Dahua HDCVI Cameras Explained
Upgrade to HD on the coax cable you already have.
HDCVI is Dahua's way of sending HD and 4K pictures down coax. Coax is the round cable older CCTV systems use. If your site already has it, you can swap the cameras and recorder and keep the cable.
We stock Dahua HDCVI cameras from 2MP to 8MP. Several have Dahua's Starlight sensor for low light.
On this page: What HDCVI actually is · Who it's for · Dahua HDCVI cameras we stock · Recorders for HDCVI · FAQs
What is HDCVI?
HDCVI stands for High Definition Composite Video Interface. It's Dahua's own standard for sending video over coax.
Other makers have their own versions: HD-TVI and AHD. All three send a high-resolution picture down one coax cable, and often sound and PTZ control too (PTZ: moving and zooming the camera remotely).
An IP camera needs network cable (Cat5e or Cat6) instead.
Is HDCVI right for me?
It suits two kinds of job:
- Upgrading an old coax system one camera at a time, with no new cable.
- New coax installs where you'd rather keep it simple: each camera wires straight to the recorder, with no network switches or IP addresses to set up.
Dahua's Penta-brid recorders (see below) let you add an HDCVI camera to a system that already has old analogue cameras, or IP cameras on other channels.
Which Dahua HDCVI cameras do you stock?
- Dahua HAC-HDBW2401R-Z-DP: 4MP WDR HDCVI IR dome camera
- Dahua HAC-HDW2401EM: 4MP HDCVI WDR IR eyeball camera
- Dahua HAC-HDW1400M: 4MP HDCVI IR eyeball camera
- Dahua HAC-EBW3802: 8MP HDCVI IR fisheye camera
WDR (wide dynamic range) keeps detail in bright and dark parts of the same picture. IR means black and white night vision.
Several HDCVI models also have Dahua's Starlight low-light sensor, for more colour and detail at night.
See the full range: all HD analogue cameras · all Dahua products.
What recorder do HDCVI cameras need?
A Dahua XVR or HCVR recorder.
Most Dahua recorders we sell are Penta-brid. That means the same recorder also takes HD-TVI, AHD, analogue and IP cameras. Handy if your site has a mix of old and new cameras.
Questions
What does HDCVI stand for?
High Definition Composite Video Interface — Dahua's technology for carrying HD and 4K video, audio and PTZ control down a single coaxial cable.
Can I mix HDCVI and IP cameras on one recorder?
Yes, on a Dahua Penta-brid recorder. Penta-brid XVR and HCVR recorders accept HDCVI, HD-TVI, AHD, analogue (CVBS) and IP cameras, so an HDCVI camera and an IP camera can share the same recorder on different channels.
Is HDCVI the same as HD-TVI or AHD?
No — HDCVI, HD-TVI and AHD are three separate, competing coax-video standards developed by different manufacturers. A Dahua Penta-brid recorder can usually auto-detect and accept any of the three on a given channel, but the camera and recorder should still be checked against the same specification sheet before buying.
Do HDCVI cameras need a network connection?
No — HDCVI cameras send video down the coax cable to the recorder. Only the recorder itself needs a network connection, for remote viewing and the mobile app.
Read next: Penta-brid recorders explained · Starlight low-light cameras · all Dahua ranges.
Need help choosing? Contact us, visit our Wolverhampton trade counter, or call us on 01902 902251.
