Dahua Multi-Imager Tested (PDBW8800-A180)

By John Scanlan, Published Nov 28, 2017, 12:19pm EST

Dahua has released their latest generation of multi imager models, including the PDBW800-A180 [link no longer available], a 4x1080p dome model claiming 30m/~100' IR and Smart H.265+, making it one of few IR multi imagers available.

We tested this new model against several multi-imagers from past reports, including:

See our full results inside.

*******

*** ******* ****** *** ** of *** *****'* ******** ********* details *** ********* *** possible **** *** ***-** **** Q3708 *** ********* ******. However, *** ******* ** multi-imager ******** ******** *** light ****** **** *** Dahua's. ********, *****'*  *.*** smart ***** ******** **** lower **** *** ***** tested ******' *.*** ********.

*******, *** ******** ******** from ******** ****** ***** should ****** **:

  • **** ** ********:** *** ****** **** specified, ******** **** ~**' in *** ***** ** the ****** ** *** field ** ****, *** only ~**' ** *** right *** **** *****. By ********, *** ******* MS8391 ******* *** ****** 180° ***** ** **** evenly ** ~***' ********.
  • *** ***** *******:*** **** ******** ***** details **** **** *** Vivotek ** **** ***** scenes *** ** *** much ***** ***** ******* (PPF / ***), * result ** *** ********** rotated ******* (** *:** instead ** **:*, ******* to *** ********* ******).

*******

*** ******** ***** *** about ~$*,*** *** ******, lower **** **** ***** imager ******, **** ** the ******* ****** (~$*,***) and **** ***** (~$*,***) tested ****, *** ******* to *** ********* ****** which **** ***** *** ~$1,000.

**** **** *** ****** may ** ********* **** overseas ******* *** **** lower (~$***-***), *** ***** ****** be ******* ** ***** may *** ***** ******** or ***** **** ******* on **** ****** *******.

Physical ********

*** ******** ** * dome **** ****** ***** imager *****, ***** (*) 1080p *******. *******, *** construction ** **** ******* to * ***** ****** than ***** *****-****** ****** we **** ******, **** a ******* ****** ********** the ******/** ***** ** a ****, **** ** removable ****. **** ************ may ***** ************ ********, as ** **** **** be *******/*********** ***** ******, with *** *********** **** to *** ******'* ***** whip.

Size **********

*** ******** ** *** of *** ******* ***° multi-imager ******* ** **** tested, ****** **** **** Axis *** ********* ******, shown *****, **** ******* to *** **** ** an ******* ***.

Stitched ******

*** ***** ******** ******* a ****** ******** ******, ********* ******, instead ** ** ********** stream *** **** ******. This ******** ** ******* to *** ********* ****** 6986 *** ******* ******, while ****** **** ** Axis, ********, *** ******* output * ****** *** each ******.

*** ******** ******** ******* results ** * **** taller ****** ***** **** other ******, **** ** Axis *** *******, ***** below. **** ******** **** area ** ***** **/***** the ******, *** ******* in ******* **** ** the ***** *******, ******* to *** ********* ******.

VMS ***********

*** *********** ****** **** in ********* (*.***/*.***), ******* (H.265/H.264), *** ***** (*.*** only), **** *** ***** adding *** ****** *** direct *******. *** ***** VMSes ********** ***** *** I/O ** ******** ** video.

*******, **** *.*** ******* worked ** ******* *****, with *** *.*** ****** freezing *** ******** ********** in *** *****. *******, while *** ****** ***** ** Avigilon ** *** *****, ** reported an *****, **** *** stream ******** **********.

LED ****** / ******

*** ********** *** ** LEDs ******* ** *** front ** *** ****, shown *****. **** **** these **** ** *** match ** ** *** individual *******, ****** *** Vivotek ******, ***** **** a *** ** **** for ****.

IR ***** ***** ****

*** ********'* ** ************ reached **** ~**-**', ***** of *** ***/~***' *************. With *** ******* ** ~100', ***** *****, ** is ****** ************.

*** **** ***** ***** the ******* *********** *** camera **** ~***' ** the ****** ********, ******** visible ** **-**'.

Worse IR ******** ** *****

** *** **** *** right ******** ** *** camera's ***** ** ****, the ****'* ** ************ performs **** *****, **** illumination ******** **** **-**' range.

Nighttime Image *******

******* *** ****** **** below **** ** ************, the ******** ******** ****** second **** ** *** other ** ***** ****** tested, *** ******* ******, due ** *** **** lower *** (~** **. ~160 ** *******). ** provides ******* ** *** subject ** ~**' ********/~** PPF, ***** *** **** and ********* ****** ****** provide **** *********, ** most.

** ~**' ********/~** ***, details ****** **** *********** noise *** **********, **** illumination ******* ******** ** close *****, ***** ******* still ******** ****** ******* details.

** ***', ** ***** previously, *** ******** ******** no ****** ***** ** the *******, **** **** the ******* ****** ********* detection.

 

Full ***** ***** *******

** **** *****, ******* provided ** *** ***** camera *** **** ******** to *** **** **** and ******* ****** *** to *** **** ***** PPF, ****** ******* ** the ********* ****** ****.

****** ******* **** *** cameras, ** **'/~** ***, the ***** ****** ******** the ***** ******* ** cameras ******, **** ********/******** present. ******* ******* ***, the ********* **** ******** better ******* ** **** the ******* *** *****, with *** ****** ********** Axis/Vivotek ****** ***** ********* identifying *******.

