ANNKE 3K Lite H.265+ Security DVR Recorder with AI Human/Vehicle Detection, 8CH Hybrid 5-in-1 CCTV DVR for Surveillance Camera, Supports 8CH Analog and 2CH IP Cameras, Remote Access (No Hard Drive)

This is the second DVR I have purchased. After my night owl went out this stepped right up and worked perfectly. The software is way better too. I recently replaced my parents DVR too! Perfectly replacment to the crappy night owl ones. And it was so easy to do!

I've been using a DVR and some CVI cameras from Amcrest for a number of years now. One of the input channels on that DVR failed recently, so I was shopping around for a low cost replacement, just hopping to get something "good enough" and spend a minimal amount of money to get it. I decided to give this one a try after reading reviews here and watching a few videos on YouTube. I'm glad I did! It's so much better than I expected... lol In fact it's quite the upgrade from my old Amcrest unit. The interface is so much better, modern and faster. My old DVR only had 4 inputs, and I have 4 cameras. So I have 4 more empty inputs that I can use to expand later if needed. What's really nice though, is that it can handle two IP cameras in addition to the 8 coaxial inputs. I have one pan/tilt IP camera that I've added successfully. It's quite nice having all the cameras in one device, and also able to check them all in the one app on my phone or PC. Speaking of PC, I used a piece of software called Guarding Vision, which is recommended on Ankke's site. It works well! Having h.265 compression means I can store a lot more video on the same drive I was using, compared to h.264 with the old DVR. I took the 1TB Seagate Video drive out of my old DVR to put into this one. The AI motion detection works surprisingly well. On every camera/DVR I've had in the past, I end up turning off motion detection because I usually get just as many false positives as missed actual motion... lol This one works good though. I've seen very few "false" positives triggered by insects flying by, etc, but it's actually been able to properly detect people and vehicles, and tell the difference between then. I have it set up so it records 24/7, but with motion detection on, it still marks motion on the timeline in the playback which is perfect! I can also have it send emails or notifications too, but chose to turn those off for now. Definitely consider this if you're looking for a nice security DVR at a nice price!

Summary: Bought to replace apparently failed DVR (older Sannce equivalent to this model), found two failed 12v adapters that might have fixed the problem, but new software and AnnkeVision app seem to be worth the $60. Exhaustive detail: Our Sannce 8-channel DVR quit working, so I ordered the Annke 5MP box that looked like it would be a direct replacement. With the coupon it was just over $60 with tax (no HDD, of course.) Way cheaper than anything else, and the reviews sounded like it was the best way to go for us. I moved the HDD from the old unit to the new box and did a cable-by-cable swap between the old and new boxes. I was really bummed when it worked just like the old one - the red power light was on, but no video on the monitor. I went to help.annke.com and saw that the first Troubleshooting step for lack of video was to try replacing the power adapter, even if the power light was on. I switched to the new power adapter, and immediately there was a beep and I heard the HDD spin up (hadn't noticed the lack of sounds using the old adapter.) Apparently they've seen this one before. I proceeded with the setup and downloaded the new app. The setup is not well-explained in the quick start guide, but the on-screen interface is a bit less confusing than the old one was, so I muddled through the basics. I had to provide an email and set a password, way more security hoops than the old one had. I now had video with pictures from 4 of our 8 cameras. More troubleshooting found that ANOTHER 12v adapter had apparently failed (it will power 1 camera, but when you plug in the 2nd one you lose the working one.) I was pretty upset to realize that I might have gotten by with just a couple of 12v adapters (I had replaced two or three of them since the original installation, so I should have known to start there, even though the lights were coming on.) However, the Annke Vision app is much more user-friendly than the XMEye one the old box used, and the motion detection actually seems to work, with the playback video that was captured leading up to the trigger event (I'll know more about false alarms when the other 4 cameras come on line, and when I see what happens after dark, but I had given up on making the old box detect properly.) And there are new functions (line crossing and other ways to trigger recording) that other reviewers rate highly. Maybe I'll even download the manual and check them out! Also note that you can add two wireless cameras in addition to the 8 wired ones the old box supported. Conclusion: Seems well worth the very reasonable price, definitely the way to go if you have wired cameras installed already.

Excellent DVR, works perfectly and so does the app.

For the low price this unit is superb. Way cheaper then the older unit it replaced and it works much better. Would not hesitate to buy again. Very easy unit to operate.

Easy to work with the product. The initial setup was fast, straight-forward and the 2TB HDD that I used in it, was recognised straight away. Also, the user interface is very friendly with the new software version. I bought this DVR of Amazon after initially buying a 4Cameras Annke CCTV system of eBay that has proven to have a faulty DVR. Or at least I couldn't make it to recognise the HDD in the kit or any other HDD I have tested. All in all, I am happy with the product. It does the job and the app connectivity is more than useful, especially if you need remote access on a daily basis.

I own a 4 channel DVR which is getting on for 10 years old so decided to replace it and at the same time upgrade to 8 channels and benefit from some new features. Several other customers have purchased CCTV equipment from hong kong and china and I must agree that the instructions are of no help. Having said this the DVR is straight forward to set up once you have purchased the hard drive you require for the unit. I went with the 2TB hard drive to allow for more than enough memory and to record at a higher fps. Once the hard drive is installed and you've connected all of your cables simply switch on the unit and it sets itself up apart from the basic time and date information. I purchased the Sannce DVR fully aware that I wasn't going to get the best on the market for my money and wasn't expecting the best. The resolution is adequate but almost impossible to see faces unless they are directly in front of the camera. My previous DVR produced much clearer images than this newer model. This DVR is excellent for home or small office use but don't expect crystal clear images. Although I use D1 cameras this unit will only produce 300X275 images (CIF quality) This model includes a lot of features but please be aware that although it has an HDMI connection it does not provide HD quality pictures, I was aware of this when making the purchase but just wanted other to know they won't get HD quality. Now, the unit takes a little while to get used to and does have a lot of features. There is a handy QR code to connect your mobile but you will need to provided 'port' to access the DVR from outside your home network. You will also require you own IP address provided by your ISP. There are several videos on YouTube which will show you how to set all of this up. Additional features such as USB back-up and PTZ cruise control are very handy. I have only had the unit for two days so will update if there are any changes. Overall this is a very cheap basic unit with a lot of features and ideal for anyone starting out on the road to CCTV for their home or office. Please be aware that if you're spending out on high quality CCTV cameras you won't benefit from the quality using this DVR!

Fonctionnement simple et efficace

I have tried many "cheap" dvr units, and they ALL fell short, this unit does the job and then some, has not let me down and worked straight out of the box, setup mobile viewing easily and the app is very nice and simple. I had multiple different brand cameras and i plugged them all in and this Annke dvr unit picked them all up instantly. Dont hesitate to buy this like i did, dont buy the other rubbish brands, just save your self the time and money and buy this unit. Excellent product and price. *Also to note, another reviewer said there was no on/off power button, this is by design as most dvr units don't have an on/off power button incase the power goes out or cuts off at home/work, when the power comes back on or resumes, the dvr unit also turns back on and resumes recording without having to wait for someone to "remember" to turn it back on. You could have lost all that footage in that time, this will just pickup where it left off.*