Uniview Super Low Cost 4MP Tested

By Ethan Ace, Published on Jul 25, 2018

Even lower cost than Dahua and Hikvision, China's self-proclaimed 3rd place company, Uniview / UNV, is offering aggressive pricing including for the increasingly commonly used 4MP category.

We bought and tested two Uniview turrets to see how they performed:

Inside, we examine:

  • Low light performance
  • Integrated IR coverage
  • Integrated IR range
  • WDR performance
  • Full light performance
  • Bandwidth consumption
  • Physical construction
  • VMS integration

Interested readers should also see our previous 4MP tests, including Hanwha and Digital Watchdog, with tests of new generation Dahua, Hikvision, and others upcoming plus a final 4MP shootout to conclude.

*******

***** *** *** *** findings **** *** **** of *******'* *** ****** cameras:

  • ***** ******* ****/** ***********:**** ******* *******' ** illumination *** ****, ******* to ********** ******** ** even **** ***** ********* 30m/~98' ** *****, **** noticeable *********** **** ** close ***** ** *** lower **** *** ******.
  • *** ****** **** ***:*** *** ****** ********* poorly ** *** ****** due ** *** **** of **** ***, *** practically * ******** ******* on ***** *****-***** *** models (**** ** ****** or **).
  • *** ****** ***** ***:** ********, *** *** turret's **** *** *********** was *****, **** ***** details ** *** ******* against ****** ********* *** in ****** ***** ** the *****.
  • ****** **** ******* ********:******* ********* *.*** *** their *-**** ***** *****, both ******* ******* ******** were ********** **** *** and *****, **** ******* bitrates **** * **/* (compared ** ~* **/* average ** **** *** smart ***** ******) *** night **** ******** **** 3 **/*.
  • *** ******* ************, *** weather *****:*** ***** **** *** turret ** ***** **** of *******, ******* ** more ****** **** ******** used ** **** ****** cameras, **** ** ** rating. ************, *** ****** has ** ****/****** **** with ******* ****** ******* visible *** ******* ** moisture/dust.Uniview *** ******** ** updated *** ***** (**********-*****), ***** ** **** rated.

******* ***** ***********, ***** their ***** *****, ********** for *******, **** ***** may **** ***** ****** to ** ** ********** alternative ** ******* ********* or ***** ******.

*******

********* ****** ***** (***** Uniview *** ******* ****** sales) ** ***** ******* models **:

**** ** ******* **** expensive **** ******* *** turrets/domes, **** ** *** Hanwha ***-***** ** ********* DS-2CD2342FWD-I (**** ~$*** ***).

No ****** ******* *** ******* ****** *****

*** ********* ******** *** negative ************** ** ******* for ******* **: ********, Uniview *** ******* / restricted ****** *****, ****** it ****** *** ********* to ***** ****. ********, Uniview *** ******* ** no '*******' ****** *******, so ********* ****** **** to ** ******* *** variety ** ***** ************ Uniview ***** *******.

Physical/Feature ***********

****** **** *******, **** low **** ******, *** IPC3614LR3 **** * ******* housing ******* ** ********. Additionally, *** **** ** the ****** ** ******, with *********** ******* ******* these *****, ****** ******** moisture ** ****** *********.

** ******** ** *** LR3 ******, *** ********** uses *** **** ******** housing ******* ** *******, fully ****** *** **** rated.

** * ****** *** based ** **** ******, both ******* ****** *** the **** ****** ****, lensing, *** ** ************, with *** **** **** difference ***** **** *** included ** *** ***, but *** *** ***. However, ** *** *****, IR *** ***** ******* differences **** ********** ******* the ***, ********* *****.

** ****** *** ******** features ** *** ******* in **** *****:

Size **********

*** ***** **** ******* LR3 ****** ** ******** smaller **** *********** ******, while *** *** ** ********* sized ** ********* *** Dahua ******.

