New camera (vivotek), package not sealed?

[HondoB]

Hello everyone,
new here after reading quite a bit.
I am just getting started in visual surveillance and just ordered a vivotek camera (german store)
I went the extra mile to get an NDAA compliant camera (for whatever that's worth), and now I am a little displeased that the
original vitotek box wasnt in a sealed foil, and no other seal subject to be broken with opening is present, which would allow you to know whether the box had been opened before. The box can be opened and closed easily without any marks.
I would have thought a security product would most certainly be sealed when sold new.
Does anyone have experiences with Vivotek cameras in particular, do they ship them to the resellers like that? How about other manufacturers?
I have contacted vivotek, waiting for a response. However I can already imagine it will be along the lines of "we send it to vendors in variable packages". Have heard something like that when I had asked another manufacturer about the same issue.

Cheers,
Hondo

 

[wittaj]

Sounds like a return to me.

 

[IAmATeaf]

Who did you buy from? Maybe they have a policy to open and test each cam/device?

 

[HondoB]

Hey there,
it was, to the best of my knowledge, a reputable and large general electronics online shop. I enquired with them, waiting for a response. I watched several unboxing videos (about 5-7) on youtube and none of the boxes seamed to be wrapped or sealed, of course they may have taken care of that before starting to record.

 

[IAmATeaf]

Jesus, how expensive are these cams

They don’t do any turrets, so your limited to domes or bullets and on their main site they don’t tell you the sensor size unless you download the spec sheet!

Would be very interested if they are worth it?

 

[wittaj]

They are only worth it if you need NDAA compliance.

They are on less than ideal MP/sensor ratios, so in addition to domes and bullets, they throw 8MP on 1/2" sensors or smaller.

 

[samplenhold]

I have never seen any cams that are shipped in sealed boxes. Never saw any that had tamper tape either.

 

[IAmATeaf]

I have never seen any cams that are shipped in sealed boxes. Never saw any that had tamper tape either.

Maybe they come with special anti-neverbeenfingered-tamper tape to confirm their NDAA creds?

 

[looney2ns]

I think you are expecting too much to have the box sealed.

 

[garycrist]

Could it be that Customs etc. inspected it? Security cams are often used to smuggle dope!

 

[budaddy]

No seals on the boxes for domes or turrets. The bullets are the only ones that have tape on them.

 

[HondoB]

No seals on the boxes for domes or turrets. The bullets are the only ones that have tape on them.

Can you elaborate on that? Is that a general observation regardless of manufacturer or specific for vivotek?
So far I havent heard back from the vendor or the manufacturer.
Interesting that there seems to be somewhat of spectrum about this, from "return it" to "security cam packages are usually never sealed", paraphrasing here.

 

[wittaj]

What is the reason you need NDAA?

You are paying a premium for a subpar camera simply to have NDAA compliance that you may not even need.

Best practice regardless of camera is to isolate from the internet so whether it is NDAA compliant or a return and concerned someone could see your video, isolation makes it a non issue. You should only be concerned about NDAA if the install is in a government facility.

But yeah most do not come sealed.

Based on your initial post it was sounding like it had been opened and possibly a return. Even though they don't come sealed I can tell if it was a return.

 

[HondoB]

Even though they don't come sealed I can tell if it was a return.

Can you elaborate on that?

 

[wittaj]

Well the packaging usually looks like how you wouldn't expect it to come from the factory. Usually it is hard to repackage as tight as they come from the factory. Maybe fingerprints on it. Maybe scratches where they hung it and then took it down, etc. Maybe the screws or template missing, etc.

 

[IAmATeaf]

Can you elaborate on that?

I think what he’s saying is that he would be able to tell if something he’s received is a return.

We don’t have enough info re your purchase to be able to tell but as @wittaj states if you’ve purchased multiple cams you should be able to tell.

 

[duplo]

Why buying vivotek when you can buy axis for the same price? For me axis is better than vivotek, but just my opinion

IB9391-EHTV-v2
= ~1050€

8MP 1/1.8"


AXIS P1468-LE
= ~1050€

8MP 1/1.2"


Also you can get discount when buying axis set in germany.

No one can tell if the product was used before.

Best example is lenovo
If you buy direct from their online shop you sometimes get a return. But all is sealed and from box it looks like new

You know... they just have people who repack and reseal the laptops with new boxes.

 

[IAmATeaf]

I’m sorry but what makes these a thousand Euro cams?

 

[wittaj]

I’m sorry but what makes these a thousand Euro cams?

NDAA is a license to steal lol

 

[bp2008]

A lot of the brands that are NDAA compliant today were charging just as much before NDAA was dreamed up.