mcbink 0 Posted February 7, 2018 Hi. Out of your list there is only one aurtherised distributor. And that is use-IP. And like I said hikvision cameras are easy to get its recorders that are not ..... Use-IP only sells cameras 2 and 3 are only sellers ...... And 1 of the companies does sell gray market ........ They have 3 cameras listed that hikvision have never used that camera design RF concepts ........ As you can check on forum we have a relationship with and for a long time ............ The biggest CCTV company in Ireland and honest in everything they sell. So only two out of your list. Don't confuse aurtherised with UK seller. And it's easy to check ask for authorisation number. Thank you Tom for your reply. RF Concepts I recently made a purchase from RF Concepts and although I am sad to say one item had to be returned it was pretty easy and painless. knowing that you endorse this company is quite reassuring (pricing is competitive too). CCTVTek I am surprised, Tom, that you say this company are not a HICKVISION AUTORISED WHOLESELLER because they have a Hickvision logo on their site stating that they are? This is also what they have on their site Tom: "CCTVTEK Authorised Hikvision Wholesaler Partner in the UK" I would have thought that Hickvision UK would have taken action against this company if they were illegally describing their trading status with Hickvision UK. So Tom just to clarify if possible you say "so only two" but also say ONLY USE-IP is a HIckvision Authorised Distributor of Hickvision? So what are RF Concepts then? apart from a very honest large trading company in the UK? What I am asking are they Authorised by Hickvision to sell Hickvision? Do you have an answer TOM ? I also need to correct you Tom: USE-IP Don't only sell Cameras as you said above because they also advertise and Sell Hickvision NVR's , they also sell CCTV Lighting, Door Entry Systems and the list goes on. RF Concepts also advertise Hickvision, DVR's and NVR's as well as Hickvision cameras. CCTVTek only seem to sell Hickvision products and they too also sell Hickvision Cameras, NVR's and DVR's. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tomcctv 190 Posted February 7, 2018 No . I don’t have an answer. But like I have said no problem using hik cameras ... it’s recorders I have problem with ...... hik are about to change recorder software let’s see how old cams cope with that . Company you list if you buy from them ask this question.. Why are they selling 4 way tvi kit with only 3 cameras ... and have to buy the 4th camera separate ........ it’s like buying a car with only 3 wheels Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ian2000t 0 Posted February 7, 2018 I don't really get what's going on here. None of it really helps answer my post though. Also your comment about 3 camera + 4 channel NVR. I don't get your point. Im looking for an 8 channel, but I certainly can't afford 8 cameras. 4 or 5 is fine...?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mcbink 0 Posted February 7, 2018 No . I don’t have an answer. But like I have said no problem using hik cameras ... it’s recorders I have problem with ...... hik are about to change recorder software let’s see how old cams cope with that . Company you list if you buy from them ask this question.. Why are they selling 4 way tvi kit with only 3 cameras ... and have to buy the 4th camera separate ........ it’s like buying a car with only 3 wheels Not having an answer is not a problem Tom, I just thought you might be able to clarify what you had put. Hickvision seem to have: Authorised Partners, Authorised Wholesalers , Autorised Local Resellers, Highwatch Authorised Dealers. The above terms are sightly different but they are all "Authorised" I think the main thing to enquire about before making a purchase is will you be able to register the Hickvision product with Hickvision, have you got the Hickvision 3 year Guarantee and is it upgradable, at least that would be my question. Buying from ebay might be tricky but from an established UK dealer you have the confidence of protection from UK law relating to trade descriptions. Buying a kit can save money, Tom, but as you are probably very well aware, kits often bundle cameras that all have the same lens and kit's often bundle lens in either a 2.8mm or 3.5mm. A 2.8mm or 3.5mm lens will generally be suitable for wide angle applications where the view angle is required to be wide but maybe definition a long distance is not required. If you want a camera with a different view for example longer range with narrower view to see down to the end of a driveway and focus on the gates then a different purpose is required of the camera and you will need to add a camera with a different lens that has longer range. It would be Interesting to know more about what you say about Hickvision software Tom. Are the software changes not just simply improvements to enhance and compliment what is already in place? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mcbink 0 Posted February 7, 2018 I don't really get what's going on here. None of it really helps answer my post though. Also your comment about 3 camera + 4 channel NVR. I don't get your point. Im looking for an 8 channel, but I certainly can't afford 8 cameras. 4 or 5 is fine...?? It may not see to be helping you but people are discussing the matters you raise in depth so if you bear with it, you might end up with the right information. A lot of people post questions on here that never receive a reply. Believe it or not. you seem to be one of the lucky ones. