Review - Dahua IPC-HFW7442H-Z 4MP Ultra AI Varifocal Bullet Camera

[Wildcat_1]

I have a couple, installed a number and then have BI as well as non-AI Dahua and other branded NVR setups, yes. My recommendation for a good AI NVR for most people (mid size business and network wide install aside) is the 5216 at this time which I started a review on and owe many updates which I will be doing now the holidays are over. Flashing with the 4.0 FW unlocks a lot of features and the HW has enough processing power to keep up.

HTH

I have to assume from other reviews I have seen of yours that you do have at least one of these AI NVR’s?

 

[Oceanslider]

I have a couple, installed a number and then have BI as well as non-AI Dahua and other branded NVR setups, yes. My recommendation for a good AI NVR for most people (mid size business and network wide install aside) is the 5216 at this time which I started a review on and owe many updates which I will be doing now the holidays are over. Flashing with the 4.0 FW unlocks a lot of features and the HW has enough processing power to keep up.

HTH

Very cool. Thanks for sharing your knowledge about this technology. I’m stlll looking up many of your Abbreviations that I have not a clue about.

 

[Wildcat_1]

feel free to ask or DM, happy to help if you need it. You’re part of a great community here where all help each other

Very cool. Thanks for sharing your knowledge about this technology. I’m stlll looking up many of your Abbreviations that I have not a clue about.

 

[DRZmaui]

I think my feeble mind is starting to figure this out. To get A.I images of vehicle type, facial recognition, it has to be to a dedicated NVR or on-board memory chip (i.e. Scan Disk). Then you need to go to play back in the GUI interface to access the Images (that is if you set up the camera correctly).
So far, I put an 64gig card, but it is only recording video when the motion is activated. Already has filled up half the card in one day.
Does that sound right?
How do you set it up only to copy the Images? A how to do transfer from the GUI interface to say Blue Iris?

Thanks for your help. Defiantly a tricky bugger this camera.

 

[Wildcat_1]

Replying to your DM now.

I think my feeble mind is starting to figure this out. To get A.I images of vehicle type, facial recognition, it has to be to a dedicated NVR or on-board memory chip (i.e. Scan Disk). Then you need to go to play back in the GUI interface to access the Images (that is if you set up the camera correctly).
So far, I put an 64gig card, but it is only recording video when the motion is activated. Already has filled up half the card in one day.
Does that sound right?
How do you set it up only to copy the Images? A how to do transfer from the GUI interface to say Blue Iris?

Thanks for your help. Defiantly a tricky bugger this camera.

 

[mattalachia]

@Wildcat_1 Thanks a ton for your work on this review!! Caused me to pick one up. You mentioned you was going to test a mic on the camera. How did that work out? Did you still end up needing to have external power with the 3.5mm jack? I'd like to add a mic in but really want to run one poe cable.

 

[deepbrain]

Hi, I am trying to choose a reliable ANPR camera that fits the following requirements:

1. High quality on board ANPR algorithm for license plates to detect more than 99% plates

2. Search for a particular/all license plate numbers within a date range in on-board storage

3. Feed the ANPR metadata to 3rd party NVR recorders with no issues. Ideally I want to use Ubuntu/linux based video recording software to search and store the license numbers from the license plates metadata captured by the camera

4. Cost <= $500

On paper this newer cam from Dahua has better specs than Hikvision's Deepinview camera, DS-2CD7A26G0-P-IZHS. However, Dahua does not seem to be able to search the license plates in onboard storage and I am unclear about its compatibility with the 3rd party recorders for the AI metadata. So, I wonder if in practice the Hikvision has a better software/hardware for my requirements?

Thank you

 

[deepbrain]

I have a couple, installed a number and then have BI as well as non-AI Dahua and other branded NVR setups, yes. My recommendation for a good AI NVR for most people (mid size business and network wide install aside) is the 5216 at this time which I started a review on and owe many updates which I will be doing now the holidays are over. Flashing with the 4.0 FW unlocks a lot of features and the HW has enough processing power to keep up.

HTH

What specific model of 5216 AI NVR do you recommend, there are many models marked as 5216 with and without the suffix -I, such as NVR5216-16P-4KS2E or NVR5216-8P-I. I could not find any firmware updates to the -I versions, while 4KS do have new firmware 4.0. What is better and why ?

 

[Oceanslider]

What specific model of 5216 AI NVR do you recommend, there are many models marked as 5216 with and without the suffix -I, such as NVR5216-16P-4KS2E or NVR5216-8P-I. I could not find any firmware updates to the -I versions, while 4KS do have new firmware 4.0. What is better and why ?

You should contact Andy. Look here for his contact info: EMPIRETECANDY
Since you are in the market post back here in this thread on what you find out.

