Hikvision vs Dahua Mobile Apps Tested

Author: Ethan Ace, Published on Dec 07, 2016

With smartphone use and low-cost video recorders surging, many user's main interface to their surveillance system is their phone. With mobile video apps becoming commonplace, the questions are: How good are they really? Can they really replace a full blown desktop client?

In this report, we test apps from Hikvision and Dahua to see how they compare, what features and functions they include or do not include, and how usable these apps are as the main interface to users' systems.

**** ********** *** *** ***-**** ***** ********* *******, **** ****'* main ********* ** ***** ************ ****** ** ***** *****. **** ****** video **** ******** ***********, *** ********* ***: *** **** *** they ******? *** **** ****** ******* * **** ***** ******* ******?

** **** ******, ** **** **** **** ***************** ** *** *** **** *******, **** ******** *** ********* **** include ** ** *** *******, *** *** ****** ***** **** are ** *** **** ********* ** *****' *******.

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

Key ********

***** ********* *** **** ** **** ***** **** ******* *** Dahua *** **** ******** ******** **** *********, *******, ***** *** worse *********:

  • ***** *** ********* ***** ********* **** ******* **** ******* *******, function *******, *** *************. ************, ******** ******* *** ********* ******* in **** ****, **** ****** ** ** *************/**** *****.
  • **** ** **** ***** *** ************* ******* ** **** ****, typically ~*-* ******* *** ******* ** **** ** **/*** ** Wi-Fi. 
  • *****'* ***** **** *** **** *** ******* **********, **** ******* replay, *****/***** ******, *** ************ ***** ************* *** ***** ** Hikvision's ****** ***.
  • *******, ** *** *****, *****'* ***** *********** ******* ******* (**** often **** ******* **** ******** *******), ***** ********* ****-**** *** not ***** ** *** ** *** *****.

App ********

*****'****** (**** ******* ********) ************'* ****-**** **** ****** **** ******** **** *********, **** **** ***** **********/************* (******** later). 

**** **** ******* ** **** **** *** *********** *** ****, with **** **** ** ******* *-** ******* (*** ***** ******), with **********, ***** *********, *****, *** *** ******* ****** *** bottom.

*** **** ******** ******* *** **** ******* ** **** ***, with ******** ******** (****, ****, **** *******, *** ***** ** frame) *** ******** ***** *****. **** **** ** **** ****, the ******** *** **** *** ******** ****** ** *********. ******* offers *** ******* ** *********** *****.

**** ***** *** ********* **** ***** ***** ** ******* ****** detection *** ***** ******, ***** *****, **** *** ******* ** tap ** ****** ********. **** **** ***** ********* *** ********* in *** **** ********* ****-**** ****, *** ******* *** **** version ** *****'* ***** (****, $*.** ***). ************, ***** ****** users ** ********* ******** ****** *** ******** *******, ***** *********'* app **** ****** ***** ** ******* *** ****** **** * device ** ****.

Unclear ******** *******

**** *****'* *** *********'* ****** **** ****** **** ******* ******** buttons ** *** ****** ** *** **, **** ** **-*** help *** **** ******* **** ** **** ******. ***** **** buttons, **** ** ********, ******, ** ***** **/*** *** ***** and *********, ****** *** ****** *** ******* ** ************* *****. Additionally, ******* **** ******* **** ** *********, ***, ***., ******** no ******** **** ***** ******** *** *** *********. *******, **** simply ** *******. 

Stream ******** (********* **. *******)

**** *** ***** *** ********* ****** **** ***** ***** ** select ******* ****** ********, *********** **** ******* **** ******* **. lower ******* **********, ********* ** ********* *********. ********* ****** ** this ** "*****" **. "*****", ***** ***** ******** ** **** via ***** (***** *****).

**** **** (** **** ** ****** ** **** ****) ******* to ********* ********, ** **** ** **** **********/**** ******* *******. Due ** *** *** ********** ** **** ****** ******* (*****/******* excluded), **** ******* ** **** ***** ******* ****** ** **** without ******* ****, ****** **** **********/**** ******* ******* *********** * waste ** *********.

***** ******** *** ** ***** ** *** ******** ** **** apps, ***** ****:

***** **********

***** *** **** *** ********** *** ***** ** *********'* ****** apps:

******/***** ******

****** *********, ***** ****** ** ***** ************* ** **** **** specific ******, ***** ***** ****** ***** ** ****** *** **********, motion *********, ** ***** ********** **** *** ******** ****. **** allows ***** ** **** ******** ***** ** ********** ******, ******* needing ** ** ******** ** ***** ***** (** ** ********* alarm *************).

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

***** *** ****** ******* ****** ** * ****** ****** **** **** view, *** * ********* ******* ******. **** ** *** ********* in *********'* ****.

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

***** ****** ***** ** ** ******** **** ** ******** ******, such ** *********, ***** ****** *********, *****, ****** *******, ***., instead ** *** ***-**-******* ******** ** ********* ****-****.

Dahua *** *********** 

** *** *****, ** *********** ******** ******* ** *****, **** often when ********** ** **** **** ******** *******. ** ***** ** error *********** ** ********; *** *** ****** ********. ************, ** multiple ********* *** *** *****, ***** ***** ********** ** **** playback *****.

** *** *** ********** ***** ****** **** *********, **** ** app ******* ****** *** *****.

Multiple ********/**** 

***** *** *** ******** ******** ** **** ********* *** ***** apps ********* ********* ** ***** ********, ******, *** ******. *** example, **** ****-**** **** ** ********* ** ******, ***** ****-**** HD ** ********* *** **** (**** ****** ********** ** *** more ****** ***** ****** *******). ****, ***** **** ** ********* for ****, *** *** **** ***, ***** **** ($*.** ***), is ******** ** ******* ****** **** ***** ********.

