UTC Interlogix Series 6 Tested

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Rob Kilpatrick
Published Mar 25, 2019 15:40 PM

UTC Interlogix has long been deceptively OEMing Hikvision as our 2017 results show. Now, Interlogix is back with their newest IP camera series, Series 6.

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Have things changed with Series 6? Has the Hikvision OEMing stopped? How well did the new series cameras perform?

We bought and tested the Interlogix Series 6 TVD-5604 motorized vandal dome to find out, testing against competitive models from Axis, Hanwha, and Hikvision, examining:

  • How does the camera perform in well lit spaces, 200-300lx?
  • How does it perform at night with IR on, ~0.01lx?
  • Does integrated IR evenly cover the camera's field of view?
  • Does IR meet its specified range?
  • How does bandwidth consumption compare to others?

Performance Summary

Based on our tests, the still Hikvision-OEM Interlogix 6 Series dome (TVD-5604) provides image quality competitive with other mid range models during the day (~200-300 lux) and night with IR on (~0.01 lux), with solid facial details of subjects. Additionally, integrated IR met the camera's 30m/~98' specified range, though details were weak due to low PPF.

However, there were two key performance drawbacks:

  • Bright center IR hotspot: In our tests, the TVD-5604 produced a bright center IR hotspot, overexposing subjects at ~10' and under, with dim illumination at the edges of the field of view, while competitive models illuminated more evenly.
  • No smart codec: The 6 Series cameras do not include smart codecs, only standard H.265/H.264, unlike the majority of new cameras, as well as the Hikvision models Interlogix is based on.

Clearly A Hikvision OEM

The TruVision web interface, aside from color, is nearly identical to the Hikvision interface, using the same terminology and basic layout, with some aesthetic differences as well as version numbering changes.

Interlogix Hikvision Web UI And Terminology Similarities

Also notable, the two cameras use "Encoding Versions" are both V7.3 with slightly different build dates. Web and Plugin Versions are also close.

Nearly Same Encoding Version Different Firmware Numbering Scheme

Additionally, like other OEMs, the camera is discovered in Hikvision's software, including iVMS-4200, Batch Config, and SADP, shown below:

Interlogix Discovered Using Hikvison Software

Note that as in past UTC models, the 6 Series uses UTC's own MAC OUI (9C:F6:1A), not a Hikvision MAC.

MAC OUI Lookup Shows as UTC

Pricing

The Interlogix TVD-5604 can be found online for ~$330 USD online, slightly higher than the similar Hikvision model, the DS-2CD2745FWD-IZH, which can be found online for ~$300 USD and nearly half the price of the Axis P3225-LVE Mk II, ~$560 online.

Size Comparison

Physically, the Interlogix camera is similar in size to its comparative Hikvision model, with similar characteristics such as IR layout, construction, and port count and layout.

Physically Similar To Hikvision Performance Series

We look at the physical features of the TVD-5604 in this video:

Competitive Daytime Image Quality (~200-300 Lux)

In our tests, with a ~200lx level at ~20'/45 PPF, the TVD-5604 provided similar facial and chart details to other cameras tested.

At ~30' the TVD-5604 produced similar facial details to other cameras but the second and third chart lines, while legible on other cameras, are less clear.

IR Image Quality (~0.01 Lux)

At night with lights of and integrated IR on, at ~20'/45 PPF, the TVD-5604 provided similar facial details to the Hanwha and Hikvision cameras. The TVD-5604 also produced similar chart details to the Hanwha camera and better chart details than the Hikvision which overexposed the test chart.

Finally, at ~30'/30 PPF the Interlogix and Hikvision camera produced similar facial and chart details.

IR Illumination Coverage

IR coverage on the TVD-5604 was poor, barely illuminating the subject on the edge of the scene, though it did not overexpose the subject in the middle.

The subject's face/chart details can barely be recognized at the edge of the field of view, while the subject can be identified and the chart is legible down to the fourth line in the center.

Center Vs  Edge IR Details

Additionally, the TVD-5604 overexposed subjects at short distance in the near field of view (~10' and closer), though it did reach its specified 30m/~98' illumination range.

Wide Dynamic Range Performance

The TVD-5604 provided similar performance to the Hikvision model in this scene, similar to the Axis P32, but slightly better than Hanwha's QNV-6080R.

WDR Performance Comparison

Center vs. Edge Quality

The TVD-5604 displayed visible distortion at the edge of the field of view compared to the center.

Moderate Lens Distortion (105° AoV)

However, details between the two only slightly different, with the subject's face less clear, but similar text legibility.

Bandwidth

The TVD-5604's daytime bitrates were competitive with other manufacturers despite its lack of smart codec. However, at night, bitrate spiked significantly, to more than double other models, all of which had smart codecs enabled.

Country of Origin

The Interlogix TVD-5604 was manufactured in China.

Versions Used

The following versions were used during testing:

  • Interlogix TVD-6504: V9.1FP5
  • Hikvision DS-2CD2725FWD-IZH: V5.5.61 build 180718
  • Axis P3225-LVE MkII: 9.10.01
  • Hanwha XND-6080R: 1.21.11_20181203_R246
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