Hikvision NVR questions

[LewisO]

Hi all, can someone tell me the basic differences between all the Hikvision NVR's models?
I need a 16 channel NVR, most of the models I've seen on Aliexpress have 8 ports POE.
Some questions:
Are there 16 channel Hikvision NVR's without any POE?
if I use an external switch with POE to power my cameras, can I use all 16 channels on the NVR? or do I need to connect 8 cameras to the NVR's POE ports and the other 8 cameras via the switch's POE?
If I connect all my cameras via a switch's POE, my understanding is I can access individual camera settings. Does the NVR overwrite any cameras I set up this way, or does it only affect cameras connected to it's POE ports?
Does one use a keyboard and mouse on the NVR for setting things up?
I assume I could monitor directly to monitors hooked up to the NVR or via iVMS on a computer, or via some other video surveillance software?
Any other info that would be helpful for someone new to NVRs would be helpful. Thanks - L

 

[DaveP]

Hi LewisO

A few answers.

if I use an external switch with POE to power my cameras, can I use all 16 channels on the NVR?

Yes, the NVR is clever, it knows if its ports requires POE or not..

If I connect all my cameras via a switch's POE, my understanding is I can access individual camera settings

Yes, and depending on the NVR firmware / software version.. you may be able to to get to the individual camera web page also through the NVR.

Does the NVR overwrite any cameras I set up this way

It can happen, lol.. so if possible try to use only one method of 'adjusting' things on the NVR.

Does one use a keyboard and mouse on the NVR for setting things up?

If using the vga or hdmi output to a monitor, then the usb mouse (wired or wireless) is all that's needed.

I assume I could monitor directly to monitors hooked up to the NVR or via iVMS on a computer, or via some other video surveillance software?

Yes, but the 'other video surveillance software' wont be able to control the NVR as such.

 

[alastairstevenson]

Useful answers, DaveP
A couple of supplementary responses if I may.

if I use an external switch with POE to power my cameras, can I use all 16 channels on the NVR?

What Lewis may have meant - if I have a 16 channel Hik NVR with 8xPOE and I don't use all the POE channels, can I use more than 8 non-POE channels?
I haven't reached this point yet myself - but the config screen layout may suggest it's fixed as 8xPOE and 8xLAN. Maybe someone else has tried this.

Yes, and depending on the NVR firmware / software version.. you may be able to to get to the individual camera web page also through the NVR.

To be clear - this only applies to cameras connected via the NVR POE ports, which somewhat hides them on a separate network segment - using an external POE switch means the cameras are on the LAN and directly accessible.

Does the NVR overwrite any cameras I set up this way

Yes, it does, but just for the settings that are available in the NVR camera settings menus, for LAN-based cameras. And a few more settings (but I haven't explored exactly which) are applied, eg network, if a camera is on an NVR POE port and Plug&Play config is selected. That pretty well takes over the whole camera.

I assume I could monitor directly to monitors hooked up to the NVR or via iVMS on a computer, or via some other video surveillance software?

The browser-based 'remote administration' can also be used from anywhere on the LAN, and is pretty functional (may vary with firmware version), though with some omissions such as the ability to do a clean shutdown, and see network traffic and POE info.

 

[LewisO]

DaveP and alastairstevenson, thank you very much for quick and detailed responses. What a great forum where there are those willing to help out with the questions of those with less experience! Thank you!

What Lewis may have meant - if I have a 16 channel Hik NVR with 8xPOE and I don't use all the POE channels, can I use more than 8 non-POE channels?
I haven't reached this point yet myself - but the config screen layout may suggest it's fixed as 8xPOE and 8xLAN. Maybe someone else has tried this.

Yes, I was wondering if say 12 of my cameras were on a POE switch would they work on the NVR with it's 8 POE channels?

The browser-based 'remote administration' can also be used from anywhere on the LAN, and is pretty functional (may vary with firmware version), though with some omissions such as the ability to do a clean shutdown, and see network traffic and POE info.

I've tried connecting to someone's NVR with Mac Safari browser to look at the settings and it's a no go. Login sign comes up, but nothing happens after entering the correct login info. So I'm guessing the browser admin only works with PCs?

 

[LewisO]

What Lewis may have meant - if I have a 16 channel Hik NVR with 8xPOE and I don't use all the POE channels, can I use more than 8 non-POE channels?
I haven't reached this point yet myself - but the config screen layout may suggest it's fixed as 8xPOE and 8xLAN. Maybe someone else has tried this.

Has anyone an answer for this? thanks in advance ~ Lewis

 

[RyanODan]

Has anyone an answer for this? thanks in advance ~ Lewis

Absolutely, you can add as many cameras as you want from a separate switch. You don't have to use the built in PoE.

 

[alastairstevenson]

Worth knowing. That answered one of my questions too.