IP Camera Manufacturer Compression Comparison

Author: Ethan Ace, Published on Nov 27, 2017

Despite the use of standards-based video compression (H.264/H.265), our tests show that default image quality settings for different manufacturers vary widely, with no standards for terminology or scale used. This can result in two cameras with the same resolution produced by two different manufacturers producing widely different out-of-the-box results.

To help clear this confusion, IPVM has analyzed cameras from 10 manufacturers and answered these key questions:

  • What is the real H.264 and/or H265 quantization level for each camera manufacturer's default settings? How do they vary? Who defaults the lowest and highest?
  • To normalize the H.264/H.265 quantization levels so that each manufacturer had the same compression, what camera settings should be used?
  • What is the impact of bandwidth as H.264/H.265 quantization/compression levels are varied for different manufacturers?
  • What impact do smart codecs have on these settings?

Here is what we found for default settings from these manufacturers, showing manufacturer with the highest default compression (Bosch), 50% higher than the manufacturer with the lowest default compression (Arecont):

If you really care about image quality and optimizing bandwidth / storage use, this is a critical report.

******* *** *** ** *********-***** ***** *********** (*.***/*.***), *** ***** show **** ******* ***** ******* ******** *** ********* ************* **** widely, **** ** ********* *** *********** ** ***** ****. **** can ****** ** *** ******* **** *** **** ********** ******** by *** ********* ************* ********* ****** ********* ***-**-***-*** *******.

** **** ***** **** *********, **** *** ******** ******* **** 10 ************* *** ******** ***** *** *********:

  • **** ** *** **** *.*** ***/** **** ************ ***** *** each ****** ************'* ******* ********? *** ** **** ****? *** defaults *** ****** *** *******?
  • ** ********* *** *.***/*.*** ************ ****** ** **** **** ************ had *** **** ***********, **** ****** ******** ****** ** ****?
  • **** ** *** ****** ** ********* ** *.***/*.*** ************/*********** ****** are ****** *** ********* *************?
  • **** ****** ******* ********** ** ***** ********?

**** ** **** ** ***** *** ******* ******** **** ***** manufacturers, ******* ************ **** *** ******* ******* *********** (*****), **% higher **** *** ************ **** *** ****** ******* *********** (*******):

** *** ****** **** ***** ***** ******* *** ********** ********* / ******* ***, **** ** * ******** ******.

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

Key ********

**** *** *** *** ******** **** **** ****:

  • ******* ******* ************:***** ** *** *****, ******* ******* ************ ** ~**, **** cameras ******* ******, **** ~** ** **.
  • *.*** ************ ****** ******* ** *.***:******* ******** *************' *.*** *******, ** ***** **** ************ *** approximately ******* **** ***** *.*** *** *.***, ****** ********* *** notably ***** ***** *.***.
  • ****** ********* ******:** * **** ** *****, ***** **** ****** ********** *** to **** ******* *** ******** ** * **-** ********* ********, varying ** ************. *** ** *** *** * ******* **-*** increase.
  • ** *********** ******* *************:** *** ** ************* ******, **** **** *** **** ****** conventions *** *****, *** *** ******* ***** (**** ** "******") result ** ******* ************ ******.

Video *********** ********

************* ***********, *** *** ************* *** ** **** ****** ************ level ********, ** **** *********. ******************* *** *********, *********** ** ******** *** *** ** * silent ****** -**** *** ******* *** *********.

*** ************ ***** ** **********, ********** ** **********. ***, **** if *** ******* **** *** **** **********, ***** *********** ****** can ** **** ********* (*** ******** ******* / *********** *********** **** **********).

**********, *********** ** *.*** *** *.*** ** ************ ** * scale ** * ** **, ****** ************, ** ***** ** the ***** *****:

*******, ****** ************* ****** ***** ******** **** ************ ****** ***** cameras ***. *******, **** *** * ******* ** ****** *** naming *******. *** *******, **** ** **** ** ************* ***** to ***** *********** ******** **:

** * ******, *** *************' ******* ***** **** *** **** resolution *** ************* ********* *********** ******, *** ********* ******* ***** quality *** ********* ***********.

