Toughest Manufacturer Competitors 2016

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Brian Karas
•Published Jun 27, 2016 12:10 PM

Integrators told us:

"Which manufacturer is your toughest competitor? Why?"

There was one dominant response and it was not the same company that integrators choose as their favorite camera or favorite VMS.

In this report, we examine the 4 most notable manufacturers cited, showing what this means for the industry.

Top *******

*** ************* ***** ** *** ******** side. Hikvision *********. ******** **** ** * distant ******.

Worst ********

** *** ***** ****, *** **** manufacturers, **** *** ***** *** ****** no *******.

Hikvision - ******** **********

********* *** ** * *********, *** for * ****** **** ***** ** very ********* *** ***** ************* ** challenge ****: *****.

*********** ******* ********* ***** ******** **********, **** very *** ******* ***** ******** ** quality, ******* **** *** ******** ****** is ******** ******* ************.

****** ***** ******** **** ********* ********* centered ****** *****:

  • "*********, **** ** ***** *** ** has ** **** ********. *** ******* you **** **** *******, ****** ***"
  • "*********, ****** *** ********** ***."
  • "**** ***, *********, ******* ** *****."
  • "*********. ********** ***** *** **** *******."
  • "**** **** ** *** **** *********. As *** ** ******** ******* ** price. *** **** ** ** ****, their DVR **** *** ******** *** ** touch. *** *** ** **** *** cameras ** ** *** ***** * fairly *********** ***** **** *** **** discounts *** ***'* **** ***** ** terms ** *** *********."
  • "********* *****"
  • "*********, ***** ******** *** * ***** conscious ******"
  • "*********. *** ***** ***** ** ******* drives *** ***** ** ****** ********"
  • "*********. **** *** **** ***** ******* or ******* ********** ****** *****."
  • "*********. *****"
  • "*********. ******* **** **** *** ****** prices."

******** 

******** *** * **** ******* ****** to *********.

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

  • "******** **** **** ******** ****** ** the ***** **** **** ** ** customers *** ********* ********* ** **** them ** ******** ******* ** *********. Although * ** ** ******** ****** they ***** ** ******** *********** ***** I ***** **** **** **** ** provide * ****** ******** ********* ****** design."
  • "** *** ***** ****, ******** *** been * ***** ********** *** * few *******. *****, **** **** ****** of **** ** *** ****** *** solid ******** ** **** *** ****** channel *** *** ***** ********. ****, their *******, **** **** *** ********, shows **** ****. ****** ** ***** an **** ******** ***** ******* *** functionality ******* **** **** *** ***** both *** *** *** ******* ***********. Finally, ***** *'* *** ****** **** all ******** **** ******* **** ***, I've *********** **** ****** ***** ******** from ***** ***'* *** *********. *******, I ******* **** *** "****** ****" type ************** **** ** ********** ***** along **** **** ***** **** ****** their ****** ** ***** *** **** of ******* ******** ** **** *****."

************, * ****** ** *********** ********* Avigilon's *******. ***** **** *** *** low **** ******** ** *********, **** are ********** ***** **** **** ***** Western ******, ** ********** *** **** of *** **** / ****** ********* fees *** ***** *** ** * notable **************. ********, ********'******* **-**% ***** *** ** ***** H3 *********** ******* **** **** *****.

Dahua - ** ***** ** *********

***** **, ** **** ****, ******** comparable ** *********. *** ****** ******* ************ globally (**** ****** ********* *** ***** of ****), ***** ******** ***-**** ******* **** similar ** ********* ***********. *** ***** *** barely *********, * ******** ******** ** Hikvision's ******** ** *********.

********* *** ******** **** * ****** field ******** ** ******, **** ********* ******* ***** ***** ******** **** ***% in *** **** ****. *********, ***** *** ********* ** ******* a ***** ***** ****, ****** ******** their ****** *** ********* ***************.

*****'* ***-*********** ******** ***** **** ***** price ** *********, ******* * ********** organization to *** **** ******* ** ***** of *********, ***** ***** **** *** capture *** ******.

Axis *** * ***** **********

***** **** ** *****************’* ******** ******, *********** *** *** ****** ** compete ******* ****. **** ***** **** contradictory *** *** ******* *** ****** price, ************ *** ******* *******. *** any ***** ******* *****, **** ******* are ********* *** **** ********* **** Hikvision *** *** **** ****** ********* and ******* *********** ******-********* ********. ** ** * dealer ****** '****' **** ** * project, ** ** *** *** **** to ****** *** ****.

City ********* - ******* *******

***** ** *** **** ******** *** a ******* ******** ** *** ****, with *********** ****** ******** ** ****** ***** manufacturers, *** *********** ******* ********* *** a *** ******* *** ******** * municipal **** ** ******** * ***** market:

******* - ***** **** ********* *** NYPD's ************ ******, *** *** ******** must *** ** & ******* ** that, **** ***** ********* ** **** area ******* ** ******* *******. **** are * **** ********* ******* ** deal ****. ** *** *** ****, if ***'* ***** ***** ****** ******* line, **** ***'* *** *** **** their ***** ****. ** *** **** their ***** **** ****** & ***'* sell ***** ****** ****, **** **** one *******, *********** **, * ***** integrator, *** ***** *********** *** ****** to *** ******* ** ******* ***** client ****. *********** ** ** **** the **** ***** ** ******* *** technical *******, & **** *** *** very **********.

