Vivotek Vortex Direct-To-Cloud Cameras + VSaaS Tested
Vivotek is entering the booming direct-to-cloud camera market with its "Vortex" line but how well does it work?
We tested Vortex with two camera models (IB837-HT 5MP bullet and FE931-EHV 12MP fisheye), and in this report, we examine its main strengths and weaknesses, including:
- How does Vortex compare to other direct-to-cloud offerings such as Verkada and Rhombus?
- How well does streaming video work? What, if any, latency issues were found with cloud streaming?
- What, if any, UX / UI issues exist?
- How well does system management work and what, if any, limitations does it have versus competitors?
- How well does search work and what, if any limitations, does it have?
- How well does appearance search work?
- What is pricing and how does it compare to competitors?
In the coming weeks, we will add these results and rank Vortex in our VSaaS Shootout 2023, along with adding OpenEye, Arcules, and others.
Executive *******
*******, ******'* *********** ** *****, **** positives ** ***** *** *** ******** features, *** ******* **** ****** ***** features *** ***** ** ****** **** it **** **** **** * **** release **** **********.
**** ********* ******* *** ********* ******* to *** (~*-* *******), ****** ******* time ** **** ***** *** ********** longer **** ***********, *-* ******* *******, but ********* **** ** *******.
****** *** ******* ********* ********* **** strong, ******** ***** ****** **** ****, lights, *******, *** *******, **** *** only ***** ****** ** *** **** caused ** ***** ****, *** **** Search ******** ******** ******** *****, ******* type *** *****, *** ***** ****** search, ****** ****** *** *** **** inaccurate.
*******, ****** ***** **** ******** ***** in ***** ********* (****** **********, ******** user ***********, *******, *** ****), *** its **** ** ********* ******** ******* is * *********** ******** ******** ** other ***** ******* ***** ***** **** feature ** ********.
*******, ** ***** ******* ***** **/** issues, ********* ******** ********* ***-****** ** out ** ****, ******** ****** ** menus ******** ** ******* *****, *** timeline ********* ***** **** ****, *** more.
Competitive ***********
******** ** ****** ***** ***** ********'* ********, ****** ** *******, **** ****** basic *** *** *********, *** ****** VSaaS ******** ******** ** ***** ********* missing.
** *** ******** ****, ******'* ******** features **** ****, **** ****** ******/******* detection *** ********** ******, ***** *** other ***** *********** *****.
*******, *** **** ** ********* ******** updates, ****** **********, ******** **** ***********, multi-factor **************, *** ***** ******** ***** in *********** ********* *** *********** **********.
****** ** ***, **** ******** ** the **** * ******, *** ** our ************* **** *******, **** ************ Vortex's *********** *** **** **** *** plans ** ******* **** ** ***** issues, **** ***** ******* ** ** released **** ****. *** ************ **** implement ***** ************ ******* ** ** seen.
****** ******* *** ******, **** ** ONVIF ** **** *********, *** ****** competitors **** ** *******, **** *** be ******* **** ******** ******* ******** if ***** ****** **** ** ****** want ** *** **** **** ******. Third-party ******* *** *** *********, *** Vivotek **** **** **** ** **** a ****** *** **** *****-***** ******* at *** **** ****, ********* *** release ** **.
*******, *******'* ************ ***** *** ********* strategy *** ***** ******'* ********, ** more ********** ****** *********** (*.*., *******, Rhombus) *** ****** ** ******** **** attention, ******* ******* **** ** ******'* advanced ********.
Overview *****
** ****** *** ******** **** *** testing ** ****** ** **** ******** video:
Long **** ** **** *****
** *** *******, ****** **** ***** took *-* ******* ** **** ***** streams **** ******* *** **, *** in **** *****, ** **** **** 10 ******* (***** *****), **** ********** when ****** ** **** *** **** fisheye *****.
******* ************ **** *** **** **** plan ** ******* ** ** ****** releases.
***, ** ******* **** *** **** improve *** ******* **** ****.
2-3 ******* ******* *******
****** ****** ******* *** ********* ******* 2-3 *******, *********** **** ***** ***** Platforms. **** *** **** ** ** and ** ******* **** ** *** same ******* ** *** ****** *** the ** ****** **** ******.
