Axis Chinese Competitor Companion Dome V Tested

Published Jun 29, 2016 12:08 PM

* $*** ***** **** **** ****?

************ **** ***, ** ***, ****' ****** **** 1080p ****, * **** $*** **** than **** ******** *****-*.

***** ************ *** **** *** ** rapid ******* ********* **** *** **** few *****. **** ** ******* ****** to ** ********* ***** **.

** ****** *** ****** *** ********* Dome * ******* ****'******** *** ********* **** ** *********'* *** **** IR **** ** *** *** ** stacks ** ** ***** *******, *** integration, *********, *** ****.

*******

*** **** ********* **** * ********* similarly ** *** $*** **** **** expensive *****-* ** *** *****, ** low ***** *** *** ******, **** similar ******** (********* *********) *** ******** construction. *******, ** *** *** *** limitations ******** ** ***** **** *******:

  • *** ********* **** ***** ***** *****:*** ********* **** ** ********** ********** only **** **** ********* ********. ***** VMSes ***** *** ******* ** ** via **** ******* ** *****.
  • ** **** ************:*** ********* **** **** *** ******* ACAP ************ ******** **** ******* **** cameras. **** ***** **** *** ** analytics, ***, ****** ********, ***., *** not ** ****.

** ***** * ******* **** ******, but ** ** ******* ********** *** supported, **** ****, ** **********, ******** no ****** **** ************* *** ****** side ***.

Third ***** ******** *******

*** ********* **** * *** ********** by ******** ***** ** ****** (********, Exacq, *******, *********), *** **** ***** connect *** ****** ********.

IPVM Image

RTSP *********

*******, ** ********** ** **** ****** URL ***** ********** ******** **** ***** party *****:

****://*******/****-*****/*****.***?****-****-**=****

**** ****** ** ***** **** ** Exacq:

*******, **** **** **** ****** ******* the ******* ** ********* ***** ******** (FPS, **********, ***.) **** *** ***, and **** *** ******* *** ******'* VMD.

************, **** **** **** ****** ** unsupported *** *** ** ******* ** any ****.

Outward ************ *** **** ** *** *****-*

*** ************ ** *** ********* **** and *** *** ******* ** ****** identical, **** *** **** *****, ** base, ** **** *********. *** **** distinguishing ******** *** ***** ** *** back ** *** ****, ***** *** part ****** *** ************* ***** *** located.

****: ***** ********* ***** ** ******** changes (*.*., ********* ****** ** ******* / ***), ****** *** *** *********** result *** *** ******** ***** ********* in ******** ******** ********** **** ****.

What *** **** ****?

**** *******, ** ***** **** **** took *** *****-*, ******** **** ********, relabeled ** *** *** *** **** by $***. ** ***** ** ********* and ***** **** ***** **** ** well, ********** ***** **** **** ** the **** ********** **** **** ***** some ** **** ***** ** ******* a '*****' / ******** ******* *****-*.

Potential **. *********/*****

*** **** ********* **** ** ****** to **** ******* ****** ** **** positioning ****** *** **** ******* ********* and *****. ***** **** ** * new *** ***** *** **** (*** a ********** **** ********** ******), **** Dahua *** ********* ***** ********* ********* cameras ** ***** ******, **** ** which ******* ********** **, *** *********** all ** ***** ******* ***** *******.

** *** ******** ****, ***** ******* Axis **** *** *** ***** *******, bandwidth ******* *** ******** ************ ** a ****** **** ********* ***** $*** MSRP **** ** **** ***** ** buy **** *******.

Impact ** *** ****

*** ********* ****'* *********** ******** ** M30 ******* **** ****' *** *** in ** *** ********.

  • ***** *** **** ************ **** *** M30 ****** *** ** ********** **** a $*** ***** **** ****** ****** very ******* *********** (**** ***, *********, etc.), ****** *** *****-* * ******* sell.
  • ***** ******* *** *** **** ****** cost ****** *** **** *** ********* line *********, *** *********** ** ***** party *** *** ****** ************ (**** as ********* ********** *** *.*) *** **** *** **** ********.

*** $***/******, **** ***** *** ******* to *** *** ********* **** **** third ***** ********* ***** ****, ******** these ****** ********, *** **** ********* users ****** **** ***.

*******

*** ********* **** * *** ** MSRP ** $*** ***, $*** **** than *** ***** *****-*. **** ******* is ******** ****** **** *** **** dome ****** **** ** ************ **-********(~$***), ****** ******* ****** ** ***** prices **** ******** **** ******.

