Hikvision vs Dahua Mobile Apps Tested

By Ethan Ace, Published Dec 07, 2016, 10:54am EST

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.

Key ********

***** ********* *** **** to **** ***** **** similar *** ***** *** more ******** ******** **** Hikvision, *******, ***** *** worse *********:

  • ***** *** ********* ***** functions **** ******* **** similar *******, ******** *******, and *************. ************, ******** buttons *** ********* ******* in **** ****, **** little ** ** *************/**** files.
  • **** ** **** ***** was ************* ******* ** both ****, ********* ~*-* seconds *** ******* ** load ** **/*** ** Wi-Fi. 
  • *****'* ***** **** *** some *** ******* **********, with ******* ******, *****/***** search, *** ************ ***** notifications *** ***** ** Hikvision's ****** ***.
  • *******, ** *** *****, Dahua's ***** *********** ******* crashes (**** ***** **** playing **** ******** *******), while ********* ****-**** *** not ***** ** *** in *** *****.

App ********

*****'****** (**** *** **** ******** [link ** ****** *********]) and*********'* ****-**** **** ****** **** ******** **** similarly, **** **** ***** advantages/disadvantages (******** *****). 

**** **** ******* ** both **** *** *********** the ****, **** **** able ** ******* *-** cameras (*** ***** ******), with **********, ***** *********, audio, *** *** ******* across *** ******.

*** **** ******** ******* are **** ******* ** each ***, **** ******** controls (****, ****, **** forward, *** ***** ** frame) *** ******** ***** video. **** **** ** both ****, *** ******** for **** *** ******** camera ** *********. ******* offers *** ******* ** synchronize *****.

**** ***** *** ********* apps ***** ***** ** receive ****** ********* *** other ******, ***** *****, with *** ******* ** tap ** ****** ********. Note **** ***** ********* are ********* ** *** free ********* ****-**** ****, but ******* *** **** version ** *****'* ***** (Plus, $*.** ***). ************, Dahua ****** ***** ** selection ******** ****** *** specific *******, ***** *********'* app **** ****** ***** to ******* *** ****** from * ****** ** none.

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

**** *****'* *** *********'* mobile **** ****** **** unclear ******** ******* ** the ****** ** *** UI, **** ** **-*** help *** **** ******* hard ** **** ******. While **** *******, **** as ********, ******, ** audio **/*** *** ***** and *********, ****** *** likely *** ******* ** inexperienced *****. ************, ******* some ******* **** ** autofocus, ***, ***., ******** no ******** **** ***** features *** *** *********. Instead, **** ****** ** nothing. 

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

**** *** ***** *** Hikvision ****** **** ***** users ** ****** ******* stream ********, *********** **** quality **** ******* **. lower ******* **********, ********* on ********* *********. ********* refers ** **** ** "Clear" **. "*****", ***** Dahua ******** ** **** via ***** (***** *****).

**** **** (** **** as ****** ** **** used) ******* ** ********* priority, ** **** ** full **********/**** ******* *******. Due ** *** *** resolution ** **** ****** devices (*****/******* ********), **** details ** **** ***** cameras ****** ** **** without ******* ****, ****** full **********/**** ******* ******* essentially * ***** ** bandwidth.

***** ******** *** ** found ** *** ******** of **** ****, ***** here:

***** **********

***** *** **** *** advantages *** ***** ** Hikvision's ****** ****:

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

****** *********, ***** ****** on ***** ************* ** play **** ******** ******, Dahua ***** ****** ***** to ****** *** **********, motion *********, ** ***** recordings **** *** ******** menu. **** ****** ***** to **** ******** ***** of ********** ******, ******* needing ** ** ******** of ***** ***** (** in ********* ***** *************).

******* ****** **** **** View

***** *** ****** ******* ****** on * ****** ****** from **** ****, *** a ********* ******* ******. This ** *** ********* in *********'* ****.

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

***** ****** ***** ** be ******** **** ** specific ******, **** ** analytics, ***** ****** *********, audio, ****** *******, ***., instead ** *** ***-**-******* approach ** ********* ****-****.

Dahua *** *********** 

** *** *****, ** experienced ******** ******* ** iDMSS, **** ***** **** ********** to **** **** ******** cameras. ** ***** ** error *********** ** ********; the *** ****** ********. Additionally, ** ******** ********* the *** *****, ***** while ********** ** **** playback *****.

