Is HiLook any good, and which HiLook kit should you buy? This guide answers both.
HiLook is Hikvision's value brand. It is made by Hikvision, uses the same apps and recorder platform, and covers the jobs most homes and small businesses need: IP cameras, HD-TVI cameras over coax, DVRs, NVRs, ready-made CCTV kits and video intercoms. This guide explains what each part of the range is for, how HiLook compares with Hikvision, and when it is worth stepping up.
It is written for homeowners, small businesses and the installers who fit for them. We are an authorised Hikvision partner and a supplier, based in Wolverhampton, and we sell both brands, so we have no reason to push you towards the dearer one.
Yes, for what it is designed to do. HiLook gives you a dependable picture, sensible night vision, phone viewing and recording at a lower cost than Hikvision's own-brand ranges. For a house, a shop, a small office or a yard, it is usually all you need.
What you give up is at the top end. Hikvision's own ranges carry the more advanced analytics, the specialist low-light series and a wider choice of lenses, housings and resolutions. If a site needs those, HiLook is the wrong place to save money. If it doesn't, paying for them is money spent on features nobody will use.
The rest of this guide helps you work out which side of that line your job sits on.
HiLook IP cameras
Choose IP for a new installation. An IP camera connects over network cable, and with PoE (Power over Ethernet) that one cable carries both power and picture. It records to an NVR (network video recorder).
The HiLook IP range we stock is built mostly around turret cameras with a 2.8mm lens, which gives a wide view suited to drives, gardens, shop floors and entrances. Resolutions run from 2MP up to 8MP (4K). The main choices are:
Infrared (IR) models such as the IPC-T250H-MU, a 5MP PoE turret with a built-in microphone, 30m IR night vision and 120dB WDR. IR gives a black-and-white picture at night using light you cannot see.
ColorVu models such as the IPC-T249HA-LU, a 4MP turret with a built-in mic and 30m white light. These record in colour after dark, which makes it far easier to describe a person or a vehicle.
4K models such as the IPC-T289H-MU, an 8MP ColorVu turret with a built-in mic and 130dB WDR, for where you want to zoom into recorded footage.
Megapixels are not the whole story. What decides whether you can identify someone is how many pixels land on them, which depends on lens and distance as much as resolution. A wide 2.8mm lens covering a whole drive will show that someone was there; to see a face at a door, put a camera close to the door. The Hikvision IP camera buying guide explains pixels per metre and lens choice, and it applies to HiLook cameras in the same way.
Choose HD-TVI if you already have coax cable in the walls. HD-TVI cameras send high-definition video down the same coaxial cable that older analogue CCTV used, and record to a DVR. Replacing an old system this way avoids re-cabling, which is often the biggest cost and disruption on a job.
Many HiLook TVI cameras are listed as 4-in-1, meaning the camera can output more than one analogue format. That helps when you are putting new cameras on an existing recorder, though you should still check the recorder supports the format and resolution.
Examples from the range:
THC-T120-MC: a 2MP (1080p) HD-TVI 4-in-1 turret with 20m IR night vision and a 2.8mm lens. A simple, low-cost camera for general coverage.
THC-T159-MS: a 5MP (3K) ColorVu Lite HD-TVI turret with a built-in mic and 20m white light, for colour pictures at night over coax.
Models with a built-in microphone can send audio over the coax to a compatible DVR, so you do not need a separate audio cable. Recording audio has legal implications, especially where it picks up people beyond your property, so think before switching it on.
TVI is a sensible, cost-effective choice for upgrades. For a brand-new installation, IP is usually the better long-term buy: more resolution options, smarter detection and a single cable for power and video.
HiLook IP vs HD-TVI: which should I choose?
HiLook IP (NVR)
HiLook HD-TVI (DVR)
Cable
Network cable (Cat5e/Cat6)
Coaxial cable, often existing
Camera power
PoE: one cable for power and picture
Separate power, or a combined coax/power cable
Recorder
NVR
DVR
Resolutions in our range
2MP to 8MP (4K)
2MP to 5MP
Colour night vision
ColorVu models
ColorVu Lite models
Best for
New installs and anything you may expand
Upgrading an old analogue system without re-cabling
Cable run per camera
Up to 100m from the PoE port
Depends on cable and camera; check the product page
In short: coax already in place, go TVI; starting from scratch, go IP.
HiLook DVRs
A DVR records TVI and analogue cameras over coax. Choose one with enough channels for every camera you will want eventually, not just today, because adding channels later means replacing the recorder.
The HiLook DVRs we stock come in 4, 8 and 16 channels. The current M-series models are described as 5-in-1, accepting TVI, AHD, CVI and CVBS (standard analogue) cameras plus IP cameras, which is useful when you are mixing old and new cameras during an upgrade. For example:
DVR-216Q-M2: 16 channels, 5-in-1 with H.265+ compression.
Two checks before you buy. First, match the DVR's maximum recording resolution to your cameras; a 5MP camera on a recorder with a lower limit is recorded at that limit. Second, budget for a surveillance-grade hard drive, as DVRs are normally supplied without one. Size it with our CCTV storage calculator.
For most homes and small businesses, a 4K HiLook PoE NVR is the right recorder. An NVR records IP cameras, and a PoE model powers them through the network ports on the back, so each camera needs just one cable.
