Hikvision Door Station Tested

By: Ethan Ace, Published on Nov 30, 2017

Hikvision has entered the video intercom market, aiming to bring the race to the bottom to a whole new audience.

To see how it stacks up, we bought and tested their vandal resistant door station, the DS-KB8112-IM, to see how it compared to the Axis A8105-E from Axis, testing:

  • Full light image quality
  • Low light image quality
  • WDR performance
  • Audio quality
  • VMS integration
  • Mobile app integration
  • Installation issues

See our full results inside.

Interested readers should see our past tests of other door station models, including:

********* *** ******* *** video ******** ******, ****** to ***** *** **** to *** ****** ** a ***** *** ********.

** *** *** ** stacks **, ** ****** and ****** ***** ****** resistant **** *******, *****-******-**, ** *** *** it ******** ** *** Axis *****-* **** ****, testing:

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

*** *** **** ******* inside.

********** ******* ****** *** our **** ***** ** other **** ******* ******, including:

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

Key ********

***** ** *** *******, the **-******-** *** ******* positives:

  • ******** **** ******:*** ** *** ***** in **, *** ******-** produced ************ ******* ******* in **** **** ****** (<1lx) ***** **** ******** ** **** tests **** *** (****, Doorbird).
  • ****** ***** **********:*** ****** ********* ** Hikvision's***-******* ***** ************** **** **********, ******** users ** ****** ***** from ***** ****** ****** and ****** ***** **** **** little *****.

*******, ***** **** ******* negatives, ** ****:

  • **** *****:**** *** *** ******* audio **** ****, ******** the **** *******'* ********** in ***** ************, **** with ***** ****** ** ***** ******* settings.
  • **** ***:*** ****** ******** **** digital ***, ********* ** moderate ************ ** ******** against ****** *********/********.
  • ******* *** ***********:**** **** *********** *** possible **** ***** ***** VMSes (***** *** *****). Despite ****** ** ***** support ***** *****, *** **** ******* did *** ******* ** any *** ****** *** ONVIF ** ****** ******* nor ** ****** ** officially ********** ** *****.
  • ************ ******:*** ******'* ***** ***** mount **** ************ ***********, with ** *** ** lock *** ****** ** place ***** ********* *** backplate *** * *****, difficult ** ****** *** screw. 

***** 

*** **-******-** ***** ***~$*** *** ******, ************* ***** **** other ********** **** ******* models, **** ** ******* *****(~$*** ******) **********(~$***).

Physical ********

*** ****** ** ********* from **** **** ******** we **** ******, ***** three ******: * ******* camera/button ****** ***** ******* inside * ******** *******, which ** **** ******* to * **** *****. This ****** ***** ** some ******** ******, ********* below.

*** ****** ******** ** 80° ****, ******** **** many ***** ****** ***** use **** ***** ** panoramic ******. **** ****** many, *** ******* ******** 940nm "*********" ** ************, which ******** **** ***** performance (********* *****).

*** ***** ***** ******** a ******** ******** ** the ********* ******:

******** ** *** **** A8105-E, *** ****** ** moderately ******, ********* ******* from *** ****, *** not **** ** ** mullion ******* (********* ********** a ****** **** *** for ********). *******, *** KB8112 ** **** ***** for ****** **********, ***** the *****-* ** *** IK *****.

Installation ******

*** ****** *** *** significant ************ ******:

  • ********* ***********/********: ******* ** its three ***** ************, ** was ********* ** ******** the **** ******* ** the *****, **** ***** it **** *** ********* without ** ******. **** resulted ** *** ******* frequently ******** ********/*****, ** sometimes ******* *** ** the ******** ***** ********.
  • ***** *** *****: *** set ***** ** *** bottom ** *** **** station ***** ***** ** to *** ******** ***** was * **** ***** hex **** (~*/**") ***** was ********* ** ****** with **** *** ******** hex *** ******** ** Hikvision. 

