Need advice on buying new system

[Coachtech]

Right now I have a Lorex system
NVR H881A6B
Camera LNB9272S
PTZ LNZ44P12B
I want to go with all Dahua cameras and NVR 16 cameras,so many NVRs to choose from just don't know what would be the best, I have seen that some DVRs will do this and that and others would not like auto track and so on. Now I would like to keep Lorex up as long as I can until I get enough Dahua cameras to set up then I can take it down. I would like to start off with buying cameras first 1 PTZ and a couple of cameras, the NVR I would purchase a little later. My questions are what would be a good Dahua NVR to buy when I am ready?.
Also on the cameras has any body had the experience with the Lorex NVR like i mentioned with adding Dahua cameras to it and will they work, I know some features wont work, I need to keep the Lorex up as long as I can until I get new system. Any help would appreciated from all the experts out there.

 

[wittaj]

Dahua cameras will work with Lorex as Lorex is made by Dahua....My neighbor has done just that after his Lorex 4K cameras failed to capture a doorchecker, yet my older 2MP Dahua cams did so he bought cameras like mine to replace his 4k cameras...(that is a whole other topic to make sure you investigate when you look to upgrade your cameras...do not chase MP)...

But since you are asking...Consider a Blue Iris/computer combo as an NVR. Keep in mind an NVR is a stripped down computer after all....and isn't true plug-n-play like people believe. You still have to dial the cameras into your setting. Once you do that, might as well go with something that has the best chance of working with many different camera brands. And I have found Blue Iris to be more robust and easier than an NVR. As always, YMMV...

When I was looking at NVRs, once I realized that not all NVRs are created equal, and once I priced out a good one, it was cheaper to buy a refurbished computer than an NVR. You don't need to buy components and build one.

Many of these refurbished computers are business class computers that have come off lease. The one I bought I kid you not I could not tell that it was a refurbished unit - not a speck of dust or dents or scratches on it. It appeared to me like everything was replaced and I would assume just the motherboard with the intel processor is what was from the original unit. I went with the lowest end processor on the WIKI list as it was the cheapest and it runs my system fine. Could probably get going for $200 or so. A real NVR will cost more than that. A member here just last month found a refurbished 4th generation for less than $150USD that came with Win10 PRO, 16GB RAM, and a 1TB drive. Blue Iris has a demo, so try it out on an existing computer and see if you like it. You can pull the cameras from the Lorex NVR right into Blue Iris by simply adding in the IP address of the NVR in the camera IP address of Blue Iris and then down about halfway is a camera # and you just select the camera number to bring in.

NVRs from the box units like a Amcrest and Lorex cap out incoming bandwidth (which impacts the resolution and FPS of the cameras). The Lorex and Amcrest NVR maxes out at 80Mbps and truly only one or a couple cameras that will display 4K. My neighbors was limited to that and he is all upset it isn't 4K for all eight channels and he was capped out at 4096 bitrate on each camera so it was a pixelated mess.

There is a big Blue Iris or NVR debate here LOL. Some people love Blue Iris and think NVRs are clunky and hard to use and others think Blue Iris is clunky and hard to use. I have done both and prefer Blue Iris. As with everything YMMV...

I encourage you reach out to Andy @EMPIRETECANDY as he has an Amazon site to get your Dahua OEM cameras and an NVR if you decide to go that route.

 

[mat200]

Right now I have a Lorex system
NVR H881A6B
Camera LNB9272S
PTZ LNZ44P12B
I want to go with all Dahua cameras and NVR 16 cameras,so many NVRs to choose from just don't know what would be the best, I have seen that some DVRs will do this and that and others would not like auto track and so on. Now I would like to keep Lorex up as long as I can until I get enough Dahua cameras to set up then I can take it down. I would like to start off with buying cameras first 1 PTZ and a couple of cameras, the NVR I would purchase a little later. My questions are what would be a good Dahua NVR to buy when I am ready?.
Also on the cameras has any body had the experience with the Lorex NVR like i mentioned with adding Dahua cameras to it and will they work, I know some features wont work, I need to keep the Lorex up as long as I can until I get new system. Any help would appreciated from all the experts out there.