*******, ** **** *****, both *** ***** *** Hikvision ******* ******* ********* only, **** ***** ***** notably *****, ***** **** and ******* ******* **** rough ******* *******.

*********

*** ******** *** *** lowest ***** ******* ** all ******* ******, *** and *****.

*******, **** ****** **** into ********* *** *********, the ***** **** ** slightly ****** **** *** Vivotek ****** *** ************* similar ** *** ***** during *** ***. ** night, *** ******* *** megapixel ** *** ******, about **% ***** **** Vivotek, *** **** *******.

Test **********

*** ********* ******** ******** were **** *** **** test:

  • ***** ********-****: *.***.****.**.*, ***** 2017-08-02
  • **** *****-***: *.**.*.*
  • ********* **-********-*: **.*.* ***** 170122
  • ******* ******-**: ****

Comments (17)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

11/28/17 07:50pm

I imagine the bandwidth graphs for Axis camera is supposed to be a Q3708 not 9, correct?  Either way, thanks for breaking out the bitrate per megapixel, it really puts it as an apple to apple comparison easy to use.

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Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 11/28/17 07:51pm

Ah yes, thanks for catching that typo. We'll get that sorted.

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Undisclosed #2

IPVMU Certified | 11/28/17 08:09pm

The PDBW8800 is one of the largest 180° multi-imager cameras we have tested...

Is it as big as the Hanwha multi from the other day?

 

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Brandon Knutson

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed #2 | 11/28/17 09:46pm

That particular Hanwha is very big, but a more comparable camera is Hanwha's PNM-9020V

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Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #2 | 11/28/17 09:50pm

It's smaller in diameter by about 4" (8.3" vs. 12.3"), but slightly taller. It's big for the fixed-imager multi sensor models.

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Robert Shih

Independent
11/28/17 10:18pm

New firmware:

DH_IPC-PFW8XXX-Nova_EngSpn_N_Stream3_V2.460.0000.11.R.20170928

General_IPC-PFW8XXX-Nova_Eng_N_Stream3_V2.460.0000.11.R.20170928

Release notes not available. However, I noticed improved image quality.

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Undisclosed #2

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Robert Shih | 11/29/17 04:29pm

Is firmware V2.460.0000.11.R20170928 actually materially different than V2.460.0000.11.R20170802?

I get that the compile/build is new, but if something as important as image quality has been changed, why wouldn’t any of the surfeit of minor version number be changed to reflect that?

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Robert Shih

Independent
In reply to Undisclosed #2 | 11/29/17 09:52pm

The firmware they tested was .10, not .11

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Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

11/29/17 08:13am

This is probably more of a Dahua fault than a testing one but the PDBW8802-A180 provides much better night time and has true WDR as it uses 4 x IMX185 image sensors. They don't advertise this model properly online yet but this is likely due to stock being in the channel and the fear of stock compensation because of a new replacement camera.

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John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3 | 11/29/17 11:29am

The PDBW8802-A180 is not currently listed on the Dahua North America website:

 

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Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

In reply to John Honovich | 11/29/17 11:37am

If you go to the international version of the website and look at there latest IP product quick guide you can see the 8802 versions listed:

http://www.dahuasecurity.com/download/2017_V4_IP_Video_Products_Selection(56P)2.pdf 

Don't quite understand there website strategy most of the time but I presume it is to do with stock sitting in the various regions. If you are purchasing fresh stock from China you can now get the 8802.

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John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3 | 11/29/17 11:42am

If you are purchasing fresh stock from China you can now get the 8802.

And have Dahua protest the test? Because if there are problems with the product we bought from China, they will most likely object that we are testing a product that has not been vetted / approved for Western release (firmware issues, hardware quality, UI issues, etc.).

It's a little bit of a catch-22. We test something that is officially available for sale in North America, we get criticized for not testing something else not available in that territory. We test something that is not officially available for sale in North America, we get criticized for testing something that is not ready / approved.

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Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

In reply to John Honovich | 11/29/17 04:13pm

I'm not criticising IPVM, I'm more just pointing out Dahua issues in global communication around model changes etc. The model tested even though it says it is new has been available for a considerable period of time.

Out of curiosity, do IPVM tell the manufacturers you are carrying out tests?

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Robert Shih

Independent
In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3 | 11/29/17 03:50pm

Products like that aren't always available at print.

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Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

In reply to Robert Shih | 11/29/17 04:04pm

But it is available now, might not be in USA yet but I'm sure it will soon.

As I said originally this is more a Dahua issue. Dahua's 1st attempt at multi sensor wasn't great in my opinion so the 2nd generation I think improves on important areas. 

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Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3 | 11/29/17 09:01pm

Their first generation was actually the Dahua DH-IPC-PFW8601N-H-A180, no? Three 1080p sensors in an odd bullet form factor. We refrained from testing that one due to its poor specs, but the PDBW8800 was spec'd better and in a more aesthetically pleasing form factor. We're checking on availability of the PDBW8802 now.

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Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

In reply to Ethan Ace | 11/29/17 09:52pm

I'm not 100% sure, they still offer the 8601 and it is a good bit cheaper than the 8802 so maybe they keep it for price sensitive situations. It has true WDR so better than the 8800 but the 8800 trumps it on the resolution line.

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