** *** *** ********** these ****** **** *********, with ** *** ******* during *** *****.

Multiple ********/**** 

***** *** *** ******** versions ** **** ********* and ***** **** ********* depending ** ***** ********, device, *** ******. *** example, **** ****-**** **** is ********* ** ******, while ****-**** ** ** available *** **** (**** higher ********** ** *** more ****** ***** ****** options). ****, ***** **** is ********* *** ****, but *** **** ***, iDMSS **** ($*.** ***), is ******** ** ******* alarms **** ***** ********.

**** **** **** ********* offers * ****** *** specifically *** ***** ***** iVMS-5200 ******** (*** *** available ** ***** *******, but ********* *********), ***** functions ********* ** ****-****. We **** ***** **** app ** *** ****** test ** ****-****.

************, **** ** ***** **** may ** ********* ** OEMs **** ****** ***** from ********* *******. *** example, *** ******** ****-**** as********, *** *-*** ******** iDMSS **** ****. 

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

******** *** ********* ** most *** **** ***/*** mobile **** ** **** seen *** ******* ** those ****** ****. *** example, *** **** ******* of *****, *********, *******, and ******'* ****** **** are ***** *****, **** similar ******, *********/*******, ********, PTZ, *** ***** ******* shown. 

Versions ****

*** ********* *** ******** were **** ** **** test, *** ** *** 10.0.2:

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

Comments (13)

Undisclosed Integrator #1

12/07/16 04:01pm

Its almost uncanny how similar these are. its like the same team developed them.

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David Westberry

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

Agree completely. Opened an LTS and UNV NVR and while not the same chips and layout the similarity is as striking as in the apps. UI functions on the NVRs have some very similar overlaps too. I wouldn't doubt the base code for all these starts from the same source. I have no proof but what it looks like to me.

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Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

12/07/16 04:34pm

I'd like to see a review of TinyCam. If I have someone that just hates the manufacturer apps, I have found this to be a suitable alternative. Definitely more for a power user.

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Ethan Ace

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

Thanks! I looked at TinyCam, and it looks interesting since it claims support for multiple manufacturers and ONVIF. But it looks like the motion alerts and playback are separate from the devices own, instead running in the background on Android? That seems like a major limitation.

What else have you found interesting about it?

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Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

12/07/16 09:40pm

The Q-See versions also provide the features of the paid version(for free), but P2P setup is restricted to Q-See firmware. IP/DDNS can be used however.

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Undisclosed Integrator #4

12/08/16 07:22am

HIKVision hired the same developer as Avigilon which is why it's such a good app. Exacq's app needs some serious work, it's practically unusable vs. HIK

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Ethan Ace

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

When is the last you used the Exacq app? What do you find unusable about it? It seemed to have multiple features Hik/Dahua lacked, but the interface was a bit ugly.

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David Johnson

12/08/16 02:42pm

Thanks Ethan. Your findings correlate with ours - The Hik app is very stable.

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John Bazyk

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

We stopped using Hik recorders and therefore stopped using their app. We have been through several apps and IMO few offer as fast of a connection as Hik. It seems that their app keeps improving while many other apps are trailing far behind.

Personally I don't so much care for receiving motion alerts or other alarm alerts on the phone. That's what the alarm system is for. I wish other VMS companies would spend more time on remote apps. Just last night I received a complaint regarding our new app and it's awful frame rate (something like 3fps) on live and playback.

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Scott Sheldrake

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

Hey John

Why did you guys stop using HIK DVRs? What are you using instead? What's the best mobile app you've come across? Exacq is hands down the worst (well maybe there are worse one's I haven't tried) and HIK is hands down the best I've used.

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John Bazyk

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

They just weren't cutting it for us. IVMS-4200 on the PC was a customer service nightmare for us. We we're required to provide too much support and it required too much configuration at each workstation. Most of the systems we install have 10 or more PC's with clients running and we would have to reconfigure IVMS every time we added a camera on every PC. It was just too time consuming and not worth it. We built our own linux NVRs with built-in POE and run Spectrum on them now. Our clients are much happier. The app isn't great but they seem to be working on improving it. We've tried just about every other app/system out and we settled on Spectrum.

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Kyle Folger

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

What have you been using for hardware for your linux based NVRs?

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Mick Brown

03/22/17 08:54pm

Hi we're are working on a universal app

split into 2 aspects

app and p2p

like most apps p2p adds complexiety

if you wish to register for it visit qvpro.it

it has been written and developed in the uk

 

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