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mcbink 0 Posted February 7, 2018 Bask to Basics. BE aware that most HICKVISION DVR's and NVR's dont't have a Hard Drive already installed and you may have to buy and install one after your purchase. This could add £100 or so to your purchase so it's worth knowing. I'm by no means a CCTV expert, I don't sell them or install them but I do own one. It's a Swann 4750 8 channel Analogue HD DVR system that can record at 3 megapixel and came as a kit with Six 3 megapixel cameras and a 2 T Hard Drive, the current price on the Swann site is for the DVR and six 3 megapixel cameras including hard drive is £399 but I purchased mine just after New year 2018 for £245. It worked straight out of the box with minimal effort setting it up. The Cameras can detect movement, they have IR lights for night vision, and have the ability to be adjusted for lighting etc conditions from the DVR. The DVR can be set for TVI and AHD cameras, it can be programmed for movement sensitivity, alarms, you can set the cameras to Motion detection, full time recording etc. It is a very good starter kit but it's a budget kit and has it's weaknesses. The cameras are probably the greatest weakness in that the video picture look good in night vision mode until something moves then because they are caught out by moving objects, they blur a bit. It's the same with all budget cameras they don't have the lens or electronics to cope with low light sufficiently enough to capture truly clear video. I'm not saying they are bad but they are not great fro night vision. So that's a kit for you to look at it's not bad but not great either. Camera wise you will struggle to buy more than two or three half decent cameras for your entire budget of £300-400 pounds never mind a recorder too. So when I say the Swann kit above is not great I mean it but again if you compare it to the cost of a couple of decent cameras it's ok for the price. Before you buy anything you really need to decide what quality video you want recorded and if quality night vision is important also what you need to view with the cameras because most kit cameras will struggle to obtain a good clear picture of someone down a long drive. If you think Kit cameras will not do what you want then do not buy a kit. Buy a recorder and cameras that will suite your needs. Budget wise I think you might be able to buy a recorder with two half decent cameras to start with but it would be a struggle so you might have to opt for a starter kit and work up from there same as I am. IP and NVR are generally more expensive than Analogue HD and you are not going to really get off the ground with £300-400, for purchasing a system that remotely resembles a SECURITY camera system (decent pictures) if you go IP and NVR so I'd forget that side of things for now and concentrate on building a quality basic kit that will at least be useful for capturing security video. What I am trying to say is that a Analogue HD system is likely to cost less and be more budget friendly for what you have to spend. A full HD 1080p Analogue system will generally be adequate for home use provided you use half decent cameras with the DVR. Personally I am now thinking about buying an NVR and IP system but am aware of the expense and have estimated an 8 camera system at around £1200 minimum to around £1700 tops but at that price range I should obtain good security features such as decent cameras capturing usable footage for recognition purposes. I may just stick with Analogue HD and just upgrade the DVR and add some better cameras but I still expect to part with upwards of £1000 for decent cameras and I'd still want to upgrade the DVR. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mcbink 0 Posted February 7, 2018 Hi. Out of your list there is only one aurtherised distributor. And that is use-IP. And like I said hikvision cameras are easy to get its recorders that are not ..... Use-IP only sells cameras 2 and 3 are only sellers ...... And 1 of the companies does sell gray market ........ They have 3 cameras listed that hikvision have never used that camera design RF concepts ........ As you can check on forum we have a relationship with and for a long time ............ The biggest CCTV company in Ireland and honest in everything they sell. So only two out of your list. Don't confuse aurtherised with UK seller. And it's easy to check ask for authorisation number. Tom, sorry but I need to correct you again, I checked on Hickvision UK's web site and found that "CCTVTec Trade" are in fact Autorised by Hickvision, you can check for yourself. I sent an email today asking "CCTVTec Trade", if CCTVTec are part of their group and also AUTORISED by HICKVISION, they just replied and confirmed CCTVTec are Autorised by HICKVISION. I've posted this so the OP can see that we, the UK public, do have quite a few places that we can buy Authoried Hickvision items from. The UK has somewhere around 65 million people (lots of money) and the fifth biggest economy in the world (lots of spenders) so I don't think Hickvision would be very happy with just a couple of Authorised outlets. The OP might be interested to know that Highwatch are a series by Hickvision and come in a fare bit cheaper. They are more of a budget friendly range and priced more like Swann. You would probably get a hard drive thrown in with a Highwatch kit (or maybe not) they are worth considering as well as Hickvision. Cheers all Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tomcctv 190 Posted February 7, 2018 please be informed that the authorized Hikvision UK distribution partner is officially entitled to describe itself as “Authorized Distributor” or “Authorized Resellers” and allowed to use the following protected branded logo’s. Hikvision does not allow anyone, or consider them authorized to sell our products on open internet platform such as eBay, Amazon, Aliexpress, Snapdeal etc. Direct from there website ............now I can tell you they do sell on Amazon and eBay ...... And the same problem as on there website there over priced .........tvi hik from a distributor is £40 cheaper I know how many people there are in the uk I also know who the distributors are for all products in the uk .... 