Dahua Dual Imager Dome Camera Tested (HDBW4231FN-E2-M)

By: Rob Kilpatrick, Published on Nov 07, 2018

Dahua has introduced a dual-imager dome model, the HDBW4231FN-E2-M, with two independently positionable sensors including integrated IR, not found on competitive dual-imager cameras.

To see how this new model performs in real world scenes, we bought and tested the dual dome against Dahua's own single imager models, examining:

  • Camera positioning flexibility
  • Full light imaging performance
  • Low light color performance
  • <1 lux dark performance
  • Bandwidth comparison
  • VMS integration
  • Pricing compared to others

***** *** ********** * dual-imager **** *****, *** HDBW4231FN-E2-M, **** *** ************* positionable ******* ********* ********** IR, *** ***** ** competitive ****-****** *******.

** *** *** **** new ***** ******** ** real ***** ******, ** bought *** ****** *** dual **** ******* *****'* own ****** ****** ******, examining:

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

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

*******

** *** *****, *** Dahua **********-**-* **** ****** dome *** ******* *** positives:

  • **** ***********:*** ******'* **** ******* were **** ** ******** due ** ***** **** floating "*******" ******, **** support *** ******** **** to ****** ***** *** shaped *****.
  • ******** *** *****/**:*** ***** *********** *** superior ** **** **** imager ****** ** **** tested *** ** ********** IR, *** ***** ** competitors **** ** ****** or *******.
  • ***** *** ***********:*** ****** **** **** one ******* *** **** imagers ** ********, *****, Genetec, *********, *** ** Witness, ********** *** *.*** to *** ***** ******, and *.*** ** *******, Milestone, *** ** *******.

*******, ** ******** **** three *** *********, ** well:

  • **** ** ********: *** ******* ********** ** brightly *********** *** ****** of *** *****, **** objects ** *** ***** poorly ***********.
  • **** *** ***********: *** *********** *** **** against ******** ****** **** light, **** *** ********** and ******* ******** ********** washed ***.
  • *** ***** ************:*******, ** *** ***** color **** ******* ******* were ******, *** ******* objects **** ** *** test ***** **** *********** at **** ***** *** far ***** ** *** tests. **** ** **** rare/niche **** **********/** ************ but ***** ************ ******* for ***** ** ***** should ******.

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

*** ****** **********, *** Dahua **** **** ****** dome ** * ***** choice *** ***** ******* to ***** *** ****** or ****** ***** ***** may ******* ******** ****** imager ******, *** ** its **** ***********, ********** IR, *** ***** *** support, ** * ***** competitive ** *** *** cost ** *****, *** requiring **** *** ***** and *** *******.

*******

*** ***** **-***-**********-**-* ******* ****** for ~$*** ***. **** is ************* ***** **** competitive **** ****** ***** such ** *** *********-******(~$*** ******) *** ******* MicroDome *** (~$*** ******).

**** ******* ** ******* to *** ******* ** domes (********* ~$*** ****), though ******* *** *** licensing ** ******* **** using *** **** ****** camera.

Competitive *******

**** ****** ****** ******* are ***** ********** ****.*******'* ********* ***,******'* ***-******, *******'**** *********** *********. ******* *** Mobotix ******* ******* ******* not ********* ** ***** and ******, **** ** higher *********** (* *** 6 **), ** *********** audio, *** */*. *******, Dahua *** ****** ****** are **** ****** ********* and **** ******** **** brands.

Physical ********

*** ***** **********-**-* ** ******* in **** ** ****** imager *****, **** **** 5" ** ********, **** the **** ********** ***** its *** ***** ***** instead ** *** ****** one. **** *** ** seen ** *** ********** to * ******* ***** single ****** **** *** turret *****:

similar size to single imager domes

**** ****** ** ************** on * **** ***** an "*******" ***** ******. Camera ****** *** *****, with ** ********* ******* and ** ***** ******* aside **** *.*** (***° AOV) ** ***** *******. A ******** **°/*.*** ****** is ********* ** ***** regions.

***** ** ****** *** camera's ******** ********.

Open ****** *******

** ****** *** ****** in ** **** ****** area ~**' ****, **** both ******* ******* ******** of **** *****, **** the ****** ****** **** of ****** ** *** open ****** ****, ******* the *** **** *****.

**** ************* ******* **** sides ** *** **** office ****, **** **** exposure **********. *******, ***** is * ******* ***** spot ******** ***** *** camera (** *** ****** of *** ***** ****), which ***** *** **** to ***** **** * separate ****** ** *******.

