It seems strange to write off the FLIR/Dahua stuff as "crap." We haven't tested every model obviously, but have used the low end and I've heard enough positive things from people I trust who have used Dahua's mid range to believe that it works fairly well. The recorders have been solid in our tests, even if not exceptional.
Also, don't confuse the expense of thermal cameras, traditionally $4000+ (now less in many cases), with a need for complexity. It's easy to think that because an $8000 thermal camera is the right choice for a certain scene that a $300 visible camera has no place there and you need an enterprise level VMS. But in the past I talked to several customers who had a budget for thermal but pretty much just needed basic recording and viewing. Not every thermal application is asking for analytics and advanced integrations.