Securing what you love most should be the first on your to-do list, but finding a good video surveillance equipment on a low budget can be sometimes difficult. That is why we at SCR have researched and we are happy to carry you along on Zosi 8 channel security system honest review.
HD-TVI stands for High Definition Transport Video Interface, it is a form of HD over Coax CCTV technology, which allows high quality footage transmission over a traditional (RG59 or UTP CAT5 and CAT6) cabling.
This technology was developed by Techpoint in 2012, and the Chipset was sold to Intersil – an American semiconductor company and Chinese manufacturers such as Hikvision, HanBang. These companies all put this technology into their new products.
HD TVI prices have been dropping invariably over the last few years and are now equivalent to traditional analog camera pricing. The major advantage of HD TVI technology is that traditional coaxial and CAT5 cabling can be used. Also, HD TVI based DVRS support the legacy cameras as well.
Zosi as one of the leading professional manufacturers of advanced analog CCTV camera, speed dome, DVR and IP solution has stood at the forefront of innovative surveillance and monitoring technology already.
All Zosi products are certified with CE, RoHS, FCC, PSE, and ICID which are widely distributed all over the world including this Zosi security system we are reviewing.
Zosi are able to pursue fastest response to the market requirements and make responses in very short time. With all these plausible reasons, Zosi indeed become a qualified, reliable and superior security camera provider.
With all that being said, let us get right into Zosi home security system review. We are going to analyse and uncover the benefits behind this product, and how it can help you achieve your mission towards installing a good security surveillance system on budget.
Last update: 10.22.2018
Usability
Set up is relatively easy.
Support
There are online guides available on the support page that provide solution to users’ challenges. You can also send email to support if you need them to address a different problem.
Main Features of the Zosi Home Security System
- 1080P HD Resolution
- Pre-installed 1TB surveillance hard drive
- 100ft Night Vision
- Multiple-devices viewing simultaneously
- Advanced & customizable motion detection
- Remote & Local Playback
- Secure and intelligent recording
- No recording for specific areas
- IP66 Weatherproof Rating
Breakdown of the features / Overview of the product
The Zosi cameras are able to deliver full HD resolution of 1080p via 1/3” color CMOS image sensor and 3.6mm lens that truly render high definition, detail, and stunning images.
It is unimaginable to see that Zosi home security system still comes with a pre-installed 1 terabyte security grade hard drive, which is totally enough for the video storage. The 1000 GB hard drive will allow you to enjoy weeks of continuous recording.
The 100ft (30meters) infrared lighting with infrared-cut function is amazing in a low light or pitch-black condition. The Zosi camera is equipped with 36pcs powerful IR-LED which illuminates the field of view of the security camera within 100ft range, which makes it possible to capture an image in night vision.
Zosi DVR allows multiple-devices viewing simultaneously. You can utilize the VGA port, BNC spot monitor output port, and the HDMI port for monitoring the visual display of the DVR all at the same time without any interference.
Advanced and customizable motion detection is another important features we can’t skip in Zosi home security system. You can set motion detection zones and focus on important areas like doors or windows, and get motion clip alerts only when something happens there.
Remote and local playback enable your Zosi security system to be accessible both online and offline. Whichever option you choose to view your video footage, the video clips are always ready to be watched.
With secure and intelligent recording, you can record video by setting a schedule, motion detection or continuous mode. Smart motion detection recording allows you to save hard drive space. Zosi DVR can also be set to automatically overwrite the oldest internally stored footage.
No recording for specific areas gives you the total privacy control to block out selected areas on each camera. This way, the selected areas won’t be active in the motion detection algorithm, this is to grant privacy in certain situations.
IP66 weatherproof rating protects the camera from rough/tough weather condition that could damage the security camera from its continuous operation. It will perform even better in fog, continuous rain drop or dust.
Design of the Product and its Installation
Even though Zosi home security system is not wireless, it is wholly do-it-yourself system. Every bit of the installation process is easy and more so, it is plug and play. The product is designed not as a complicated system, which is why it has been performing well in the market ever since it was launched.
The product is built around HD-TVI (high definition transport video interface) technology which can transmit video signal using coaxial cabling on a maximum distance of 500meters without signal degradation.
The installation takes not more than 1hour. Locate the best spot for your cameras and make use of the 60ft pre-made video+power cable to connect the cameras. In order to get a good angle for potential identification, make sure the installation height of your camera is not more than 8 feet high.
Connect the first end of the BNC male on the pre-made cable to the BNC female on the camera, and connect the power cable also to the power female of the camera. Repeat the step for all the cameras.
