Our demo 8-channel NVR and 5MP turret were remarkably easy to set up and add to the VMS or app. The NVR self-assigned the correct network settings, discovered all of the cameras on our network and added them with one click, and reconnected to the cameras automatically when moved from its PoE ports to a separate switch. Once set up, we found the UI fast, modern and clean, with menus that are easy to understand.

NDAA Compliant: TP-Link's Global HQ is in California, and all of the VIGI equipment is manufactured in either Brazil or Vietnam, making it fully NDAA compliant for those that require this.

Universal Mounting Brackets: There’s not much else to be said here; one junction box, wall mount and pole mount for all cameras that might need one. This simplifies your planning and allows you to easily swap in new cameras.

Good availability and post-sales support: Due to their huge new warehouse, any kit you require should always be available within the UK on a short lead time. TP-Link also have English-speaking call centres all over the world, meaning access to 24/7 phone, email or live chat support.



Ideal Applications

The user-friendliness, reliability, and affordability of a VIGI CCTV system makes it a great solution a range of applications. However, these facets mean the kit lends itself perfectly to:
  • Home systems
  • Shops, offices, and other small businesses
  • Hotels and apartment blocks
  • Schools and universities
  • Warehouses and factories
The only specialist camera available, at this stage, is the S665I fisheye. So, although VIGI is an ideal option for traditional surveillance, if you require ANPR, access control, people counting, facial recognition, or PTZs right now, it is worthwhile exploring alternative brands. However, TP-Link have announced that all of these things are coming soon.


Software & App Access

VIGI VMS

One of the best things about VIGI is the completely free, unlimited and intuitive VIGI Cloud VMS, which is their in-browser AI-powered cloud surveillance platform. For a more traditional setup, there is a lightweight PC client. The VMS allows you to manage all your NVRs and cameras, on multiple sites, in one place, making it a great option for SMBs or homes which do not need resource-heavy enterprise software.

One thing that sets VIGI VMS apart is that, via cloud access, it allows full access to your system’s configuration, device health, and automatic firmware updates, meaning there’s no need to be on-site to perform maintenance on the system.

The Event Centre shows your event clips, which are clearly labelled by event and target type, easy to filter, fast to load. Events are accurate, clearly labelled, fast to load and easy to browse. The AI Search function is also impressive, as it allows you to search all your footage for people by gender, hair or clothing, and vehicles by type and colour.

VIGI VMS’ Device Map menu also offers real-time map monitoring, which allows you to upload a floorplan or birds-eye view of your site, drop each of your connected cameras on their respective location, so you can easily locate a camera and view the live feeds within the map, as shown here:

Finally, the integrated Design Tool is great for planning your next site or expanding an existing system. Again, just upload a top-down view, set the scale, and drop any cameras you’re interested in on the floor plan. It will then show you what the FoV will cover, the DORI distances on the map, blind spots and more.

You can try VIGI Cloud VMS here by creating a free TP-Link ID.


VIGI App

As expected from such a big name, the VIGI mobile app is also pleasant to use. Again, live view, playback and events load quickly, multi-screen view works perfectly, and a good amount of the CCTV settings are configurable. You can use the app for real-time control of any VIGI camera's LEDs and audio, allowing you to speak to people in the scene if you're using an Active Defence model.

Refreshingly, automatic firmware updates work for any device added to the VIGI app or VMS, making it easy for end-users to keep their system functioning and secure, even while off-site.

To use the VIGI App, you just need to download it from your device's App Store.



Camera Comparison and Naming Convention:

Here’s a comparison of all the available VIGI cameras. Keep an eye on the VIGI category on our website for solar-powered, ANPR and panoramic cameras, which are on the roadmap for this year:

1747237271600.png


Camera Naming Convention.png


NVR Comparison and Naming Convention:

Below is a comparison of all the VIGI NVRs, showing how the key specifications differ. TP-Link have announced that they will be releasing 96-channel and 128-channel models, which I’ll add to this chart in due course.

It’s important to make sure that any NVR you are considering has an incoming bandwidth limit that is sufficient for all the cameras you plan to connect. The camera comparison chart above shows the maximum bit rate for each model; the total maximum bitrate for all your cameras should be within the NVR’s bandwidth limit to ensure everything is functional and stable.


*The maximum hard drive size is taken from TP-Link’s documentation. We will update this chart if we can verify that larger capacity drives are compatible.


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NVR Naming Convention.png


Example Footage:

Below are a couple of clips and snapshots from our demo S455 5MP turret to show day and night performance in full colour.

Please note that the camera is looking through a window in our office with its default settings. Deploying the camera outside and adjusting the settings to match your scene over time will give you the best possible picture:




InSight S455 Snapshot - Day.png




InSight S455 Snapshot - Night.png




Interested in VIGI? Please do not hesitate to get in touch with use-IP via phone, email or live chat for more information, or visit the VIGI category on our website to see the full range and available stock.

As always, any questions, thoughts or feedback are very welcome in our new VIGI subforum!
 
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