Bandwidth vs Low Light Shootout - Avigilon, Axis, Bosch, Dahua, Geovision, Hanwha, Hikvision, Uniview, Vivotek

By: IPVM Team, Published on Feb 08, 2019

Nighttime bandwidth spikes are a major concern in video surveillance, but do all manufacturers' cameras perform the same? Are some more consistent from day to night than others? And do manufacturer models all similar?

To find out we shot out and compiled results from over 50 cameras from 9 manufacturers - Avigilon, Axis, Bosch, Dahua, Geovision, Hanwha, Hikvision, Uniview, Vivotek - to see how each did, what was average, and who was worst and best and how much performance has improved in the past several years.

********* ********* ****** *** a ***** ******* ** video ************, *** ** all *************' ******* ******* the ****? *** **** more ********** **** *** to ***** **** ******? And ** ************ ****** all *******?

** **** *** ** shot *** *** ******** results **** **** ** cameras **** * ************* -********, ****, *****, *****, Geovision, ******, *********, *******, Vivotek - ** *** how **** ***, **** was *******, *** *** was ***** *** **** and *** **** *********** has ******** ** ******* ******* *****.

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

Manufacturer ***********

**** ** ************ *********** compared ** *** *****:

**** *** ***** ****** spikes/most **********:**** *** ***** ********** IR ****** **** ************ produced *** ******** ******* spikes, **** **** ********* close ** **%, ***** 1/3 ** *** ******* average. **** *** *** true ** ***** ***-** models, ***** ****** *********** like ***** ****** (*** below).
******/***** **********, *** ******:******'* ****** ******** ***** 125% ********, ***** **** average *** ****** **** Axis/Bosch. ****** ****** **** generally *** ***** ** average, **** *** ***-***** an *******, ********** **** ~52%. ***** ****** ******** only **** ******** ***** the ****** ******** (***% vs. ***%), **** **** one ***** ******* **** 200%.
********* **** ***********:***** *********'* ******** ** average **** ***** ***%, their ****** ******** *** two ******* ****** ** IR ******* **** ** our *****, **** ***%. There *** ** ***** trend ** *** ********* models *********, **** **** newer ******* ******* ****** than *****, *** **** versa. ***%
******** ****** **** *******:******** ******* ****** **** over *** ******* *******, ~225%, **** *** ***** increasing ***% ** *****.

General ********

** ******** ** *** manufacturer ******** *********** *****, there *** ******* ******* takeaways:

~***% ******* ******** ** Integrated ** *******:****** **+ ******* ******* from ***** ** **, bit **** ********* ** average ** ~***% **** day ** *****. ********* varied **** * *** of ~**% ** **** 400%.
***-** ******* **** ******:***-** ******* ****** ********* in *** ***** **** day ** *****, **** a *** ** ~***% to * **** ** over *,***% (*** *********). However, ***** ****** *** far **** ****** ** surveillance ** ****, **** the **** ******** ** models ********* ********** **, while **** *** *** in *** ******** **** test.
******* ******* ****** ***** past *****:*** ***% ******* **** in **** **** ** roughly **% ***** **** the ***% ******* ** our **** ***** *** to *** ********** ***** of ********** ** ** 2019.
*** (*** **** * cap) ***********:** ****** ********* ******, we ********* ***** ******* bit **** ****, ** this ****** *** ***** to **** ** *** as ******** ****** **** complex *****, *** **** bandwidth ** * ********* limit ** ***** ****** network ******* *** *******, with ******* ****** ** video *******.

**** **** ***** **** no ********** ****** ** how ****** ****** ***** on **********, **** **** models ********* *** ********* and ****** ******* ** each ********** ******.

Results ********: ***% ******** *******

**** *** *** ******* sorted ** ************. ****** 30+ ******* ******, *** average (****) ********* ******** from *** ** ***** was ~***%. *** ****** was ***%, ****** ****** increases ****** ***********, **** outliers ** *** ** 17% *** **** **** 400%.

2019 Nighttime Bandwidth Spikes By Manufacturer

Most ********** *************: **** *** *****

** *** * ************* tested, **** *** ***** integrated ** ****** **** consistently ******* ******* ******, with **** ********* ***** to **%, ***** */* of *** ******* *******. Note **** ***** ****** fewer ** ****** **** Axis, **** **** ** their **** *** ****** lacking *** ******* (*.*. the********* **** *********), ***** **** ****** integrated ** ** *, P, *** * ****** domes *** *******.

