Avigilon H4 IR Mini Dome Camera Tested

By: John Scanlan, Published on Oct 24, 2017

Avigilon has released their successor to the aging Micro Dome, the H4 Mini Dome, claiming easy install, a patent-pending surface/recessed mounting system, Lightcatcher low light performance, true WDR and more.

We bought this new model and tested against Axis and Hikvision minidomes. Inside, we report our findings on:

  • Low light image quality
  • Full light image quality
  • WDR performance
  • IR Pattern
  • Bandwidth
  • Price Comparison
  • Physical Overview
  • Ease / Difficulty of Installation

******** *** ******** ***** successor ** *** ********** ****, *** ** **** Dome, ******** **** *******, a ******-******* *******/******** ******** system, ************ *** ***** performance, **** *** *** more.

** ****** **** *** model *** ****** ********************************. ******, ** ****** our ******** **:

  • *** ***** ***** *******
  • **** ***** ***** *******
  • *** ***********
  • ** *******
  • *********
  • ***** **********
  • ******** ********
  • **** / ********** ** Installation

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

*******

***** ** *** *****, there *** ******* **** to *** ** **** Dome:

  • ****** *** ***** *******: *** ** **** Dome ********* *** **** of *** ***** ******* tested ** *** ***** scenes, **** ****** ******* and **** *******.
  • **** ** ********:*** ****** ******** **** IR ******** *** ******* its ********* ***/~**' *****, while *** ********* ****'* illumination *** *** ** the ****** *** **** on *** *****.
  • ***** ***: *** ** **** Dome ********* **** ** WDR ****** ******, ******** worse **** *** **** M3045, *** ******* ****** than *********'* **** (**** true *** *******).
  • ****** / ***** ************:******** ************ **** **** a *** ******* ** our ***** *******, ******* issue. **** *** *** of ******* *** ******* installations ** **** ******.

*******, ***** *** *** key *********:

  • **** **** ***** ******:*** ** **** ************ ****** **** ***** models ****** (**** *** Hikvision), ******** ******* ** full *****.
  • **** *** **** ******:******** ****** **** *.*** lenses ** *** **** Dome **** (** **** Axis), *** ** ***° AoV, ********* ** **********. However, ********* ****** *.*, 4, *, *, *** 12mm ******* ** ***** 25XX ****** *********, ****** them **** ******** ** covering ******* ******.

*******

*** ***** ******** ** IR **** **** (*.**-***-**-**) has * ****** ***** of ~$*** ***, ************* higher **** *** ********* 2522, ~$*** ******, *** similar ** ****' ****** IR ****, *** *****-* (~$300).

Physical ********

*** ** **** **** is ******* ** ********'* past ***** **** ***** in **** ******, *** recess *** ******* ***** models *** *** *** same **** ****** ****** with ********* ******** ******** for ******* *** ****** mounting, ***** *****:

*** ** **** **** still **** ** ******** PoE ******, ** ********* complaint ***** *** ***** Dome *** ***** ****** models. *******, ** ** significantly ******* **** *** Micro **** ******, **** the ***** ****** *** status ****** ***** ** the ****** **** ******* of *** ******. *** smaller ******, *** ******* mounting ******, **** ***** a ****** ********* ********* with *** ***** ****, where ***** ******** * hole ***** ****** *** the ****** **** ****** room/material *** **** *** the ******** ******, ***** causing ********** ** **** to *** ******** **** adhesives ** **** ******.

*** ****** ***** **** features ***** ** *********** minidomes, **** ** ** storage, */*, ** *****. We ****** ***** *** other ******** ******** ** this *****:

Size **********

*** ** **** **** is ********** ******* **** Axis *** ********* *********, about *" ******* ** diameter, *** *** **** about *" ****.

Quick ******** ************

************ ** *** ** Mini **** ** *****, taking ** **** ~* minutes *****. ** *** video *****, ** **** the ************ ******* ***** cutting * *" **** in *** **** (***** a *******). *** ***** below ***** *** **** first ******* ** ****** mounting *** ******, **** no ********, ****** ** one ** *** ******* recess ***** ************* ** have ****.

**** ******* ** ******* to **** ****** ***** cameras, **** ** ********'* original ***** **** *** Vivotek's ******. *******, *** HD **** **** ******** clips **** **** ******** than **** ** **** springs ***** ** ***** other ******, ***** **** like **** ***** ** pulled **** *** ******* more ******.

**** **** *** ******** H4 **** **** ** not ***** *** *** in****** ********, * ******* ***** in **** ******** ****** or ******** ****.

Image ******* **********

*** ****** *** ****** in *** ********** **** for **** *** ***** and **** ***** ***** quality ** *** ***** of **** ***** *****.

Solid *** ***** ***** *******

*** ******** ******** ********* better **** *** ********* 2522 ** *** ***** with ** **, **** better ******* ** *** subject *** **** ***** and **** **** ************ (see *****). *** **** M3045-V *** ******* **** other ****** *** ** its **** ** ********** IR, ****** ***** ******** rough ******* ** *** subject *** **** ******* lines ** ****.

** ******* *********, **** PPF ******** ** ~**, the ******** **** **** still ******** ********** ****** details ** *** ******* and ***** **** *********.