**** ******** ** ********* *** ****** ** Genetec *** ***** ******* ** *** of *** **** ******** ******* **** surveillance *********, ** ** *** ********** they *** ***** ****. **** *******, this ** * ******* **** ** suspect **** ************ ************* ******** **** advantage **.

Outlook - ******* *** *********

**** ** ******* * ******* **** for *********'* ******* ******. ** ********** who **** ********* ** ***** ******** competitor ***** *** ****** ****** ****** a ******* ******** (*** ****** '** you ***'* **** '**, **** '**'). As ****, ** ***** ****** **** rapid ********* *** ********* *** **** increasing ********** ** ***** ******* *** struggle ** ******* **** ********* **** in.

Comments (7)
UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
•Jun 29, 2016

Hi

I am also on the Hikvisionbandwagon.THing is When I read "Fair Quality"I can only wonder how much better do they need to be before that label falls away...

Their cameras are as good as anything I have sen on the market. Not seen The Canon cameras which are purported to be amongst the best but I've seen SONY, Avigilon , Axix, you name it Hik is as least as good, often better.. So what gives?

As foe their DVR what else can you say only that they are rock solid and high performance. Just waiting to move away from COTS system to Hik DVR on a wholesale basis. We've had our share of problems with COTS systems in locales with bad Power Quality but none when we have installed Hik DVR in same environment.

Other manufacturers better wake up. Hik is there for good not only becuase they're low price only, they're good , often excellent and present a range of products that solve most integrators problems plus support is getting there too. Similar to the Japanese car (and other good) makers in the 60's ... Low cost was the attraction, quality came to be what make them formidable. To me Hik is there already.

U
Undisclosed #2
•Jun 29, 2016
IPVMU Certified
In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1

As foe their DVR what else can you say only that they are rock solid and high performance.

One might say the interface is crap.

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
•Jun 30, 2016
In reply to Undisclosed #2

True, bad interface.. Will not be surprised to see it getting better with a new firmware.

I am waiting to try iVMS5200 could be the answer for many ills.

UM
Undisclosed Manufacturer #3
•Jun 29, 2016
In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1

So Und 1, are you then going to write to your US (or other country) lawmakers to lobby them buy controlling shares of and subsidize the other camera manufacturers to the point they can price their cameras below cost and not worry about return on investment? If the products come out with malware and security holes, are you just going to trump it up to the cost of doing business?

UI
Undisclosed Integrator #1
•Jun 30, 2016
In reply to Undisclosed Manufacturer #3

I can understand the sentiment. It will not stop what we all created: An interconnected world. A little bit of history will show that ALL countries including the US have done the same or similar in their development.

Products from great manufacturers , routinely come with malware and security holes too. This is not endemic to Hik. The software Industry can remind you of many of those... I will not drop names but you know the brands (worldwide, non-Chinese brands) I am referring to...

The notion of "below cost" is an easy thing to say when one has no idea of the real cost of parts to a giant who can turn around and buy an entire chip manufacturer output; meanwhile, Silicon prices continue to fall and Moore Law limits while getting closer are perhaps a few decades of being reached. That other manufacturers are not willing or able to matchHik is not a simple subject. In the past the same was said about Japanese car manufacturers. US car manufacturers have found ways to match them and to be real competitors. Same for Camera manufacturers: they've seen the writing on the wall and are trying hard to compete.

The underlying truth is that our business models, our cost, profit structures are threatened.The days of selling an IP or HD camera for $1000 are over. Sub $100 is the norm, the new normal. Xenophobia will not change much of that. We need to find new ways to make money.

JH
John Honovich
•Jun 30, 2016
IPVM
In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1

The notion of "below cost" is an easy thing to say when one has no idea of the real cost of parts to a giant who can turn around and buy an entire chip manufacturer output

We have had this discussion before but you seem not to acknowledge what the critique actually is.

The issue is not the cost of manufacturing, it is the cost of local sales, support and marketing. Hikvision now has 240+ employees in North America, making North American wages. Hikvision now exhibits at every trade show, at North American rates. Hikvision now sends their employees to every trade show and seemingly every integrator office regularly. All of this costs the same amount of money that it would for a Western manufacturer. It is very expensive.

My point is selling cameras for ~$85, even with their manufacturing costs, while giving Western based sales, support, marketing, etc., (forget making a profit) is not sustainable.

(1)
JH
John Honovich
•Jun 29, 2016
IPVM
In reply to Undisclosed Integrator #1

When I read "Fair Quality" I can only wonder how much better do they need to be before that label falls away...

1, this is coming from their competitors, even that they admit 'fair quality' is a sign of respect, considering that they are losing business to them.

The other thing that likely skews the quality perception is that the average Hikvision camera deployed overseas is a lower end one while the average Axis or Sony tends to be a higher end one (at 4x the price).

As our tests show, Hikvision image quality is overall consistent with Axis, Sony, etc. Likewise, their reliability reports are certainly as good if not better than some big Western and Japanese brands.

(1)