Four things decide which model: how many channels you need (4, 8 or 16), whether you want built-in PoE (the /4P, /8P or /16P at the end of the model number), the maximum resolution per channel, and how many hard-drive bays you need for the storage you want. The trap to avoid is the budget 4MP-limited models: put a 4K camera on one and it records at 4MP.
As a starting point, the NVR-104H-D/4P suits up to four cameras and records 4K. For more channels, 12MP, two drive bays or Wi-Fi, our plain-English guide Which HiLook NVR do I need? compares every model in the range.
A kit is the simplest way to buy a matched system. You get a recorder and cameras chosen to work together, so there is no risk of a camera the recorder can't use at full resolution.
HiLook kits come as IP kits, with a PoE NVR and IP cameras, and HD-TVI kits, with a DVR and coax cameras. The choices are the same as buying separately: how many cameras, IP or TVI, ColorVu or IR, and how much storage. Pick the kit for the number of cameras you'll need eventually; an 8-channel kit with four cameras leaves room to add more.
The HiLook CCTV kits buying guide walks through those choices in detail. If no kit fits your site exactly, for example you want a mix of turrets and bullets or a specific camera at the front door, use our CCTV kit builder to put your own system together.
HiLook also makes video intercom kits for homes: a door station with a camera and call button, and an indoor monitor to see and speak to visitors. They come in IP, hybrid and 4-wire versions, which matters when you are replacing an existing intercom and want to reuse its cable.
HiLook vs Hikvision: compatibility and when to step up
HiLook and Hikvision equipment generally works together, because HiLook is made by Hikvision on the same underlying platform. HiLook cameras are generally recognised by Hikvision recorders, and both brands can be viewed through Hikvision's apps. That means you can start with HiLook and add Hikvision cameras later, or put HiLook cameras on an existing Hikvision recorder.
Two caveats. Not every feature carries across every combination: advanced detection and search features depend on both the camera and the recorder supporting them, and firmware versions matter. And "generally works" is not a guarantee for every model pairing. If a specific combination matters to your job, ask us to check it before you order.
HiLook
Hikvision
Who makes it
Hikvision
Hikvision
Aimed at
Homes, shops, small offices, yards
Everything from homes to large commercial sites
Range
Focused: the common camera types, resolutions and lenses
Wide: many series, lenses, housings and resolutions
Advanced analytics
Core features
Includes AcuSense, DeepinView and other advanced series
Specialist low light
ColorVu models
Adds DarkFighter, DarkFighterX and more
Compatibility
Generally works together; check specific feature support for your pairing
Step up to Hikvision when:
You need alerts that reliably ignore rain, foliage and animals, or need to search footage by person or vehicle. See the Hikvision IP camera buying guide on AcuSense.
The site is very dark and can't be lit, where a specialist low-light camera earns its cost.
You need a longer or motorised lens, a PTZ, a panoramic camera or number-plate capture.
It is a larger commercial site needing more channels, more storage bays or RAID. The Hikvision NVR buying guide covers bigger recorders.
Stay with HiLook when the job is a typical house, shop or small business, the cameras are watching drives, doors, gardens and tills at normal distances, and phone viewing plus a reliable recording is what's needed. That describes most of the systems we supply.
How to choose a HiLook system: checklist
Count your cameras, now and later. Buy a recorder with enough channels for the eventual total.
Check your cabling. Existing coax: HD-TVI cameras and a DVR. New cable: IP cameras and a PoE NVR.
Decide what each camera must show. Overview, or faces and plates? Put identification cameras close to their target.
Choose night vision. IR for discreet black-and-white, ColorVu for colour where some light is acceptable.
Match recorder resolution to the cameras. Avoid 4MP-limited recorders if any camera is 5MP or above.
Size the storage. Use the storage calculator and a surveillance-grade drive.
Decide on audio. Built-in mics are useful but carry legal responsibilities.
Ask whether you need Hikvision features. If none of the step-up reasons above apply, HiLook will do the job.
Kit or build your own? A kit if one fits; the kit builder if not.
Common questions
Is HiLook made by Hikvision?
Yes. HiLook is Hikvision's value brand, made by Hikvision and built on the same platform and apps.
Is HiLook good enough for a home or small business?
For most, yes. It provides a reliable picture, night vision, phone viewing and recording at a lower cost. Step up to Hikvision only if you need advanced analytics, specialist low-light cameras or specialist lenses.
Will HiLook cameras work on a Hikvision recorder?
Generally, yes, because they share the same platform. Some advanced features depend on both camera and recorder supporting them, so check a specific pairing with us if a feature matters.
Should I choose HiLook IP or HD-TVI?
If you have existing coax cable, HD-TVI with a DVR lets you reuse it. For a new installation, IP with a PoE NVR is usually the better long-term choice.
Does a HiLook recorder come with a hard drive?
Recorders are normally supplied without a drive. Fit a surveillance-grade drive; we can supply, fit and format one to order.
Can I view HiLook cameras on my phone?
Yes. HiLook recorders can be viewed through the HiLookVision or Hik-Connect app, or a web browser.
Not sure whether HiLook or Hikvision suits your site? Tell us what you need to see and where. A photo or sketch helps. Our technical team will suggest cameras and a recorder, and we'll tell you if a cheaper option will do the job. Contact us, visit the Wolverhampton showroom, or call +44 (0) 1902 902251.
What does it all cost? See CCTV camera prices in the UK: middle prices for cameras, recorders and kits from our own catalogue, with three example 4-camera systems.