Others **** ******

***** ************* ****** **** more ******. *** *******, some *** ********* ****** increased ** ***** ***** to **** *** *****, below ***%, ***** ****** produced *** ******* ****** of ** ******* ******. Additionally, ******* ******* ******** the **** ****** ********** increase (**%) ** ***** 4MP *****, *** *** of *** ******* ** the ** ******.

Much ******* ****** **** **** *****

** ******** ** *** 145% ******** **** ** current *****, ******* ** our **** **** ******** 498% ****** ********* ** night, **** *** ****** spiking ****** *,***% ******.

2014 Nighttime Bandwidth Spikes By Resolution

Integrated ** ******* ****** / ***-** ******* ***** *********

*** **** ********* ****** in ****** ********* ****** is ******* *** ****** includes ********** ** ** not. *** **** ********* single ****** ** ****** performance ******* *** ******** test ** **** *** models ****** ** **** is *** ********* ** integrated ** ** ****** every ****** ******. ** 2019, **** ************* ******* integrated ** ** **** models, **** **** *** cameras *** * ******** of **** ******* ******* it. *******, ***** *** some, **** ** *****, whose ******* ********** ****** (such ** ************ **** ***** *****) ** *** ******* IR, ****** ***** *** the ********.

***** ***-** ****** ***** much **** ************* **** non-IR ******, **** **, 10x, ***, ** ****** increases ********.

2019 Non-IR Cameras Spike Drastically

***** ****** *********** *** improved, **** **** ********* encoders, ****** *** **** sensitive *******, *** ****** processing, *** ******** ** infrared ***** ** ********* surveillance ******* *** *** biggest ******** ****** ** bitrate.

Fisheye *********** ****** ***********

*** ******** ** ***** the ******** ***** ***** down ** ******* *******. In *** *****, ******* models ****** **** *********** than ******, **** **** the ******* ****** ******************** *****. **** ** generally *** ** **** low ***** ***********, **** night **** ****** **** darker, *** **** **** detailed **** *******, *** this ** *** *********** true, ** *** **** M3058-PLVE *** *** ** the **** *** ***** performers ** ************ ******* ****** ********.

2019 Fisheye Cameras Vary Drastically

Root ***** ** ********* ******: ******** *****

*** ****** ** ***** spikes ** *** ******* moving *****, *** ****, static, *******, ** **** that ** ********* *********** **** *******.

****** *** *** ***** to **** * ***** or ***** **** ***** was *** ****** ****** is ******** **** **** noise, ***** ***** **** this:

** ** *******, **** noise, **** *** **** contrast (***** *** ***** near **** *****) *** rapid ********* (******* ******), make ** ****** ** encode. ******,********* ******* *** ****** / ***** **** *** similar *** **********. ***** undermines **** ** *****.

Recommendation: *** *** **** * ***

*** *** ** ***** massive ********* ****** *** be ******* ** ******* *** **** * cap, **** ***** ** MBR(******* *** ****). **** method ****** ******** ** fluctuate ** ********* ** fit *** *****, *** only ** ** * specified *****, ** ***** point *** ****** ********* compression ** ****** ** drop ****** ** **** within *** *** (********* the ****** ** *********).

** *** *****, **** when **** ******************** ********* **** ** average ** ~** ** 35, ***** ******* *********** were *******, **** ****** bandwidth ***** ** **** 80%

bandwidth cap minimal impact on details

Constant *** **** *** ***********

******** *** **** *** also ** **** ** prevent ******, ***** ** locks *** ***** ** one ********* ***** ********** of ******** ** *** scene. *******, ****** *** day, **** ****** *** less *******, *** *** waste *********/******* ** *** camera ***** **** *********** encode *** ***** **** set ** ***. ******* of ****, *** ** not *********** ****** ** the **** ****** ***** does *** ******* ***.

Digital ***** ********* ******

******* ****** ********* ***** is **** ** ****** spikes *** ** ********* noise ** ******* ***** reduction (***), ***** ******** to ******* ***** ****** by ********* ** ****. There *** *** *** methods, ******* (***** ********** in * ****** *****) and ******** (***** ********* by *********** ******** ******), which *** ********* ******** in ******. ***** ***, spikes *** ** *********** cut, **** **-**% ********** in *** **** ******** *** *****.

