Chinese Direct Disruptor Reolink Tested

By Ethan Ace, Published on May 31, 2017

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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