24/7 Smart Surveillance

Absolutely fantastic! Easy setup, incredible resolution and visibility. User friendly. Very expensive, but if quality is important, this is the system to get. Added a couple of dual cameras, but less impressed with them. Phone app, mouse scrolling on the screen, zooming, sound, etc, all really excellent! Previously owned two different Samsung systems, this is miles above them.

Reolink 16 cameras nvr poe system is excellent. This system was chosen because it had good reviews, slightly better than the competition. The part number for the system was RLK16-810B8-A. It includes a 16 channel box, 3 Tbyte hard drive, 8 POE cameras, part number RLC-810A, some misc cables and hardware. I purchased three additional cameras, a single point and zoom Reolink camera, part # RLC-423-5MP for over two hundred dollars, and a twin pack of two dome cameras, part # RLC-520 2PACK for about ninety dollars. Overall I am very pleased with the results so far. I've installed an IPhone app called simply "Reolink" in the apple store. This app smoothly and flawlessly connected to my system and works well to see through the cameras both live and playing back previous recordings, remotely as well as on site. Presently I have 8 cameras hooked up including the ptz camera above. The ptz camera is easy to use aiming left right and up and down as well as zooming. It does not, however, aim up above the horizon. So if you have a house up a hill, it shouldn't be placed down the hill from it. This is exactly what I did and I can see most of my house but can't zoom in on details much. But I can spin this camera around and zoom in on much of the rest of my property. Very good camera. I also installed the Reolink app on my laptop and tested it outside my home network. It too worked great to access the camera system remotely. I should talk about "poe" or power over ethernet. Each camera gets only one cable connected to it. This cable, called a cat5e cable in my case, supplies the power down to the camera and returns the collected video. I made a decision to purchase 1,000 ft of this cable for a number of reasons. Part # 5ECMXBLK_1Krl, True Cable direct burial cable. First, if anything had gone wrong with the Reolink camera system, I wanted to be able to return it, so didn't wish to take down all the cabling as this is a major amount of work to install. I could simply leave the seperatly purchased cable in place, allowing a replacement of one poe system with another if something went wrong. I also purchased a couple of 100 pack packages of mounting clamps to install the cat5e cables. Part # CMP-SCRW-SGL-WHT-100P. These were excellent and could easily be removed after install if needed. Also, I didn't wish to drill big holes in the walls of my house. So I decided to learn how to install the connectors, called RJ45 connectors, on the cable ends. This way I could use a small hole in the walls for each cable needed and install the connectors after positioning the cable in place. This was a good decision and a great way to get it all done. I purchased a crimping kit, part number Ninhao01. This crimping kit included several items, the crimper, which worked flawlessly, and an electronic test module, which displayed a sequence of lights clearly indicating whether the connectors were correctly wired. Very important. Worth it even if you don't attach any connectors. The first cable I checked was incorrectly wired, even though it was purchased with connectors! It was obvious and easy to see using the little diagnostic checker. This was my first time ever doing ethernet wiring and it was fairly easy to do with this crimping kit. I did watch a video on how to do it. You'll have to search for this as Amazon won't let me post a link. I used 568B cable endings, which turns out to be recommended by Reolink as well. I'll talk about where I placed the console. I put it in our basement. This was less cluttering for me and eliminates the fan noise, which runs 24/7 by the way. There were a few added complexities because I placed the console in such a remote location. I wanted to be able to quickly see through the cameras and accomplished this by running a display cable from the basement to my 51 inch living room TV. How? By using VGA over ethernet. Part # B07F3RW1C1. Once again I could wire the connectors myself and drill small holes. I also purchased a wireless mouse that worked in my living room as well. Part # M8126AB01. This worked one floor up from where the console was located and allowed me to select cameras and operate the ptz camera just as if the console was in the same room with me. A little note about exterior connections to the cameras. Reolink supplies supposedly sealed connectors, but these did not work for me as the direct burial cat5e cable I was using had too large of a diameter. So instead I opted for heat shrink tubing and glue to seal off the ends. The heatshrink was 3/4 inch by 4 ft xhf brand. I used a map gas torch to do the shrinking. All in all the Reolink camera system is the best of three different camera systems that I have worked with. The other two were gw security and lorex, both older systems that were dvr coaxial cable plus seperated power wires. Those systems were pretty good as well, but the Reolink system has been smoother and easier to use.

If you're looking for a reliable, high-quality home security camera without expensive monthly fees, the Reolink 4K lineup is one of the best options out there. I tested it for everyday home use, and overall—it delivers impressive performance for the price.

