My first post and my tremendous confusion ... but I will get there.

[megageotronix]

Hi, what a fantastic place ipcamtalks. I knew there must have been a resource out these that covers it all
So, here I am after reading loads of posts and getting to grips as to where to start. I've read bits & pieces of common mistakes too.It's a minefield ....

This are my goals:
a) set up a IPcam surveilance with 8 cams outside most and about 4 inside which point to the main entrances.
b) no chinese cams despite me having a segragated virtual LAN setup for my Cams and home automation (openhab). I'm just not having it. I know Amcrest and EmpireTech are OEM chinese stuff but as least the firmware is not chinese. I guess there is no US or EU manfactured device? ##Open off topic!##How has this world ended up relying on China so much?##Close off topic!##
c) NVR to be software based on miniPC or similar, with software Open Source as a MUST. Not sure if I run it on dedicated NUC or whether I get a VM spun up on Proxmox NUC running VM (latter would be easier to manage with backup etc.)
d) probably leaning on Frigate for now as seems to have good OpenHab integration and Blue Iris is a no goer as it require Windows. Strictly LINUX in my home ... Zoneminder seems to be a nightmare for configuration from what I've read. Motion .. not sure compared to Frigate.

My BIG Questions:
1) seems like camera as are big point of debate. I live in EU and there don't seem to be a lot of online retailers that sell to private nerds that like DIY. Amazon or eBay seem to be the only sources I can find (Duhau and Hikvision suppliers only sell to businesses but these are chinese so probably woulnd't buy.). Is anyone here aware of good IP PEO camera suppliers in the EU? Are there any EU people here that have successfully purchased in the States without having to pay customes surcharge? I think if the purchase is <150 euro you don't get customes import applied?
2) I'm left with Amcrest and EmpireTech. Reolink doesn't seems to be well rated. And its also chinese? The latter is dependent on my previous questions where as I can get my hands on some Amcrest. The only model I can easily get my hands on as a test risk is the IP5M-T1179EW-28MM. I know its not ideal, as a varifocal would have been better but will have to live with it as a test rig unless anyone can usggest something better that is easily obtainable in EU.

THanks

 

[wittaj]

Amcrest and Empiretech are both made by Dahua....which is Chinese made....

You are going to need to up your budget and/or accept lower quality cameras if you remain adamant no Chinese....

 

[Ri22o]

Amcrest and Empiretech are both made by Dahua....which is Chinese made....

You are going to need to up your budget and/or accept lower quality cameras if you remain adamant no Chinese....

Not to mention Dahua also makes most of the cameras available that have been rebranded under other names.

Dahua OEM List (2025) — SecurityCamCenter.com

In this article, we've listed all the known companies that sell Dahua OEM products, usually under their own brand names and logos.

securitycamcenter.com

Which companies sell Dahua OEM products​

In this article, we’ve listed all the known companies that sell Dahua OEM products, usually under their own brand names and logos.
A few of these companies have stopped selling Dahua and moved to other OEMs. The Dahua OEM (rebranded) sellers are listed alphabetically (most of them sourced from IPVM, a few more added by SCC).

Usually, these companies purchase bulk product lines from Dahua and stamp their own logos, brand names, models, and interface color schemes.
Most of the time they try to hide the original manufacturer or make it difficult for the end-user to trace the camera’s origin. Sometimes they will modify the firmware as well, or try to customize it.

• 2M CCTV
• Activecam
• Advidia
• Altoros
• Amcrest
• Ameta
• Ascendent
• Backstreet Surveillance
• Bosch (a few of their cameras and NVR models)
• BV Security
• CCTV Security Pros
• CCTV Star
• CP Plus
• Dax Networks
• DH Vision
• eLine
• Eastern CCTV
• ENS Expose
• Lorex
• Gess Technologies
• GSS
• Honeywell (a few of their product lines)
• Heivision
• IC Realtime
• Ikegami
• Inaxsys
• IndigoVision
• Infinity CCTV
• Innekt
• Intelbras
• KBVision
• Lumixen
• Maxron
• Montavue
• Oco
• Optiview
• Panasonic (in certain countries only)
• People Fu
• Platinum CCTV
• RedSpeed
• Rhodium
• RVI
• Saxco
• SavvyTech
• Security Camera King
• Space Technology
• Speco
• ToughDog
• Unisight
• VIP Vision
• Watchnet
• Winic
• Zuum

 

[megageotronix]

Amcrest and Empiretech are both made by Dahua....which is Chinese made....

