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

Author: 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.

********* ********* ****** *** * ***** ******* ** ***** ************, but ** *** *************' ******* ******* *** ****? *** **** more ********** **** *** ** ***** **** ******? *** ** manufacturer ****** *** *******?

** **** *** ** **** *** *** ******** ******* **** over ** ******* **** * ************* -********, ****, *****, *****, *********, ******, *********, *******, ******* - to *** *** **** ***, **** *** *******, *** *** was ***** *** **** *** *** **** *********** *** ******** in ******* ******* *****.

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

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

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

  • **** *** ***** ****** ******/**** **********:**** *** ***** ********** ** ****** **** ************ ******** *** smallest ******* ******, **** **** ********* ***** ** **%, ***** 1/3 ** *** ******* *******. **** *** *** **** ** their ***-** ******, ***** ****** *********** **** ***** ****** (*** below).
  • ******/***** **********, *** ******:******'* ****** ******** ***** ***% ********, ***** **** ******* *** higher **** ****/*****. ****** ****** **** ********* *** ***** ** average, **** *** ***-***** ** *******, ********** **** ~**%. ***** models ******** **** **** ******** ***** *** ****** ******** (***% vs. ***%), **** **** *** ***** ******* **** ***%.
  • ********* **** ***********:***** *********'* ******** ** ******* **** ***** ***%, ***** ****** produced *** *** ******* ****** ** ** ******* **** ** our *****, **** ***%. ***** *** ** ***** ***** ** how ********* ****** *********, **** **** ***** ******* ******* ****** than *****, *** **** *****. ***%
  • ******** ****** **** *******:******** ******* ****** **** **** *** ******* *******, ~***%, **** one ***** ********** ***% ** *****.

General ********

** ******** ** *** ************ ******** *********** *****, ***** *** several ******* *********:

  • ~***% ******* ******** ** ********** ** *******:****** **+ ******* ******* **** ***** ** **, *** **** increases ** ******* ** ~***% **** *** ** *****. ********* varied **** * *** ** ~**% ** **** ***%.
  • ***-** ******* **** ******:***-** ******* ****** ********* ** *** ***** **** *** ** night, **** * *** ** ~***% ** * **** ** over *,***% (*** *********). *******, ***** ****** *** *** **** common ** ************ ** ****, **** *** **** ******** ** models ********* ********** **, ***** **** *** *** ** *** original **** ****.
  • ******* ******* ****** ***** **** *****:*** ***% ******* **** ** **** **** ** ******* **% lower **** *** ***% ******* ** *** **** ***** *** to *** ********** ***** ** ********** ** ** ****.
  • *** (*** **** * ***) ***********:** ****** ********* ******, ** ********* ***** ******* *** **** mode, ** **** ****** *** ***** ** **** ** *** as ******** ****** **** ******* *****, *** **** ********* ** a ********* ***** ** ***** ****** ******* ******* *** *******, with ******* ****** ** ***** *******.

**** **** ***** **** ** ********** ****** ** *** ****** varied ***** ** **********, **** **** ****** ********* *** ********* and ****** ******* ** **** ********** ******.

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

**** *** *** ******* ****** ** ************. ****** **+ ******* tested, *** ******* (****) ********* ******** **** *** ** ***** was ~***%. *** ****** *** ***%, ****** ****** ********* ****** drastically, **** ******** ** *** ** **% *** **** **** 400%.

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

** *** * ************* ******, **** *** ***** ********** ** models **** ************ ******* ******* ******, **** **** ********* ***** to **%, ***** */* ** *** ******* *******. **** **** Bosch ****** ***** ** ****** **** ****, **** **** ** their **** *** ****** ******* *** ******* (*.*. ************ **** *********), ***** **** ****** ********** ** ** *, *, *** Q ****** ***** *** *******.

Others **** ******

***** ************* ****** **** **** ******. *** *******, **** *** Hikvision ****** ********* ** ***** ***** ** **** *** *****, below ***%, ***** ****** ******** *** ******* ****** ** ** cameras ******. ************, ******* ******* ******** *** **** ****** ********** increase (**%) ** ***** *** *****, *** *** ** *** highest ** *** ** ******.

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

** ******** ** *** ***% ******** **** ** ******* *****, cameras ** *** **** **** ******** ***% ****** ********* ** night, **** *** ****** ******* ****** *,***% ******.

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

*** **** ********* ****** ** ****** ********* ****** ** ******* the ****** ******** ********** ** ** ***. *** **** ********* single ****** ** ****** *********** ******* *** ******** **** ** 2014 *** ****** ****** ** **** ** *** ********* ** integrated ** ** ****** ***** ****** ******. ** ****, **** manufacturers ******* ********** ** ** **** ******, **** **** *** cameras *** * ******** ** **** ******* ******* **. *******, there *** ****, **** ** *****, ***** ******* ********** ****** (such ** ************ **** ***** *****) ** *** ******* **, ****** ***** *** *** ********.