Image *******

** ***** *****, *** *** turret ******** ******** ***** details **** *** *** turret, **** **** ***** on *** *******'* ****. Text ********** ** ******* in **** *******.

moderate artifacting lr3

IR **** *** **** *** ***** ****

***** **** ******* ***** 30m/~98' ** ************ *****, at **** ~**', ************ was **** ****, **** the ******* ********* ** detect ** **** *******.

difficult to detect

IR ******** **** ** *****

*** *** ******'* ** illumination *** **** ****** the ***** ** ****, with **** **** ****** darkening ** *** **** edge *** ** ************ in *** ****** ** the *** ****** *** tests, ***** ****:

LR3 ******* *** ********** ******** *********

******** ******* *** ** the ********** ********* ******** at ***** ** *** tests, **** ******** ********** more *******. *******, **** setting **** ********* ******* noise, *** **** *** provide ********** *********** *******.

Solid *** ***********

** ****** *** *** turret ** * ****** WDR *****, * ********* with **** ******** ****, shown *****:

wdr inside vs threshold comparison

*** **** ********* *** turret ********* ****** ** this *****, **** *** background ****** ******* ****** out *** ******* ******** moderately ****** ***. ** contrast, *** **** *** SR3 ****** ******* ********* details ** *** ******* both ******* ****** ********* and ** ****** ***** of *** *****.

lr3 poor wdr sr3 solid 

Full ***** ***********

*********** ** *** *** cameras *** ******* ** well *** ******, ***** below ** ***** ***** (~15'/~50 ***), **** ****** differences *** ********* ******* similar.

similar details in well lit short range

** ****** ***** (~**' shown/~20 ***), ******* ** the *******'* **** **** slightly **** ***** ** the *** ******, ****** the ***** ** ******* in **** *******.

similar details in well lit mid range

H.265/Smart ***** *******

******* ******* ******* *.*** as **** ** ***** "U-Code" ***** *****, **** two ***** ****** ******* "Basic" *** "********." *******'* documentation ****** **** "***** Mode" ** **** **** third ***** ***/*********, ***** "Advanced ****" ***** ** conjunction **** ***** ****. We **** *** *** tested ******** **** **** Uniview ****, *** **** using ***** ***** ***, the *** ***** ******* effectively ********* ********.

******* ***** *.*** *** smart ******, ******** ** both ******* **** ********** high *** *** *****, over * **/* ****** the *** *** *****. Typical *** ***** ***** bitrates **** ******** ~* Mb/s ** **** ***** using ******* ******** ** similar ******.

VMS *******

*** ******* *** ******* connected ** *** ****** VMSes ***** *****, **** varying *******.

  • *.*** *******:******* *** ******* ***** were *** **** ***** able ** ******** ******* to *** *******' *.*** stream. ********** ** *** the ****** ** ********* using *.*** ******** ** the ******** ********* ****** service ********, ********* * manual *******. ***** ****** did *** ********* *.*** as ** ******.
  • ****** **** ***:*** *******' ** ***** VMD ****** **** ********** with ********, *****, *** Milestone, ********** ******** ** start *** **** *********. However, ****** **** *** was ******** **** ***** Genetec *** ** *******.

vms camera side dewarping

Versions ****

*** ********* ******** ******* was **** ****** ******* on **** *******:

  • *********-*************

******* **** ****** ***** default ********, **** ******* standardized ** */*** ***, codec *** ** *.***, VBR, ***** *** *******. Other ******** **** ******** as ***** ** *** report *****.

Comments (15)

Undisclosed Distributor #1

07/25/18 02:37pm

I tested these as well and found the build quality to be so cheap that i feel that customers would have complained about it.

Undisclosed Distributor #2

In reply to Undisclosed Distributor #1 | 07/25/18 03:12pm

I assume you're refering to the plastic LR3? I agree with you. The SR3 is much, much better. 

We chose only to sell the SR3.

Avatar

Rich Moore

07/25/18 03:15pm

As a sales person for a distributor of Uniview, I didn't even know the LR3 existed.  We have always sold the SR3.  At one point the SR3 was plastic but too many of our clients complained and we brought in the SR3-M.  The new IPC3615 is starlight with IP67.

