Testing Arecont Omni

By: Ethan Ace, Published on Oct 20, 2014

The Arecont SurroundVideo Omni is one of the most novel new camera offerings in the past few years.

Like their 180 and 360 predecessors, the Omni supports 4 imagers / cameras inside. The major advance is that the imagers can now be repositioned and the lenses can be changed.

Below is a screenshot from our test, showing us repositioning an imager inside the Omni:

However, many are reluctant given Arecont's poor track record / reputation.

We bought the 12MP Omni model, the AV12176DN, and tested it in a variety of scenes to see if it was worth it plus to know the following:

  • How does it perform in WDR and low light?
  • How does it compare to fisheye panoramics?
  • What applications does this camera best fit?

    • **** *** *** *** findings **** **** ****: 

    • **** ******* *** ************** sensors ***** *** ************ Omni ** ****** ***** wide ***** **** ******* panoramic ******* (****** ** multi ******).
    • ******* *** ****** ** reconfigure, **** ** ***** magnetically ****** ******* ***********.
    • ******* ** ******* ****** in ******** (*.*" ** ****) than *********** **** **** ******* dome *******.
    • ***** ******* ** **** low ***** *********** ******** to **** *** *** ***** models.
    • ******* **** ********* ****** but ******* *******, ******** its ********** ********* ** light ******.
    • **** ** ******* ****, camera *** ****** ** produce * ****** ***** in **** ~*.* *** scene.
    • ******* *** *********** ******** to ***** **** *** models, ****** ******* ****** backlight **** ****** *****.
    • ************ **** *** ******* issues ******** ***********, **** as ***** ** *** filters, ******* ******* ** web ********* ** ***, and ******* ***** ******* settings.
    • ** ********* ********* ******, with ******* ******** *** sensor ********** ** ***** single ****** *******.

    *******

    *** *********-** (**** **** 2.8mm ******) ***** *** about $*,*** *** ******. *******, ******* *** ******* ** four ******** *******, ******* drops ** ***** $*** each. ************, **** *** VMS *******, ***** ****, and ****** **** ** needed, ******* ******** ******** cost. *******, **** ** still ********** **** ********* than **** *** **** cameras, ***** *** ********* for$*** ** ******* ******* ********** **.

    Potential ***

    *** **** ************* **** is * ***** *******, allowing ***** ***** ***** do *** *** ******* 180 ** *** ****** of **** *** *** ** expensive ** ***** ***** multiple ****** ****** *******. 

    *******, ***** ****** ****** adequate ***** (**** * lux) ** ******* ** nighttime *********** ** * key *******. ***** ******* WDR *********** ****** *** use ** ***** **** harsh *********** ** ********, as ****.

    *******, ***** *********** *** Omni ****** ****** ** potential **** (************* ******* in ******* *******) **** as ***** ** *** filters, *** ********* ** dropped ******* **** ******* in * *** ** well ** *** *** interface, ** ******* ***** balance ******. 

    Physical ********

    ******** ** ***** *****, the ************* **** ** wider, *** *** **** itself ** ****, ** order ** *********** *** image ******* ** ******* configurations. ** ****** *** physical ************ ** *** camera ** **** *****:

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

    ******** ** ***** **** cameras, *** **** ** very *****. ** ****** 8" ** ********, ** is ***** *.*" ****** than **** ******* **** cameras, *** *" ** more ****** **** ****** models. 

    *******, *** ****** ** relatively *****, **** **** 3.1" ****, *** ** the ********* **** ******. This ***** ** ****** short ** ******** ** most *****.

    Positioning *** *******

    *** **** ********** ***** sensors *** ************* ********** using * **** ** threaded ***** ** *** dome's ******** *****. ****** (M12 *****) *** ******* simply ** ********** *** current **** *** ******** in *** *** ***.

    ****** *******, ** ***** it ******* ** ******** imagers **** *** ****** in *****, ******* ** trying ** ********* *** they ****** ** ***** and ******** ***************** **. *** ******* can ** **** ** rough *** *** ****** and ********* ******* ***** mounting ***** ** ****.

    *** *********** ******* ** shown ** **** *****:

    Sample ******

    *** ********* ****** **** just * *** ****** examples ** ***** *** SurroundVideo **** *** ***, both ******* *** ***.  

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

    ** **** *****, *** camera **** *** *** lenses (~**° ***) *** more ******* ** *** narrower ******** *** ******* areas, *** *** *.*** (~90° ***) ** **** the ****** **** ****** areas.******** **** ***** (~** MB ******* .***).

    **** ***** ***** *** setup ** *** ******* for **** *****:

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

    ****, ***** *.*** ****** are **** ** ******* the ****** ******* **** in ***** * ***° pattern, *** * ****** 6mm lens ** **** *** more ******* ** *** entrance *** *******, **** distant, ******* ******* ****. ******** **** ***** (~** MB ******* .***).

    **** ***** ***** *** setup ** *** ******* for *** ******* *** scene:

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

    *******, ** **** *******, two *.*** ****** *** used ** ***** *** two ******** ***** ***** two *** ****** (* total *** ** ~**°) cover *** ******* ******* across *** ***. ******** **** ***** (~** MB ******* .***).

    **** ***** ***** *** configuration of *** ******* ** this *****:

    Imaging ***********

    ** ****** *** **** against ***** *** ******* as **** ** ********* cameras ** **** ******* *********** in ******** ******.

    *** *** ******** ********** room ******, *** ********* was ********** ** * rough ***° ***** ** view ** **** *********** versus ****** ****** ********** (Axis ***** *** ********* DS-2CD6362) *** ** ** 180° **** ** ****.

