Arecont's New 8MP D/N Panoramic Cameras Examined

Published Oct 11, 2010 00:00 AM
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Arecont Vision has announced new multi-imager dome cameras that offer significant enhancements relative to the existing AV8185 (180 Deg.) and AV8365 (360 Deg.) with the introduction of the AV8185DN and AV8365DN day/night models.  The new models will feature the same 4 imager array, 8MP resolution, and H.264 compression as their non-DN predecessors.  However, the new DN models provide improved low-light performance, a significantly smaller form factor and an IP66 rated enclosure. Previous non-DN models were fairly bulky and required separate enclosures for outdoor applications.

Retail pricing for the AV8165DN and AV8365DN will be 16-30% less than the non-DN models (that have an MSRP from $2800-$3000). The new models will be available in heater/blower models for use in adverse temperature environments (AV8165DN-HB/AV8365DN-HB).

Arecont Vision is one of only a few providers of panoramic camera offerings on the market, along with Mobotix and Avigilon. Competing panoramics from Mobotix and Avigilon are part of a 'closed' system and only operate using their respective proprietary VMS systems.  The AV multi-imagers have broad 3rd party VMS support, partly because the camera feeds are simpler to integrate (e.g., do not require dewarping). In contrast to immersive panoramics, a downside is that the Arecont video feed cannot be viewed and controlled as a single video feed.

The series is scheduled to start production shipping at the end of the year (2010).