Hikvision vs. Swann

[ImAStreamer 0]

I'm looking to start getting some cameras for the outside of my house. I'm a novice but have read a lot here and other places and this will probably be the first of many questions. I think I have decided on the DS-2CD2732F-I, but I have some questions...mainly buying the Hikvision or the Swann.

 

1) Is the vari-focal something I am changing manually when I mount the camera, or is that controlled by the software once I mount it? I'm thinking of going that route because I think I might need 3 cameras to cover the entire front of the house, but I'm starting with one to see how the field of view is (I have no frame of reference - maybe one would be enough).

 

2) I realize this is the same camera as the Swann at Costco (without the sound which I don't care about). So I think this might not be a bad deal, but...I'd like to run the Hik 5.1 firmware and it seems to be a hit or miss proposition upgrading that on the Swann. So I guess the question is, does anyone know when the Swann may actually ship with the 5.1 firmware installed or when might Swann release their version of the firmware that is the equivalent to the Hik 5.1? I couldn't even figure out what the latest version of the Swann firmware is.

 

3) So then I'm thinking if I don't go that route, I'd get the USA Hik, but I can't find anyone who actually sells this. I'd probably consider paying the extra $ just in case the firmware bricks it and I don't have any trouble replacing it, but they seem hard if not impossible to locate. I don't know if I trust the 90 day warranty Chinese version. I'm a complete novice when it comes to these cameras so it's possible I'll screw something

up. So basically - does anyone reputable sell this model?

 

Thanks!

[Boogieman 1]

I'm looking to start getting some cameras for the outside of my house. I'm a novice but have read a lot here and other places and this will probably be the first of many questions. I think I have decided on the DS-2CD2732F-I, but I have some questions...mainly buying the Hikvision or the Swann.

 

1) Is the vari-focal something I am changing manually when I mount the camera, or is that controlled by the software once I mount it? I'm thinking of going that route because I think I might need 3 cameras to cover the entire front of the house, but I'm starting with one to see how the field of view is (I have no frame of reference - maybe one would be enough).

 

2) I realize this is the same camera as the Swann at Costco (without the sound which I don't care about). So I think this might not be a bad deal, but...I'd like to run the Hik 5.1 firmware and it seems to be a hit or miss proposition upgrading that on the Swann. So I guess the question is, does anyone know when the Swann may actually ship with the 5.1 firmware installed or when might Swann release their version of the firmware that is the equivalent to the Hik 5.1? I couldn't even figure out what the latest version of the Swann firmware is.

 

3) So then I'm thinking if I don't go that route, I'd get the USA Hik, but I can't find anyone who actually sells this. I'd probably consider paying the extra $ just in case the firmware bricks it and I don't have any trouble replacing it, but they seem hard if not impossible to locate. I don't know if I trust the 90 day warranty Chinese version. I'm a complete novice when it comes to these cameras so it's possible I'll screw something

up. So basically - does anyone reputable sell this model?

 

Thanks!

Get the Costco version ...you can return it if you don't like it no questions. You should be able to load the 5.1 version but i dont know forsure. I know that I have loaded hik firmware on the older model hiks. There are threads on here about it. But why do you need 5.1 what feature do you need in the 5.1 firmware?

[ImAStreamer 0]

Get the Costco version ...you can return it if you don't like it no questions. You should be able to load the 5.1 version but i dont know forsure. I know that I have loaded hik firmware on the older model hiks. There are threads on here about it. But why do you need 5.1 what feature do you need in the 5.1 firmware?

 

I'd like the ability to control the IR at night. I'm not sure how much light I'm going to have available outside. Right now I have none, but I'm hoping to rectify that sometime in the future. Also I have a Synology NAS and I want to make sure I don't have any problems writing to it. I guess more than anything, since that is the most current version, I'd like to make sure I can run it without issues.

[Boogieman 1]

The firmware's ability to disable the ir in night mode is only really useful if you intend to use external ir light. If you are going to install regular light you can just set the camera in day mode. As far as the nas, I have no idea...it works for some people others have issues.

there might be a thread where someone tries to install hik firmware on this particular swann. If you try, remember that after upgrade you often have to do a hard reset of the camera or it wont show up on the network. The hik bullets have these on the outside but the low end domes seem not to have it. I installed a Chinese DS-2CD2732F-IS last week, but did not look to see if there was a reset button on the board inside.

[45921cam 0]

The firmware's ability to disable the ir in night mode is only really useful if you intend to use external ir light.

 

I disagree a bit with this statement. I find night mode without IR helps if you have other non-IR lighting but don't want to run internal IR because of bugs/spiders. If the other lighting is bright enough then sure daylight mode is good but I find night mode better on a couple of my cams with less than perfect lighting.

[ImAStreamer 0]

The firmware's ability to disable the ir in night mode is only really useful if you intend to use external ir light.

 

I disagree a bit with this statement. I find night mode without IR helps if you have other non-IR lighting but don't want to run internal IR because of bugs/spiders. If the other lighting is bright enough then sure daylight mode is good but I find night mode better on a couple of my cams with less than perfect lighting.

 

Again since I'm still learning - what is the relation between IR and bugs/spiders?