Average ******* ************: ~**

***** ** ****** ******** ** **+ ******* **** ***** ** manufacturers, ** ***** ******** ***** ** *** ***** *****.

  • ******* ******* ************ ***** *** ** **** * ***** ** 20 ** **.
  • ******* ******* ********* ** *** ****** ************ ** *** ******* tested ** ***, **** ********* *** ******* ***** ** **.
  • *** ******* ******* ************ *** *****, ************* *** ** *******.

Terminology ***********

**** ** *** ************* ****** **** *********** ** ****** ***** easily *** ******** ********** ** ***** *************. **** *** ***** confusion **** ****** ** *********** ******** ******* ** *** ************ level.

*******, ****** *** **** ********* ****** ********* ** *** ************, making ******** **** **** *********. *** *******, ******* *** ***** a ********* *****, ***** *** **** **** **** * ******/***** quality **** *********** ** *** ** "*", ***** ********, ****, and *****, **** *** * ******/****** ******* **** *********** *** closer ** "*".

Normalizing ***********

** **** ********** **** ******'* *********** ******** ** ******* * quantization ** ~**. **** *** ** ****** *** ***** ******* to ********* *********** ******** ** ***** *** *******, ****** ** a ***** *** ******* ****** **** *** **** ************.

**** **** ***** *** **** ******** ** ******* ***** ***** to ******** ****** *********** ********, ***** *** **** **********. *** example, *** ********** ****** *** **** ******* **** ******* * non-standard *** ************** ***** **** *** *** *********** *** ******* uses **** * ******* ****** ***/** ***, **** *********** *** bitrate **** *******. *** *** ********** *** ******* ******** ***.

Quantization ************* ******* ***** *.***

***** ** *** ***** ** ******** *************' *******, ******* *** standardized ************ ****** **** ************* ******* **** ***** **** *.*** and *.***, ******** ******** **** ******* ***** ** *.*** *******, generally **-**%. ******* ****** *** ****.*** / **** ***** ******** ******* **** ***********.

Compression ****** ** *********

********* ** ******** ******** ** ************ *****. ** *********** ****, with ******** ************ **** * ******** ** *** (****** **********) to * **** ******* ***, ******** ** * ***** *********** Q22.

***** ** ***** *****, ** *****:

  • Q35 ** ***: Changing quantization from Q34 to Q28 resulted in a 3x-5x bandwidth increase on cameras tested (Axis, Dahua, Hikvision, Panasonic).
  • Q36 ** ***: Changing from Q35 to Q22 resulted in drastic increases, ranging from about 5x to 11x, depending on manufacturer.

Smart ***** ******

*** **************** ********* ***** ***** **** **** ***** ****** *** turned *** ** *** *********. ** ******, ***** **** ****** quantization *********** ***** ** ******* ** *** ***** ******* ** adjusting ** ** *** ****** *****, ***** ****** *** **** difficult, ** *** **********, ** ***********.

************, ************ ****** ** ***** ***** ******* *** ********* **** high, **+, ***** **** ** **** ****** ** ******** ** static ********** *** ********* **** ****** **********, **** **** ****** objects ********* ******* ** ***** ***********.

*** *******, ****, *****, *** ******* ********* ** ***** ****** enabled ** *** *****, *** *** ***** ******** ** ** higher ************:

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

Setting *********** *** ********* *******

***** ** **** *********** ******** *** **** *************' *******, **** notes ********* ******** *** *************.

*******

******* ** *** ** *** ************* ** ******** *** *** quantization ***** ** ***** *** *********. ************ ** ********** **** 16 ** **, ********** ** **.

********

********'* *********** ******** *** ** ******* ***** *** *********** *** image **** *** ** ***** *** **, *** ** **** a ******* ****** ** "*" (****** ***********) ** "**" (******* compression). ******* ******** ** "*", ***** ** ************.