36 years in the industry in the uk I like to keep my hand in. Can I ask why you want to change your Swann system after only a few weeks could you have bought better ? Hi view hikvision platform your right is there new domestic range and will keep with the existing hikvision platform which was said earlier in one of the posts ......but the new hikvision range complete new software - new apps will not be backward compatable. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mcbink 0 Posted February 7, 2018 Can I ask why you want to change your Swann system after only a few weeks could you have bought better ? Hi view hikvision platform your right is there new domestic range and will keep with the existing hikvision platform which was said earlier in one of the posts ......but the new hikvision range complete new software - new apps will not be backward compatable. "CCTVTec Trade" are Hickvision Authorised, and by Hickvision. They will price match too if asked, I know because I have asked and they did. I should say that's all a buyer needs to know. Ask away about my Swann kit by all means. It works just fine Tom, and I don't have any complaints about the purchase price as when I purchased it I could not find anything that I considered any better for £245. I did not investigate CCTV too deeply before I made the purchase Tom, maybe a couple of weeks or so but in that two weeks it was pretty hard to find a system for £245 that could beat it. 6 x3megapixel cameras, 2T hard drive, DVR, mouse, 18 months warranty, 24/7 endless technical support, all leads and DC power supplies included, free links to use apps with the system for mobile phone, Ipad and Android, technical help with setting things up if needed. The Swann kit had competitive pricing and all the help I needed whenever I needed it right at the end of a phone. It's was just a very easy way to start off in CCTV. So why change or upgrade? Well I knew the Swann kit was a budget kit and it would probably have it's weaknesses but you don't really get to find out what they might be until you try do you. I was never going to break a sweat parting with £245 for a kit like the one I got from Swann and moving on has always been what I intended. I'll let one of my family have it when I upgrade so no loss there. I have already purchased one extra camera to complement the Swann Kit a variofocal 2.8mm to 12mm lens and intend buying another very soon, these will keep me going while I decide jut what I want. I think I could get a really good system for around £1200-1700 but I still need to look into things a bit more before I part with that sort of cash Tom. Swann are ok at the budget end if you can get a deal like I did but their higher priced systems are definitely not worth it (just my opinion). The Hickvisoin sellers I mentioned before are the companies I'll likely look to when I go ahead, they seem reputable companies to me. I hope the OP is able to make some use of all this. If noting else it might spark a few ideas. The heads up about Hickvision software should prove to be a useful consideration for future purchases. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tomcctv 190 Posted February 7, 2018 Well check them out on Amazon ........ If you buy after reading that then you need help. Oh hikvision don't allow aurtherised sellers to sell on Amazon how can that happen. Hongli He........is the uk hikvision director it only takes you a phone call .... Or he might chime in. He is in China If your happy over spending £1.700 with a hikvision recorder then you need to do a bit more home work. Like what has already been said genuine hikvision cameras are good but there NVRs are out of date and problematic every time they do updates. You only have to search forum and it's the most complained about NVR along with there ivms............just too day there are 2 new posts ..... Can't connect because of time differance. Since you are a few months away from changing I'll give you and a friend a free pass to the largest CCTV show in Europe that is held in London every year ...... It starts 22nd of March 2018. Go and try all systems see new tech and I'll sort out your vip lunch with all manufacturers Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mcbink 0 Posted February 7, 2018 Well check them out on Amazon ........ If you buy after reading that then you need help. Oh hikvision don't allow aurtherised sellers to sell on Amazon how can that happen. Hongli He........is the uk hikvision director it only takes you a phone call .... Or he might chime in. He is in China If your happy over spending £1.700 with a hikvision recorder then you need to do a bit more home work. Like what has already been said genuine hikvision cameras are good but there NVRs are out of date and problematic every time they do updates. You only have to search forum and it's the most complained about NVR along with there ivms............just too day there are 2 new posts ..... Can't connect because of time differance. Since you are a few months away from changing I'll give you and a friend a free pass to the largest CCTV show in Europe that is held in London every year ...... It starts 22nd of March 2018. Go and try all systems see new tech and I'll sort out your vip lunch with all manufacturers Tom take a look, Hickvision seem happy with them, if you are not, do something about it, complain to Hickvision not me as it's not constructive to complain to me I can't do anything for you on this one Tom Maybe I won't by a Hickvision NRV I've not decided but I agree I do still need to do a bit more homework and I will take seriously what you have said so far about Hickvision NVR's Tom. Forget about my friend, I only want to go to the vip bash if I can sit next to you Tom. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tomcctv 190 Posted February 8, 2018 Did you check there feed back on eBay and Amazon They also say aurtherised don't sell on eBay or Amazon ....... The link I posted is from there site. ..... But they do. And the feed back is not good. Mohammed Khan is the owners name call him tomorrow if you want to confirm he sells on eBay and Amazon Remember we are not talking about hikvision cameras ......... It's the NVR problems and you only need to look at the forum ....... Cams not much problems .........recorders .... Well pages and pages of problems Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mcbink 0 Posted February 8, 2018 Hi ian2000t, Just wondered how you are doing with your search Ian? I know it is very difficult when you start looking because there is can be some confusion with the two main different types of system: "HD Analogue Camera + DVR"...... V..... "IP Camera + NVR". They can both produce HD quality video, they can both record to a recorder and either system can be used for surveillance in a home or business. You can link both systems up to the internet and so can have access by either system to a phone, Ipad or Android. Both systems will cope with motion detection and both systems have a pretty comprehensive array of thing they can do regarding recording video, storage, viewing, playback etc. I think the main difference, that I know of. 1. Analogue HD Cameras need to connect to a DVR to convert the Analogue Cameras signal to Digital. The DVR receives the Analogue signal from the Camera and converts it at the DVR to Digital signal. Once converted to Digital the signal can be sent via the internet and on to your Phone etc. 2. IP Cameras can connect directly to the internet and don't need an NVR. IP Camera convert signal at the camera to Digital form. As the video footage is already digital you can connect an IP camera directly to the internet, either by Ethernet cable or wirelessly via your router. If you do not use an NVR (Network Storage Recorder) to record your video at home and still want to record the video from the camera, you will need an IP camera with either onboard storage such as a SD card or you will need to have access to store video on the internet. That's about all I know and I'm ok with being corrected........ TOM. Let us know how you are getting on with your search Ian. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tomcctv 190 Posted February 8, 2018 If you do not use an NVR (Network Storage Recorder) to record your video at home and still want to record the video from the camera, you will need an IP camera with either onboard storage such as a SD card or you will need to have access to store video on the internet. That's about all I know and I'm ok with being corrected........ TOM. Well since your involving me in your posts ...... Ok I will correct you NVR ......Network Video Recorder. Simple mistake for someone who has never used one. But you are right IP cameras can recorded to NVR or SD card .........but your wrong in saying you need to Internet access for anything else. It's a rookie mistake that people think you need Internet for a IP setup. You only need a LAN network (local area network) and that allows more recording options ...... PC with vms ....local cloud....raid. Only time you need Internet or WAN is if you want off site storage or cameras are in another location (miles away) or to have the ability to view your system when away from you LAN. Your right with options DVR or NVR. But there is also hybrid .......which most DVRs these days are. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mcbink 0 Posted February 8, 2018 If you do not use an NVR (Network Storage Recorder) to record your video at home and still want to record the video from the camera, you will need an IP camera with either onboard storage such as a SD card or you will need to have access to store video on the internet. That's about all I know and I'm ok with being corrected........ TOM. Well since your involving me in your posts ...... Ok I will correct you NVR ......Network Video Recorder. Simple mistake for someone who has never used one. But you are right IP cameras can recorded to NVR or SD card .........but your wrong in saying you need to Internet access for anything else. It's a rookie mistake that people think you need Internet for a IP setup. You only need a LAN network (local area network) and that allows more recording options ...... PC with vms ....local cloud....raid. Only time you need Internet or WAN is if you want off site storage or cameras are in another location (miles away) or to have the ability to view your system when away from you LAN. Your right with options DVR or NVR. But there is also hybrid .......which most DVRs these days are. Cheers Tom, 1. First let me thank you for the correction where I said "Storage" and should have said "Video", when referencing "Network Video Recorder", it was a slip that just came out wrong, still better to be corrected. 2. Again, cheers for the addition of further information regarding on site storage options with IP cameras. I was not aware of the amount of options and so did not list them all, but again it's good to be given the correct information, thank you Share this post Link to post Share on other sites