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

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

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

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

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

*******

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

  • ****** *** ***** *******: *** ** **** **** performed *** **** ** the ***** ******* ****** in *** ***** ******, with ****** ******* *** text *******.
  • **** ** ********:*** ****** ******** **** IR ******** *** ******* its ********* ***/~**' *****, while *** ********* ****'* illumination *** *** ** the ****** *** **** on *** *****.
  • ***** ***: *** ** **** Dome ********* **** ** WDR ****** ******, ******** worse **** *** **** M3045, *** ******* ****** than *********'* **** (**** true *** *******).
  • ****** / ***** ************: ******** ************ **** **** a *** ******* ** our ***** *******, ******* issue. **** *** *** of ******* *** ******* installations ** **** ******.

*******, ***** *** *** *** drawbacks:

  • **** **** ***** ******: *** ** **** **** ******** ****** **** ***** models ****** (**** *** Hikvision), ******** ******* ** full *****.
  • **** *** **** ******:******** ****** **** *.*** ****** ** the **** **** **** (as **** ****), *** or ***° ***, ********* on **********. *******, ********* offers *.*, *, *, 8, *** **** ******* on ***** **** ****** minidomes, ****** **** **** flexible ** ******** ******* ******.

*******

*** ***** ******** ** IR **** **** (*.**-***-**-**) has * ****** ***** of ~$*** ***, ************* higher **** *** ********* 2522, ~$*** ******, *** ******* to ****' ****** ** dome, *** *****-* (~$***).

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, **** ** ** *******, I/O, ** *****. ** review ***** *** ***** hardware ******** ** **** video:

Size **********

*** ** **** **** ** moderately ******* **** **** and ********* *********, ***** 1" ******* ** ********, *** all **** ***** *" tall. 

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 ***** ** ***** ***** models, ***** **** **** they ***** ** ****** from *** ******* **** ******.

**** **** *** ******** 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 ** *******

** ************ ** *** ** **** Dome ** **** ****** the ***** ** ****, with ** ****** ******* hotspot. *******, ** *** scenes ******, * ********** was ******* **** *** bottom ** *** *****, appearing ** * ****** bright ****, ***** *****. 

Average Full ***** ***** *******

*** ******** ** **** 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 *****. ***** ****** ****** were ~**** ****** *** ~290lx ***** *** ******** awning. 

*** ** **** **** ********* **** in **** *****, **** only ******** **** ****** than *** **** *****-*. The ********* **** *** overexposed ******* *** **** of ******* ** *** subjects ****.

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

********* ********** ** *****! The ********* ***** **** been *** ***** *** cost ** *** **** subscription **** *** *****. 

******* ** ** *** you ******** ******* ** the ***/***** **** ** Axis *****-* ****** ***** cam, *** *** *** $230-$240 ****** ***** ** the *****-*. ** * Mini-Dome ********, *** *****-* would **** **** ********** looked **** ***** **** to *** **. *** the ***** ********** *****'** been **** **** ********** had *** **** *** M3105-L.  

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

Avatar

Ethan Ace

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

**** ********. ** ****** the ******* ***** ******* they're * ******** *** each ************. *** *****-* is *** ****** **** indoor ***** *****, *** it ***** **. *** H4 **** **** ** ********'* lowest **** ****** ***** model, *** ***** ** a ***-** *****, *** the ***** ********** ** small, **** ~$** ****** price, ** ** **** with **. 

**** ***** ****, ** can *** **** ***** comparisons **** ** *** so ***** *** *** feel ** ***-** *********** and * **** **** comparison ** *** *****.

Undisclosed Integrator #1

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

*********, ***** ***! ********, this ** * **** about *** ** *** the **** *******'* ** the *****, ** ** need ** ** ******* any *******. * *** just ******* ** *** price ********** ** * had ******* *** *****-* would've ****** ** ******* the *** *** *** Avg. *** ** ********** has *** ********* *********** it *** ** ** such * ***** *********. Its ***** ** ***** $60 *** ***** *********** installs ***** *****/** ** required. ****** *****!!

Undisclosed Integrator #2

10/26/17 12:15pm

****** *****, ********* **********.  I ***** **** ** have * ***-********** ** comparison ** ****, ** possible.  *** ***** ***** with ** ****** *******, but **'* ****** **** to *** **** *** difference **.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

11/04/17 11:46am

* ***'* **** *** information ***** ******* ***** you **** *** ***-***** test.  *** * ***** this ** **** *********.

**** *** **** ******** during *** ***** *** not ********? * *** make **** **** **** better **** ******** ***** still ***** ;)

 

John Honovich

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

****** *** **** ***** comment!

** ********* / *********** on */*** *** *** tests ** *** ******* to ********* ******* ***** as * ******* ** *** provider.

* *** **** **** ACTi **** ****** **** Avigilon ***** ***** ***** ;)

*** *****. *** ********* could, *** ***** ** normalize *** ******* *****, no ************ *** ** advantage.

**** *** **** ******** during *** ***** *** not ********?

******* ** ********* *** shutter ***** ** */***, because **'* ****** *** people ** *** * still ***** **** ***** on **** ***** *** since *** ******* ***** is ********** ** */***, it ********** *** ****** tricks **** ************* ***** play **** ********.

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

Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

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

**, ** **** ** fair. ***** ***.

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