Arecont Vision MicroDome Duo Tested

By: John Scanlan, Published on Feb 14, 2017

Arecont Vision is back with another multi-head camera, this time thinking smaller with the MicroDome Duo, a two-imager model, with the tagline "Look both ways for hallway surveillance", a form factor rarely seen in surveillance.

However, given Arecont's historic (and continuing) reputation, the question is how well this novel approach stacks up against single imager models from other manufacturers.

We bought and tested the 1080p MicroDome Duo (AV4655) recommended by Arecont, against compact domes from Axis and Hikvision, seeing how it compares in full light, low light, and bandwidth consumption, and how well it fits the large or odd shaped intended scenes.

******* ******** **** **** ******* multi-head ******, **** **** thinking ******* **** ************ ***, * ***-****** *****, with *** ******* "**** both **** *** ******* surveillance", * **** ****** rarely **** ** ************.

*******, ***** *******'* ******** (and **********) **********, *** question ** *** **** this ***** ******** ****** up ******* ****** ****** models **** ***** *************.

** ****** *** ****** the ***** ********* *** (AV4655) *********** ** *******, against ******* ***** **** Axis *** *********, ****** how ** ******** ** full *****, *** *****, and ********* ***********, *** how **** ** **** the ***** ** *** shaped ******** ******.

[***************]

*******

**** *******'* ****, *** MicroDome *** ** ** uncommon ******* **** * number ** ********* ************ in ****** ** *** shaped ***** ***** *** be **** ********* ** less ************* ******** ** cover **** ******** ****** cameras.

*******, ******** ** ******* dome ******, *** ******** had ******* ************* ***** outweigh ***** ********:

  • ************/***** ******* ******:****** *** ***, ** an ****** *** ****** (100-300lx) ****** **** ***********, making ******* ****** ************/******* in ***** ******* ********* to ****/********. ************, **** white ******* ******** ** discoloration.
  • **** *** ***** ***********:** ***** (~*.***), ****** were *********** *****, ********* no ********* ** ******* of *** ******* ** all, ***** *********** ***-** domes (*.*. **** *****) produced ***** *********/******* *******.
  • **** *********:******** ** ******, *** MicroDome ***'* ******* ********* was **** ****, **** Axis *** ********* ~**% and **% *****, ************. Arecont's ********* ********* *** much *****, *** **** is ** ***** **** due ** *** ****** black ****** ********.
  • ****** *****:*** ********* *** ** expensive **** ******** ** two ******** ***** **** lower **** ************* **** as *********, *****, ** even ****' *** ******, all ** ***** ********* offer ****** ***** ******* and ***** ******** **** the ******* *****.

*******

*** ********-** ***** *** ~$650 ******. ** ********, single ****** ***** ***** (such ** ******, *****, or *********) *** ** found ****** *** ***** $200, ****** **** ******* separate ******, ****** *****, VMS/NVR ********, *** ************.

********* *** ***** *******, the ********'* ***** ** likely ************* ******* ** slightly ****** **** ***** two ***** **** *******.

**** **** ***** *** few ***** **** ****** options *********. ******* ****** one,*** *** ********, ****** ** ** MxPEG/MJPEG **** *** **** expensive (~$***+ ******), ****** also ****** ********** (*** imagers) *** ******** *****, I/O, *** ***** ******** the ********* *** **** not. ********* **** ********* a **** ****** ***** more **** * **** ago, ************, ****** ** ** still ***********.

Physical ********

*** ********* ***'* **** factor ** ********* **** most **** ******, *********** two ********* ****** ********, with ******** **** *******. The ******* **** *********** gimbals ***** *** ** adjusted **********, ****** ****** and *******. **** **** multiple **** ******* *** available, ** ****, ******* from **** ***** *.*** (113°) ** ********* **** (15°).

** **** ** *** camera ** **** ******** overview *****:

*** ******** **** ** the ****** ** ***** here, ****** *** ***** than **** *** ********* minidome ******:

Sensor ***********

*** ********* ***'* ******* are ********* ** *********** spherical ******* ***** ***** them ** ** ****** positioned *** *******. ** set ** *** ****** to ***** *** *** use ***** ** *** office:

**** ******

*****, ** ******* ** open ****** **** ~**' long, ****** *** *** cameras ******** **** *****. In **** *****, **********/******** were ******, ***** *** be **** ** *** overexposed ***** ** *** office ** *** ****. These ****** **** ******, seen ** *** ***** sample ***** ** **** as ***** ******* *********** testing (*****).

******** * **** ** this ***** (~*** **)

***** ****/*******

******, ** ****** ** entry **** *** ******** hallway, ******** ******* ** two *******. *****, **** overexposure *** ******* ** the *******. ** **** example, *** **** ****** was ******* **° **** corridor **** ** ****** cover *** ******* ******* wasted *** *****.

**** **** *** ****** is******* *** (****** * WDR ***** ** *********, the ****). **** ******* is ******** ** **** coverage/usability, *** *** ***********.