***** ***-** ****** ***** **** **** ************* **** ***-** ******, with **, ***, ***, ** ****** ********* ********.

non-ir cameras spike drastically

***** ****** *********** *** ********, **** **** ********* ********, ****** and **** ********* *******, *** ****** **********, *** ******** ** infrared ***** ** ********* ************ ******* *** *** ******* ******** impact ** *******.

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

*** ******** ** ***** *** ******** ***** ***** **** ** fisheye *******. ** *** *****, ******* ****** ****** **** *********** than ******, **** **** *** ******* ****** ******************** *****. **** ** ********* *** ** **** *** ***** performance, **** ***** **** ****** **** ******, *** **** **** detailed **** *******, *** **** ** *** *********** ****, ** the **** *****-**** *** *** ** *** **** *** ***** performers ** ************ ******* ****** ********.

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

*** ****** ** ***** ****** ** *** ******* ****** *****, aka ****, ******, *******, ** **** **** ** ********* *********** **** *******.

****** *** *** ***** ** **** * ***** ** ***** when ***** *** *** ****** ****** ** ******** **** **** noise, ***** ***** **** ****:

** ** *******, **** *****, **** *** **** ******** (***** and ***** **** **** *****) *** ***** ********* (******* ******), make ** ****** ** ******. ******,********* ******* *** ****** / ***** **** *** ******* *** stationary. ***** ********** **** ** *****.

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

*** *** ** ***** ******* ********* ****** *** ** ******* is ******* *** **** * ***, **** ***** ** ***(******* *** ****). **** ****** ****** ******** ** ********* ** necessary ** *** *** *****, *** **** ** ** * specified *****, ** ***** ***** *** ****** ********* *********** ** begins ** **** ****** ** **** ****** *** *** (********* the ****** ** *********).

** *** *****, **** **** **** ******************** ********* **** ** ******* ** ~** ** **, ***** quality *********** **** *******, **** ****** ********* ***** ** **** 80%

bandwidth cap minimal impact on details

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

******** *** **** *** **** ** **** ** ******* ******, since ** ***** *** ***** ** *** ********* ***** ********** of ******** ** *** *****. *******, ****** *** ***, **** scenes *** **** *******, *** *** ***** *********/******* ** *** camera ***** **** *********** ****** *** ***** **** *** ** VBR. ******* ** ****, *** ** *** *********** ****** ** the **** ****** ***** **** *** ******* ***.

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

******* ****** ********* ***** ** **** ** ****** ****** *** to ********* ***** ** ******* ***** ********* (***), ***** ******** to ******* ***** ****** ** ********* ** ****. ***** *** two *** *******, ******* (***** ********** ** * ****** *****) and ******** (***** ********* ** *********** ******** ******), ***** *** typically ******** ** ******. ***** ***, ****** *** ** *********** cut, **** **-**% ********** ** *** **** ******** *** *****.

*******, *** *** **** ********* ******** *******, ** ****, **** high ****** ** ******** ***** ********* ******* **** ** ***** (shown *****), ********* ******* ** *** ******* ** **** *******. Because ** ****, ***** ****** ** ******* ** *** ******** DNR ** ******* ******.

*** **** ******* *** *******, *** ********* *** (******* ***** *********) ******** ****.

Test *******

** ****** **** ** ******* **** **** ************* *** (~*** lux) *** ***** (~*.* ***) ******** ****** ****** ** ** FPS.

*** ******* *********** ****** **************** ***-** ****** ******* ***** ****** **. ***** ****** **** enabled ** ***** ********* ****** ***** ** *** *****. ***** codec ******** ****:

  • ****:****************, ****, ******* *** ***, ******* *** ***
  • *****:***** *.***+ **
  • ******:***************, ******* *** ***, ******* *** ***
  • *********:*.***+ **
  • *******:*-**** **, *****
  • *******:*********** **/***, ******* *****-***** ****** *******

*.*** *** **** *** ***********, ** **** ******* *** *** include *.*** *********.

Comments (16)

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

02/09/19 08:18am

* ***** **** ****** ****, *** **** *********** *** *** test **** **, *.*** ** *.***? *'* ** ********** ** know ** *.*** ** *** **** ****** ***** ***** *** percentage ********. *** ******* ******* ***** **** ****** ** *****. What ***** *********** ****** **, *********, **********, *.***+, ***.

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1 | 02/10/19 09:26pm

*** ****'* **** **, * ****** ** *** ** **! These ************ *** *** *.***, **** ***** ****** **. *'** double ***** **** ****** ** ***** ** *** ****** ** the ****** ** ***** ******** *** **** **** ********.

Avatar

Guilherme Barandas

In reply to Ethan Ace | 02/14/19 06:16am

*****, ** *** *** *** ***** ** ****, ***** *** show **.

Avatar

Ariel Levy

In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1 | 02/12/19 03:38pm

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

Undisclosed #2

In reply to Ariel Levy | 02/12/19 09:25am

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

Avatar

Jörg Steuerwald

02/11/19 08:00am

*** *** ******** **** *** ******** ** *** ******* , like *****-****, *** ***** ******* ********. ** **** ***** *** 4MP ******* **** ********* ** * **** ********** **** *** same ******.