    **** *****, ~*** ***

    ** **** *****, *** AV12176DN ******** **** ********* to *** *** ****** imager ******* **********, **** details *****, *** ****** desaturation. **** *** **** higher ******* ********* ******** to *** ****** ****** Axis *** ********* *******, which ******* **** *** first **** ** *** test ***** *** ***** subject *******.

    *** *****, ~* ***

    ****** * ***, *** AV12176 has ********** **** ***** than *** ********** *** much **** **** *** Axis *****, ****** *** chart ** ***** ******* to **** *. *****, the ****** ****** ******* cameras *** ******.

    ****, ~*.* ***

    ** * **** **** scene, ~*.* ***, *** Omni ** ****** ** produce *** ****** *****. The ******, ***** *** Hikvision **** ******* ******** detection ** *** ******* and *****, *** ** details.

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

    ******* ** *** ** few ************* *** ******* binning ** ***** *******, which ******** ******** ****** (4:1 ** **** ****) to ******* *** ***** performance, *** ****** **********. Effects ** *********** **** depending ** ***** *****.

    ** ***** * ***, turning ******* ** ********* the ***** **********, **** our ******* *** ***** slightly **** *******. *******, the ******** ** ********** reduces *******, **** *** chart **** ******* **** in *** ***-****** *****. 

    ** ~*.* ***, **** with ******* ** *** camera ** ***** ****** to ******* * ****** image. *** ******* *** chart *** **** ****** visible.

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

    ** ****** *** *********** in **** *****, ******* strong ********* ******* * raised ******** ****:

     

    *** ********* ******** ****, with ******* ** *** subject *** **** *****, though ** ***** ** the **** **** **** to *** ****, ********** compared ** *** **** Q1615. *** **** *********** both ******* ********* *******, even *** **** *** DS-2CD6362.

    Intermittent **** *** ******

    ****** ******* ** *** three **** ***** **** intermittent, *** ******:

    ** *** ****** "*****" 

    *** ** **** ******* regularly ****** ** **** the ** *** ****** on ****** **** *****. This ******** ** ******* coloration, ** **** ** the ***** *****. ********* the ****** ***** **** issue.

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

    ***** ******* ** **** imagers ************ ******* *** to *** ***** ** another. ** *** ***** below ** *** *** the **** **** ******** caused ** ****, **** experienced ** **** ****** in **** *****. ********* sometimes ***** **** *****, and ** ***** ** compensated *** ** ********* ***** gain controls ** *** *** interface.

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

    ********* ********, ********* *** a ***** * ***, without ******, *** ** night. *******, **** ******* the ****** *** *** VMS ** **** ** the *** ********* **************, framerate ***** ****** ** 1-3 ***, *** ************ the ****** ******* **********. Closing *** *** ********* remedied ****, **** *** streams *** ********* ********** again.

    Bandwidth ***********

    *** **** ********* *** no ******** ********* ******. Bandwidth *** ****** *** moderately ****** **** *** single ****** **********. ******* was ***** **** **** fisheye ********* ****** ****** in **** *****, ****** higher **** *** ** equipped ********* **** ** both *** ***** ******.

    ***** ****** **** **** average ********* *********** *** the ****** ** * whole ** ***** ** these ************.

     

Comments (9)

Avatar

Nathan Wheeler

10/20/14 07:06pm

Great product review. Looking at all the comparison shots, it was interesting to see how stark of a performance difference you get from multi-imager panoramic cameras compared to high MP fisheye's de-warped. I understand the math of it and why but in every single comparison above it was essentially the difference between usuable forensic footage and unusable.

Four years ago when I was working for Arecont, the 180 panoramic was my favorite camera to use and to sell. This is a long awaited and much needed upgrade to the physical capabilities of that line. It will be fun to do some tests with lenses to concentrate the field of view even further. If the plexiglass bubble could be replaced with one more accommadating to longer lenses, this could make some really interesting configurations.

Jim Elder

10/21/14 05:53pm

Would like to see an actual video clip of something moving

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Jim Elder | 10/21/14 05:57pm

We included three Exacq exports so users could see it for themselves. They're linked above each sample scene:

Jim Elder

In reply to Ethan Ace | 10/21/14 07:48pm

Perfect Thanks

Michael Blumenson

IPVMU Certified | 10/21/14 07:23pm

John... Good review. Would have loved to see this camera in a shoot out with the Mobotix D15Di which has two movable sensors.

Avatar

Clint Guethlein

IPVMU Certified | 10/21/14 08:28pm

I beleive that the plan to put out a vari-focal lenses for this form factor as well.

One note on the VMS license requirements: NICE treats this ( and all mulit lenses cameras ) as 4 separate licenses for its VMS.

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | In reply to Clint Guethlein | 10/21/14 08:42pm

Clint, that's good information on both the lenses and the licensing. NICE is an exception, as I can't think of another VMS I've seen recently which treats it as four separate licenses. (Doesn't mean there isn't one, I just can't think of any.)

Jim Elder

In reply to Ethan Ace | 10/21/14 11:47pm

I was told by Arecont at one of the shows last year that if any manufacture treats an Arecont surround camera as 4, I was to call them (Arecont) and they would get it resolved somehow. The guy was pretty strong about being able to resolve this issue. Guess not strong enough to persuade Nice...

Marian Maroszek

In reply to Ethan Ace | 10/30/14 01:19pm

I guess that NUUO's products work the same way - one sensor - one license.

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