*******, *** *** **** introduce ******** *******, ** well, **** **** ****** of ******** ***** ********* causing **** ** ***** (shown *****), ********* ******* to *** ******* ** slow *******. ******* ** this, ***** ****** ** careful ** *** ******** DNR ** ******* ******.

*** **** ******* *** testing, *** ********* *** (******* ***** Reduction) ******** ****.

Test *******

** ****** **** ** cameras **** **** ************* day (~*** ***) *** night (~*.* ***) ******** motion ****** ** ** FPS.

*** ******* *********** ****** were************ ***-** ****** ******* smart ****** **. ***** codecs **** ******* ** their ********* ****** ***** on *** *****. ***** codec ******** ****:

****:****************, ****, ******* *** 300, ******* *** ***
*****:***** *.***+ **
******:***************, ******* *** ***, Dynamic *** ***
*********:*.***+ **
*******:*-**** **, *****
*******:*********** **/***, ******* *****-***** period *******

*.*** *** **** *** consistency, ** **** ******* did *** ******* *.*** streaming.

Comments (24)

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

02/09/19 04:18pm

* ***** **** ****** this, *** **** *********** did *** **** **** on, *.*** ** *.***? I'd ** ********** ** know ** *.*** ** the **** ****** ***** lower *** ********** ********. The ******* ******* ***** most ****** ** *****. What ***** *********** ****** do, *********, **********, *.***+, etc.

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1 | 02/11/19 02:26am

*** ****'* **** **, I ****** ** *** it **! ***** ************ are *** *.***, **** smart ****** **. *'** double ***** **** ****** in ***** ** *** detail ** *** ****** on ***** ******** *** post **** ********.

Guilherme Barandas

In reply to Ethan Ace | 02/14/19 11:16am

*****, ** *** *** the ***** ** ****, could *** **** **.

Ariel Levy

In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1 | 02/12/19 02:38pm

*.*** ** ****.

Undisclosed #2

In reply to Ariel Levy | 02/12/19 03:25pm

**** **** *.***+!

Jörg Steuerwald

02/11/19 01:00pm

*** *** ******** **** the ******** ** *** cameras , **** *****-****, and ***** ******* ********. In **** ***** *** 4MP ******* **** ********* as * **** ********** from *** **** ******.

Jason Crist

02/11/19 01:05pm

**** *********** **** **** wasn't ******, *** ***** and ***** *** *** light ******* *** *** hottest ***** ** *** industry.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Jason Crist | 02/11/19 01:13pm

**, **** *** *** the ******* ***** ** the ********. ******, ***** ************ ****** ** Sony **** ************ * *** ** 200+ *********** **** ********* Sony's *** ***** *********.

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

Jason Crist

In reply to John Honovich | 02/11/19 03:09pm

*'* *** **** ** I'm ******** *** *****. The ******* ** *********** clearly *** *** ***** useful ** *** ** the ********* ****, *** gets *** **** **** and *** **** *** (paraphrasing *** **'* * clear *********). * ******** a ******** ******* ***** engineering ***** ****** ******, which ********* **** ******** on **** *** *** the ******* *** ******* not. *** * ****'* bring ** **, *** referenced ** ** **** context.

**** ****'* **** * great *** ** ******* their ******** ** ***** through ********* ********, **** aren't ***** ** *** any ********** ********, *** the ***** *** ******** some ********* ** **'* short **** ** *** market. *** *** ***** has **** *** ****** of **** **** **** focused ** ** *** past ****** ** ***** and **'* ************* *** to *** **** ********. Not **** ***** ****'** been ***** *** * while, *** *** ******** performance ** ***** ******** from ***** ******* *** reliability *** ****** **** factually *********.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Jason Crist | 02/11/19 03:26pm

* ******** * ******** reports ***** *********** ***** review ******

***** ** ** - **** **** ***** *** Light ****** ****** *** ** **** *** **** ** **** ***** Size ******** (***** ** SNC-VB770)

*** ******* ********** *** engineering / ********** ***** to **** **** * wide ******* ** *********** are *****.

****'* *** ***** *********** is **** **** - but **'* **** *********. It's **** ** **** many $*,*** ******* **** pretty **** *** ***** cameras *** ****** ********* under $*,***. ***** *** applications ***** *** *****'* price ******* ** ********* but, ******* ** *** significant ***** *****, **'* a *****.

