Hikvision vs Dahua Access Shootout

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Brian Rhodes
•Published Oct 26, 2017 15:56 PM

Dahua and Hikvision have spent heavily expanding internationally in video surveillance.

Now, both companies are looking to do similarly in access control.

IPVM has tested both platforms:

Now, we compare them head to head.

Inside we cover:

  •  Why one is clearly stronger
  • But the other's lower pricing is a factor
  • The key advantages of both platforms
  • Mutual weaknesses they thare
  • Whether low pricing Is sustainable

Hikvision ******** ****** *******

*******, *** ******* ***** *********'* ****** platform ** ** ****** **** ***** in ***** ** *******-**** *** ****** operation, ********* ***** *********** **** ********* to ***** *** ****** ********** ********. Dahua's ******* ***** ******* ** *********** it's ******* ********, *** ********* ****** software **** ***** ** ******* ********* delays *** **** ******** ********, ********* in **** ********* ******* *** *** users *** **********.

** ***** ** ********* *******, **** brands ****** ******, ******** ********* ********** provided ******* **** ***** *** ***.  That ********** ***** ***** ********* ** easier **** *** ******** ****** ******* and ********* ******* *** ***** ****** systems **** ************** *******.

Hikvision ****** **********

*** ******** ** *********'* ******** ** most ********** ************ ** ***** *******:

  • ******* ***** ****, *********'* ********** ******** provides ****** *** ********** ******* ******** complex ***** *********** *** ****** ***** linking **** ** ************ ****** ** problems.
  • **** *****-** *** **** **** *** attendance, ******** ****** *******, *** **** configurable ******* **** *******, ********* ****** includes ***** ******** **** ***** **** not *** **** *** ******** ******* cost-adds ** ***** *********.
  • ********* ******** ******** * ***** **** build ******* **** ** ******** *** commercial ************, ***** *****'* ********** ********* needs ********** ********** *** ****** ********** mounting.
  • ******* '***** *******' **** ***** **** is *********'* ***** *********** ******* ****** events *** ***** ************. **** **** mature ********* ****** ********* ** *** offer ***** *********** ** ***** ** Hikvision, **** *** ********** **** ***** triggering * ***** ****** *** ********** recording.

Dahua ****** **********

*******, ***** ** ****** ** **** key ********* *****:

  • ***** ** ****** ***** **% ***** than ********* *** **** **** ***********, and ** *** ** *** ****** cost ****** ********* ** *** ****** with ** ********** ******* ** ******* maintenance ****.
  • *** ******* ********* ** ***** *** combines **** ****** ***** *********** **** a ****** ***, ******** **** **** events *** **** ****** ********, ***** Hikvision's ****-**** ****** ** ******* ******** tabs. **** ***** **** **** ** see *** *********** ********* ******** ** default ****** **** ****** ******* ******** screens.
  • *** **** ************* ** *** ****, Dahua's ******* ********** ********* *** ** more ****** ****** ***** *** **** or ** *******, ***** *********'* ***** can ********* ******** *********** **** ***** and ****** ******** ******** **** **** maintenance ****** ** **** ** ***.
  • ******* *****'* ********** ****** *********** ***** be **** ** **** ** ****** discovery ******, ***** ********* ******** ** additional ******** ************** **** **** ******* and * ******** **********. *** ********** or ************* ****** **********, *** ***** steps ***** ** ********* **** *** normal ******* **** ** ******* *******.

*** **** ******* ******** ******* ********* four-door ****** ****, *** *** ***** *** ********* ******** ****** ******* ****.

Mutual **********

*******, **** ****** ***** **** ****** disadvantages ******** **** ********** ****** *********:

  • *** *********:******* ******** ****** ******** ********* ** examine ******, **** * *** ***** basic *******. ****** ********** ******* **** access **** ****** ** ********** **** outside ************ *** ******* *** *** simple ***** **/*** ** **** ******** reports *** *** ** *******.
  • ** ** ***: ** ***** ** ****** **************, neither ********* *** ***** **** ** claim ** ***, *** **** ****** *********** ******** cited *** ****** *******. *** **** verticals, *** ******* *** **** **** exclude ********* *** ***** ****** **********.
  • ** ******** ********: *******, *** ** ***** ********** compatibility, ******* ****** ***** **** *** party ******** ********, *** *** *** offered *** **** ** ******* *******. Doors *********** ** ********* ********* ** Dahua ****** *** ********* ** ******* by *********** ********** ******** ********.

***** **** ** ***** ****** *** unfixable ** ****** ************, *** **** of **** *** ****** ********* *** Dahua ** * ************ ** *********** regardless ** *********.

Poor ******* *********** ***** *** ****

******* *****'* ****** ********* ******* ** adequately *********** ** ******* *** ****** control **********, *** *** ********** **** is ***** ******** **** ***** ****** control *********. 

** *******, *********'* **** ******* *** access *** *******, *** **** **** times *** ******** ********* ** ********* agents **** ******** **** ****** ****** or ********* *** *** ****** **********. The ******* **** **** ******** ** minutes *** ***** ********* ********* ************ and *************.

*******, ***** ****** ********* *********, **** *** tech ***** ********* *** ********* ** access **** *******, ********* ** ** non-US ***** ********* *****, ** ** one ********, ************ ** ** ** agent ********** **** **** ***** ***** transfers ********** ******** ** ** *** same ****** *** ********* ********* **.