Hi @Coachtech

Some Lorex NVRs are Dahua OEM, and you can flash Dahua OEM firmware on them. Look for threads on Lorex.

As wittaj pointed out many Lorex NVRs and Cameras are Dahua OEM and thus you can get them to work with each other.

What are you looking for by changing out your kit?

 

[Coachtech]

Dahua cameras will work with Lorex as Lorex is made by Dahua....My neighbor has done just that after his Lorex 4K cameras failed to capture a doorchecker, yet my older 2MP Dahua cams did...

But since you are asking...Consider a Blue Iris/computer combo as an NVR. Keep in mind an NVR is a stripped down computer after all....and isn't true plug-n-play like people believe. You still have to dial the cameras into your setting. Once you do that, might as well go with something that has the best chance of working with many different camera brands. And I have found Blue Iris to be more robust and easier than an NVR. As always, YMMV...

When I was looking at NVRs, once I realized that not all NVRs are created equal, and once I priced out a good one, it was cheaper to buy a refurbished computer than an NVR. You don't need to buy components and build one.

Many of these refurbished computers are business class computers that have come off lease. The one I bought I kid you not I could not tell that it was a refurbished unit - not a speck of dust or dents or scratches on it. It appeared to me like everything was replaced and I would assume just the motherboard with the intel processor is what was from the original unit. I went with the lowest end processor on the WIKI list as it was the cheapest and it runs my system fine. Could probably get going for $200 or so. A real NVR will cost more than that. A member here just last month found a refurbished 4th generation for less than $150USD that came with Win10 PRO, 16GB RAM, and a 1TB drive. Blue Iris has a demo, so try it out on an existing computer and see if you like it. You can pull the cameras from the Lorex NVR right into Blue Iris by simply adding in the IP address of the NVR in the camera IP address of Blue Iris and then down about halfway is a camera # and you just select the camera number to bring in.

NVRs from the box units like a Amcrest and Lorex cap out incoming bandwidth (which impacts the resolution and FPS of the cameras). The Lorex and Amcrest NVR maxes out at 80Mbps and truly only one or a couple cameras that will display 4K. My neighbors was limited to that and he is all upset it isn't 4K for all eight channels and he was capped out at 4096 bitrate on each camera so it was a pixelated mess.

There is a big Blue Iris or NVR debate here LOL. Some people love Blue Iris and think NVRs are clunky and hard to use and others think Blue Iris is clunky and hard to use. I have done both and prefer Blue Iris. As with everything YMMV...

I encourage you reach out to Andy @EMPIRETECANDY as he has an Amazon site to get your cameras and an NVR if you decide to go that route.

Thanks for your reply I have considered blue iris i think i see they give a trail version to try out, I have a spare computer that i am not using a i7 with a 980x cpu & 28gb ram should be alright with that as long as i can figure out blue iris before trail expire.

 

[wittaj]

Most here know within hours that Blue Iris is easier and better LOL...except for those that prefer NVRs LOL

 

[sebastiantombs]

Be aware that all the features of a licensed version of Blue Iris are not available in the trial version. Most importantly sub streams and, I believe, DeepStack integration.

 

[Coachtech]

Hi @Coachtech

Some Lorex NVRs are Dahua OEM, and you can flash Dahua OEM firmware on them. Look for threads on Lorex.

As wittaj pointed out many Lorex NVRs and Cameras are Dahua OEM and thus you can get them to work with each other.

What are you looking for by changing out your kit?

Looking for better quality cameras and other features like auto track things like that, Lorex doesn't offer much in there DVRs

 

[wittaj]

Substream and Deepstack work in the trial version.

 

[mat200]

Looking for better quality cameras and other features like auto track things like that, Lorex doesn't offer much in there DVRs

A few quick notes:

PTZ auto tracking, look for a better PTZ model.