****** ******* *** *** ********* **** V ****** ******, **** ~$***-$***, **** its ****. **** *** ** ********, as **** ******* ********* **** *** less **** ***** **** ******. ** do *** **** *** ***** *** Axis *** ******* * ******** ****** program *** ********* **** **** ******** Axis ******* **** ** ***** *** explicitly.

New **** *** *********

*** ********* **** ******** ****' ***** redesigned *** *********, **** ***** ******* improvements:

  • ** ****** *.***: *** *** *** interface **** **** * ** ******* H.264 *****, ********* ** ******* ** other ******* ******* ****** ** *** past **** *** ********* ** **** as ******. **** ****** ***** ** be ******** ***** ** ******, *******, Safari, *** ***** ******** ***** ** not ******* *******.
  • ********** ******: *** ****** ** *** web ********* ** **********, ******** ** to ****** ** *** ******* ***********, including ******* *** ***** ******. **** that *.*** ***** **** *** **** in *** *** ** ** ***********, but ***** ***** ********* ********.
  • **** ***** ****** *************: ***** *** past **** ********* (*** **** ******) did *** ******* **** ***** ***** configuration ******* **** ****, ** ** always *********** ********* ** *** *** interface. **** ***** ** ******/******* ** see ******* ** ******, ***** *******, overlays, ***., ** **** *** ****, without ***** * ****** ******.

** ****** *** *** **** *** interface ** **** *****:

Image *******

*** ********* **** * ******** ***** details ******* ** *** *****-* ** all ****** ****** **** *****. *** comparisons ***** **** *********** ******** ** Axis' *** *** ****** (*****-* *** M3044-V), ***** ******** ****** **** *******, as **** ** * *** **** 1080p ******* ** **** (** *** same ***** *****).

*****, ~*****

** **** *****, *** ********* **** V ******** ********** **** ****** ** our ******* **** *** *****-*, **** some ************ ** *** **** *****.

IPVM Image

*** *****, ~***

** *** *****, *********** ******* *** Companion **** *** *****-* ** **** similar, **** ****** *********** ** ******* noise ******, *** ******* *******. *** integrated ** **** ******** *** **** details ** *** ******* ** **** scene.

IPVM Image

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

***** ** ** ***** ** *** field ** **** **** ** *** WDR ****.

IPVM Image

** ***, *** ********* **** ***** performs ********* ** *** *****-*, ** not ******** ******, **** **** **** exposure ** ****** *** **** *****.

IPVM Image

**** **** *** ********* **** ** marketed ** "***", *** *** *** interface ** *** ****** ***** ******** only *** "******* *******",* **** **** *** ************ **** for ******* ***.

IPVM Image

Bandwidth **********

*** ********* **** * ******** *********, with ******* *********** (*** ************) **** similar ** *** *****-*:

IPVM Image

Axis ********* ***

**** *** *** **** ***** ******* to ***** **** ****** ********* *** with *** ******* ** ***** *** cameras, **** ******* ********** *** **** simply ** "*********" *** ****** ******* for **** *** ****** ****.

*** ***** ***** ***** * ***** overview ** *** **** ********* ** Companion, **** *** **** **********:

**** ***** ****** ** ***** ******** as ****, **** *** ********* ******* as **** ** **** ******, *** of *** *** ******** ** ***** 3.0 *******:

******* ******* *** *** **** ****** should *** ******* ****** ********* *** ** ****.

Test **********

*** ******* **** ****** ***** ******* settings ****** ********* *********, **** *** following ******* ** *** *******:

  • *.***, ** ***, ~** ************ *** used
  • */*** ******* ******* *****

*** ********* ******** ******** **** **** for **** ****:

  • **** ********* **** *: *.**.*
  • **** *****-*: *.**.*
  • **** *****-*: *.**.*
  • ********* **-*******: *.*.*
Comments (24)
Avatar
Luis Carmona
Jun 29, 2016
Geutebruck USA • IPVMU Certified

"The new web interface uses HTML 5 to display H.264 video, requiring no ActiveX or other browser plugins common in the past Axis web interface as well as others. "

That in itself should be gold. It's way past due to get rid of Active X controls.

(8)
Avatar
Tony Darland
Jun 29, 2016
IPVMU Certified

Will the new interface be available only with new cameras off the line? Or will it be available via a firmware upgrade?

(1)
JH
John Honovich
Jun 29, 2016
IPVM

Firmware upgrade as well.

(1)
Avatar
Ari Erenthal
Jun 29, 2016
Chesapeake & Midlantic

I noticed you didn't mention the Companion NVR. It's a compact 8 channel NVR with a built in PoE switch and WiFi hotspot, and comes in 2TB and 4TB, and is built to support Companion series domes. It seems likely to me that this is yet another attempt by Axis to appeal to the mom-and-pop-shop market.