The company that I work for uses these systems at several of their locations. These are the Pros and Cons we have dealt with so far: PROS: 1. Excellent video quality 2. Great motion detection 3. Great night vision 4. Fairly easy to install (plug and play) 5. Neatly packaged with everything you need for an install 6. They have a PC app and a mobile app in which you can view multiple of these devices simultaneously from anywhere. 7. You can setup email and phone alerts for when motion is detected. 8. Fairly easy to use interface. CONS: 1. One of the units we purchased had a bad port on the system which was DOA. (We were able to get a replacement, though.) 2. One of the units has been having issues where it continuously reboots when connected to the internet. Solutions for this problem found online have proven unsuccessful. 3. When using the PC or mobile app, there is no way to log out of one user and into another user without deleting the entire NVR from the app and re-adding it. (This needs to be added) 4. When using the PC or mobile app with multiple NVRs connected, and you are trying to view only one NVR system, the other devices automatically reload/reconnect multiple times, and you have to manually drag each camera over to the view area for the device you want. 5. The record time with the 3TB drive only lasts for about 7-9 days. (This can be extended a bit when turning off continuous recording and turning the quality down or adding another HDD) All-in-all, these are decent systems and work great for the most part. Just make sure to check all of the equipment before installation to verify it is working before installing.

good resolution

I plan to buy a total of 8 Reolink systems. So far, I’ve purchased 2 of them but haven’t installed them yet. Seven of the systems will be installed in automatic/self-serve carwashes which are open 24/7, most of the time with no employees present. Every wash is recorded in case of damage claims or malfunctions, and we also use the cameras to check the general status of the washes. The eighth camera system will be for an ice cream place owned by the same company, which is open 7-8 months per year. I’ve given the systems 5 stars because they are excellent for home use, which appears to be Reolink’s main customer target. There are some issues, however, mostly in how the software is implemented, for business users, particularly those with multiple locations. Pros: Very easy to set up for novices. Cameras have good quality video at a low price. Windows client and smartphone apps are generally well thought out with one of the simplest playback user interfaces that I’ve seen. Cons: Although written in good English, the manuals are incomplete. Support for 3rd party cameras is poor and Reolink doesn’t have cameras for some special applications like hidden cameras. Although functional, the Windows client and the smartphone apps can be rather confusing with multiple NVRs. My goal is to keep recorded video for at least 3 weeks before being over written. I plan to record only on motion detection, and I set the frame rate to 15fps. I won’t know whether that is sufficient until the systems have been installed and running for a while. Our two largest sites will have close to the maximum 16 cameras and may require a second hard drive. The user manuals are clearly written but don’t cover many of the features. I was going to downgrade my rating until I found a couple of features that I needed in unexpected places in the menu. At least one manual can be downloaded from the Amazon site but isn’t listed on Reolink’s own website. I bought the first two systems with 8MP cameras. I’m not convinced that the extra resolution makes a significant difference in real-life use. The NVR software lets you select lower resolutions, but I found that it just records a portion of the picture in the middle of the 8MP frame and doesn’t cover as much area. I’ll probably order the other systems with 5MP cameras, saving both cost and recording space. One surprise that I had is that you can log into the NVR, Windows client, and smartphone apps, but you can’t log out of any of them. You can change users rather awkwardly on the NVR using a mouse, but you can’t even do that on the client or apps. As a result, I can’t set up a proper access control scheme. For a single NVR, the Windows client and apps are excellent. The Android app works well on an Amazon Fire tablet. It doesn’t work properly on a Chromebook. For multiple NVRs there is no way to limit your viewing to a single NVR and it can be confusing because you can inadvertently scroll to a different NVR. I recommend only choosing the 1, 4, 8, and 16 camera screen choices.

Overall, this is an excellent system (cameras and NVR) for the money. I had upgraded from an old 1080, DVR system, so the newer technology along with 8MP resolution pretty much knocked my socks off. Features I like the most: 1. 8MP resolution – The detail is amazing compared to the 1080 cameras I had. The NVR provides digital zoon, as well. Zooming in at 1080 resolution doesn’t do a whole lot of good. At 8MP and zooming in, hardly lose any detail. 2. NVR – Initial setup is very easy. The settings and menus are intuitive. I didn’t need the manual. The NVR provides a few options for displaying camera inputs (1, 4, 8 with one big display, 9 and 16). 3. The cameras are relatively small and easy to mount. I only had to loosen the adjustment screw to swivel the base so that the wire exited the base in the direction needed. 4. The Reolink app is pretty cool. My wife thinks I’m crazy with all this stuff. I had her install the app on her iPad. When she realized she could see outside with all the cameras, her eyes opened wider and she said, “That’s cool.” 5. Everything worked right out of the box. Features that are OK, but not great: 1. The maximum frame rate is 20. It’s not horrible, but the video appears to stutter a bit, not too much. 2. The camera focal length cannot be adjusted. Since the zoom quality is so good, this isn’t a very significant issue. 3. I would have loved a better camera shutter speed. The detail is lost on moving objects. 4. The night vision is not great. It works well for about 25 feet or so, but it’s not wide enough. Given these are 4K cameras, I had hoped for something better. Might have to get dedicated infrared light sources. 5. The screws that come with it are junk. I recommend using better screws. I snapped the head off 3 of them just tightening them. I highly doubt they are reliable for the outdoors. I have not had to deal with support. Stuff I used, just about all of it purchased on Amazon: • Monitor – TCL 43S425 43 inch 4K TV • TV Wall Mount – VideoSecu ML531BE2 • Cable – Cat6 trueCABLE Direct Burial, 23AWG • Wire Stripper - trueCABLE Wire Stripping and Cutting Tool • RJ45 Connectors – Platinum Tools ezEX44 • Crimp Tool – Platinum Tools 100061C EXO for ezEX-RJ45 Connectors • Cable Tester - Klein Tools VDV526-052 LAN Scout Jr. – Wish I had gotten one that didn’t require both ends to be connected to the same device, but it works well. • Camera Mount Screws – 1-1/4 inch x 8 high performance exterior screws • Pilot Hole Bit – 1/8 inch For the price, this system is an excellent value with all it’s features, especially for 8 4K cameras and a very good NVR. If you’re looking to NOT spend a fortune for a decent 8MP system, this is the one.