********** *** ****** ** get **** ** ***** issues ***** ********** ******* stations, *** ***** ************ are ****** ** ** frustrated *** ***** ********** time ********** ******** ** other ****** **** ******* mounting. ** ****** ***** issues ** **** *****:

Weak *****

***** ** *** ****** was **** ** *** tests. **** *** ******* standing ** ~*-*', ** was ************, ****** *****, even **** *** ****** turned *** *** *** up (*****). *** **** was **** ** ******* audio, **** *** ******** intelligible *** ****. ***** in ***** ************ *** find *** ******'* ***** lacking.

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

** ****** *** **** station ** * ******** entrance ** * ********, a ******* ************ *****.  Below ** *** **** field ** ****.

** **** ***** *** Hikvision ******** ****** ******* to ******** *** *******, however *** ****, **** true ***, *** **** to ******* **** ****** both ** *** ******* as **** ** *** background.

Even ********: ********* ******* *******

****, *** **** ******* was ****** ** * vestibule **** **** **** lighting, ****** **** ****** sunlight ** *** ****, shown *****:

** **** *****, *** Hikvision **** ******* ******** similar subject ******* ** *** **** A8105-E, **** ******** ****** clarity *** ** ********* difference ** *********** *******.

Low *****: ********* ***********

** ***** **** ******** lights ********* ~**** *** Hikvision ******** *********** *** subject, ***** *** **** A8105-E ******** ***** *******. At **** ***** *****, though ***, *** ********* KB8112 *** *** ****** to ***** **** **** IR **, ******* ** day/color.

Dark: ********* ****** *******

*** ** *** ***** in **, *** ****** provides **** ****** ****** than *** **** ***** when *** ***** ** very ****, ~*.**** ** this *******. ******* ******* *** clear ** *** ********* door *******, *** ******** by ***** ** ****.

Limited *** ***********

******** ** *********** ******* ** *** spec ******, *** ****** ** not ******** ** *****'* conformant ******* *******.

** *** *****, ***** support *** ****, **** only ***** ****** ******* (ODM) **** ** **** the **** ******* ***** stream. ********, *****, *******, Milestone, *** ******* ***** were ****** ** *** connect *** ***** ** direct *******.

**** ********* ** *** video *** ***** ******* worked ******* ******. 

Limited ********* *** ***********

********* *** ******** ******* firmware *** ***** -* series **** ** ********* the ******, ********* ** their *******. *******, **** integration ****** ******** **** indicated ** ******** ***** on *** **** **** of *** ***** *** user ********* (***** *****). This **** ** *** displayed ** *** *** interface ** ****-****. 

************, ***** ** ** way ** ****** *** these ****** ** *** UI (*****, ***, ** client ********).

Hik-Connect ***********

***** *********** **** ***** and *********'* *** **** was *******, *** ****** worked **** **** ********'* Hik-Connect ***** ********, ******* users ****** ******* *** incoming *****, ******** *** way ***** *** ********* of *** ****.

Master *******/**** ******* ***

**** **** **** **** focuses **** ** *** KB8112 **** ** * standalone *******, *** ********* has **** ******** ****** ****** *********** **** ******* ***** to ***** ******** ***. In **** *************, ***** may ** ******** **** the ****** ******* ******* of ***** ****** *** or ***** ********, **** typical ** *********, *****-****** housing, *** ****** ******** applications.

Test **********

*** ********* ******** ******** **** used ** **** ****:

  • ********* ******: **.*.* ***** 170728
  • **** *****-*: *.**.*

Comments (18)

Avatar

Brandon Knutson

IPVMU Certified | 11/30/17 05:27pm

* ******** ******. **** *** and audio **** **** * fail.

Undisclosed Integrator #1

11/30/17 07:22pm

**** ** ***********. ** tested ******* *** *********** and ** ****** *** external ******* ** ******* to ***-******* *** ***** was ** **** ****** at ***. * ****** if **** ** ********* per ****** ** ********* firmware. 

Avatar

Campbell Chang

12/01/17 06:23am

*'** ***** **** **** model ******.