For greater processing capability, I would consider passing some of the video to a Blue Iris system. You can run both the NVR and a Blue Iris system in parallel ( should be some notes here .. I have not done this myself, but I do really like having a parallel setup.. )

 

[wittaj]

This is the best autotrack camera sub $800 and purchase it from @EMPIRETECANDY here as his are the only ones that still have autotrack capabilities.

https://www.amazon.com/Loryta-SD49225XA-HNR-Starlight-Network-Tracking/dp/B081RJJQT4/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&m=A329YQ83EBQGJF&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&qid=1617889930&redirect=true&s=merchant-items&sr=1-7

 

[Coachtech]

This is the best autotrack camera sub $800 and purchase it from @EMPIRETECANDY here as his are the only ones that still have autotrack capabilities.

https://www.amazon.com/Loryta-SD49225XA-HNR-Starlight-Network-Tracking/dp/B081RJJQT4/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&m=A329YQ83EBQGJF&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&qid=1617889930&redirect=true&s=merchant-items&sr=1-7

Yes I was looking at that one how is it at night vision?

 

[wittaj]

@Coachtech - It is excellent!

Obviously amount of available light, running B/W versus color, shutter settings, etc. all come into play with the night imagery.

I force mine in color because I am more concerned about that within a circle of my camera that has available light, but even at that I can read street names and see what is happening 1,000 feet away (and read plates of parked vehicles). If I kick it into B/W and IR then it gets even better at that distance.

 

[Coachtech]

A few quick notes:

PTZ auto tracking, look for a better PTZ model.

For greater processing capability, I would consider passing some of the video to a Blue Iris system. You can run both the NVR and a Blue Iris system in parallel ( should be some note here .. I have not done this myself, but I do really like having a parallel setup.. )

If i went with Blue Iris how dose one update the cameras firmware to stay up to date, I know that with NVRs and cameras of the same updates through the NVR but how do different makes of cameras update with blue iris?

 

[wittaj]

Blue Iris does not update the camera firmware. You would have to go into the camera GUI to do so.

But with Blue Iris you should isolate the cameras from the internet, and a general rule of thumb around here is do not fix what ain't broke, so if the cameras are operating satisfactory for your location, leave it alone. Only update if the firmware fixes a problem you have OR it adds a feature that you don't have and want.

For example, that 49225 PTZ you are looking at - if you update the firmware you will lose autotrack as Dahua eliminated that from newer firmware...

 

[Coachtech]

Blue Iris does not update the camera firmware. You would have to go into the camera GUI to do so.

But with Blue Iris you should isolate the cameras from the internet, and a general rule of thumb around here is do not fix what ain't broke, so if the cameras are operating satisfactory for your location, leave it alone. Only update if the firmware fixes a problem you have OR it adds a feature that you don't have and want.

For example, that 49225 PTZ you are looking at - if you update the firmware you will lose autotrack as Dahua eliminated that from newer firmware...

OK I get it now, so much to learn after just having a plug and play unit I would rather ask now than be sorry in the long run, makes since if not broke don,t fix. Ill keep reading through all the posts and you tube videos and hopefully I can get everything worked out with Blue Iris, If not the only other option is to get a pack of smokes a lawn chair and a pair of binoculars and set outside and scan my yard, again thanks for all the expert advice I really do appreciate the help.

 

[wittaj]

OK I get it now, so much to learn after just having a plug and play unit I would rather ask now than be sorry in the long run, makes since if not broke don,t fix. Ill keep reading through all the posts and you tube videos and hopefully I can get everything worked out with Blue Iris, If not the only other option is to get a pack of smokes a lawn chair and a pair of binoculars and set outside and scan my yard, again thanks for all the expert advice I really do appreciate the help.

You will find better help and guidance here than on YouTube LOL...I mean a person on YouTube says that Reolinks work well with Blue Iris (they do not)...

Like I mentioned, give Blue Iris a try - download the trial version and load a camera up and see what you think. Most know within hours if they want to move to it or not. I think I knew within an hour!

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

OK I get it now, so much to learn after just having a plug and play unit I would rather ask now than be sorry in the long run, makes since if not broke don,t fix. Ill keep reading through all the posts and you tube videos and hopefully I can get everything worked out with Blue Iris, If not the only other option is to get a pack of smokes a lawn chair and a pair of binoculars and set outside and scan my yard, again thanks for all the expert advice I really do appreciate the help.

Plug and play is for toy cams , these cams are industrial ones. If has good budget, can check SD5A425XA-HNR, this one use 1/1.8cmos, 4MP has the sharpest day and night pics, support autotracking too.
Anyway the SD49225XA-HNR or SD49425XB-HNR are the best for money.