You are going to need to up your budget and/or accept lower quality cameras if you remain adamant no Chinese....

OMG, I'm in trouble then. So, looks like I may have to drop this prerequisite then, otherwise I will have no alternative, especially after I saw the list that Ri22o posted.We have sold our souls to China pursuing a world of cheapness ... sad. But what are these cams that are so much more expensive then? For example, Ri22o list does not have Uniview and its sold on the ipcamtalk store. Is that Chinese too? Do I have any hope at all, even if I up my budget?

And can I just make sure I understand what is going on then? For example, is my understanding correct that the like of Amcrest or Empiretech will buy Dahau OEM cams and inject their own firmware? Isn't the firmware the bit the calls home?

 

[bigredfish]

75% or more of everything you buy from shoes to electronics to you name it, is made in China.
Good luck

 

[wittaj]

OMG, I'm in trouble then. So, looks like I may have to drop this prerequisite then, otherwise I will have no alternative, especially after I saw the list that Ri22o posted.We have sold our souls to China pursuing a world of cheapness ... sad. But what are these cams that are so much more expensive then? For example, Ri22o list does not have Uniview and its sold on the ipcamtalk store. Is that Chinese too? Do I have any hope at all, even if I up my budget?

And can I just make sure I understand what is going on then? For example, is my understanding correct that the like of Amcrest or Empiretech will buy Dahau OEM cams and inject their own firmware? Isn't the firmware the bit the calls home?

Axis costs 5 times what a comparable Dahua costs....

Look for NDAA cameras, but for the most part just don't expect real quality at night.

We have had many people come here thinking they need to get NDAA complaint stuff because some article scared them and in most instances once they learned what NDAA really meant and who it applied to and how poor the cameras perform, they then went and got Dahua or Hikvsion OEM as they represented the best overall value in terms of cost and performance.

The real issue that NDAA doesn't address is EVERY camera can be hacked, even NDAA cameras and NVRs. Don't let your cameras touch the internet and you won't have a problem.

Block the cams from the internet and go with the best bang for the buck and that will be Dahua and Hikvision OEMs.

Well known NDAA compliant companies have been hacked, thus showing that the ban and only using NDAA compliant devices like Verkada doesn't protect you if you give them internet access.

Sadly, too many companies have jumped on the NDAA bandwagon and sell subpar performing cameras and NVRs at a premium price all under the disguise of being secure, which they are not.

It is why we recommend DO NOT LET YOUR CAMERAS OR NVR TOUCH THE INTERNET. You isolate them via VLAN or dual NIC.


As far as calling home, many of those companies with rebranded Dahua or Hikvision simply change the color of the GUI or whatnot, but most all use the same Dahua servers regardless.

Amcrest is the consumer line of Dahua with a 1-800 number that most find useless if you need help. To offer that, they typically use cheaper components and less than ideal MP/sensor ratios.

Empiretech is a true Dahua OEM but depending on where you are, the Dahua equivalent could cost you 2 to 5 times the Empiretech.

Just don't let them touch the internet and buy the best bang for the buck.

The only way to avoid China is to grow your own food and make your own clothing and furniture and build your house and don't drive a car and do not buy anything from anywhere.

Kinda hard to do. So do we boycott all or none? If we boycott only a few, which ones and why those and not another? Do I boycott Nike but not Dahua? Someone else may boycott Dahua but not Nike.

So where you draw the line is your personal choice.