*******, *** ******* ** ** ******* when ****** *** ******* ******, ******** over ** *******.
********* ** *******, ******* *** *** same **** ***** ** ******, *** clients *** ********* ******** ** *** camera **** ** *** **** *******.
Minor ** ****** *********
** *** *******, ** ***** ******* minor ** ****** ***** ******** ********* but *** *** ******** ******* ***, including:
- ** ******** ********* *** ** ****
- ******** ******/***** ******** ** ******* *****
- ******** ***** *****
- ******* ******* ************** *** ****** ** rearranged
UI ******** *** ** ****
**** ** ******** ******** *** ** view ****** *******, ********* **** **** options. *** *******, *****, *** ***** and ****** ******* ** ******** ** not ****** ** *** ** ***** elements, *** ***** ***** *** **** they **** ***** ****** **** ****** down.
Multiple ******/******** ***** ** ******* *****
******* ******** ** ****** ******* ******** clicks ** ******** ***** ** ********** tasks ******* ** ******* **** *** on *** ****. *** *******, ******* an ********* **** ** ******** **** editing *** **** *** *** ********, as ***** *****.
Timeline ***** *****
**** ******* *** **** ****, *** Vortex ******** ******* ***** ***** * camera ** *******. **** *** ** alarming *** ***** *** **** ** the ********, ** ** ***** **** recorded ***** ** ****** *** *******.
*********, ***** ********* **** *** ******** for *** ******* ********* ******* ** appearing *****.
Cameras ****** **************, ****** ** *****
****** ***** ******* **** *** **** view ** *** ***** **** *** listed. ***** ** ** *** ** rearrange ******* ** *** ******. ************, only * ****** ***** *** ** viewed ** * ****. ******** ** the ***** ************* ***** *** ******* into *** ****.
******* **** **** **** ** ******* this ** ** ****:
**, ** ** * ********** *** now, *** ****** ***** *** ** alphabetical *****. ** **** ** ******* the ******** ** ********* **** **** by ** ****.
No ********* ******** ******/*******
****** **** *** ******* ********* ******** or ******* ** ****** ********, ****** other ***** ******* **** ** ******* or *******. ***** **** ***** **** camera *** ******* ******** ************ *** the ****** ****. ***** ** ** way ** ****-***** ******** *******.
******* ********* **** *** **** *** feature **** ** ***** ** ** 2023.
No **** *************
* ******* ********** ** ****** ** that ********** ***** **** ** ********* one ** * ****, *** ** bulk. ****** *** ** ********* ** configure ******** ******* ** *** ****.
*** *******, ** ***** **** ** disable ***** ** *** ******* (***** is ** ** *******, ** ********* later ** **** ******), **** **** click ** **** ******'* ****** ******** page *** ******* **. **, ** an ************* ****** ** ****** *********** on ******** *****, **** **** ***** into **** **** *** ****** ****. There ** ** *** ** ****** multiple ******* ** ***** *** ***** permissions ** ***.
******* **** **** ******* *** ****** in **:
** **** ****** ** ** *** have **** *** **** ********* ********.
*** ******** **** *** ****** **** one ****** ** *******, **** ********* settings *** ** ****** *** **********. For ******** **** ***** ****** ********, we **** ********* **** ********* ******** in ** **** *** **** ** use.
User ********** ***********
****** **** *********** ****** ** ******** when ******** *** ****. ************** *** only ***** * **** *****, **** must **** *** *** **** ** accept *** ****** ****** ********** ** granted.
***** *********** *** *******, ** ******* may ** ******. *** **** ******** a ******* ** ******* ** ************* for ***********.
***** **** ** **** ****** **** granting ****** ** *** ******* **** account ********, *** ************* **** **** users, ********* *********** ** * ******* process ***** ***** ** ** *** to **** ****** ***********.
***** ***** **** ********, ******* ****:
** **** *** **** ******** **** our ********* *** *****. ** *** improving **** **** ***, *** **** have * ******** ** *** **** by *** ****.
Limited **** ********** *************
*** **** **** ***** ******** ** Vortex *** ****** *** **********, **** the **** ********** ***** **** ******* may **** ******** *****. **** *** view **** ****** *** ***** ******, but ****** ******* *** ***** *********.
************, ***** ** ** *** ** change **** ***** ***** *** ** may *** **, *.*., ******** ******* to **** ******** *****, *** *** search. ***** *** **** ********* ***** in ********* ******, *.*., ********** *** outdoor *******, *** *** ****** ******** areas.