****

**** ********* **** *** ********* *** **********, ** **** ** their ******* **** *** *** ************ ** ******** ***** ***** **. **** *** *** *** *** *** ******* ** *** same ********: ** ***********. *** *** *** ********* **** * slider/manual *****:

***** *** *** ********* ****** ****** **** *****:

*****

*****'* ***** ***** ***** ************ ** *-******, **** *-****** ******* to **** ** * ******** ****** ("*/*-***** ***** **" *****). To *********** ** ******* ***, ***** ****** *** "***. *-***** QP" ** **, *** *** */*-***** ***** ** *.

*****

*****'* *********** ******** *** ***** ** *** ***** ***, *** the "*******" *** ** *** ******* "*" (**** ***********) ** "6" (***** ***********), **** * ******** ** ~** ************ ** most ****** ******.

*********

*********'* *********** ******** *** ***** *** *****/***** ***, ** * scale ** "******" (**** ***********) ** "*******" (***** ***********), ********** to "******." ***** ** *** ***** ** ******** ********* ******, "Medium" ******* ** ~***.

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

*** ***** ****** ******* ** *** ******* *** *** ** fix *********** ** *** ******, **** **** ******* *** ************ varying. *** **** *******, *** *** ********** *** ******* ******** ***.

***** ****** (******* ***/****) ******* *********** ** * ***** **** "best (*)" (***** **********) ** "***** (**)" (**** **********), ********** to *. ***** ****** ****** ** *** ** ~** ** this ***** *** ******* ** ************.

*********

** ***** ** ****** ***** ******* ** ********* ******, ***** should *** ************ ******** ** *** (******** ** ***** ****). Image ******* ** ******** ** * ***** ** *-* (***** Fine ** ***), ********** ** * (******), **** * ******* quantization **.

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

****

** **** ***/*** *** ******************, *********** ** *** ** *** "***** ******* *: ******** menu, ***** ****** **** "*" (**** **********) ** "**" (**** compressed), ********** ** * (******* ***).

**** **** ******* ** ******, ****'* *** *** ******* ** not ***** *********** ** ** ***** ** * *** *****. See**** *** ******* ******** ****** **** *******.

*******

******* ******* **** ***** ******* ** * ****** ******* **** simply "*******" ** "*** ****", **** ** ****** ** ******** enter * *****. *** ****** ****** ** *** ** ~*/* of *** *** ****** *** **** *** ~***.

*******

*******'* *********** ******* ** ***** "****** *******", ***** *****, **** a ***** ** "******" (*****) ** "*********" (****). "****" ****** be **** *** ************ ~**.

Test ********

***** ******* **** ******, *** ****** ** **** ******** *** * ********* ** **** ****.

[****: **** ****** *** ********** ********* ** **** *** ************* updated ** ****]

Comments (13)

Undisclosed Manufacturer #1

11/27/17 07:01pm

***** ******! *** *** ********* ** *** ****** ** ******** P ***** ******** (** **** ***, * ***** ******** ** keyframe ********)? ** ***** *** *********** ************ ******* ******** ******** and ************? ******* *** ******* *** **** ******* * ******, the ****** *** ********* *** **** *** *** ***** ******* on *** *****? **'* ******* *********** *** ********* ** ***** way *** ***** **** *** *** ****** ** ******* *** bandwidth. ******!

Thumbnail profile pic

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #1 | 11/27/17 07:45pm

** **** * ****** ** *-*****/*-***** ****** ****.

** *******, * *** * ****** ***'* ******** ****** ************ levels. **** **** ****** *** ****** ********* ** *****, ******. So **** *-***** ******** ** ****, ***'** *** ****** **** behind ****** *******, *** ********** ***** ********** *** ***** ***** the **** *-*****. **********, **** *-****** *** *****, ***'** *** less ** **** *****, *** ***** ** ********* *** **** of * ********* *********** **** ********* ******* **** * ******.

********* **** *** ********* *-***** ********* ******* **** **** ** *****.

Undisclosed Manufacturer #2

In reply to Ethan Ace | 11/27/17 11:37pm

** ****

***'** **** *** **** "***********" - *** ** ***** **** like ****** ****. *** *** **** *** ******* ***** ** default (******* */** ** */** ***)? **** ** ******** *** a **** ****** ******* ***** ** **** ****** **** - even ** **** ********.