Undisclosed #2

In reply to Jason Crist | 02/11/19 05:01pm

...*** ***** *** ***** gen *** ***** ******* are *** ******* ***** in *** ********.
**** ****'* **** * great *** ** ******* their ******** ** ***** through ********* ********, **** aren't ***** ** *** any ********** ********...
...*** *** ******** *********** of ***** ******** **** video ******* *** *********** has ****** **** ********* contended.

”****’** ********** **** *** cakes!”

Jason Crist

02/11/19 05:12pm

*****, ****'* ***** *** not ******* **** *** there *** *** ****** releases ******* **** ******** low ***** ************ **** the ****** **** *** a ******** ** *** cost ** *** *****.

Undisclosed #2

In reply to Jason Crist | 02/11/19 05:35pm

...**** *** ****** **** are * ******** ** the **** ** *** VB770.

* ***** **** **’* a **** ***** ********, since **’* */**** ** low-light ********* ** *** VB700.

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Jason Crist | 02/11/19 06:13pm

** ** *****, *** VM772R ** ****** *** a ** ********** ** camera.** ****** **. *** ** **** a **** ******* ****** than *** ***** *** its *********** ** ******* near **** ******. **** our *****:

****, **** * ******* that *** * $*,***+ camera (****** *****), ***** makes ** * ***** outlier **** **** ******* are ***** $*,***, ********* far ***** $*,***. ** even ** **'* * fraction ** *** **** of *** *****, ** is ***** ****** **** above ******* *** ** IP ****** ** ****.

************, ** ** *** a **** ********** ** include ****** *** ****** or ***** ** **** test, ** **** ** not ******* * **** VBR ************** (**** ** not *** *********** *** vary ******* ** ** typical). **'** ********* ** in *** ***** ** those ******** *******, ** well ****** ******. ** ******* **** against **** *** ******* which **** ******* **** widely (**** ****** *** lower) ***** ** **********. If ****'** ***** **** in ********, **'* ** interested ** **** * look, *** **** ** checked, ** *** ***** true.

Jason Crist

02/11/19 05:54pm

*****'** **** **** ** have ****** ** ******* the ****** ;)

Undisclosed #3

02/12/19 04:54am

**** **** ** ***** meter ** *** ***? Can *** *** * column ** **** ******* to **** * ** 2 ********* *** ****** used ** *** ****** tests? * ***** **** you *** *** ** would ** **** ** see *** ******* **** a *** *********** ******* for * ********. ****** in *******.

Edouard Sonnenschein

In reply to Undisclosed #3 | 03/13/19 02:14pm

* ***** **** ** interested ** *** ***** meter *** *** *****.

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Edouard Sonnenschein | 03/13/19 03:08pm

** *** ******** *****. **'* *** ** the *** **'** ***** that ******** **** ** 0.01 ***. **** ****** are *** **** *** low ***** ************. **** people *** ******** *** by **** *.* ********, but *** *** ******* we *** ********* ***** that *****.

Edouard Sonnenschein

In reply to Ethan Ace | 03/13/19 07:47pm

* *** *** ****** HD400. **** ** *.****/*.****. *** Extech ***** ***** **** *.****/***. So * *** *** sure ** ** ******** went **** ** .** lux.

***** *** *** *** information.

Alfredo Santiago

ALFREDO'S TELEPHONE SERVICE | 02/19/19 08:46am

**** **** *** ** that *** ***** ******* if *** **** ** see *** ** ****. You **** *****.

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Alfredo Santiago | 02/19/19 12:38pm

* ***** ***** **** your ********* ** *******, just **** ** ******* that ***** *****'* **** to **** ******* *****. Most ** *** ******* in **** **** **** integrated **, ** ***** was ***-******* ***** ** the *****.

Juan Banda

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Ethan Ace | 08/01/19 03:54am

***** *** *** ********* the ***** *********** ******-**.#*******

daniel tobias

09/05/19 09:47pm

*******,

***** *** *** **** informative *******.

*** *** ****** ******* the **** ** *********** for *** *** *** night ********* ******?

*** ***** ****, **/*, or ** ********* *****?

***** ***.

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to daniel tobias | 09/06/19 04:15am

******* ** *** ****** are ** ******** *** second (**/*, ****, ******* you ****** ** ****** it). *'* ***** ** send ***** ****** ** our ******* ******** ** add **** ******** *** will ****** **** **** it's ****.

** *** **** *** other *********, *** ** know!

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