Even ** *******

** ************ ** *** HD **** **** ** even ****** *** ***** of ****, **** ** bright ******* *******. *******, in *** ****** ******, a ********** *** ******* near *** ****** ** the *****, ********* ** a ****** ****** ****, shown *****.

Average **** ***** ***** *******

*** ******** ** **** Dome ******** ****** ****** in **** ***** **** competitive ***** ******* ******, reducing ******* *** ***** details.

Solid *** ***********

** ****** *** ******* an *****/**** **** **** harsh ******** ***** ******, ~45 *** ****** ******** to ~*,*** *** *******.

***** *****, ******** ********* well, ********* ******* ** the ******* *** ***** background **** ******* *** out, *** *** ************ by *** **** ****** which ******** *******, ********* less *********** ****** ** the ******* *** **** sign ***** *** **** was ****. *** ********* appears *********** *** ****** blue ***** *** **** is ****.

*** ******* **** **** tested ** ******* ****** WDR ***********, * ***** door *****. ***** ****** inside **** ~**** ****** and ~***** ***** *** exterior ******.

*** ** **** **** performed **** ** **** scene, **** **** ******** less ****** **** *** Axis *****-*. *** ********* 2522 *** *********** ******* the **** ** ******* in *** ******** ****.

HDSM ***** *****

*** ** **** **** includes ********'* **** **********, which ****** ***** ** adjust *********** ** ********** objects ** **** ** reduce ***** ****, *******, bit **** ***, *** GOP ******** **** *** scene ** ****:

** *** *****, ******* to ***** ***** ******, reductions ** ~**% **** seen ** ******* ***** scenes, **** **** **% in ******* **** ******. At *****, ******* **** lessened, *** ********** ** almost **% **** ****.

** **** ** **** the **** ********** ** a ******** ******, *** saw ** ****** **** image ******* ****** ******* (noise, *********** ** ********** objects, ********, ******, ***.).

Bandwidth **********

**** *** **** ***** Codec **, *** ******** H4 **** ****'* ******** were ***** **** *** Hikvision **** **** *.***+, and ******* ** *** Axis *****-* ** ***** day *** ***** ******, but ********** ***** **** Axis ** * **** motion ***** *****.

Test **********

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

  • ******** *.**-***-**-**: *.**.*.***(*****)
  • **** *****-*: *.**.*
  • ********* **-**********-**: **.*.* ***** 170124

Comments (7)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

10/24/17 06:41pm

********* ********** ** *****! *** ********* ***** **** **** *** worth *** **** ** *** **** ************ **** *** *****.

******* ** ** *** *** ******** ******* ** *** ***/***** with ** **** *****-* ****** ***** ***, *** *** *** $230-$240 ****** ***** ** *** *****-*. ** * ****-**** ********, the *****-* ***** **** **** ********** ****** **** ***** **** to *** **. *** *** ***** ********** *****'** **** **** more ********** *** *** **** *** *****-*.

****** *****!!

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 10/24/17 07:52pm

**** ********. ** ****** *** ******* ***** ******* ****'** * baseline *** **** ************. *** *****-* ** *** ****** **** indoor ***** *****, *** ** ***** **. *** ** **** Dome ** ********'* ****** **** ****** ***** *****, *** ***** is * ***-** *****, *** *** ***** ********** ** *****, only ~$** ****** *****, ** ** **** **** **.

**** ***** ****, ** *** *** **** ***** *********** **** IR *** ** ***** *** *** **** ** ***-** *********** and * **** **** ********** ** *** *****.

Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Ethan Ace | 10/24/17 07:57pm

*********, ***** ***! ********, **** ** * **** ***** *** H4 *** *** **** *******'* ** *** *****, ** ** need ** ** ******* *** *******. * *** **** ******* in *** ***** ********** ** * *** ******* *** *****-* would've ****** ** ******* *** *** *** *** ***. *** H4 ********** *** *** ********* *********** ** *** ** ** such * ***** *********. *** ***** ** ***** $** *** space *********** ******** ***** *****/** ** ********. ****** *****!!

Undisclosed Integrator #2

10/26/17 12:15pm

****** *****, ********* **********. * ***** **** ** **** * non-integrated ** ********** ** ****, ** ********. *** ***** ***** with ** ****** *******, *** **'* ****** **** ** *** what *** ********** **.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

11/04/17 11:46am

* ***'* **** *** *********** ***** ******* ***** *** **** for ***-***** ****. *** * ***** **** ** **** *********.

**** *** **** ******** ****** *** ***** *** *** ********? I *** **** **** **** **** ****** **** ******** ***** still ***** ;)

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3 | 11/06/17 07:56am

****** *** **** ***** *******!

** ********* / *********** ** */*** *** *** ***** ** all ******* ** ********* ******* ***** ** * ******* ** any ********.

* *** **** **** **** **** ****** **** ******** ***** still ***** ;)

*** *****. *** ********* *****, *** ***** ** ********* *** shutter *****, ** ************ *** ** *********.

**** *** **** ******** ****** *** ***** *** *** ********?

******* ** ********* *** ******* ***** ** */***, ******* **'* easier *** ****** ** *** * ***** ***** **** ***** on **** ***** *** ***** *** ******* ***** ** ********** to */***, ** ********** *** ****** ****** **** ************* ***** play **** ********.

******* -****** **** ******* / ******** ******.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

In reply to John Honovich | 11/06/17 02:21pm

**, ** **** ** ****. ***** ***.

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