Hikvision iDS-6704HUHI-M - 4 Channel AcuSense Video Encoder

The Hikvision iDS-6704HUHI-M is a 4-channel video encoder — it takes analogue and HD-TVI cameras and puts them onto an IP network, so existing coax cameras can be recorded and managed by an NVR or a VMS alongside modern IP cameras.

What an encoder is for

If a site is moving from coax to IP but has cameras worth keeping — or cable runs that would be expensive to replace — an encoder is the bridge. The cameras stay where they are on their existing coax; the encoder converts their video to a network stream that any ONVIF recorder or management system can use.

That is usually far cheaper than replacing working cameras, and it lets a site migrate in stages rather than all at once.

Read this before you plan the channels

8MP is available on channel 1 only. Hikvision's specification is explicit: 8MP input and 8MP at 8 fps recording apply to channel 1, while channels 2 to 4 record 8MP Lite at 15 fps.

So if one camera matters more than the others — a gate, a till, an entrance — put it on channel 1. This is a footnote in the datasheet and no competitor mentions it, but it decides which physical socket your most important camera goes into.

Enhanced IP mode

It also takes IP cameras directly, and gives you a choice of how:

• Standard: 2 IP cameras (expandable to 6) at up to 8MP
• Enhanced IP mode: 4 IP cameras (expandable to 8), each capped at 4 Mbps

Specification

• Channels: 4-ch BNC, plus 2-ch IP (to 6) at up to 8MP — or 4-ch IP (to 8) at 4 Mbps each in Enhanced IP mode
• Recording: 8MP at 8 fps (channel 1 only) · 8MP Lite at 15 fps (channels 2–4) · 5MP at 12 fps · 4MP at 15 fps · 3MP at 18 fps · 1080p and 720p at 25/30 fps
• Signal input: self-adaptive HD-TVI (to 8MP) / AHD (to 5MP) / HDCVI (to 4MP) / CVBS, with coaxitron support
• Compression: H.265 Pro+ / H.265 Pro / H.265 / H.264+ / H.264
• Video bitrate: 32 Kbps to 10 Mbps
• Storage: 1 SATA bay, up to 10TB. Drive not included.
• Playback: 4-ch synchronous
• Audio: 1-ch RCA in, 1-ch RCA out, 1-ch two-way audio
• Network: 1 × RJ45 10/100 Mbps, 32 remote connections, ONVIF
• Video out: 1 × CVBS spot output only
• Alarm I/O: none
• Serial: RS-485 half-duplex
• USB: 1 × USB 2.0 rear
• Power: 12 VDC, ≤10 W
• Dimensions: 315 × 240 × 48 mm, 1U

Three things to be clear about

No HDMI or VGA output — only a CVBS spot output. This is administered over the network and viewed on your NVR or VMS. If you want a monitor plugged into the box, buy a DVR.

No alarm inputs or outputs. The 16-channel iDS-6716HUHI-M has 16 in / 4 out if you need them.

The network port is 10/100, not gigabit. Adequate for four channels, but worth knowing if the encoder shares a busy link.

What you'll need with it

• A recorder or VMS to receive the streams — any ONVIF-compatible NVR will do, and Hikvision's own recorders integrate most cleanly.
• A hard drive if you intend to use the local storage bay — see our surveillance drives.
• Network connection and 12V power at the encoder position.

Frequently asked questions

What does an encoder actually do?

It converts analogue or HD-TVI camera signals into IP network streams, so coax cameras can be used by an IP recorder or management platform.

Can all four channels record at 8MP?

No. Channel 1 records 8MP at 8 fps; channels 2 to 4 record 8MP Lite at 15 fps. Put your most important camera on channel 1.

Why not just buy a DVR?

A DVR records the coax cameras itself and has a monitor output. An encoder suits a site that already has an NVR or VMS and wants the old cameras to join that system.

Can I plug a monitor into it?

Only a CVBS spot monitor. There is no HDMI or VGA.

Does it come with a hard drive?

No. The bay is there if you want local storage, but the drive is supplied separately.

Browse the full DVR range, NVRs or IP cameras. Planning a staged migration from coax to IP? Contact us, call 01902 902251, or visit the Wolverhampton trade counter.