UPADTE 2: it is not quite 5 years that we’ve had these cameras. Once again I needed to find an event and have discovered that 2 of our 9 cameras no longer have sound and one is just gone. It shows it’s there but no picture. Really very disappointed as they are high on my house and not easily accessible. At this point I am calling these a false sense of security. UPDATE: We have been using this system for 2 years now and have needed to find something on our recordings twice now. There is no way to fast forward or rewind while watching a clip. For example, there was an incident on the farm next to my subdivision. I was asked to check my cameras to see if I can find anyone running onto mine or my neighbors property. Without having a clear time, I had to advance the slider bar so it’s skips forward in time, but how do I know I didn’t miss anything? There is no way to know other than sitting and watching each clip, hour by hour. I have told my husband that we will not buy this system again when we are ready to move or need to replace it here. That is a big deal that should not be overlooked! The picture quality and night vision are good, the the program however, is not very user friendly. We are in the process of installing these cameras and every time we add one to the NVR it ends up in a random position on the grid. We figured out how to move the order around on the monitor we have connected to the NVR, but it doesn’t carry over to the app. What’s even more frustrating, is that from app to app, nothing is in the same order. On the iPad we have to show a grid of 9 just to see the 3 cameras we have installed thus far! And as far as we can tell, there is no way to reorder the cameras within the app. What good is surveilling your property, if you have to jump all around looking for a particular scene? Reolink, please fix this!

First of all want to say amazing product and service you get. Bought the product with 1 camera had issue shipping and reolink not only did they resend a new one but also upgraded it to a newest model for free, quality is great and sound I will be buying 100% another kit for my daughter house thanks reolink and keep up the great work

Easy to set up and use as an inclosed non-wifi camera NVR. Cheaper to buy 2 of these kits to get the 16 cameras then to buy 8 extra cameras for the one unit.

These camera system seems to work good as advertised. Very easy to install. Coming from a Lorax system the picture doesn’t seem quite as good and also the app is not as user-friendly as the Lorax app although it is nice to have an updated system.

Very satisfied with the product and value. Easy to configure.

Before I start this review I want to mention that my comments are objective and based on the facts I experienced with this product's installation. As a Lawyer and also Professional Engineer I must respect the ethical principles that govern these two professions and therefore I will refrain from making any unfounded notes. I decided to purchase a Reolink NVR 8-camera system based on balancing a number of factors (stated abilities and features, number of cameras that could be connected, weatherproofing, installation easiness, etc.). importantly, price was not a determining factor in my decision. Upon installation (which under our large residence's geometry took more than 2 days at a cost of almost $ 1,500) we attempted to turn on the NVR. The unit did not power up. This could be due to one of two possible causes: either the NVR unit is faulty or the adapter/transformer is faulty (or both for that matter). This further means that no meaningful control or verification exists at the manufacturer's end, a trait not at all uncommon with products made in China. For clarity, I have used, same as many others of course, various Chinese-made products. Some are of excellent quality while some are the opposite. Reolink appears to belong to the latter category. Notably, in our particular circumstances there is no time to purchade and replace the entire system with a different brand, given that we have to travel to Europe in 10 days (hence the reason to install a security camera system), at least not at this time. We need(ed) a functional system before we leave. "Customer and Technical Support": To add insult to the injury, Reolink has no support on weekends - as in no one to even respond to emails submitted with this department. Moreover, I have been unable to identify a phone number for customer service or technical support in Canada. The Reolink webpage that purports to be the "Canadian" one displays phone numbers in...Italy, Spain and the Netherlands (!!!) It is notorious now that many companies (no matter where they are based in) do not have telephone support in the countries where they sell their products. This is not because they could not afford a live customer service or technical support person but because they want to avoid ANY accountability. Instead such companies direct the customer to use often convoluted forms to "contact" the "support team" and often the submision of these forms does not even work (I had to submit 4 times before the form probably went through). These types of companies are the worst. It is a disgraceful, disrespectful unreasonable and frustrating manner of doing business based on deceiving customers in purcahsing a product that does not work even when used for the first time. To conclude, again, I have submitted a "form" with Reolink (so-called) technical support and I asked that a replacement NVR and the adapter be shipped to me overnight, given the short time frame I have left before leaving on an inter-continental trip. I will return with another posting detailing their response (if any). If their response and the conclusion to this issue is positive, I will state so in a future posting. For now, this present posting is intended to at least caution potential buyers of this company, if not warn them to not purchase Reolink products. I had to select one star because otherwise I could not have submitted this post. Otherwise, the rating would have been "zero" stars.