Reliable sellers, Amazon vs. Ali, Hikvision vs. Dahua

[mrvelous01]

Hi all. I live in metro Detroit (MI, USA) and have typically purchased my cameras from Amazon vendors. A few have been outside the US (China) and I haven't had any trouble with them. I've moved up from crappy Foscams to nice Hikvisions (indoor and outdoor flavors of each). Now I'd like to try out a Dahua, probably a bullet, outdoors in my back yard.

So here are my dilemas ...

1). I see a lot of posts on this forum and others that say great things about Hik' and Dahua but for the life of me I can't figure out why the HUGE price difference between several models of cameras that seem to have the same quality and features. Hikvision cameras seem to start at double the price of the Dahuas. Why?

2). Many posts have come from non US members that mention Aliexpress as their purchase site. I have absolutely no experience with Ali. Can you guys compare/contrast the Ali site to the Amazon site? Are most of the sellers independents that just sell on the site? How reliable are the seller ratings (Amazon has had past scandals where fake buyers write BS reviews to jack up ratings). Can you suggest sellers that you've had good luck with?

3). Finally, whats the deal with firmware on Dahua cameras? I see some members got firmware updates from their sellers, some direct from Dahua. Should I prefer the native firmware (i.e. Chinese) and the English interface? Does it matter? I know there is a big danger zone with Hikvision cams and Chinese vs. English firmware and doing one over the top of the other, is this an issue with Dahua, too?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Anto]

I'll just give you a warning. My first experience with an Aliexpress seller is not pleasant. I was called a novice or LIAR by the seller based on I have not purchased anything from his business in the past. Hell will freeze over before I deal with that seller. His name calling was part of his answer to my 3 concerns about the Dahua camera I received.

I purchased my first Hikvision from an Amazon seller...when I emailed them my concerns they replied like professionals. They even apologized about the Hikvision box being open when it should not have been.

 

[Del Boy]

1) You are comparing Dahua China to Hikvision USA, that's a big difference. Food is also cheaper in China btw, you're not comparing like-for-like. Dahua USA is actually slightly more expensive than Hikvision USA at the vendors I've checked (Nelly's etc). Dahua China isn't much cheaper than Hikvision China. You are also probably comparing Hikvision USA/WR/International models too.

2) All sellers are independents. You need to do much more research on the good, bad and ugly of AE. It's a risk but then that's why it's cheaper. If you got a bad one for example then you have to risk sending it back to China or maybe can't even do that. BTW, I have bought from AE before but I understood the risks and I was happy with them at the time.

3) Firmware from your reseller for Dahua. But why people are permanently trying to brick their cameras updating firmware when they were perfectly happy before I don't know.

 

[nayr]

1. Hikvision is a bunch of Nazi's when it comes to distribution channels, they blacklist anyone selling cheap grey market cameras on Ali from buying further cameras directly.. so if you find a cheap Hik vendor on Ali, chances are they wont last long before they have to come up with a new plan because there distributer wont sell to em anymore.

2. Seller ratings on Ali are bullshit, the seller gets to approve feedback.. so naturally they are bogus.

3. If its not broken dont fix it, dont care if its a Dahua, a Hikvision, a Longse, or whatever.. applying firmware updates simply because you can is stupid as shit, never ever consider upgrading firmware unless you are confident an issue you are having has been fixed, ie you confirmed it.

3b, having said that there are hackers out there taking Chinese language dahuas and dropping english files on them, if you open these cameras up and perform a hard reset.. they will revert to Chinese... most of these cameras are easily identified because you wont find the exact model on Dahua's international site.. there is nothing wrong with them, even after they have reverted to a foreign language they continue to work just fine and grey market cameras play nicely with all other Dahua gear, they dont have to be the same region or special international versions to interoperate like Hik's.. always buy English if you can.

 

[Del Boy]

I purchased my first Hikvision from an Amazon seller...when I emailed them my concerns they replied like professionals. They even apologized about the Hikvision box being open when it should not have been.

Amazon marketplace is equally hit-or-miss but you have more comeback via Amazon. Amazon is specifically listed on the unauthorised sellers list by Hikvision. I can't see why anyone would buy from Amazon rather than Nelly's.

 

[bp2008]

I can't see why anyone would buy from Amazon rather than Nelly's.

Amazon has a lot of sellers who are actually in the USA, and have a lower price than Nelly's. People generally don't care about warranty and support when the price is lower.

 

[Del Boy]

Amazon has a lot of sellers who are actually in the USA, and have a lower price than Nelly's. People generally don't care about warranty and support when the price is lower.

I can't see why, as in I wouldn't do that. I can see why they do because some people will save 1% or $5 for no warranty and no support and then spend hours trying to fix something. They don't value their own time either. How many people have saved $$$ buying Sricam and then spent weeks trying to get it to work?

 

[Jack B Nimble]

Amazon marketplace is equally hit-or-miss but you have more comeback via Amazon. Amazon is specifically listed on the unauthorised sellers list by Hikvision. I can't see why anyone would buy from Amazon rather than Nelly's.

I don't see Nelly's on the authorized Hikvision list either. I will support them if I can get support from Hikvision (as Hikvision do support authorized dealer network) anyway post the link on Hikvision site perhaps I am missing something.

This is 2016 North America distributor list I am looking at:

http://overseas.hikvision.com/us/distributionpartner.aspx?c_kind=43&c_kind2=45&c_kind3=56&pageIndex=4

 

[nayr]

Nelly's sells LTS rebrands, not Hik branded ones.. they wont be on Hik's authorized list.

 

[Jack B Nimble]

Didn't think they were authorized dealer but, again maybe I am missing something. Hikvision also states they have "no" authorized dealers selling their products on Amazon at all.

 

[Del Boy]

I don't see Nelly's on the authorized Hikvision list either. I will support them if I can get support from Hikvision (as Hikvision do support authorized dealer network) anyway post the link on Hikvision site perhaps I am missing something.

What does that mean?

My original point was that amazon was specifically on the unauthorised sellers list. Yes, there is such a thing.

My original advice for the OP stands. Local if you want support and warranty, otherwise AE. If local is 20% more after tax then I'd always do local. If it's 50 to 100% more (which is the UK) then I won't.

 

[Jack B Nimble]

My bad thought I read Nelly's was a now authorized dealer / re-seller. I agree with you that if price was 20-30% higher I would buy local but, sadly they are not here anyway .

 

[nayr]

of LTS branded products, they sell nothing under hikvision name as far as I am aware.. the only ones whom even advertise LTS == Hikvision is our forum members, you wont get that publicly acknowledged by nelly's I suspect.

 

[Arjun]

If you want Hikvision, there's LaView