*** *********** *** ************* ********** *****, having ******* **** ******* ** **** back ** ** * *********** **** applying ****** ** ****** ******** ********. The **** **** ******* ********* *** Dahua ***** *********, ****** **** ******* greatly ********** ***** ******** **** *******. Both ****** **** **** ** ******* support ***** ** ***** ** ********* incumbent ****** *********.

****: **** **** ** ***** **** calling ********* *******, ** ***** *** biases, ******** ** ******** ******* **.

Doubtful ********** *** ******

*****'* *******, ** **********, ***** ** us ** ** *********. ** ~**% ***** price **** *********, *** **** **** it ****** *** **** ***** (*.*., how *** ***** **** ***** ******* for ** **** **** **** *********?) but **** ***** ***** ** ****** in ******* *****, **** *** ****** certain ** **** *****. ******* ***** simply **** *** **** ******* *** that ** *** * *********** **** either.

************ **** ********** *** ****** ******* fundamental ******* **** ******* ** **** regard, ***** *** ****** ******* ************ of ******* ****** ****** ******* ******** of ****** ********** ********. **** ******* applications **** **** ***-******** *****, **********, parking ****, *********, *** **** ***** integrations ********* ******** *** *************** ********** expertise.

*** ****** ****** *******, *** ******** associated **** **** *****'* ****** **** expand, *** *** ******* ****** *** so ***, *** **** ** ****** support ***** *********** *******. ****, ****** video, *** ********* ** ***** ***** is **** **** *******.

Platform / *********** ***********

** *******, *** ****** ***** *******, video ***********, *** ********* ******* ** Hikvision ***** ** * ****** **** in *** ***** *** ****** ********** market ***** ******* *** ** ************ quickly. ***** ****** ** ******** ************ will ****** ** ****** ** ******** or ******* **** *********, ******* *****'* overall ***** **** ***********, ******** *****, and **** ******* *** ***** ********.

**** * ******* **********, ***** *** a ***** ********* *** **** ***** and ********* ***** ********* ********* *** is **** ********* **** *********. *** prices *** ****** ****** **** ~**% to **% **** ********* **** ********** and ****** **** **** *** ***.

*******, ******* ******** ** * **** option *** ******** ** *****-***** ********** deployments ** ******* *******, ** **** are ******* ** ** ***-***** ******* for ********** ******** ** **** ********** hardware. ** **** *****, ********* ** Dahua ****** ** **** ********** **** their ********** *****'* ********** ********.

Future *******

** **** ********* **** *******'* ******** based ** **** **** *** ******** today. ***** ******* ********* ***** **** their ****** ******* ******** **** *******. That ** *******, ****** *** **** they ******* *** *** **** ** takes ** ******* ***** ************ *** not. *** *******, *********'* ** ******* ** **** **** very **** (*** *** **** *******). ** ***** **** **** ** ** 2020, ***** *** ********* ********* ******* their ******** *** ********. ** **** continue ** ********, **** *** ****** our ******** ** ***** ********* ******.

Comments (7)
U
Undisclosed #1
•Oct 26, 2017
IPVMU Certified

Don’t mean to start on a negative note, but are these firmwares patched for all known vulnerabilities?

As we saw here, Access Control controllers of a particular manufacturer can have similar vulnerabilities to their camera cousins. Yet the damage may be far greater...

 

RS
Robert Shih
•Oct 26, 2017
Independent
In reply to Undisclosed #1

I know I sent the original batch patched. The branded batch they got afterward; I can't guarantee anything about.

Avatar
Brian Rhodes
•Oct 26, 2017
IPVMU Certified
In reply to Undisclosed #1

Our testing involved the latest firmware for both devices and softwares.

We did a cursory look at vulnerabilities, and neither of these devices have the same 'attack surface' as their respective branded IP cameras as they do not have internal webservers.

However, these devices may/may not be vulnerable beyond our basic review.

 

Avatar
Fredrik Ahlsen
•Oct 28, 2017

I thinks you overlooked these products:

http://dahuasecurity.com/products/asc1204c-d-12741.html
http://dahuasecurity.com/products/asc1204c-s-7111.html
http://dahuasecurity.com/products/asc1202c-d-7091.html
http://dahuasecurity.com/products/asa1222e-16201.html

And did you test to operate any of the systems from multiple clients? I think that many end users of these systems want to control the system from more than one computer.

Avatar
Brian Rhodes
•Oct 29, 2017
IPVMU Certified
In reply to Fredrik Ahlsen

We tested the parts available in distribution now, which may grow to add the variants you linked.  

Fundamentally the software is the same and no change, but pricing details and enclosure details may certainly change based on future part numbers.

Incidentally, Dahua USA told IPVM that they will not be selling 4 door model controllers in the US, but that apparently is a source of miscommunication with Dahua USA and Dahua HQ.

And did you test to operate any of the systems from multiple clients?

I'm not sure I understand completely - do you mean simultaneously?  The client is Smart PSS.

Avatar
Fredrik Ahlsen
•Nov 02, 2017
In reply to Brian Rhodes

Yes. I mean simultaneously from multiple Smart PSS Clients. Since smart pss connects directly to the device (controller), there will be no shared/synced database between the clients.

Avatar
Brian Rhodes
•Nov 02, 2017
IPVMU Certified
In reply to Fredrik Ahlsen

No we did not test multiple clients at once.  Performance was not great even with just the one client.

However, I disagree that many will 'want to control the system from more than one computer (running PSS)' simultaneously.  If end users want/need a larger integrated system, they will likely outgrow Smart PSS rapidly.

For larger systems, Dahua recommends its (non-free) DSS Professional platform, which we did not evaluate.