Hikvision Guanlan Encoding: AI Video Compression That Can Halve CCTV Storage

Hikvision has launched Guanlan Encoding, an AI-driven way of compressing CCTV video that Hikvision says cuts storage by 30–50% on average, while keeping people and vehicles sharp. For anyone sizing hard drives for a new system, or running out of space on an existing one, this is one of the most practical Hikvision announcements of 2026. Here's what it is, how it works, and which cameras it's coming to.

What is Hikvision Guanlan Encoding?

Most CCTV systems today record in H.265, which already compresses video far better than the older H.264. The catch is that a standard encoder spends its bitrate evenly across the whole picture: a blank wall, a parked car and a person walking past all get treated the same.

Guanlan Encoding, announced on 21 May 2026, adds Hikvision's Guanlan large-scale AI model to the encoder. The camera works out what in the scene actually matters (mainly people and vehicles), keeps those areas at full detail, and squeezes the static background much harder. Hikvision describes it as moving from "compression by pixel" to compression by meaning.

How it saves storage

According to Hikvision, Guanlan uses two modes together:

• Dynamic sensing adjusts the bitrate moment by moment, so busy, fast-moving scenes keep their detail.
• Static optimisation compresses still or near-still footage very hard. Hikvision says some frames shrink to a few dozen bytes.

Hikvision's own comparison tests against standard H.265 reported savings of about 49% in a canteen over 24 hours, 42% at an office park entrance, 38% in a corporate lobby, and 18% on a busy commercial street. The pattern is what you'd expect: the quieter the scene, the bigger the saving.

Will it work with my existing recorder?

Hikvision says yes, in principle. Guanlan is built on the H.265 standard, so footage plays back on existing H.265 decoders, including Hikvision and third-party recorders and video management software. The encoding format, frame rate and resolution don't change. That matters for upgrades: you can add Guanlan-capable cameras without replacing the NVR. As always, check your recorder's firmware is up to date. Our Hikvision firmware guide explains how.

Which Hikvision cameras support Guanlan?

At launch, Hikvision lists support on these product lines, with more to follow:

• DeepinView (and DeepinView X) network and PTZ cameras, Hikvision's top-tier AI range. We stock models such as the iDS-2CD7A46G0-IZHS 4MP DeepinView bullet, the iDS-2CD7146G0-IZHSY 4MP DeepinView dome and the iDS-2CD7A86G0-IZHS 8MP DeepinView bullet.
• Ultra Series cameras.
• ColorVu 3.0 cameras, such as the DS-2CD2347G3-LI(2U)Y 4MP ColorVu 3.0 turret and the DS-2CD2387G3-LIS2UY/SL 8MP ColorVu 3.0 turret with strobe and siren.
• Hikvision DVRs, for analogue and Turbo HD systems.

Support depends on the exact model and firmware version. If Guanlan matters to your project, ask us before you order and we'll confirm it for the specific model.

What Guanlan Encoding can do for you

• Clear evidence where it counts. Faces, people and vehicles stay at full detail, so footage stays useful if you ever need to hand it to the police or your insurer.
• Smaller recordings. Less data per camera means drives fill up more slowly and footage overwrites less often.
• Lower running costs. On larger sites, fewer drives means less power, less heat and less rack space. Hikvision says it can halve drive requirements on big projects.
• Lighter on the network. Lower bitrates also mean less traffic between cameras, switches and the recorder, and smoother remote viewing on a phone over a slower connection.
• No change to how you work. Same H.265 format, same resolution and frame rate, same apps and recorders.

Who it helps: real-world examples

• Shops and small businesses with a handful of cameras covering the till, door and stockroom. Most of the day these scenes are quiet, so you can keep weeks more footage on the same recorder, which helps if an incident is only noticed days later.
• Warehouses, yards and car parks with long stretches of no movement overnight. This is where Hikvision's tests showed the biggest savings, and where camera counts, and storage bills, tend to be highest.
• Offices, schools and campuses with many indoor cameras on corridors and entrances. You get lower storage per camera across dozens of channels, without dropping resolution.
• Multi-site businesses that view and download footage remotely. Lower bitrates make playback over the internet quicker.
• Homeowners upgrading an existing system: you get longer retention on the drive already in your recorder, as long as the recorder supports H.265.

What it means when you size storage

Storage is one of the biggest costs in a CCTV system, and it grows quickly as you add cameras, raise resolution or keep footage for longer. A typical saving of a third to a half can mean one of three things:

• Keep footage for longer on the same drives, for example moving from about 14 days towards 30 days.
• Buy smaller or fewer drives for the same retention, which also cuts power use and rack space on larger sites.
• Go up in resolution (4MP to 8MP, say) without needing more storage.

Our advice: size drives on standard H.265 figures first, using our CCTV storage calculator, and treat the Guanlan saving as headroom. Real-world savings depend heavily on how busy the scene is, as Hikvision's own street test (18%) shows. Pair the cameras with surveillance-rated hard drives and an NVR from our Hikvision NVR range.

Our take

AI has mostly been used in CCTV to analyse video: spotting people, reading number plates, cutting false alarms. Guanlan puts AI to work on how video is stored as well. For businesses with lots of quiet, mostly static cameras (warehouses, car parks, corridors and yards), the savings could be significant. For very busy scenes, expect less. Either way, it's a meaningful step on the cost of running a system, and it doesn't lock you into new recorders.

Planning a system and want to know whether Guanlan-capable cameras are worth it for your site? Call us on 01902 902251 or read our commercial CCTV planning guide. As an authorised Hikvision partner, we ship nationally to England, Scotland and Wales.

Guanlan Encoding: quick questions

Is Guanlan Encoding the same as H.265+?
No. H.265+ is Hikvision's earlier smart-codec. Guanlan adds an AI model that recognises what's in the scene and decides where to spend detail. It's still H.265-compatible footage.

Does it reduce picture quality?
People and vehicles are kept at full detail; it's the unimportant background that gets compressed harder. Resolution and frame rate don't change.

How much storage will I actually save?
Hikvision quotes an average of 30–50%, with its own tests ranging from 18% on a busy street to 49% in a canteen. Quiet scenes save the most.

Do I need a new NVR?
Not necessarily. The footage is standard H.265, so existing H.265 recorders can handle it. Keep the recorder firmware up to date.

Source: Hikvision UK newsroom, 21 May 2026. Storage figures are Hikvision's own test results.