***** **** *** **-**** and *** ******-*** ******** the ****** ***** ***** appear * ****** ***** to *** **** ****.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Campbell Chang | 12/01/17 12:30pm

********, * ******* ***. This ** ** ************* vs ** ********* *****.

*** *******, **** ** what** ********* ** ******** for ***** ********* *****:

*** ************* ********* **** does **** *** ****** you *******.

 

Dennis Ruban

12/03/17 06:37am

*'** *** **** ******** from *** *** * was ****** ** ******* it ** ****-**** ** make *** ***** **** no ****. *** ****** successfully **** **** ******* hikconnect? * ***'* ***** chinese ***** ******** *** I'm **** ****** ** avoid ***** *****

Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Dennis Ruban | 12/03/17 04:40pm

** *****'* **** **** ivms-4500. *** ***** ** also ********* *** ******** remote ********** *** **** notification ***. 

Avatar

Fabian Muyawa

LONTECH SYSTEMS | IPVMU Certified | 12/03/17 03:57pm

**** ** * **** forward *** ** ****** a **** *** ******* improvement. ******* **** **** lead ** *********** *********** towards ****** *******.

Undisclosed Integrator #2

12/04/17 01:34am

***** **** ** ***** also ** * ********** to **'* ************. *** thoughts ** *** **** compares.

Undisclosed Integrator #4

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #2 | 12/04/17 01:54pm

*****'* **** *** ** now?  ** * ******* it ***** ** * competitor ** ****, ***** is **** ** ******?

Undisclosed Integrator #2

In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #4 | 12/04/17 03:07pm

**** ***** **** * product **** *** ****** 2N ***********. **** *** not ****** ** ** product **** *** **** name ***, ** ***** to ***** ** *** as * ******** ******** and ***** ***** * significant ****** ** ******* under *** ** ****. So ***** ***** ** the **** ************ ***, I ***** *** **** as *** **** ******** and ******** ********.

Avatar

Brandon Knutson

IPVMU Certified | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #2 | 12/04/17 03:52pm

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

** ***** ** ***** using an **** ****** ** their **** ***** ** the ** ****** ***** I **** **** ***** need **** ***.

** ******** **** ******** ** one ***** *** ****** always **** ****** ***** clarity *** *** ***********. 

**'* ***** ******* *** its *********** ********** ****** *** excellent. 

Undisclosed Distributor #3

12/04/17 08:37am

***** **** * ***** off ** ********* ******** *** **** ****** for ***** * *****

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Distributor #3 | 12/04/17 02:36pm

***, * ***** ***** of **** *** ***** you ******* ** *** but ** **** **** a *** like it. 

Undisclosed Integrator #2

In reply to Ethan Ace | 12/04/17 03:13pm

***** *** ******* *** infamous *** *******, ***** they *** **-******** *** housing **** *** **** manufacturer **** ****** **** their ******** ****. ** maybe *** ****** ***'* made ** ********* ** all, *** ****'** **-******** the ******, ** ***** Beward *** *** *** re-branding **** *** **** 3rd ***** ************.

** ********* *****'* **** the ******, ***** ****'* why *** ****'* **** the ********.

Undisclosed Integrator #4

12/04/17 01:21pm

** * *** **** waiting ** **** ***** the ******** **** ** this ****?  **** ***** is * ***** ******* when *** ***** ******* into ****** ******* ***-***.

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #4 | 12/04/17 02:38pm

** ** ***** *** feel ******, ** *** check ****** *********** ** *** *** present, *** *** ** present ** *****'* **** of ********* ****** *******. *** ** *** there *** ** ******** there, **** **** **** we *** ***** ** now.

Gerald Spradlin

12/06/17 12:51am

******** ****** ********* ***** even *****/******* ********* ********.
* ****** *** **** installers **** *** *****, by *** ***, **** brand ******** ***** ** the ******* ********* **********. It's ****** ********* ****** sell ***** ******* ** unknowing *********. **,*** ****** out ***** *** ********* sell * ********* ***** brand? ***********.

thomas worthington

ESRM Communications, LLC | In reply to Gerald Spradlin | 04/09/18 12:07am

***** ***** ** *** install ******?

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