Securame

You can leave data port at 8000, you could really put any ports you want if you have those in use. Port 80 is the default http (web) port, the same port you use for accessing your router web interface; some old routers might give problems if from the LAN port 80 takes you to the web interface, but from the WAN take you somewhere else. Also by leaving it on port 80 you are open to anyone port scanning for web servers (should not be a problem if you change the default user/pass on your DVR). All in all it is just another security measure, there is no need to have your DVR on port 80.

Hello Dave, This really has nothing to do with your DVR, but with your router. On the link you posted I see no screenshots and I do now know any french, so I cant help you there; what I can tell you is that by default, you need to open (forward) two ports from your router, to your DVR IP. Hikvision by default uses port 80 for web access, and port 8000 for data (I always recommend changing 80 to 90, or another non standard web port, but that's another story). So you need to forward ports 80 TCP and 8000 UDP to your DVR IP. You can see the 7204 from iPhone with no problems; you can download the client IVMS-4500 for free for the Apple store.

DH-DVR0404HE-S has 1080p HDMI output, so you should have no problem. 4ch real time D1 recording with up to 4 SATA hard drives, pretty good DVR for a home setup, but I won't be the one telling you to buy cheap crap

I install lots of Hikvision, and the 7200 is the "budget" series. A 7204 is just a little bit more expensive than any non brand chinese DVR, and is way better not just in hardware, but I think most importantly in software. While it is an old series and it has been around for many years, with newer and better Hikvision models around, now with the HVI-ST models I think they have brought them back to life again. New firmware/menu system is way better

Let me add to this review; you have reviewed an old/discontinued model, DS-7204HI-VS. I am quite positive this model (which has been on the market for quite a few years) is no longer being manufactured, and it has been replaced with DS-7204HVI-ST, which is a renewed unit. 7204HI-VS: http://www.hikvision.com/En/Products_show.asp?id=20 7204HVI-ST: http://www.hikvision.com/En/Products_show.asp?id=1919 Some differences; the new model has 4ch audio input, the old model only has one. New model can record D1 at 12fps on all channels, old model could only record up to D1 6fps. New model has two USB connectors (front/back) which is great to use mouse and memory stick at the same time, old model only had one USB connector on the back. 7204HVI-ST does support playback of 4ch at the same time, but I think that the old model also did, maybe it does not support it over web interface, but I think it was possible locally. Also, 7204HVI-ST uses the newest firmware series from Hikvision, which is way better than the one the old 72xx recorders had. The unit you have reviewed has a very old firmware/interface, as you said kind of boring, that interface is gone for good.

FAT16 partitions are limited to 2Gb in size. I would find it very strange that a DVR would only recognise FAT partitions, but you could give it a try, you need to remove the current partition/s on your 4Gb or 16Gb pendrive, make just one 2Gb partition, and then you will be able to format it with FAT16.

Hikvision DVR indeed need 2 ports forwarded on your router, by default 80 (web) and 8000 (data). As Kaizen says, the only thing that I think you might have wrong is that, if it works on lan, with the same user/pass it should work from internet if both ports are correctly open...

Just wondering... why PM, and not share the information with everyone? Can not everyone else know what camera is that?

I doubt it. It is just easier to have a megapixel camera recording 360º, than having to bother with tracking... Why track, when you can just record everything?

may be an example of a new auto-tracking system, that works in the real world: http://www.mybwa.com/en/discan_ptz.html After watching the video on that link... I have to agree that it might sound good on paper, but if that is an "example that works in the real world", it looks like quite crappy to me.

Try this one: https://chrome.google.com/extensions/detail/hehijbfgiekmjfkfjpbkbammjbdenadd

Check out this thread: viewtopic.php?t=20325

Are you looking for them in the US, or do you want to import them? I buy them from China in 5m, 10m, 20m, 30m, 40m and 50m. They make them up to 80m I think (about 240 feet), but I never bothered with anything over 50m.

I'll try to give it a try, guess I'll be geting a Hikvision card just to do some tests, and checkout the different softwares available... Thx!

ENHANCE!!

Ok, I will add more info to my question; we have not touched much DVR PCI cards, but the ones that we do use are quite crappy. We are looking on adding to our catalog DVR PCI cards, and since we carry Hikvision DVRs, and are very happy with them, I want to test their DVR PCI cards too. Can anyone give me some opinions on their cards, good or bad? Original cards of course, I am not interested on problems around with clone cards...

Google for "Angel Eye KL509". Small recorder, SD card up to 32Gb, motion detection, 720x528@30fps, small pinhole camera (but you can use other AV sources)... Some sell it with CMOS camera, some with CCD camera.

Maybe your USB ports can not suply enough power for the 3 USB cameras to work at the same time.

Did you try BTWinCap drivers...? Anyway, being one of this 1BT878 chip, 4ch 25fps cheap cards, the time you have probably wasted already trying to get it to work is probably worth more than it would be buying a new card...

I have used iVMS-4000 under Win7 64 bit with no problems.

I am not sue I know what "braided copper shield" is, but I do understand the "nothing but trouble with foil-shielded wire" part. But doesn't this cable have "braided copper shield" and "foil shield"? Last picture, top this cable, bottom RG59 cable. Guess that for now I won't be using this cable until I have some time to just test a 100m run and see how it works out. Thanks!

8 x 100m, guess I am being lazy and that I should just take 100m and try it. Here is a close up picture. My tech english is not so good, but I would say that yes, it does have foil shield, and it looks like the core is solid copper. If it does have foil/aluminum shield, it is not a good idea to use this kind of cable?? I would have thought that a cable with foil would be better than without it...

Hello, Can anyone tell me what family of HIKVISION DVRs is the one in the picture? I have been offered for a good price some of this units, which from what I know are discontinued/an old model, and I would like to check out full specs around and see if I can download the manual/tech sheet from Hikvision's web site, but I am unable to find it without knowing the model name (and the unit has been "renamed" by the importer, so their model name is not the same as Hikvision's) Thanks!

hi fatmacheto, Yes, it is indeed a 80xx series DVR. I have been trying them out (HDIS models which are D1 12fps, HFIS would be D1 25fps and the price is a little bit higher), they do seem a nice piece of hardware, maybe with manues a bit outdated, latest Hikvision models come with newer firmwares. Do you know if this series is discontinued or to be phased out soon by Hikvision?

Just a quick question; has anyone used iVMS-4500 (iPhone client for HIKVISION DVRs) on a new iPhone 4, or on an old model with the latest Apple operating system, IOS4 I think? I have a customer that seems to be having problems with it, and the only 2 iPhones I have access to are old models running the old system (IOS3) which seem to work ok. Thanks!