**** **** **** ********* ****** * ****** *** ************ *** their ***** ****-**** ******** (*** *** ********* ** ***** *******, but ********* *********), ***** ********* ********* ** ****-****. ** **** cover **** *** ** *** ****** **** ** ****-****.

************, **** ** ***** **** *** ** ********* ** **** **** little ***** **** ********* *******. *** *******, *** ******** ****-**** as********, *** *-*** ******** ***** **** ****. 

Versus ***** ******** *************

******** *** ********* ** **** *** **** ***/*** ****** **** we **** **** *** ******* ** ***** ****** ****. *** example, *** **** ******* ** *****, *********, *******, *** ******'* mobile **** *** ***** *****, **** ******* ******, *********/*******, ********, PTZ, *** ***** ******* *****. 

Versions ****

*** ********* *** ******** **** **** ** **** ****, *** on *** **.*.*:

  • ***** ***** ****: *.**.***
  • ***** ***** ****: *.**.***
  • ********* ****-**** ****: *.*.*

Comments (13)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

12/07/16 04:01pm

*** ****** ******* *** ******* ***** ***. *** **** *** same **** ********* ****.

David Westberry

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1 | 12/07/16 04:53pm

***** **********. ****** ** *** *** *** *** *** ***** not *** **** ***** *** ****** *** ********** ** ** striking ** ** *** ****. ** ********* ** *** **** have **** **** ******* ******** ***. * ******'* ***** *** base **** *** *** ***** ****** **** *** **** ******. I **** ** ***** *** **** ** ***** **** ** me.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

12/07/16 04:34pm

*'* **** ** *** * ****** ** *******. ** * have ******* **** **** ***** *** ************ ****, * **** found **** ** ** * ******** ***********. ********** **** *** a ***** ****.

Thumbnail profile pic

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #2 | 12/08/16 03:16pm

******! * ****** ** *******, *** ** ***** *********** ***** it ****** ******* *** ******** ************* *** *****. *** ** looks **** *** ****** ****** *** ******** *** ******** **** the ******* ***, ******* ******* ** *** ********** ** *******? That ***** **** * ***** **********.

**** **** **** *** ***** *********** ***** **?

Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

12/07/16 09:40pm

*** *-*** ******** **** ******* *** ******** ** *** **** version(for ****), *** *** ***** ** ********** ** *-*** ********. IP/DDNS *** ** **** *******.

Undisclosed Integrator #4

12/08/16 07:22am

********* ***** *** **** ********* ** ******** ***** ** *** it's **** * **** ***. *****'* *** ***** **** ******* work, **'* *********** ******** **. ***

Thumbnail profile pic

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #4 | 12/08/16 03:14pm

**** ** *** **** *** **** *** ***** ***? **** do *** **** ******** ***** **? ** ****** ** **** multiple ******** ***/***** ******, *** *** ********* *** * *** ugly.

Thumbnail img 1014

David Johnson

12/08/16 02:42pm

****** *****. **** ******** ********* **** **** - *** *** app ** **** ******.

Thumbnail profile picture john

John Bazyk

IPVMU Certified | 12/08/16 08:54pm

** ******* ***** *** ********* *** ********* ******* ***** ***** app. ** **** **** ******* ******* **** *** *** *** offer ** **** ** * ********** ** ***. ** ***** that ***** *** ***** ********* ***** **** ***** **** *** trailing *** ******.

********** * ***'* ** **** **** *** ********* ****** ****** or ***** ***** ****** ** *** *****. ****'* **** *** alarm ****** ** ***. * **** ***** *** ********* ***** spend **** **** ** ****** ****. **** **** ***** * received * ********* ********* *** *** *** *** **'* ***** frame **** (********* **** ****) ** **** *** ********.

Scott Sheldrake

In reply to John Bazyk | 12/08/16 11:13pm

*** ****

*** *** *** **** **** ***** *** ****? **** *** you ***** *******? ****'* *** **** ****** *** ***'** **** across? ***** ** ***** **** *** ***** (**** ***** ***** are ***** ***'* * *****'* *****) *** *** ** ***** down *** **** *'** ****.

Thumbnail profile picture john

John Bazyk

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Scott Sheldrake | 12/08/16 11:29pm

**** **** *****'* ******* ** *** **. ****-**** ** *** PC *** * ******** ******* ********* *** **. ** **'** required ** ******* *** **** ******* *** ** ******** *** much ************* ** **** ***********. **** ** *** ******* ** install **** ** ** **** **'* **** ******* ******* *** we ***** **** ** *********** **** ***** **** ** ***** a ****** ** ***** **. ** *** **** *** **** consuming *** *** ***** **. ** ***** *** *** ***** NVRs **** *****-** *** *** *** ******** ** **** ***. Our ******* *** **** *******. *** *** ***'* ***** *** they **** ** ** ******* ** ********* **. **'** ***** just ***** ***** ***** ***/****** *** *** ** ******* ** Spectrum.

Thumbnail 3mttdm79po kyle200x240

Kyle Folger

IPVMU Certified | In reply to John Bazyk | 12/09/16 01:49am

**** **** *** **** ***** *** ******** *** **** ***** based ****?

Thumbnail dsc03686 2

Mick Brown

03/22/17 08:54pm

** **'** *** ******* ** * ********* ***

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

*** *** ***

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

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

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

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