Connect the other end of the BNC to the DVR, use the 1-to-4 splitter cable to connect the camera with the camera power adapter. Connect the monitor using any output at the back of the DVR but we recommend using the HDMI for optimal performance.
Connect the Ethernet port of the DVR to your network router provisioned with internet using a Cat5 patch cable and finally, plug the power adapter to the DVR and turn it on.
After the Zosi DVR system boot up, the setup wizard will display, follow the wizard as it guides you through the basic and necessary settings.
Now it is time to configure the Zosi camera app for the remote view function. Navigate to the “Main menu” by right clicking on anywhere on the DVR, supply the user password if any, then click ok on the login prompt.
Select the “Setup” and then “Network”. Make sure that the “Obtain an IP Address Automatically” is checked, click the “Test” button to be sure the setting is working properly.
Return to the “Setup” page and select “Basic” icon, click on “Network” to see that “Network Status” and “Cloud Server Status” are both connected, then exit the page.
The next thing is to download Zosi smartphone app from your respective app store, install and open the app.
Grant Zosi smart app the necessary permissions needed in order to run efficiently on your smartphone. Login or tap “Register” button if you do not have a Zosi account yet. Enter your desire email address and tap the “Get Validation Code”.
Tap the “+” symbol at the top right corner to add Zosi DVR to your Zosi account you just created.
Before proceeding in this page, you need to head back to your DVR to obtain the “Device ID”. Navigate to the “Information” via the “Main menu” and click on the “System”, the device ID is then displayed in QR code.
Tap the “Allow” button to grant permission to Zosi app to use the smartphone camera. Tap the square box in the app and scan the device ID QR code on the DVR, you will hear a beep on a successful scan.
It is important to use the same password that was set in the DVR to avoid running into bottleneck.
User Experience and Performance
Zosi home security system is not complicated to install despite it is a wired security system.
Most of the verified users of Zosi home security system were extremely happy to have discovered the product on time, it was a good bargain and also comes with lots of cool features to improve video surveillance security.
Zosi tech support were proactive to respond to users who got stuck while installing the Zosi home security system. This is not only a good development for Zosi but it will also generate positive feedback from users toward their products.
The Zosi Smart which is the smartphone app is intuitive and it is supported by Android and iOS platforms.
What’s in the box?
Inside the camera box contains
- 1 unit of 8-Channel 1080p DVR with Pre-Installed 1 terabyte Hard Drive
- 2 units of Power Adapter (12V 2A)
- 4 units of 60ft Video+Power Cable
- 4 units of 1080p HD-TVI Outdoor Weatherproof Cameras
- 1 unit of 1-to-4 Splitter Cable
- 1 unit of USB Mouse
- 1 unit of Warning Sticker
- 4 units of Screw Bag
- 1 unit of Quick Start Guide
- 1 unit of User Manual
The Advantages
- The most affordable video surveillance solution money can buy.
- It is very easy to setup and comes with lots of advanced features.
- It comes with 1 terabyte hard drive that is sufficient for video storage and can be extended up to 6 terabyte.
- The advanced and customizable motion detection will help to reduce unnecessary motion detection alert every time.
- There are tons of helpful guide in the Zosi support page to help out if stuck at some point.
- Zosi Smart app enables you to view live video feeds, receive push notifications and watch any previously recorded footage from anywhere in the world. You’ll never miss out on a moment, no matter where you are.
- The 36pcs infrared LED’s provide good illumination for the camera to capture image in complete darkness.
- It supports 4 audio inputs and RS485 for PTZ camera.
- Zosi cameras performed better in 450meters transmission distance without boosting the video signal.
The Disadvantages
- The smartphone app is to slow to browse old video footage.
- It is not wireless and you need to take time to hide the cables from prying eyes.
- Zosi does not have cloud facility for video backup, if DVR is stolen, video footage cannot be retrieved.
- There is no telephone or chat support.
About the Warranty
Zosi has 30 days return policy from the original purchase date for refund with or without reason. However, the product must be purchased directly from Zosi website or one of their certified online vendors.
Zosi products are backed by a 2 year product warranty beginning from the original purchase date. Zosi will be ready to repair or replace any product that is defective within the period of product warranty.
You need to obtain an RMA code from Zosi RMA technicians after your request is authorized.
The Final Verdict
If your requirement is to install a video surveillance solution that does not rely on cloud storage, then this is a perfect solution you can invest in. The Zosi home security system has a lots of advanced and cool features you would ever need.
But if you need a solution that requires online cloud for video backup, we recommend REOLINK RLK8-410B4 Security System.
Overall, Zosi home security system performance is very reliable and it is a good deal for the affordable price.