IP Cameras from our 2016 lines (Networker and Super series NVRs)

Technology is always marching forward. A NVR is a very powerful highly specialized machine where the video encoding is done via a specially designed processor chip rather than software. This allow it to be more cost effective and more efficient at a single task (in this case recording HD video) than a computer, which has a general purpose processor. General purpose processors are significantly more expensive and require significantly more power (and thus more cost) to record multiple HD streams at once, so the industry largely uses embedded systems.

One of the challenges with video surveillance hardware is that the features are built into the chipsets. This means that when you upgrade chipsets, you often have features that the old systems can't support. For example, our 2017 line included some cameras with new higher resolution chipsets that the image processor in our 2016 line cannot record. Sadly, no firmware update can give the Networker line more processing power.

If you have our 2016 line of NVRs (the Networker, Networker Pro, or Super NVRs) some of our 2017 model cameras (ones with 4MP sensors or Intellipro video analytics) aren't compatible.

***Compatibility***: If you are using our Networker NVRs, we strongly recommend keeping 2016 NVRs with 2016 cameras and 2018 cameras with 2018 NVRs.

Although, you can still use the Admiral Line of cameras by connecting the camera to a PoE switch on the network (the ONVIF method), they will not plug-and-play. Vanguard line cameras record using the H.264 codec and will not be able to utilize the new H.265 in the 2018 Admiral line. Our Vanguard line cameras, should work with the POE ports on the new Admiral NVRs (so you won't always have to use a switch), but because of the new security protocols and differing languages between the lines, you will have to authenticate the Vanguard Line cameras on your network first, by using a POE switch, and you may have to upgrade firmware. In some cases, you may have to use the ONVIF method. Not all features between Vanguard/Networker and Imperial line cameras are compatible with each other.