Subscriber Discussion

Arecont Omni Cameras W/ Avigilon?

KH
Kevin Helms
Jan 11, 2017

I have a customer wanting Arecont AV20185, and AV201765 cameras. Has anyone had good experiences, or bad experiences with these cameras? And, has anyone had any issues with these cameras integrating well with Avigilon ACC5?

I know the resolution on these cameras are good in a daylight, and with well lit parking lots. It seems like there's a lack of multi-sensor cameras. Although the customer is running Avigilon, they are hesitant about continuing with Aviiglon cameras in case down as down the road, they may be entertaining Genetec, thereby removing some of the features of the Avigilon Cameras.

I thought I would put this question out there to get some feedback from other professionals.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Jan 12, 2017

I would recommend a search of the forums regarding past surveys and other items pertaining to Arecont.

IMO you are infinitely better off with the native Avigilon multi-head units or even Axis units.  I cannot speak for Genetec but Avigilon multi-head units import perfectly into Milestone.  Axis units work in nearly any VMS.

U
Undisclosed #2
Jan 12, 2017

I don't have direct experience with integrating them into Avigilon, but I have extensive experience with the cameras themselves, used with Exacq, Salient, and Genetec VMS's. We've installed dozens (100+) and have had 1 camera with an issue that has had to be replaced, which happened within a day after troubleshooting. 

I have no vested interest in Arecont and in fact have liked to keep them a secret as a competitive advantage for a long time, but I know that many of the reviews here have been less than stellar. With that said, the scenarios where we are using them are very specific and very carefully engineered, so we've not had issues with low light, etc. With that said, I'm sure that if they're not used in the right scenario (i.e., you mean a 5MP camera doesn't work well in low light? whodathunkit?), the potential for a negative experience is very high.

I would absolutely consider them in place of the Avigilon multisensors, especially because they don't have analytics anyways. There's no real reason to use them unless you're just really lazy and don't want to do lens calculations. 

(1)
(1)
MM
Michael Miller
Jan 12, 2017

I was waiting to see other people's responses before I chimed in.   We have a lot of Avigilon systems in the field and the systems we have to service the most have Arecont cameras on them.  The last Arecont camera I tried was the 4 head Omni.   I ordered one in-house to test and it connected and motion detection worked on our test system at the office.   I let the camera connected for about 2 weeks and everything seemed fine so against my better judgment I sold one for a project.   

We installed the camera on site and everything seemed to work fine for the first could of days until the customer called and said the camera was disconnected.  We went on a site and confirmed the camera was no longer connected.   We rebooted the camera and reconnected it to ACC and everything seemed fine again until we got the same call from the customer a couple days later.  This went on for a couple of weeks where we had to send a tech onsite to reconnect the camera to ACC every couple of days.  

To my surprise Arecont support blamed the issue on the Cisco switches as at my office we run HP Procurve and didn't have an issue. There support said Arecont cameras aren't compatible with Cisco switches.  I picked my jaw off the floor and ordered an Avigilon Multi-head to replace the Omni and we haven't had a call since and this has been over a year now. 

Another issue I saw with the 12MP 180 cameras from Arecont is when the screen is full of motion on all images ACC would stop recording.  Basically, it seemed like the camera was overwhelmed with motion and would stop sending the motion flag to ACC.   We had other customers with the same 12MP 180 camera and I checked their systems and I saw the same issue.  When there was a lot off motion on all images ACC would not have recorded video.   Again I ordered an Avigilon camera to replace the Arecont 180 and haven't had an issue since.  

I am going to try Arecont again as I really could see a lot of uses for this camera though I don't have my hopes up. 

(1)
U
Undisclosed #3
Jan 12, 2017
IPVMU Certified

I am going to try Arecont again as I really could see a lot of uses for this camera though I don't have my hopes up.

Given your experiences, why even bother with the Arecont?

(1)
U
Undisclosed #2
Jan 12, 2017

I appreciate the response, Michael. I had a sneaky suspicion you had some experience. I may have that suspicion because you'd mentioned it before, but that's beside the point. :)

Your post is the exact reason that I specifically said I hadn't used them in Avigilon before. If we're honest, Avigilon does not always like to play well with others. Not that they don't or won't, and that's not a blanket statement, but there are issues, especially when you take into account "unique" cameras, which the Arecont definitely is.

Again, all I can speak to is my experience, and having used multiple cameras on Salient, Exacq, and Genetec, I have no issues with them at all. YMMV, but I would label this as much an Avigilon problem as an Arecont problem, although that may or may not be fair considering everyone elses history with them.

Also, while I love the concept of that dual-sensor camera, I absolutely loathe the design. Just horrible. They could've used the same concept as the Omni's except only put two sensors in instead of four. I will never sell one of those cameras out of principle alone.

(1)
(1)
JH
John Honovich
Jan 12, 2017
IPVM

Related, we bought an Arecont Duo and are planning to text it shortly.

(2)
Avatar
Tim Sutton
Jul 02, 2017

Glad to hear it, John. Please make a point to determine whether or not it can embedd the date/time in the video at camera level. 

I also have found that if one sensor goes out, the other is lost as well.  One wire, two sensors, the VMS treats them lime they are independant streams from one camera so I would guess any VMS will drop both cameras if one falls off because they have the same IP just different stream identifiers. 

I very much look forward to the test!!

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #6
Feb 20, 2017

Micheal, in Arecont's defense (one of the few I would give them), I wouldn't find it that improbable it was a problem with the Cisco switches. I have seen strange things with Cisco switches before, which is why we don't use them. A lot with auto speed negotiation and sometimes even network adapter compatibility problem.