******** ** ****** ** this ***** (~*** **)

Image *******

** ****** *** ****** against *********** **** ****** to *** *** ***** quality ******** ** **** light *** *** ***** scenes, ***** **** ***:

**** ****** **, ~*****, the ******* ****** ***** noticeable ************* *** ************ of ***** ***** ** the **** ***** ******** to ******, ********** ******** details.

** ~*.***, *** ******* camera's ***** ** ****** completely *****, ******* ***** specified **** * *.**** minimum ************ ******. *** Axis *****-* ****** ******* the *******, ****** ** details ********* *** ** digital *****, *** *** Hikvision **** ***** **** rough ******* ******* *** 1-2 ***** ** ******* text *** ** *** built ** **.

Bandwidth **********

*** ********'* ******* ******** were **** ****** **** other ****** ****** (********* only * ****** ******), over *.* **/* ** well *** ******, ***** others **** **-**% **** bandwidth. ** *****, *** AV4655's ******* ******* ** be *** ****** ***** cameras ******, *** ** usable ****** **** ********.

Test **********

******* ******* **** ****** using ******* ******** ****** for ******** ****, ***** was *** ** **** Speed / **** ** avoid **** *** ** slow *******.

*** ********* ******** ******** were **** ** **** test:

  • ******* ********-**: *****
  • **** *****-*: *.**.*.*
  • ********* **-*********-*: *.*.*

Comments (12)

Avatar

Brandon Knutson

IPVMU Certified | 02/14/17 04:09pm

Thank you, I've been eagerly awaiting this test and I'm left disappointed. At least Arecont is consistent.

Undisclosed #1

02/15/17 01:27pm

I think it is a great idea however the blind spots on the side and underneath are a concern.

In regards to the image quality i feel you should try to adjust the camera setting to fit the specific scene. Its difficult to put a camera up with default settings and expect it to work well in any environment.

Generally when i am setting up cameras on demo displays i would spend some time making adjustments to get them performing as well as i can. Sometimes a small change can make a huge difference.

I would be interested to see you showing 2 test images. 1 default, 1 with optimised settings for that particular scene.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1 | 02/15/17 01:38pm

Generally when i am setting up cameras on demo displays i would spend some time making adjustments to get them performing as well as i can. Sometimes a small change can make a huge difference.

Let's make a deal. You send us a picture of a before and after including the model and settings changed with 'huge difference' in details discerned, and we will do a test similarly.

We have done optimized testing / tuning in the past and the differences are typically cosmetic only, i.e., no to minimal more details can be discerned.

For example, this camera is bad in low light. There's really nothing that can be done without tradeoffs. For example, we could slow down the shutter and the image would become brighter but than moving objects would be blurred.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to John Honovich | 02/15/17 01:56pm

Give me a couple of days and I will send you some before and afters. It should be interesting to see what you think of them. Lets hope i can find a good example. :)

Leo Jang

02/20/17 12:11am

How many IP address use?, One or Two?

Tyler Graham

In reply to Leo Jang | 02/20/17 04:30am

Also, how many licenses does it use?

Avatar

John Scanlan

IPVM | IPVMU Certified | In reply to Leo Jang | 02/20/17 02:50pm

It uses one IP address.

Undisclosed Distributor #2

02/20/17 07:01am

The pink colours make it look like a stuck IR cut filter....

Undisclosed End User #3

06/21/17 12:13pm

We are using 2 of these cameras 6MP WDR 2.8mm in production under a parcel sorting machine and we are very happy with them.

Considering Arecont previous issues with multi images which we also experienced these cameras work just fine, no resets and no color filters block.

We experimented a lot with the blind spot and found out that if you rotate them in 90 and 270 degrees angles so that horizontal pixels become vertical and vice-versa the cameras will overlap a little bit and there will be no blind spot underneath. The cameras are mounted at approx 2m height.The colors quality depends on the setting indoor/outdoor/mixed mode.

For us this type of camera brings cost saving in terms of Milestone licenses and is a little bit cheaper than 2 Hikvision 3MP cameras + 2 licenses + 2 x cabling + 2 x switch ports + 2x installation cost. In the long run saving is increasing with Milestone annual support for only 1 license.

Hope this helps.

NOTICE: This comment has been moved to its own discussion: How Using Arecont's Duo Dome With Milestone Saves Over Hikvision

Avatar

Tim Sutton

In reply to Undisclosed End User #3 | 07/29/17 09:04pm

I have inherited a site where these are mounted in the center of a basically square room on the ceiling at a height of approximately 14'. The views do not include the are under the camera. Your comment has given me hope that some manipulation of the individual sensors may help cover the are directly beneath the camera. My fear is that turning the sensors so they are basically in "corridor view" will cause the loss of other areas around the perimeter of the room in order to capture the center of the room under the camera.

Undisclosed Distributor #2

07/19/17 11:33am

Is this a form of flattery?

You need to know how to browse their Chinese site to find it...

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Distributor #2 | 07/19/17 11:57am

Evidently, the dual camera's model name is P3705-Z and the three headed one is P3706-Z. I'll ask Axis for clarification. See Axis Chinese market only page.

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