Axis vs Hikvision vs Sony Encoder Test

By: Derek Ward, Published on Mar 18, 2015

In this report, we share test findings of three popular four port analog SD encoder models:

Below, we share our findings in areas including:

  • Image quality
  • VMS licensing and integration
  • PTZ control
  • Bandwidth and framerate

** **** ******, ** share **** ******** ** three ******* **** **** analog ** ******* ******:

*****, ** ***** *** findings ** ***** *********:

  • ***** *******
  • *** ********* *** ***********
  • *** *******
  • ********* *** *********

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

Key ********

**** *** *** *** findings **** **** ****:

  • ***** ******* *** ******* between *** ********, **** day *** *****, *** all *** ****** ******.
  • **** ***-***** ***** *********** features (****/********** ********) ******** improved *** ***** ***********. 
  • *** ******** ******** ** FPS ** ** ********** on *** ******* ******* frame ****.
  • ******** ******* ****** *** Genetec ******** ****** ******** four *** ******** *** all ********, ***** ***** and ********* ******** **** one *** **** *** Hikvision. **** ******** * for **** ******* *** all *****.
  • *** ******** ********** ******** ** *** encoders, *********** * *****-* PTZ ******* ***** *** the *** ********* *** when ********** **** *****.
  • ********* ***********: **** ***** ********* *********** was ****** *******, ** average ** ~**% ***** than *** ********* **-*******. The **** ***-*****, ****** CBR ****, ******** ****** bitrates (*** **/*) ** maintain ******* *********** ** **** and ********* ********.
  • *** *** ****** ******** notably **** ********* **** 600 *** *** *** encoders.

*****

***** *** **** ******* tested ** ****** *****:

**** **** **** *** Sony ***** ***** **** options **** ******* ******* sets. **** ****** *** lower **** ***** ******* (~$*** ***** ****** ***** cuts), ***** ******* ***** and */* ******* *** reduces **** ********** ********* to * *** ** 15. **** **** ****** the ***-***** (~$***), ***** removes *****, */*, *** PTZ *******.

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

*******, ******* ******* *********** was ******* ** ***** of ***** *******, *** control, *** *** ***********, selection *********** ***** **** to *****. ***** ****** be ******* ** ******** not **** ******* *****, but *** *********, ** well, ** ******** ******** required *** **** ** much ** ** **** than *** ******* ******.

Future ** ********

****** ******** **** ****** less ********** *** ** two *** *******:

  • ******* ** ****** ******: ******* ** ****** price *** ******* ** 25% ** *** **** few *****, ****** ********* IP ******* **** ********** than *********** ***** ****** installations.
  • ****** **: *** ************ ** HD **** **** ******* such *********************** *** ******* ** ******* exist **** ************** ** encoders **, ***** ********** resolution, **** *** ****** ********* lower **** ****** ********.

**** ** ***** ******* provide ******* ********** **** even ********** *** ****** *******, ****** **** **** attractive.

Physical ********

** *** ***** ***** we **** ** *** physical ******** ** *** Axis, *********, *** **** encoders. *** **** ******* physical ********, ********* */*, audio, *** ****** *******, but **** ** **** substantially.

VMS *********

*** ****** ** ******** required *** **** ******* varied ** ***. ********* and ***** ******* **** a ****** ******* *** the **** *** ********* encoders, ***** **** **** a ****** ** *******. Genetec *** ******** ******* a ******* *** *******. Note **** ******** ******** only * ****** ******* for ***** *** ********.

*** **** ******** ******* an ** ******* ** each *******, *** ** a ****** ******* ** four ******** *******, ********* a *** ******* *** channel ********** ** ***.

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

** ****** ***** ******* of **** ******* ***** a *** *** ******, in *** *** ***** below:

** **** ***** (~*** lux), **** ******* ** similar ****** *** ********, with ***** ******* ******* visible *** ***** *-* of *** ***** *******.

** *** ***** (~*.* lux) **** ** ************ on, ******* *** ***** similar.

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

*** **** ******** ****** two *********** ** *** light *******: **** ** noise *********, *** ********** enhancer, * ******** ***********. The ********** ** *** light *********** ** **** seen ** *** ******* below, **** *** ******* in *** *** **** of *** ***, ***** IR ************ ** *** as ******.