Undisclosed #3

07/25/18 10:21pm

Claiming they're IP67 with visible circuitry in the back should be a red flag big time. 

Undisclosed End User #4

07/26/18 05:13am

Though these are ONVIF compliant and testing results are mentioned in this blog, I could not find these cameras in Genetec supported device list. Instead I found 

Avatar

Rich Moore

07/26/18 05:26pm

We're also getting much better results with u-code than these results show.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Rich Moore | 07/26/18 05:51pm

Rich, can you share details so we can evaluate? Models used, resolution, frame rate, compression level, scene, lux level, bandwidth consumed, etc.

Avatar

Matthew Del Salto

BLACKBOX USA
07/26/18 06:09pm

For future reference I have tested the IPC3612ER3-PF28M-B.

 

It is the 2 megapixel version of this camera with an aluminum design and no exposed boards. Same image quality as above just lower resolution. Works in both Exacq and Nx Witness.

Avatar

Ethan Ace

IPVM | 08/01/18 02:53pm

Uniview has informed us that the IPC3614LR3-PF28 is discontinued and replaced with the IPC3614LR3-PF28D, which uses a sealed IP67 housing, which was the data sheet which listed IP rating linked in the report.

We've updated the link to the correct older model. The IPC3614LR3 non -D model correctly listed no IP rating on its specs.

Roberto Vizcarra

08/02/18 01:23pm

They have already released their 5mp range, we phasing these out. FYI- they are excellent for cost effective common indoor application. 

Quite an anti-Chinese theme to IPVM, and it shows. 

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Roberto Vizcarra | 08/02/18 01:33pm

Roberto, welcome to IPVM and thanks for the feedback.

Aaron Jao, Uniview's Global marketing director reached out to after the test and made no mention of such phase-out.

Now, since you are in South Africa, maybe these are being phased out in your region. In the US, these are current models bought through an authorized Uniview distributor.

All the manufacturers we are testing 4MP cameras for, also have 5MP or 6MP or 4K cameras, etc. The reason we are testing 4MP cameras in this series is that 4MP is increasingly become the 'budget' choice for resolution.

We are happy to continue taking feedback and if there are specific Uniview models you want us to test, please share.

Avatar

Luca Fogliati

In reply to John Honovich | 08/12/18 06:29am

Agree.Is there anybody out there simply realizing that 5 megapixel is not an option for cctv? You have some pixel more but a 4:3 ratio what are you making out of it?

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Luca Fogliati | 08/12/18 01:15pm

Luca, one growing trend is to have 5MP widescreen 16:9 aspect ratio cameras, 3MP and 5MP Cameras Going Widescreen, excerpt:

New 5MP 16:9 Resolutions

In several 2017 camera releases, multiple manufacturers such as Axis, Bosch, and Hikvision now use 16:9 5MP resolution (3072x1728) instead of 4:3 2592x1944, as shown in the datasheet of the Axis P1367 below:

Additionally, there is a second, different 5MP 16:9 resolution, 2944x1656, used by Hikvision on some models:

Avatar

Luca Fogliati

In reply to John Honovich | 08/13/18 06:34am

That's interesting.Didn't notice it.But are you sure it's UNV's choice?.We work with them and so far all the 5 MP testing products thay've sent  to us are 2592x1944 that makes a 4:3 ratio.Also al the 5 MP Hikvision model's i've been using so far (moslty analog TVI) are 4:3

Have a look at UNV's spechs for 5 meg cam

http://en.uniview.com/Products/Cameras/Prime/IPC2128SR3-DPF40(60)/

 

By the way John i have been missing the article about 5 MP going 16:9 that's really informative thanx for sharing

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Luca Fogliati | 08/13/18 11:20am

I am not claiming all 5MP cameras are now widescreen, just that there are an increasing number of 5MP models that are widescreen, whereas historically they were 4:3 only.

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