Chinese Direct Disruptor Reolink Tested

By Ethan Ace, Published May 31, 2017, 03:02am EDT

Another Chinese disruptor, Reolink, is gaining attention.

This one is selling direct from its own website, with fulfillment by Amazon. And a number of their prices make Dahua and Hikvision look downright expensive. For example, a fixed lens 4MP camera for $75, a varifocal zoom 4MP camera for $105, etc.

They have been aggressive, spamming sites as well as with affiliate programs claiming 10 to 20% comissions [note: IPVM never does any of these programs.]

We did want to see how Reolink performed, so we bought the fixed 4MP camera, the zoom 4MP camera and an NVR, shown below:

Inside, we examine performance and other issues in detail.

Test *******

** *** *****, ******* had ******* ********* ******** to *****, *********, *** other *** **** *** cameras:

  • ***** *******:******* *******' ***** ******* was ******* ** ***** and ********* *** *** night, **** ** ****** such ***************,**** **, ******* ********** ** **** ***** IP ****** *****. ************, the *** ********* *** solid, ******* ********/********** ******* issues ** *********/************* ******** seen ** ***** ***** low **** ****, **** similar ** ************ ******.
  • ** *********** ******:****** ***** ******* ****** well, ****** ******* ** not ********** **********, **** cameras ****** *** ********* properly ** *** ***** tested (********, *****, *****, Genetec, *********, ******* *****/** Spectrum).
  • ****** ***** ******:*******'* ***** ****** ***** was *** ******** ** have ******, **** ****** apps ************* ********* *** local ******* *** ****** devices ******* **** ***** aside **** ***********, * much ******* ******* **** others ***** ********* ******* devices ** ** ***** one ** * ****.

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

  • **** *******/** ***** *****:*******'* ******** **** ******* in *** ****** ******, due ** ***** ****** VBR ************** *********** **** like *** ** **** as ***** **** ** smart ***** *******, *** included ** **** ***** cameras.
  • ******* *** *************:*** ****-*** *** ********* only ******* *******, **** no ***** ***** ** ONVIF *******, *** **** when ********* ** *** rear *** *****, **** no *** ** *** cameras ******* ********* ** the *******.

Integrator *********

******* *** ***** *** drawbacks ******** ** **** commercial ** ****** ************* which *** ****** ** impede ******* ***** ***********:

  • **** **** *******:******* *** ** ******* structure ******* ** ***** online *****. ***** ** no ****** ******** *******, with *********** ****** *** same ***** ** *** users *** *******. ** contrast, ***** *********, *****, and ***** ******* *** be ****** ***** ******, these ************* ***** ****** programs **** ********** **********, deeper *********, ***.
  • ** ***** *******:** ******** ** *****, Hikvision, ** ******, ***** all **** ********* ***** American ***** *************, ******* is ***** ******** (**** Kong/Shenzhen) **** ** ***** RSMs, *********, ***., ****** it **** ********* ** get ******* ** ******* questions ** ****** **** equipment, ** ***** ******** are ********* ** ***.
  • ** ***** **** *******:******* ******* ** ****** via*****/****** ****. ***** ** * contact ****** ** ***** website, *** ** ** Hong **** *****, **** office ***** **-** ***** ahead ** ** ****. By ********, *****, *********, and ****** **** **** established ***** ******** **** support *****.

Reolink *******

******* ** ******** ** draw **** *********** *** to *** **** ** local ******* *** ******* protection. *********** *** ******** to ****** **** ****** such ** *****, ******, or *********, *** ** which ***** ********* ***** American ******* ********** *** at ***** **** ***** of ******* ********** (****** all ***** *** ******* available ****** ** ****** close ** ******, ** well).

*******, ***** ***** ********** affiliate ******* *** ****** sales, ******** **** ****** setup *** ****** ******, as **** ** ******** usability *** ***** ******* compared ** ******** ***** low **** ******, ******* is ****** ** **** some ******* **** ***/***/**** users, ******* **** ********* and ***** ** **** market.

*******

**** ******* ******* ****** are ************* **** ********* than ******* *** **** models **** ** ********* or *****.

*** ****** ****** ** less **** **** *** price ** ***** *** Hikvision *********** ******.

***** *** ********* **** dome ** *********** */*** the ***** ** ***** and *********.

*** ****-*** *** ** priced ********** ***** **** competitive *** ******, ~$*** online, **. $***-*** *** Dahua/Hikvision.

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

******* ******* *** ********* are ********* ******** **** their *******. ******* **** fulfillment ** ******, ******* that ****** **** **** with *-*** ******** *** Prime *******.

*** ******* *** *** arrived ** ******* ****** boxes, ***** ****, **** an ****** *********** ****** address **** ******* ******* Technology ** *** ******* name.

Who ***** *******

******* *** *** ******** manufacturer ** ******* ******* is ** ********* ** determine.

** *******'* ******** ****,** ******* ** **** Kong ** ******, ***** ***** ****** information *** ******** ***** shows (********* *** **** [link ** ****** *********]) shows * ******** *******.

*******, ******** *** *** of *** ******* ******' shows ******* ************, **** with ** ******* ** Shenzhen (****** ********* **** above).

**:**:** ******** ******** ******* Technology **., ***.

** **** ** ** can ****, ** ** likely ******** ******** [**** no ****** *********] ** at ***** ***** **** manufacturing *** *******, ** models ****** **** ******* and ***** *** ** used.