[45921cam 0]

 

2) I realize this is the same camera as the Swann at Costco (without the sound which I don't care about). So I think this might not be a bad deal, but...I'd like to run the Hik 5.1 firmware and it seems to be a hit or miss proposition upgrading that on the Swann. So I guess the question is, does anyone know when the Swann may actually ship with the 5.1 firmware installed or when might Swann release their version of the firmware that is the equivalent to the Hik 5.1? I couldn't even figure out what the latest version of the Swann firmware is.

 

 

I flashed four of the Swann bullets (fixed lens) purchased this summer from Costco to 5.1 no problem. This month I got a Costco Lorex DVR/six cam setup from Costco. Lorex is also re-branded Hikvision and those would NOT upgrade via the web browser to 5.1 (or any other Hikvison firmware) but upgraded fine via TFTP to 5.1 no problem. The TFTP method seems to be pretty darn reliable and once you have figured it out it is trivial to do. First cam probably took me 45 mins the rest were about 5 mins each.

 

I love the ability to turn-off IR, great feature.

[45921cam 0]

The firmware's ability to disable the ir in night mode is only really useful if you intend to use external ir light.

 

I disagree a bit with this statement. I find night mode without IR helps if you have other non-IR lighting but don't want to run internal IR because of bugs/spiders. If the other lighting is bright enough then sure daylight mode is good but I find night mode better on a couple of my cams with less than perfect lighting.

 

Again since I'm still learning - what is the relation between IR and bugs/spiders?

 

Bugs are attracted to IR and the spiders then move in and makes a web on the front of your cam. The IR lights up the web (and the spider if he is in frame) and it obscures the image at night (the webs are mostly invisible during the day) and if you are using motion detection you get false alerts all night long. Some folks have no problems with this and other like me it essentially makes in camera IR completely useless. I even sprayed my cameras with enough insecticide that they were one step removed from industrial hazard and that kept the camera clear maybe three days. I gave up. I now use the outside lighting around the house and will deploy a couple of external IR emitters when I get time. I would say my problem is probably at the extreme.

[ImAStreamer 0]

Bugs are attracted to IR and the spiders then move in and makes a web on the front of your cam. The IR lights up the web (and the spider if he is in frame) and it obscures the image at night (the webs are mostly invisible during the day) and if you are using motion detection you get false alerts all night long. Some folks have no problems with this and other like me it essentially makes in camera IR completely useless. I even sprayed my cameras with enough insecticide that they were one step removed from industrial hazard and that kept the camera clear maybe three days. I gave up. I now use the outside lighting around the house and will deploy a couple of external IR emitters when I get time. I would say my problem is probably at the extreme.

 

Thanks for the education. More fun I'll need to deal with. I have to go clean out the rain gauge in my weather station almost every month because the spiders crawl inside, spin a web and prevent the tipping mechanism from working. So given my bad luck with spiders already it seems the ability to shut down the IR at night will be even more important.

[aim120 0]

DS-2CD2732F-I is a manual focus/zoom so it cannot be done via software.

 

Only models that have a Z letter in them have powered zoom and can be controlled via software.

Like http://www.hikvision.com/en/Products_show.asp?id=6892 or http://www.hikvision.com/en/Products_show.asp?id=9428

[buellwinkle 0]

Spiders depend on your location. In So Cal, I get spiderwebs only on my hard to reach cameras and seasonal, so may not happen for a few months and then happens every week for a month or two. Some people put a highly scented oil drop on the camera, like a Citronella oil as spiders tend to be repelled by strong smells. I use a duster on a long pole to wipe the front of the camera down.

[MaxIcon 0]

Same thing on my 8 Silicon Valley IR cams. The bugs aren't really attracted to the IR here - I just get random shots of bugs flying by, never get swarms of them around the cameras. Maybe the type of bugs we have here don't care about IR.

 

Likewise, the spiders use the cams as part of the web's framework, just like a branch or mailbox. I check them daily and have to grab the Webster once a week or so, usually for the same 2-3 cams, which must be in locations where spiders like to hang out. Two of the cams never get spider webs.

 

It's possible the spiders like the extra warmth in the winter, but it's hard to say without tracking how often I have to wipe webs.

[ImAStreamer 0]

Some people use flea and tick sprays that you would normally use for your pets to spray around the rain gauge to keep the spiders out. I've also read about people wrapping a flea and tick dog collar around the post that supports it. I planned to try it this spring. I guess I can try the same for the camera and see how it works. I guess that's even more reason to try to get some regular lighting out there instead of using the IR.

[45921cam 0]

Yeah you California folks are lucky (wife is from Bay Area and I go out to Northern Cal quite a bit, less so SoCal) here in the mid-Atlantic region in the forested exurbs we have *tons* of bugs and spiders. I have lived many places in my life and not seen it like here. We also get a lot more rain than you (particularly this year which is the first year I have had cameras) and so whatever I put on or around the cams tends to get washed off (except the few that are sheltered in some way) fairly quickly. At least I do get to use the in cam IR a bit in winter (the recent snow makes it particularly effective).

[dvarapala 0]

Get the Costco version ...you can return it if you don't like it

 

...or if you brick it during a botched firmware upgrade.