Entry ****/******* *******

****, ** ****** *** camera ******** ** ***** vestibule ** **** ** a ********* *******, **** one ****** *** ** in ******** **** ****** fit *** *******. ** this *****, ******** *** even, **** *** ******* fully *******, ********* *** area ******** ***** *** camera. *** ****** ***** toward *** **** **** tightly ******* *** ***** and ***** **** ****.

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

******** ** * ******** 1080p ***** ****, *** dual ****** **** ******** similar ******/***** ******* ** near *****, **** **** slight ************ ** *** subjects **** ** ~* klux.

day performance comparison 10

** ***** ** ***/~**', performance *** ***** *******, but ****** ******* ************* reduced ** **** *******, with **** ***** ******* visible. ****** **** *****, detection ** ****** ********, but ************** ** *** possible.

day performance comparison 20

Dark ***** ******* (

** **** ****** **** IR **, ******* *** strong ** ***** ***** (~10'/~70 ***) ** *** dual ****** ******, *** slightly **** ** *** single ****** ****, **** better ***** ********** ** the **** ****** **** (line * **. **** 5)

dark performance comparison 10

******** *** ******** ** ~20' (~** ***), **** facial ******* *** ***** available ** *** ********** ***** they *** **** ** the ****** ****** ******.

dark performance comparison 20

Poor ** ********

** ******** ** *** HDBW4231FN *** ****, ******** illuminating *** ****** ** the ***** ***** ******* the ***** ****, *********** reducing ******* ** *** subject *** *****.

weak ir at edges of imager fovs

************, ** *** **** imager ******'* ********* ** range (***/~**'), ************ ** weak, ****** ********* ** possible. ** ********, *** single ****** ***** **** not ******* ******* ** the ******* ** **** range.

weak ir illumination at spec range

Low ***** ***** *******

*******, ** *** ***** (~2 ***) *** ****** into ***** ****, *********** was ********** ****** ** the **** ****** ******, with ******* ******** ******* in *** ****** ****** dome, ****** **** ******* overexpose **** ** *** test *****.

night color performance comparison

WDR ***********

*** *** ****** ** a ********* ******* **** an ******** ****, **** lux ******* ********** *** due ** ***** ***** ~1,200 ***, **. ~** inside.

wdr test field of view

**** ******* ********* ********* in **** ********, **** facial ******* ********** ***********, though *******, ******* ******* backlight, *** ******* ******* in *** ****** **** beside *** ****.

wdr comparison

*********

********* ** *** *** Dahua **** ****** *** similar ** *** ****** imager ****** ****** *** day, *** ********** ****** at *****. ******** **** comparable ** ******'* ***-****** dual ****** ******, ****** note **** ***** ******** integrated **, ***** ****** does ***. ************ **** taken **** ******** ****** in *** *****, **** smart ****** **.

bitrate comparison

Broad *** ***********

*** ******* *** *** HDBW4231FN *** *****, **** both ******* ********** *** streaming *** *.*** ** all ***** ******. *******, H.265 ********* *** *** supported ** ******** ** Exacq. ****** *** ****** in *** ***** ****** Avigilon. *** ***** ****** used **** **** ******* license *** **** *******.

Versions ****

*** ********* ******** ******** were **** ****** *******:

  • **********: *.***.*******.**.*

*** ********** ** **** in *****.

Comments (5)

Undisclosed #1

11/08/18 11:18am

*** ***** ******** ***** streams *** **** ******?  

Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 11/08/18 03:43pm

***!

Avatar

Abaas Mahroos

Al Aswar Trading Group
IPVMU Certified | 11/08/18 11:27am

** ***** *** **** positions **** *****, ** would **** *** **** to **** **** ** video ************ ***********.

Avatar

Jason Thomas

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Abaas Mahroos | 03/02/19 07:26pm

* **** * **** of *** ** *****, and * ******* *** same *****. **** *** about ******* ** *** apart ** ***** ****. They *** ** ********** fixed *** *******. ***** make **** ***** ****. Now * **** **** some ** *******.

Avatar

Lee Zanter

IPVMU Certified | 09/18/19 02:21pm

* **** **** **** is * ****** *****. But * ** ****** to *** ****** ** work **** ***** ***. If * *** ** via ***** *** * only *** * ******, but * ** *** motion ** **** ******. If * *** ** via ***** * *** both ****** ******* *** unable ** *** ******. Is ***** ********* *** guys *** ** *** motion ** **** **** both *******? ** ** could *** **** ** what *** *** **** adding **** ** *****? This ** *** ****** under ***** ** ****** integrations. ***** **** *** guys **** **** ** get **** ** ****.

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