(1)
(1)
JH
John Honovich
Jun 29, 2016
IPVM

Ari, yes, we focused on the camera since camera performance was the main unknown. The Companion NVR is the main recording option, though since the Companion software runs on the Axis camera and is free, this is more of a NAS plus PoE switch. At $500-$600, it is probably fine though still a premium to Chinese NVR alternatives.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #4
Sep 26, 2019

We are a very large global enterprise and have deployed a few of these to small offices, 1-2 people, that just want local viewing and no monitoring from our SOC. They are very easy to deploy, which is important when the sites are used to a small dvr and analog cameras.

U
Undisclosed #1
Jun 29, 2016
IPVMU Certified

Not to be a Debbie doubter, but are we 100% sure that this is a pure HTML 5 interface with no plug-ins, or even built-in flash?

For example this interface might appear as such, but relied on built-in flash plugins.

If it proves to be HTML 5 only, Axis deserves massive kudos, as it is possibly the first.

(1)
Avatar
Ethan Ace
Jun 29, 2016

Well, Debbie, I disabled Flash for you:

And it still streams:

If there's somewhere else I should disable things that I'm missing, I'm open to trying that again.

(1)
U
Undisclosed #1
Jun 29, 2016
IPVMU Certified

This is really great news, since unlike a plugin, the html5 code can't be hidden, and so it shouldn't take long for everyone else to figure it out!!!

JH
John Honovich
Jun 29, 2016
IPVM

the html5 code can't be hidden, and so it shouldn't take long for everyone else to figure it out!!!

Axis will be sending you a tray of the finest Swedish meatballs...

(3)
U
Undisclosed #1
Jun 29, 2016
IPVMU Certified

Yes, and then I upgraded online.

(3)
U
Undisclosed #1
Jun 30, 2016
IPVMU Certified

If there's somewhere else I should disable things that I'm missing, I'm open to trying that again.

Do you have this plug-in enabled?

Avatar
Ethan Ace
Jun 30, 2016

I don't seem to have that plugin in Chrome. Is that a Firefox thing? It's possible that something may simply be built into Chrome which isn't exposed to the user.

I'll try Firefox when I get to my other computer.

Avatar
Ethan Ace
Jun 30, 2016

It works in Firefox with that plugin disabled.

U
Undisclosed #1
Jun 30, 2016
IPVMU Certified

Cool. Do you see any other likely suspects there?

Avatar
Jon Dillabaugh
Jun 30, 2016
Pro Focus LLC

I think it is somewhat sad that they stoop to this level. Sending out crippled cameras just to try and compete on price. Honestly, they should be above these types of desperate moves. I would rather see Axis concentrate on what they excel at. Middle to high end cameras. Either that, or just ship a low end camera without crippling it.

(2)
(1)
BD
Boris Dyatlov
Jun 30, 2016

Hello, very intersting, thanks. What exatly Hikvision camera do you use in this test? DS-2CD2522F-IS or DS-2CD2522FWD-IS (new platform with true WDR 120db)

Avatar
Ethan Ace
Jun 30, 2016

The latter, DS-2CD2522FWD-IS. I'll fix that in the report.

JC
Jiang Chengyuan
Jul 22, 2016

What makes the difference that Hikvision 2522 has higher bit rate in day time but lower in the night ? Did you turn on the Smart H.264+ or?

Avatar
Ethan Ace
Jul 22, 2016

H.264+ is on in both scenes. Bandwidth goes down in this scene because details are reduced but the scene stays relatively bright due to integrated IR.

For example you can't see the fine speckled pattern on the carpet at night, or other patterns like that which increase the bitrate during the day. This is pretty common in integrated IR cameras in our tests.

JH
John Honovich
Jan 02, 2017
IPVM

Update: online pricing remains at or above its MSRP of $169, which is atypical for Axis products.

However, ADI is listing an 18% discount for 'companion specialists' which is a separate Axis dealer category, described by ADI below:

Even at the special dealer price of $190 to $205 for the IR versions, it is still a significant premium over the continuing fall of Chinese alternatives, especially considering the Companion line is officially closed to 3rd party VMS support.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #2
Aug 24, 2018

What is the username for the RTSP URL? I tried already "admin" and "root" with the administrator password but none of them seem to work.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
Aug 25, 2018

Companion cameras do not officially support RTSP as they are meant to be used with their recorders only.

AH
Adolfo Hernandez
Sep 25, 2019

rtsp://ADDRESS/axis-media/media.amp?Axis-Orig-Sw=true

you setup that username and password through the companion app. Once that's done it should work.