CCTV Manuals | Complete CCTV Manuals, DVR/NVR Setup & Troubleshooting for Hikvision, Dahua, and More

Differences Between Lorex Camera Series—For Example, the Lorex V Series vs. the U Series and Other Series

October 12, 2026 by Muhammad Jamil

Planning to buy a Lorex camera but feeling overwhelmed by all the different series they offer?Don’t worry! In this article, I’ll walk you through each Lorex camera series to help you understand their differences and find the one that best suits your needs.

When you first visit the Lorex website, you’ll find several camera series to choose from. Honestly, I felt just as confused when I first explored the options, especially when trying to figure out which series would work best for my home or business. From what I’ve learned, Lorex offers six camera series, each with its own set of features and capabilities.

Lorex Camera ONVIF and RTSP URL — How I Use It to Connect a Lorex Camera to an NVR and VLC Media Player

October 12, 2026 by Muhammad Jamil

The Real-Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) is a network protocol used to control streaming media between devices. It allows devices to establish and manage streaming sessions, making it possible to access live video feeds over a network. Some DVRs, NVRs, and IP camera models also support third-party RTSP streams. This means you can integrate compatible cameras or streaming sources from other manufacturers into your existing surveillance system.

In this article, I’ll explain how to find the RTSP URL for Lorex cameras and how to use it to connect your camera to an NVR or VLC Media Player.

How to Use SecuritySpy: Download, Install, and Add Cameras—I’ve Tried It Myself and It’s Great

October 12, 2026 by Muhammad Jamil

How to Add Any WiFi IP Camera to SecuritySpy

How to Add a WiFi IP Camera to SecuritySpy Software—In addition to Blue Iris and iSpy, SecuritySpy is another security camera monitoring app you can try before deciding to purchase a license or subscription. These three applications offer many similar features but differ in terms of user interface and platform support. SecuritySpy supports nearly all popular camera brands currently on the market, including Reolink, TP-Link Tapo, EZVIZ, Hikvision, Dahua, and other devices that comply with the ONVIF standard.

In this guide I will give you direct information on how to connect a WiFi IP camera to SecuritySpy.

Looking for the Best IP Camera Similar & Alternatives to Hikvision? Here’s a List of Hikvision OEM IP Cameras I Found (Updated 2026)

October 11, 2026October 10, 2026 by Muhammad Jamil

The best IP cameras, similar models, and alternatives to Hikvision—Hikvision is a leading Chinese security camera manufacturer. Its products are widely used around the world. However, it appears that Hikvision has recently faced numerous legal issues and has been banned from sale in several countries, including the U.S. and India. As a result, many users in the U.S. and other regions are looking for alternative IP cameras that are comparable to Hikvision cameras.

In this article, I’ll highlight well-known companies that use Hikvision products but sell them under their own brand names—what are known as Hikvision OEMs.

Arsha Technology Launches ARSA AI Box — AI-Based CCTV Footage Analysis

October 9, 2026 by Muhammad Jamil

Arsa Technology, a company based in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia, has launched a device called the AI Box. It is an AI-based CCTV video recording analysis device that is very easy to use. If you use a video surveillance app with analytics features, you may have to install and configure it, and you may even need to subscribe. The AI Box is designed to be ready to use right away with your existing security cameras and requires no subscription.

In this article, I’ll provide a brief review of the AI Box device from Arsa Technology, along with its price.

Smart Home Security Market — Projected to Grow to 139.24 Billion by 2032

October 9, 2026 by Muhammad Jamil

According to MarketsandMarkets, the smart home security market is valued at 95.83 billion in 2026 and is projected to reach 139.24 billion by 2032, with a CAGR of 6.4%.

As a security camera technician, I’ve noticed that demand for smart cameras is currently on the rise compared to conventional cameras, such as IP and analog cameras. A single smart camera, such as an EZVIZ, can already meet users’ needs—including two-way audio, 360-degree rotation, and the ability to monitor footage directly from a smartphone without needing a separate recorder.

Below, I’ll try to explain why demand for smart home security will continue to grow rapidly in the coming years.

I’m Trying to Use a USB to Ethernet Adapter for an NVR and DVR Whose LAN Ports Are Broken — Will That Work?

October 5, 2026 by Muhammad Jamil

A while back, I brought a HiLook DVR home from work with a damaged LAN port. Because the LAN port was damaged, I couldn’t connect the DVR to the internet or to my phone via the HiLookVision app. Since the LAN port was damaged, I wondered if I could connect the DVR to the internet using one of its USB ports. HiLook DVRs typically come equipped with two USB ports.

This post contains my personal documentation of my attempt to use the USB port on the DVR to connect to the internet from the router using a USB to Ethernet adapter.

I Customized the EZVIZ Camera’s Alarm Sound with My Own Voice — The Results are Great!

October 4, 2026 by Muhammad Jamil

Setting Up an EZVIZ Camera Alarm Using Your Own Voice

I wanted to set my EZVIZ camera’s alarm sound to my own voice. Honestly, I’m getting tired of security cameras that all use the same old beeps and sirens. I wanted something that would let me customize the alarm with my own voice. After looking around, I finally found the EZVIZ H6c Pro. It’s one of the newer camera models that lets you customize the alarm sound with your own voice. And the best part? It’s pretty affordable too, at just $34.03.

In this article, I’ll explain how to set up an alarm on the EZVIZ H6c Pro camera using my own voice.

Do Tapo Cameras Have Ethernet Ports? Here’s a List of Tapo Cameras With Ethernet Ports — Two Connections Mode — Wired and Wireless

October 3, 2026October 3, 2026 by Muhammad Jamil

Many people have asked me which TAPO camera models support an Ethernet port. TAPO does not specify in detail on its website which camera models support only Wi-Fi and which ones are equipped with an Ethernet port. New users will find this information by clicking on a camera model on the website to view its details. Those who ask me which TAPO camera models come with an Ethernet port usually plan to connect their TAPO cameras to an NVR or DVR.

Instead of having to look up the specifications for each camera individually, I’ve compiled a list of TAPO camera models that come equipped with an Ethernet port.

11 Best Fisheye Security Cameras for Home Office and Commercial Use — There Are Prices Under $50

October 9, 2026October 3, 2026 by Muhammad Jamil

If you install a traditional fixed camera in a large room, there will usually be some areas that the camera can’t see. The corners of the room, especially the area directly underneath the camera, may be out of view. Rooms with partial walls or partitions can also create blind spots. If you want to monitor the entire room without leaving any blind spots, you can consider using a security camera with a fisheye lens. These cameras are designed to provide a much wider field of view, allowing you to cover a large area with a single camera.

In this article, I’ll share a list of the best fisheye camera brands you can consider for monitoring your entire room and covering those hard-to-see corners.

Hik-Central Lite Doesn’t Support Mac — Here’s How I Installed & Ran the Hik-Central Lite Software on My Mac

October 2, 2026 by Muhammad Jamil

How to Download and Install HikCentral Lite on a Mac — As I mentioned earlier, it’s pretty rare to find security camera software that supports Mac. HikCentral is one of them, whether you’re using the Pro or Lite version. Hikvision, the developer of HikCentral, only provides HikCentral Lite for Windows users. So, if you’re using a Hikvision camera and want to connect it to your laptop, you’ll need to look for an alternative software solution.

In this article, I’ll show you how I got HikCentral Lite running on an unsupported device—my Mac.