Physical ********

*** ***-*** **** **** is ******* ** **** and **** ****** ** other ********* **** *******, shown *****.

*** **** ** **** of *** ****** ******, compared **** ** * Hikvision **** ******.

*** ******* *** **** a **** ********* **** layout **** ***** **** we **** ******, *** essentially *** **** **** types, ***** ***** ******** to *********. *** **** notable ********* *** *** RS-485 *** */* **** found ** *** ********* NVR, ** **** ** audio ** (******* ******** only ***** ***).

Default ******** ******** ****

******* ******* **** **** credentials ******* ******** ** the ****** *****: ***** / (*****). ***** **** providing ** ******** ********, this ********* ************* ** compounded ** *** *******' reset ****** ***** ** the ***** ****, ****** more ********** **** **** cameras, ***** ******* ***** to ***** ****** ** access *** ***** ******.

Web ********* *********

*** *** ********** ** the ******* ******* *** NVR *** ****** **** many ******* **** *********** brands ** **** ****** (see******* $** ***** *********** *** **** ******* Camera ********) ***** ********* **** unclear ***, ***-*********** ********, ActiveX ***** ***'* *******, etc. ** *** **** of ***** ****** ** the ******* ****** ******.

*** *** ********* **** runs ** ******** ******** and ******** *******.

** ****** *** *** interface ** **** *****, highlighting *** ***** ** be ***** **.

Reolink *****

******* ****** **** ** port ********** ***** ******, which **** ****** **** "Plug & ****."

****** **** ***** ************* which ******* ******* ** be ***** *** ** a **** *** ** code ** ****** **. Instead, *** ******* *** searches ******* ** *** local ******* *** **** them ** *** *** automatically, ********* ***** **** & **** **, ********* users **** ** ***** the ******* ******** (** changed **** *******). ***** this *********, ******* *** be ******** **** ******* and ********, **** ** port ********** ** *** required.

**** **** **** ******* is ******* ** *******, but *** ** ****** off ** ****** *****.

NVR *************

*** ******* ****-*** *** has *** *** ************* compared ** ******:

  • **** ******* ******* *********:***** ***** *** ***** cameras *** *** *********, only ******* ******.
  • ***** ******* ****:**** ******* ******** ** the **** *** ***** of *** *** *** supported. ***** ** ** way ** ****** *** cameras ** *** ***** network.

** ****** *** ****** addition ** **** *****:

Camera *****/*** ***************

******* ******* *** *** ONVIF **********, *** **** claim "***** *.*" *******. Additionally, ***** ****** **** that **** **** ** used *** ***** ******* of **.

** *** *****, *** cameras ********* *** ******** properly ** *** ***** tested, ********* ********, *****, Exacq, *******, *********, *** NX *******/** ********. **** Axxon ******** ****** ********* events **** *** ******* (using ***** ******* "***** events" ***********).

Image *******

** ****** ***** ******* of *** ******* ******* versus ***** *** ********* equivalents ** **** ***** of ****:

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

** **** *****, *** motorized **** ***-*** ******* details ** *** ***** and *********, **** ******** better **** **********, *** similar ******* *******.

** *****, **** ********** is ***** **** ** the ******* ******, **** details ******* ** *** Hikvision *****. **** **** the ***** ******** ***** defocused ** **** *****, but *** ******* ***** to ********. ** *** this ***** ** *** original********* ** ***** ****-*** 4MP ******* ****, ** ****.

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

******** *********** ** ****** cameras *** *******, **** the ******* ****** ********* details ******* ** ********* and ******** ****** **** Dahua, ****** **** **** overexposure ** *** ***** of *** **** *****.

** *** *****, ** with *** **** *****, the ******* ****** ******** the ******** ******* ** the ******* *** **** chart.

Bitrate **********

**** ******* *******' ******** were **** ******** ** Dahua *** ********* *** to *** *** ******:

  • ******-*** *********:******* ********* * "*** bitrate" *******, ******* ********* performs **** **** ***, hovering **** *** ******* value *** ********** ** activity ** *** *****. Additionally, **** **** ***** is ** *** ** control *********** ** ******* devices, ****** ******* ***/*** implementations.
  • ** ***** ******:**** ** *** ******* gear ****** ******** ***** codecs, **** "*******" *.***.

***** ****** **** ******* in **** ********* ****:

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

Test **********

******** ******** **** ** this ****:

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

Comments (5)

Avatar

Sean Nelson

Nelly's Security
05/31/17 05:55pm

awesome. i always thought these guys were buying dahua

Avatar

Jon Dillabaugh

Pro Focus LLC
06/02/17 11:58am

Thanks for checking them out. I think the fact that they don't have True WDR, which the Hikvision and Dahua do have, is a big differentiator when you are considering the purchase price.

Undisclosed Integrator #1

In reply to Jon Dillabaugh | 09/22/17 12:24pm

proper camera placement can mitigate a lot of WDR issues, so still potentially a major competitor to Dahua and Hikvision, especially if they can keep their nose clean of the cyber security issues. If they can do that, it may displace a lot of Hikua.

Undisclosed #2

11/10/17 03:47pm

Amcrest AMDV960H8-4B4D DVR is also OEM in from the same company: Shenzhen Baichuan Digital Technology Co.

Undisclosed #2

06/15/18 06:55pm

They OEM from Raysharp

Anytime you see Port 9000, thats the tell

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