My application requires three PTZ Cameras in an outdoor setting using WIFI to replace one Ring camera and expand my surveillance capability on my own cloud service using Synology Surveillance Station on my Synology DS720. I am dropping Ring to rid myself of the subscription service and adopted Synology for photo and video cloud repository/albums from our family cell phones. It is/was imperative that these cameras integrate seamlessly with Synology’s Surveillance Station Software. They advertise it does integrate with Synology, it does, however…
What I found with my interaction with Boavision is a mixed bag. I needed to purchase 5 (make that 6) cameras to get 3 to integrate with Synology. two worked immediately, seamlessly. Two with the CamHipro Monitor Software App for Android The third would get to logon admin/admin but no further, it gets return, camera four two days later. All three work with CamHipro on the original two authenticate with Synology, the new camera (#4) would not authenticate under any circumstance. I was able to IP into each camera using a web browser and mirror all cameras settings, yet the fourth camera wouldn’t authenticate – nada, not happening – ever.
A email to Boavision clearly indicated that the fourth camera under firmware V18.1.31.11.18.20210622 would not upgrade to a newer version (threw error message) nor authenticate, while the other two under V21.1.34.11.18.20220125 did authenticate immediately with Synology.
Boavision sent a reply with a way to force push the upgrade however in the instructions in clearly states “If do not obey the instruction for upgrade, the camera maybe damaged totally, customer bear all losses” . So why when you can return to Amazon and get a camera with the correct version sent to you (which I did) camera #5 which arrived DOA, now on Camera 6, why on earth would you waste your time or even risk it?
Remove TWO stars for just ridiculous and foolish customer service, BAD software programing, DOA Cameras etc. If you have an issue with your software upgrading do NOT make it your customers problem – EVER. As I stated to Boavision I have been in IT for YEARS, this is just bad business practice, bad. OK, that’s out of the way so camera six has the correct version so it successfully authenticates with Synology Surveillance Station – IMMEDIATELY. Hey Boavison, I believe we found the problem.
So we are done right, no. Bench testing is near complete. Synology is finding one ore more cameras are dropping, loosing power momentarily during the evening but coming back online pretty quickly. I also need to check the WIFI range beyond the bench to make sure they are range capable then I deploy them.
Bottom line: I like the camera, I really want them to work as they have very good video quality especially for the price point and they do connect to Synology Surveillance Station (perhaps not for the faint of heart) as Boavision states. The bad, Boavision needs to step up customer support do NOT even bother calling them. Why they even list a phone number is beyond me. Email them they do respond fairly quickly however their software does NOT upgrade with its own utility, Boavision feel free to prove me wrong here! As I would be happy to be humbled to see it actually work and not feel threatened to “obey the instruction for upgrade, the camera maybe damaged totally, customer bear all losses” just say’n.
I am a little on the fence with Boavision at this point and will post more as it evolves!
Added….
I field deployed these cameras and initially was very concerned they would not connect to my WIFI in the areas they were located. Not an issue, connected without a problem at all. In deploying the Boavision cameras I did find the new style adapters will not fit in outdoor waterproof electrical boxes, an email to Boavision and an adapter of the old style was shipped and received two days later. Add a star for customer service. , I am happy thus far apart from the zoom not being as robust as I had hoped but at the price point, I guess that is an expected outcome – keep at 4 stars after adding one. Additionally I have resolved most, not all Synology issues but will continue to work those with Synology and Boavision support as needed.
My overall thoughts thus far is this is a good camera especially for the price point, it is especially nice being able to IP into each camera to check and change settings including the admin user name from admin to whatever you want, and the CamHipro really isn’t a bad little app. The fact that it does integrate with Synology was critical although the software they have installed to upgrade their firmware apparently it’s up to speed if they have to send out instructions to force an update. Bad programming. Customer service is response by email within 3-24 hours, telephone support is no existent – do not bother to try (email only). Overall if you are buying at this price point just to hang a camera outside the house and use a simple Android or Apple app to monitor while away its a no-brainer – hit Buy Now.
11/25/2022
Working as advertised. The video quality at night is not as great as I had hoped and the zoom is not either however the price point drives quality that’s the reality. So the trade off is price vs quality. this seems to be a sweet spot between the high end and very low end systems. I can accept them. They do what I need; alert me to movement while away, record events, and allow remote pan-tilt-zoom from halfway across the planet. Understand also you may need to reassign IP address if using the Synology System if you have a power outage as the camera’s get reassigned new numbers and the Synology setup will have the IP you assigned at setup. Its an acceptable trade off and takes minutes to make the change. Synology provides a huge amount of secure storage if you choose to go this route. They play well together after I worked the initial bugs out.
Bottom Line: I still rate these cameras a buy.
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