(1)
Avatar
Kevin Bennett
Jan 20, 2017

They will integrate into Avigilon, but firmware version is important to being able to integrate.  (This applies to all Arecont camera models we have in service, including AV20185, AV40185, and AV20175.)

We have not had much success in the past with newer firmware versions and have had to use older versions.  That being said, I have not tried a firmware upgrade in a while and we have upgraded our ACC servers at least twice since our last attempt.

Another issue is if there is a power interruption in the network that does not cause the camera to reboot (e.g., if the camera is on external power rather than PoE).  We have this in several locations where we are using fiber and media converters for some longer runs.  The camera will sometimes show "Not connected" or "Error" in ACC and requires a manual reboot to resolve the issue . . . and since you cannot reboot the Arecont camera through the browser, that entails cycling a circuit breaker or going to the camera in the field to disconnect/reconnect the power.

(1)
(2)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #4
Jan 20, 2017

The problem with the H3 series is that the jacket on the Ethernet cable that passes through the knuckle assembly degrades, and then if water fills the pivot (which is not sealed) it can pipe directly into the camera.Degraded cable

(2)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #4
Jan 20, 2017

Sorry, that was supposed to go to the Avigilon bullet water thread...

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #5
Jan 23, 2017

I had 2-12MP and 1-20MP Arecont cameras at a customers site, that were only up for two or three months. Storage on the Avigilon server was less than 15 days, switched them out with Avigilon 12MP and was getting 45 days of storage. Avigilon has much better pictures and a lot easier to set up and configure, than the Arecont.   

(1)
(2)
Avatar
Christopher Freeman
Jun 10, 2017

I think some with issues they cannot find tend to blame the one they dislike the most . 

But that being said , we have had issues with many isolate cameras and found that thru time it was not the camera . 

It was the codac , or the vms software compatability with that camera. 

Upgrading the camera software immediately before installation and keeping current Vms codac upgrades , helps deter this problem 

Some were the Poe Switch as it was at max and on the edge of failure.

old, out of date, and over taxed with the constant upgrades of cameras from 720 p to 5 mpxl.

this is sometimes the problem , not upgrading the system entirely as you change and add cameras. 

Arecont, Hikvision, Vigilon , acti , vms 's     No exception s 

 

It took a lot of time to figure out where the problems were coming from. 

MM
Michael Miller
Jun 10, 2017

But that being said , we have had issues with many isolate cameras and found that thru time it was not the camera .

Stuck IR cut filters, flipped images and one or two imagers stop streaming out of the 4 imagers.  Would you say these are VMS issues or Arecont camera issues?

(2)
Avatar
Christopher Freeman
Jun 10, 2017

No , Factory defects or common defects due to manufacturing. 

But have had these also and , following a sequence of troubleshooting found multiple issues. 

Common to software, or infrastructure. 

Usually when we change out cameras to existing or add cameras of other brands we don't account for the ( not play well together factor) Non compatibility , or (old technology to new technology )

Seen when adding old vms system upgrades and new feature rich new camera s with lots of really nice features that don't work unless you tweek the system down to work. 

Agreed that some manufacturers don't upgrade their software and codacs due to cost or chip structure and this creates problems . 

But keeping this factor in perspective , its the whole picture , not just one manufacturer s camera.

We have had Products where they came with old software, after we updated them, they worked , but it was the process to find out why that was the headache 

Products always look good, work great, and really show well in the showroom or demo. 

But when integration process is in play , thats when you really see performance. 

NO matter whose products they are

I think after the new affect or wow affect has worn off , then you really see reality.

 

(1)
(1)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
Jun 10, 2017

The stuck IR filters issue and flipped images I have seen in different VMS (Milestone and Avigilon ACC) across various versions and directly on the camera itself.  It is most definitely not the VMS.

(3)
Avatar
Christopher Freeman
Jun 11, 2017

We've had software issue's, minor issue's ,fixable in the field or single camera issues. 

Not a lot . and not the the quanity's i read about other s having. 

Some are related to software to vms issues. 

We've had more HV problems , than arecont issues , even as i dont think arecont has the greatest software in thier cameras. 

my own personal view 

And we think it's related to upgrades from 1.3 to 3-5 mpxl issues or codac compatabliliy issues . as when we upgraded the vms, or cameras software it solves the problem. 

some were overtaxing the switch

where spec's said 24 cam's at 45 watts per channel , when we ran at full speed with 24 ,3-5 mpxl with irs and motion with constant bit rate , it created problems .

set switch's to 20 cams with 4 open , treated it like it was electrical , not I.T. 

Dumbed down some of the cameras and it solves issues. 

With this in mind we concluded the switch would not work at the specified listed detail. 

Cameras Drop off's , not sure it was the camera so much as the infrastructure or power, or Switch issue. 

Spikes, surges, fluctuation in environment, Extremes heat, cold 

As a really Good technician or troubleshooter , you look for answers and tech support gives cookie cutter book answers and as a problem solver i have to get to the end with a solution that works in the field . 

some time s you have to be creative to find solutions . 

sometimes it is easier , simpler to just change out , test in shop, troubleshoot in a good environment on a bench. 

This takes a lot of time and thought ( you don't get Paid for ) 

(1)
Avatar
Tim Sutton
Jul 02, 2017

I would seriously look at the Hanwha multi sensor cameras as an alternative to the Arecont Omnis, if for nothing but the ability to add a date/time stamp to the actual video at camera level. 

U
Undisclosed #7
Jul 02, 2017

Arecont is viral on IPVM!

Perhaps Arecont could not get the time to sync on both camera imagers on the Duo../jk.

 

 

(1)
New discussion

Ask questions and get answers to your physical security questions from IPVM team members and fellow subscribers.

Newest discussions