Avatar

Jason Crist

02/11/19 01:05pm

**** *********** **** **** ****'* ******, *** ***** *** ***** gen *** ***** ******* *** *** ******* ***** ** *** industry.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Jason Crist | 02/11/19 08:13am

**, **** *** *** *** ******* ***** ** *** ********. Indeed, ***** ************ ****** ** **** **** ************ * *** ** ***+ *********** **** ********* ****'* *** light *********.

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

Avatar

Jason Crist

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

*'* *** **** ** *'* ******** *** *****. *** ******* of *********** ******* *** *** ***** ****** ** *** ** the ********* ****, *** **** *** **** **** *** *** most *** (************ *** **'* * ***** *********). * ******** a ******** ******* ***** *********** ***** ****** ******, ***** ********* many ******** ** **** *** *** *** ******* *** ******* not. *** * ****'* ***** ** **, *** ********** ** in **** *******.

**** ****'* **** * ***** *** ** ******* ***** ******** in ***** ******* ********* ********, **** ****'* ***** ** *** any ********** ********, *** *** ***** *** ******** **** ********* in **'* ***** **** ** *** ******. *** *** ***** has **** *** ****** ** **** **** **** ******* ** in *** **** ****** ** ***** *** **'* ************* *** to *** **** ********. *** **** ***** ****'** **** ***** for * *****, *** *** ******** *********** ** ***** ******** from ***** ******* *** *********** *** ****** **** ********* *********.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Jason Crist | 02/11/19 07:26am

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

***** ** ** -**** **** ***** *** ***** ****** ********* ** **** ******* ** **** ***** **** ******** (***** ** ***-*****)

*** ******* ********** *** *********** / ********** ***** ** **** what * **** ******* ** *********** *** *****.

****'* *** ***** *********** ** **** **** - *** **'* very *********. **'* **** ** **** **** $*,*** ******* **** pretty **** *** ***** ******* *** ****** ********* ***** $*,***. There *** ************ ***** *** *****'* ***** ******* ** ********* but, ******* ** *** *********** ***** *****, **'* * *****.

Undisclosed #2

In reply to Jason Crist | 02/11/19 09:01am

...*** ***** *** ***** *** *** ***** ******* *** *** hottest ***** ** *** ********.

**** ****'* **** * ***** *** ** ******* ***** ******** in ***** ******* ********* ********, **** ****'* ***** ** *** any ********** ********...

...*** *** ******** *********** ** ***** ******** **** ***** ******* and *********** *** ****** **** ********* *********.

”****’** ********** **** *** *****!”

Avatar

Jason Crist

02/11/19 09:12am

*****, ****'* ***** *** *** ******* **** *** ***** *** the ****** ******** ******* **** ******** *** ***** ************ **** the ****** **** *** * ******** ** *** **** ** the *****.

Undisclosed #2

In reply to Jason Crist | 02/11/19 09:35am

...**** *** ****** **** *** * ******** ** *** **** of *** *****.

* ***** **** **’* * **** ***** ********, ***** **’* 1/16th ** ***-***** ********* ** *** *****.

Avatar

Ethan Ace

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

** ** *****, *** ****** ** ****** *** * ** integrated ** ******.** ****** **. *** ** **** * **** ******* ****** **** *** VB770 *** *** *********** ** ******* **** **** ******. **** our *****:

****, **** * ******* **** *** * $*,***+ ****** (****** price), ***** ***** ** * ***** ******* **** **** ******* are ***** $*,***, ********* *** ***** $*,***. ** **** ** it's * ******** ** *** **** ** *** *****, ** is ***** ****** **** ***** ******* *** ** ** ****** in ****.

************, ** ** *** * **** ********** ** ******* ****** the ****** ** ***** ** **** ****, ** **** ** not ******* * **** *** ************** (**** ** *** *** compression *** **** ******* ** ** *******). **'** ********* ** in *** ***** ** ***** ******** *******, ** **** ****** ******. ** ******* **** ******* **** *** ******* ***** **** bitrate **** ****** (**** ****** *** *****) ***** ** **********. If ****'** ***** **** ** ********, **'* ** ********** ** take * ****, *** **** ** *******, ** *** ***** true.

Avatar

Jason Crist

02/11/19 05:54pm

*****'** **** **** ** **** ****** ** ******* *** ****** ;)

Undisclosed #3

02/11/19 08:54pm

**** **** ** ***** ***** ** *** ***? *** *** add * ****** ** **** ******* ** **** * ** 2 ********* *** ****** **** ** *** ****** *****? * trust **** *** *** *** ** ***** ** **** ** see *** ******* **** * *** *********** ******* *** * baseline. ****** ** *******.

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