Trying to get my Hikvision NVR to work with audio

[Evin Sprague]

Hello, everyone, I'm very new. I have a Hikvision 7716 NVR and I want to add a microphone, but I don't want to connect it to a camera (don't have one that supports it) I've been trying for a few hours to get it to just record audio along with all 6 of my cameras, but I just can't seem to figure it out. So is it even possible without having a supporting camera? It's driving me nuts

 

[Securame]

It does not work that way.

The encoding is done on the cameras end. It is the camera the one that takes the video stream (and audio, if there is one) and encodes it (turns it into 0s and 1s). The NVR just receives the stream and stores it on the hard drive. So you need a camera with integrated mic, or with an audio input so you can connect a mic to the camera.

 

[mfred68]

If i had known that an NVR is a dumb unit apposed to a DVR i would never have bought one.
I now lean that it can't record audio, even though it has an audio in jack on the rear, this is driving me nuts too, first it don't detect motion, now it won't record audio from the input jack.
Why could the NVR not have been designed like a DVR? and record motion and audio on board. Don't tell me its due to cost, because it cost me a damn site more than my SDI system did (SDI is a digital stream too like ip, but without the internet hype)
I feel robbed because after spending a fortune on the NVR thinking it does everything my SDI dvr did, so thinking that cheap HD cameras would work (which they do for picture clarity) I had no idea that NVR boxes are dumb units and rely on the camera to do all the work. a cheap PC could cost less than an NVR and have the ability to capture audio and motion with the right software, so why can't a Hikvision NVR?

 

[alastairstevenson]

I had no idea that NVR boxes are dumb units and rely on the camera to do all the work.

They are in fact far from dumb, when dealing with the sheer volume and variety of data and video analytics that HD cameras generate.
And it's pretty standard that cameras 'do all the work' in the way that suits their specific video analytics and hardware environment, communicating the results in a standardised way as event notifications.
It's called 'distributed processing' and it's an efficient way to construct a system..
Your underlying problem is that you purchased unusually dumb cameras that don't do what almost all other cameras do - video analytics and event notifications.

 

[nayr]

I now lean that it can't record audio, even though it has an audio in jack on the rear, this is driving me nuts too, first it don't detect motion, now it won't record audio from the input jack.

Sir, the Audio In/Out on the NVR are for direct operation w/Monitor & Mouse, so you can use the two way audio functions that the cameras may have.. If you have a Camera with Audio In/Out but no NVR with In/Out what would be the point? These are designed so they can run standalone on isolated networks and without an app being a requirement. You need cameras that support the functionality you want, welcome to IP where everything is digital audio/video streams.

Just because you dont know what your doing is not the fault of the recorder.

 

[mfred68]

sorry i don't understand what you mean.
There is an analog audio in jack and an analog audio out jack, what is the audio in jack used for if not to feed audio into the nvr to record and monitor?

 

[nayr]

Audio In is used so you can hook a Microphone to the NVR and output audio at a Camera's Speaker
Audio Out is used so you can hook up a Speaker to the NVR and output audio recorded at the Camera Microphone

NVR Audio In --NETWORK--> Camera Audio Out
Camera Audio In --NETWORK--> NVR Audio Out

if you cant understand this then you really have no business trying to DIY this; go pay someone to do your thinking.

 

[mfred68]

this is terrible news as i have a really sensitive analog mic which i was hoping to use, and cameras with built in mics are few and far between, and the ones i have found cost over £100
I'm thinking i should have gone down the AHD route as its more compatible and easier to set up and reliable apposed to my old SDI system, but other said that IP was the way to go, so i did and now i'm regretting it as the cameras cost a fortune if you want/need audio.
Can anyone suggest an indoor camera suitable for the DS7608 NVR and low cost?

 

[fenderman]

If i had known that an NVR is a dumb unit apposed to a DVR i would never have bought one.
I now lean that it can't record audio, even though it has an audio in jack on the rear, this is driving me nuts too, first it don't detect motion, now it won't record audio from the input jack.
Why could the NVR not have been designed like a DVR? and record motion and audio on board. Don't tell me its due to cost, because it cost me a damn site more than my SDI system did (SDI is a digital stream too like ip, but without the internet hype)
I feel robbed because after spending a fortune on the NVR thinking it does everything my SDI dvr did, so thinking that cheap HD cameras would work (which they do for picture clarity) I had no idea that NVR boxes are dumb units and rely on the camera to do all the work. a cheap PC could cost less than an NVR and have the ability to capture audio and motion with the right software, so why can't a Hikvision NVR?

Its not dumb, you simply failed to do proper research...IP is superior to analog in many respects. Next time ask before buying, it will save you lots of work..

this is terrible news as i have a really sensitive analog mic which i was hoping to use, and cameras with built in mics are few and far between, and the ones i have found cost over £100
I'm thinking i should have gone down the AHD route as its more compatible and easier to set up and reliable apposed to my old SDI system, but other said that IP was the way to go, so i did and now i'm regretting it as the cameras cost a fortune if you want/need audio.
Can anyone suggest an indoor camera suitable for the DS7608 NVR and low cost?

Hikvision cube camera....Your assumption that ahd would more reliable than SDI is baseless....

 

[alastairstevenson]

+1 for the Hikvision cube range.
Small, neat, stable, unobtrusive, lots of useful usable features.
Though you do need to tape over the alarm and LAN LED indicators.

 

[nayr]

Are you sure its even legal for your to discretely record audio in the UK? IIRC your not even allowed to record like this legally.. probably why you cant find any cameras w/mic's

consult your local laws but in many places without everyone's consent; you cannot discretely record conversations.. with EU/UK Privacy protections far more stringent than the US, your cameras them selves may not even be legal.

 

[alastairstevenson]

Are you sure its even legal for your to discretely record audio in the UK?

Not sure if that was for me - @mfred68 does not show a location - if so, the cube is indoors, private property. And no audio is recorded.

*edit*
Police Scotland have had a few clips from me that they have used for both detection and in court - and I have a witness citation for court next week on a case.
They have been pleased to accept the video evidence.

 

[nayr]

since he used the British pound symbol I was talking to him mostly

 

[alastairstevenson]

since he used the British pound symbol

Lol I missed that!

 

[mfred68]

the camera is for a shop and i need to look back at what was said if i get a problem customer, so i need sound as proof to what was said, not to spy.

 

[nayr]

and whats your point, your intentions dont mean dick; unless your costumer consents to have there conversation recorded it may be legally considered spying and you will be unable to use the footage in court or the'll countersue.. you may required to put up signage or whatever, audio recording is a can of worms and if your not 100% certain you should go get some real legal advise or else your risking your entire shop will be given to some disgruntled customer.

It is a general principle that conversations recorded without consent are inadmissible in court, particularly in terms of a criminal proceedings. In civil matters, it similarly follows the concept that a claimant should come to court with 'clean hands'. However, judges are usually more pragmatic in civil cases and if parties are aware of the existence of the recording, then it often be subject to usual rules of disclosure, though this may open the creator of the recording to subsequent litigation regarding the illegality of the recording under Data Protection Act or others.

In my locality; My cameras recording audio would be illegal if not for a specific exemption for security use on private property.