 

[Wildcat_1]

@deepbrain I would go with a minimum of the NVR5216-16P-4KS2E this will give you 16 channels & POE. Unless you know you will use more cams go with that one. Don't go less as you'll always regret not having room for expansion

What specific model of 5216 AI NVR do you recommend, there are many models marked as 5216 with and without the suffix -I, such as NVR5216-16P-4KS2E or NVR5216-8P-I. I could not find any firmware updates to the -I versions, while 4KS do have new firmware 4.0. What is better and why ?

 

[deepbrain]

@deepbrain I would go with a minimum of the NVR5216-16P-4KS2E this will give you 16 channels & POE. Unless you know you will use more cams go with that one. Don't go less as you'll always regret not having room for expansion

Thank you, does the NVR5216-16P-4KS2E offer a vehicle license plate search by date and license plate number if used in combination with the Dahua IPC-HFW7442H-Z camera and the 4.0 firmware? I could not find this feature in the NVR manual, but you seem to have tested it?

 

[Wildcat_1]

Yea as long as your attached cam supports ANPR / LPR which the 7442/7842 do offer then yes you are good. Upgrade the NVR to 4.0 if you get one and you will be all good. Reach out with any questions.

Thank you, does the NVR5216-16P-4KS2E offer a vehicle license plate search by date and license plate number if used in combination with the Dahua IPC-HFW7442H-Z camera and the 4.0 firmware? I could not find this feature in the NVR manual, but you seem to have tested it?

 

[adog35]

Does the Ultra Series 7442 require an Ultra Series NVR or will the AI features work with for example NVR5208-8p-4ks2e Pro Series?

 

[Wildcat_1]

As mentioned in my review, the cam DOES process AI directly as well as being interfaced by the AI NVR. However some features such as black and whitelist triggers etc for ANPR only work when the cam Is connected to the NVR.

To expand, you can do ANPR capture, process and be presented in cam but if you wanted to create a list of plates that caused triggers to fire base on a specific vehicle passing then you would need the NVR as well.

HTH

Does the Ultra Series 7442 require an Ultra Series NVR or will the AI features work with for example NVR5208-8p-4ks2e Pro Series?

 

[Arjun]

For anyone deciding whether or not to purchase---well, though its nice to support the developer of OpenALPR, a camera with integrated LPR might just be a good idea since you won't need to rely on the cloud / third-party solution. Obviously if price for an LPR-integrated camera is still an issue (which may be for many), using non-LPR cameras dedicated to LPR is still not bad idea (especially one with those models featuring greater focal length).

 

[entreri]

On Cam (SD Card recording)

If you are only using on cam (SD card) then you will get :

• Separated video and pictures that are tagged CarDetect, assuming you are using Vehicle Detection under ANPR rule or my favorite Video Structuralization.
• As separate files do not link to each other when recorded in cam and would have to be viewed separately.
• Video does not have any overlay of the details of the capture, yet it does show on the web gui if watching live (the clips that pop up) and of course is burned into the picture.

Absolutely, you don’t need onboard storage although for most installs I prefer it for backup etc (unless you have dark site situations etc). As soon as you link your cam to BI or an AI NVR and setup event based recording/IVS rules etc those devices (BI/AI NVR) will start recording to their associated storage.

Also in the cam itself you can point storage to a NAS for backup as well if you wanted to

So does that mean that the content you are listing to be on the SD card could be sent to a NAS?

 

[Wildcat_1]

If you wanted to then yes. All Dahua cams can send to a NAS. Just remember that all you are sending is the ending video stream i.e no end of stream AI processing or tagged metadata etc as the NAS is seen as dumb storage only. Therefore best to send to a stand-alone NVR (Dahua etc) or NVR platform such as BI. SD card does have metadata tagged to its recordings.

HTH

So does that mean that the content you are listing to be on the SD card could be sent to a NAS?

 

[entreri]

If you wanted to then yes. All Dahua cams can send to a NAS. Just remember that all you are sending is the ending video stream i.e no end of stream AI processing or tagged metadata etc as the NAS is seen as dumb storage only. Therefore best to send to a stand-alone NVR (Dahua etc) or NVR platform such as BI. SD card does have metadata tagged to its recordings.

HTH

Thanks a ton! May I add also how I find all your reviews awesome. I know I do not need all those fancy toys and would be fine with the most basic 2MP there is (I need cameras only to film wildlife in my backyard) but by reading your reviews which perspire your passion and enthusiasm, it makes me want to buy those $500 models

 

[carteriii]

@EMPIRETECANDY Is there another model like this, with the license plate recognition, that also has 12x or greater zoom like the IPC-HFW5231E-Z12E which I & others have purchased from you to do license plate recognition with external software? I’ve looked all over Dahua’s site and haven’t been able to find one. I wish their product selector would let users specify features like license plate recognition.

 

[Wildcat_1]

There is a Z4 variant of this camera but no Z12

@EMPIRETECANDY Is there another model like this, with the license plate recognition, that also has 12x or greater zoom like the IPC-HFW5231E-Z12E which I & others have purchased from you to do license plate recognition with external software? I’ve looked all over Dahua’s site and haven’t been able to find one. I wish their product selector would let users specify features like license plate recognition.