** *** *** - ****** ***** ******* **** *******, ********** on *** ********, ***. - **** ** *** **** ****.

******

Thumbnail profile pic

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #2 | 11/27/17 11:50pm

***** ** ********** **** **** ******* ** ***** ******, ***, but ** ************ *** ******* *** ****** **** *********.

** **** *** ****** ** *********** ********* ****** *** *****, e.g.:

Sergey Bystrov

NetworkOptix | 11/27/17 09:13pm

******* ************ ******, ***** ***** ******* ***** ****** **:
- ******* ******
- ******** ******
- ****** ******* ******( * **** ** ***********)

- ****** ******* ******( ********: *****, **** * *****, ******* pixel *** )

- *********** **** *********

- **** ** *****

- ******* *******( *** **** **** ** ****** *******)

- ***

************ ********** ** * ***** **** ** *** ******* ********, and ****** **** *********** ***** ** ** ** ****** **********.

** * ***** ******* *** ******** ****** *** **** ********* vendors, * ***** ******* ***** ********** ** ****: ** *** can *** **** **** ****** **** *********** ** **** ****, motion ******* ** **** ******** ***... * **** ****** ***** be ********** ** *******:-)

*** **** **** ******** ** ***** *******/******* ** ********** "* like ** ****" ** "* **** ** ****", *** ************ by ******.

Ashley Schofield

11/28/17 12:31am

***** ******, *** ******* ** **** *** ******** ******** ****** of **** ******.

******

Thumbnail img 2501

Franky Lam

RICOH (HONG KONG) LTD | 11/28/17 01:55am

******* ****** *** ***-**** **** ****** **** ***** *** ********* and ******* *****. *** ******* **** *********** ****** ****** **** issue ** *** ***-****.

***** ***, ****.

Undisclosed #3

In reply to Franky Lam | 11/28/17 02:06am

*** ******* **** *********** ****** ****** **** ***** ** *** end-user.

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

Thumbnail img 2501

Franky Lam

RICOH (HONG KONG) LTD | In reply to Undisclosed #3 | 11/28/17 03:08am

** *** ***** **** ** ****, *** ** *** **** REAL ********. * ***'* **** **** ********...:-*

Undisclosed #3

In reply to Franky Lam | 11/28/17 05:09am

...*** ** *** **** **** ********. * ***'* **** **** stranger...

** *******, * ******’* **** *** ** ********** **** **********, “Franky”.

Thumbnail img 2501

Franky Lam

RICOH (HONG KONG) LTD | In reply to Undisclosed #3 | 11/28/17 06:00am

****, * ***'* **** ***, *** * *** *** ******* I **** ***, "**. *********** #*"

Undisclosed End User #4

11/29/17 02:12pm

***** *** *** ******* ***** ****** ****. ********, *** *** you************ *******? *** *** *** **** **** ** **** ** did *** **** ******** ****** *** *****? **** **** **** did *** *** ** ***** *** *****? *** ****** ****** the ******, ******* ***** ***** **** (**- ***)? ***** ******* can ****** *** ********* *******, ***** *'* ******. ******!!!

Thumbnail profile pic

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed End User #4 | 12/04/17 04:44am

** *** **** "***** *******" ** ** ******* ***** *******? Or ** ** ***********?

*********** *** ******** **************, ** **** ********* ************ *.*** *******.

** *** **** ***** ******* ** ** ******* ***** *******, we ******** ******* *******. ***** *** ******** ***** **** ******* "image *******", *** * ***** *** ***** ******** ************ ** determine **** ** ** ** *** * ****** *****.

** **** ***** ******** ****. *********** ***** ******* ** **** test *** ****** ***** *****, *** ******, *** *** ******'* web *********. ** ***'* **** ** **** ***, *** **** being ****, ****** *** ***** ********* *********** ******* *** *** and ******* ** ******* *** *** ********* *** * ***, etc.

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