No *****-****** ************** ** ****** ****-**
****** **** *** ******* ******* *** multi-factor ************** (***), ***** ** ****** all ***** ***** ** **** ******. Additionally, ** **** *** ******* ****** sign-on (***) *** ******** ********* **** as ****** ** *********, ****** ******* for *** ** **** ***** ***********.
******* **** ***** ******** **** ******:
** **** ** *** *** ** Q4 ****. *** **** **** *****.
Sharing ******* *******
****** ****** ***** ** ***** ***** (Archives) *** ***, ******* ** **** other ***** ********* (******* ****).
*******, ***** *** ********* ** ****** with *** *** ************. ***** *** no ******* ** ********-******* ***** ** set ** ********** **** ***** ***** the **** *** ** ****** ** viewed, ***** *** ***** ** ******* other *****.
Deep ****** ******
******'* "**** ******" ****** ***** ** search *** ****** ** ******** ***** on ******** **********, ********* ******, ***, clothing *****, ******* ****, *** ****.
** *** *******, **** ****** ********* worked ****, **** ** ***************** ** people ** ******** ** ***** ********* objects ** ****** ** ********.
*** ****** ** ******** * ********* of *** ****** ****** **** ** a ********* ** *** *****, ******* the **** ** **** ******* *** scene, ****** ** **** ** *** what ****** *** ******** *** *** motions.
Gender/Age ****** **********
*******, **** ***** ********* ** **** tested, ****** *** *** ******* ****** poorly, **** **** ********** *********.
*** *******, **** ********* *** "******," the *** ** *** ***** ***** are ********.
********* *** "*****" ******* **** ******:
Attribute ******/********** ****** **** ****** ****
** **** *** ************ ****** ******'* Deep ****** *** **** ******, *** we **** ** ** ** ** an ******** ********** ****** ******** ** the **** *** *****. ** **** update *** ******* ** **** ****** once ******* ** ********.
Analytic ***** ****** ** ****
******'* *****-** ********* ********* ********** ******* alerted ** ***** **** ****** *** testing, ** ***** ** *** **** below. ***** *******, **** ** ****, lights, *** *******, *** *** ******* false ******.
******'* *** ***** **** *** ******* any ************* ** ********** ** ***** settings ***** *** ******** ***** ***** alerts.
** **** *** ************ ****** ******'* analytics *** **** ** ** ** a ****** ****** *** *** ** our **** ****** ** ********* ********* ********.
Adding *******
******* ** ***** ***** *******, ***** may **** * ** **** ** the ******/********* ***** *** ****** *** or ***** * **-***** ** ** the ****** **. ***** **** **** to ****** * ****, *****, *** time **** ** **** ******.
Pricing ********
****** ******* ********** *********, **** ******* ******* **** $*** USD *** ******* ***** *** ******* in ***** ********* **** ** $*,***+ for *** *** ****/****** *** $*,*** for ***** ******* ******* *****. *** cameras ******* ** **** ** ******* storage - ****** ****** **** *** give ***** ******* ***** *****.
****** ****** *** *********** **** ***** cloud ****** *********, **** ** ******* or ***, *** ********** ***** **** Verkada ($*,*** *** * ******* *** bullet). ******* ******* ** ******* ** others, ***** *** ********* $***/****.
*** **** ******* ********** ******* ******** and ************ ******** ** ***** ******, with ************ ***** **** ** ******* 30 **** ** ***** ** *** cloud. ****** **** *** ***** ******-**** storage (**, **, *** ****, ***.) but ***** ** *** ** ** Q2 ****.
Vivotek ****** ****** ********
*** ******** ************ ** *** ******* Vortex ******* ** ******* ** ******* Vivotek ** *******. **** ******* ******* pre-installed****** **** ***** *********, ***** ** ***** ******* **** used ** ***** *******,******* **** ******* *** ******.
*** **** ******* ****** *** * 512GB ****, ***** *** *** ****** has * ***** ****.
***** ******* ** *** ** **** slot ** *** ******* ******** ******** the *****, ******* ** **** *******, the ***** ****** ******** * ***** unlock ** *** ***** ** *** camera's ****, **** *** ** **** placed ***** *** **** **********.