*******, ***** ******** ** not ******* **** *********** in ******* ** ****** the ******* ** **** chart, **** *****.

PTZ ***********

*** ******** ****** ******* issue ** *** ******** using *****-* ********. ****** setup ******** ******** ******* models, *********** ** ******** users **** ** ****** protocol, **** ****, *** camera **. ***** **** encoders ******* **** * single ****** ****, ****** ID ** **** ** discretely ******* ******** *** cameras **** ********* ** one *******.

*** ****** ******** ******** PTZ ****** ********* (**-***/**-***). Axis ****** ************ ******* for ******** *************, ***** Hikvision *** **** ********* are *****. ** ***** encoders, **** *** **** SNTEX104 ****** ********* ********** (up *** **** ******* not ********* ******** ****** cabling). *** **** ***** does *** ******* **** option, *** ***** * series ****.

**** ***** ******* *** PTZ ***** ******* ***** an **** ***** *******:

*********

********* ****** ****** ******* encoders. *** **** ***** was ********* ****** *******, an ******* ** **% lower **** *** ********* DS-6704. *** ********* **-**** was *** ** **** scenes, *** ****** ** 740 **/* ** **** light **** **** **** the *** *** ****** camera *** ** ********** patterns (******/*****/*******) *** **** with *** *** *** camera.

*** **** ***-***** ****** *** streamining ****. ** *** Kb/s, ************ *** ******* to ***** *******, ~**-** in *** *** *** camera. ************ ***** *** 900 *** ***** *** 29-30, ******** ****** **** others. 

***********

******** **** *** **** encoder ******:

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

*** ******** ********:

  • ******** ******* ****** *.*.*.**
  • *********** *.*.*.*****
  • ******* *.* ***
  • ********* ******** **********: **** 9.0b/Device **** *.*

Comments (9)

Luke Maslen

IPVMU Certified | 03/18/15 10:10pm

Hi Derek, thank you for your article. Why do you think the night time bandwidth was lower than day time? I'm used to seeing the opposite results.

Derek Ward

03/19/15 12:54am

Thank you Luke.

As you know, bandwidth consumption on the cameras/encoders are already low (less than 1 Mb/s). In the daytime, the camera needs to discern details we don't see in our low light scene (such as the carpet). However, in low light, with IR Illumination On, we don't see the carpet as being "complex" anymore. Also, we do not need/see a large amount of low light gain with IR on, and with lower gain, there is less noise, and with less noise, bandwidth is reduced.

Luke Maslen

IPVMU Certified | 03/19/15 11:39am

Hi Derek, thank you for confirming those points. I wasn't sure if the IR lighting would enable the camera to pick up details in the carpet or not so hence my question. I greatly appreciate you spelling out the factors that explain bandwidth at day vs night.

Undisclosed #1

03/19/15 04:56pm

Hi Derek, thanks!

Since the output aspect ratios differ between the encoders, does that mean that one picture is slightly stretched compared to the others, or are some of the pixels black, i.e. "Letterboxed"?

Thumbnail image

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 03/22/15 01:28pm

I don't see any mention of differing aspect ratios. They were all recorded at D1 per the article.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to Jon Dillabaugh | 03/22/15 05:05pm

According to the article, The HIK has 704 pixels horizontally, 480 vertically. The others have 720 pixels horizontally, 480 vertically.

704:480 != 720:480

David Bock

IPVMU Certified | 04/10/15 03:31am

I have 2 Vivotek 8 port units and Milestone makes me license each channel. If I were to move to an Axis P7216, would that just use 1 camera license and free up the rest?

Undisclosed #1

In reply to David Bock | 04/10/15 04:35am

David, are you using the VS8801 encoder? If so, are you using the ONVIF driver to connect as well as the latest Vivotek firmware / Milestone Driver Pack? Since it looks as though the VS8801 should present as one ip, which means, per the Milestone encoder licensing policy, should require only one license per encoder.

Also, a member mentioned something about getting a 'special firmware' enabled for the VS8801, though it was in regards to Exacq, not sure if it applies...

Undisclosed #2

03/12/16 02:54am

Axis Q series encoders supports Pelco Coaxitron. Not sure if other encoders do.

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