What's the difference between the 4108E-HS and 4108E-A2?

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plusfour
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What's the difference between the 4108E-HS and 4108E-A2?

Post by plusfour »

Amazon seems to think they're the same thing, and a reply to a question on there indicates that there's no difference between the two. So is the A2 just the HS with a different name?
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Revo2Maxx
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Re: What's the difference between the 4108E-HS and 4108E-A2?

Post by Revo2Maxx »

No that isn't the case. The A2 is a Semi AI NVR where the HS is older build NVR from around 2018 or just before. Both offer 8mp and both offer 8 POE ports. So in that case they are alike.

Where they are different is the the A2 is newer 2021 NVR that using a AI Security Package that will let the end user use AI enabled cameras to turn the NVR into AI enabled for lower false alerts and better tracking of things you want to capture rather then just picking up all the rain, snow, bugs, headlights and other things that will make your normal NVR record full time on motion events settings.

So another thing the A2 was released with the NEW FW only installed to start with where the old HS if found in someone's NEW OLD Stock pile will have older FW installed.

Does the NEW FW HS show AI cameras rules? Yes However you can't access the rules data for recording and this means only Motion or other normal alerts will record using HS. With A2 there will be a AI tab on the main menu, where you can access the AI cameras ability to setup rules and record for them rules.

However the A2 is in body and most of the guts just an HS with updated SOC.

HS, A2 and then Ai. IF you want a Real AI NVR then look at the 4208E-AI. This will work most of the same way as the A2 however it will add in extra AI channels for non AI cameras the A2 you have to have AI cameras for AI to work. Only down side if that the 42xx-AI series at this time don't work with SMD even with an SMD camera being used and find that very upsetting with the cost of the AI NVR more then double that of the A2 NVR..
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plusfour
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Re: What's the difference between the 4108E-HS and 4108E-A2?

Post by plusfour »

Thanks for the detailed reply! So if I've understood this right instead of continuing with the rather nice 52xx series they've (ugh) gone back to the old 41xx series with all of its problems (no on/off switch, no reset button, ...), except for the -AI ones which are 52xx-style but labelled 42xx?
  • 41xx-HS = Original model, last firmware update in 2020 and now discontinued.
  • 41xx-A2 = Warmed-over HS with newer firmware that recognises AI cameras but otherwise mostly a -HS. Same price as the old -HS was.
  • 42xx-AI = 52xx-type with the AI in the NVR rather than the camera. About three times the price of the -HS.
I think I'll go for the -A2 since I'd like to replace the existing dome cameras on the -HS with turret cameras which have less problems with internal reflections and rain on the dome, so it makes more sense for the money to get AI cameras + A2 NVR than non-AI cameras + AI NVR. Although I was really hoping to move on to the fixed 52xx series rather than getting another 41xx and having to hack it up...

A related question, the cameras will be the IP8M-T2669EW-AI and IP8M-VT2879EW-AI, for which in the latter case Amcrest's frustratingly inconsistent and contradictory data sheets claim is either 135mm diameter (technical spec) or 122mm diameter (user manual) - sheesh, it's the same diagram with two completely different dimensions given on it - I'm assuming 122mm is correct since no 135mm junction box seems to exist and the 2669 is also 122mm? That would mean replacing the existing PFA136s (110mm) with PFA130-E's (124mm), it looks like both types of junction box have mounting holes in an 84mm circle at 120 degrees so I can reuse the existing wall anchors? And by the same token, I can reuse the PFB203W for the -AI cameras, since they're 122mm as well?
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Revo2Maxx
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Re: What's the difference between the 4108E-HS and 4108E-A2?

Post by Revo2Maxx »

Don't know about doing away with 52xx series unless you mean the style. With power button?

So why is it that people have an issue with this? You are second person on 2 different forums that I have seen with an issue with lack of a power button on the NVR's? Why? I mean the power button is on the back side of the NVR. In order to get to the button a person has to have access to the back of the machine. The power button was next to the power cord. There is no high power voltage going to the device and as such the 12v or even 48v DC power can be pulled from the NVR without issue? I know easy for me to say seeing I use all my machines backwards to start with lol. I mean there is no need for me to look at the front of the machine there is no function other then some leds and an USB that I plug my mouse into normally so I can have fast access to the Thumb Drive on the back..

I have other machines that have power button and never use them? That is why I don't understand why there is a movement for them? If I have to power off my machine it is normally because I am going to do some type of change of the HDD or something and will have all cords removed anyway.

My 4216E-AI yes I turn off the power supply before I remove cord. However it is little different reason. That is 120v power going into the back of the NVR. Just feels safer to turn off power before removing plug and for sure before plugging it back in at the least. There is a lot that can go wrong there..

About changing out for A2. If you are in need of a new NVR then that is way to go unless you need some features that are not offered like

Face Recognition and or ANPR in the 52xx models that offer it..

About the Reset button yeah that is kind of sad that this function seems to be missing from the HS I am not sure if it was returned to A2 and might have been removed for reasons that we the End User don't know. I find it hard to understand myself as I like to have the Hard Reset ability at any and all times..
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plusfour
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Re: What's the difference between the 4108E-HS and 4108E-A2?

Post by plusfour »

The power button is to allow for configuration changes, relocating the NVR, etc. Powering down a Unix system by yanking out the power cord is an absolute no-no but it's the only thing you can do with the 41xx series, and they're relying on the ability of Linux to recover from a hard crash, which is what it is, in order for the system to survive. It's just unfathomable that someone would build a Unix-powered device like that where the only means to power it off is to yank out the power cord.

(I know you can now do it in software with the last firmware update they pushed out, but sometimes that isn't possible, e.g. because the network on which the NVR sits is being shut down).
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Revo2Maxx
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Re: What's the difference between the 4108E-HS and 4108E-A2?

Post by Revo2Maxx »

Yes understand about the Unix issue, However when you go to the area for Shut down and the Text says it is ok to power off. That means the system is ready to shut down and there will be no issue with the Unix box having power removed.
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