Customer Ratings & Reviews

I recently obtained an all wireless HD security camera system that I truly enjoy. However, we had one incident where the camera was not able to pick up enough detail. Even though the cameras for that system are listed as HD/1080p, there just was not enough fine detail. Now that I have the Lorex 4K Wired system I can see all the details that I have been missing. The comparison photo of the two systems below doesn’t really do it justice, but you should be able to see just how much clearer, sharper and detailed the Lorex is in comparison. The second picture is a comparison of the night recording. Color Night Recording is enabled by default only if there is enough ambient lighting. Some nights my porch light was enough, some it was not. When there is not enough light, it uses IR light to get the typical night vision image, but with great clarity and distance. The top two images are of the Lorex system while the bottom two are with the wireless HD system, with my porch light on and off. It is kind of unfair to compare a wireless system to a wired system due to their various difference, as I wanted the wireless system for the freedom of placement, but in comparison to price, the Lorex system is still cheaper than the wireless system with 4 cameras and the recording capability is drastically better. Setup is fairly straightforward, but requires some precise planning if you don’t want to have to purchase additional cables as the included cables are short. The BNC/Power cables are 60ft long and barely long enough to get around 2 sides of my house to reach a corner, but plenty long to reach the nearest two corners. The included HDMI, LAN and power cable on the other hand makes you believe that they intended for you to stack everything right on top of the DVR as they are not even long enough to connect in my entertainment center. I also have mine connected to an UPS to ensure recording even during power interruptions but that was a stretch with the short cables. Once everything is attached you can manage the DVR with the mouse for all of the setup. The interface is clunky and takes a bit to get used to. However, once a password is set up and connected to the network, I found it easier to use a web browser to manage the rest of the settings. You just access it by the IP that is displayed on the Info screen with the admin/password that you gave it. It will not work with Chrome due to the requirement to use NPAPI. The web interface allows you to do everything you can do directly through the device, just with the comfort of your regular computer. The DVR is designed to work with all kinds of different cameras, so some features show available, like Pan/Tilt/Zoom, but the cameras do not support it. One of the first things I did is change the resolution to 3840*2160(4k) for everything to make sure I get the maximum out of it. With that though, settings have a huge impact on how much you can store on the 2TB drive. I have had continuous recording on for 10 days with all 4 cameras at 4k, 7fps, CBR, 4096 bit rate and the drive now reads full. However, that just means the old footage is being overwritten. This is still more than my other service as they only kept 7 days without a paid subscription and that was only motion detection events. The Lorex Cloud app also allows you to manage your device, view live cameras, and look at playback. However, the resolution you receive through the app is horrible and more just for general reference and allows for push notifications when motion is detected. WIth that though, you will need to do some fine tweaking of motion settings as it is default I was getting notifications with every gnat that flew by. The app interface is just as clunky as the DVR interface. However, when looking at a single camera, you can enable the security light, which is just an LED, and the siren, which is laughable. I don’t expect that light or alarm to actually scare anyone from my house, but it might at least get their attention so that you get a clear image of their face. I was against getting a wired system, simply due to issues like being limited to 60ft. However, the 4K clarity of this system has convinced me to change over. Over time I might consider getting some different supported cameras so that I may use the PTZ features. But, for now this system has my house covered and I’m almost anxious to catch something in action so I can show off the detail to others.

This all-inclusive system has everything you need to get going right out of the box. The only obvious things missing are installation tools. There's enough cable to install in an average sized home (30x30). Setup was easy and is ready to go as soon as you plug everything in. For testing purposes, I connected it to my 55" 4k TV to check the resolution. I made some adjustments to get the image view in 4k though it didn't really look like 4k, probably due either to the h264.h compression or the thin looking cables supplied or both. Now, I see no reason to use up my last hdmi port on that not to mention constantly having the fan noise in the background from the dvr unit. The cameras are certainly high quality and I have no doubt they are capable of delivering true 4k video, though the cables appear to be rated for 1080p only. Increasing resolution causes the video to lag a bit to the tv and lag a lot to the phone app. I found the included mouse to be an invaluable tool setting up and using the features of the DVR. The remote has very little use other than switching views and a few other mundane things. The app from Lorex is perfect to fully utilize the systems abilities in a user friendly format. I initially used the Flir app I already had which also worked for most things. The deterrence system can be setup to flash the light after a certain hour which is good for deterrence and helps you find the keyhole in the dark. You can't automatically set the siren to go off in conjunction with the LED since it could be viewed as a nuisance in some communities. I had limited use with wired security systems since my current unit was a single wireless ip camera with pan/tilt/zoom capabilities. Though I was expecting these units to be stationary, the info says it zooms 16x digital; this is not the case. It doesn't zoom at all. The only way I was able to zoom in on things was through the app on my phone by just picking a camera feed and using the phone's pinch-to-zoom. Even with that type of zoom, you're able to see things clearly almost up to the max limit which is impressive! I think if you truly want 4k out of the system, you need to buy new cables. I might consider it for one of the cameras in the future, but for now, it's just right.

Perfect number of cameras and an excellent storage device. Did have to purchase some longer camera cabeling and the Lorex exterior mounting boxes. All said, the cameras do a fabulous job of both day and night coverage. Easy setup and a seemless pairing with the ap lets me view the system anytime.

These cameras have amazing picture quality and they were easy to set up for a beginner. I would highly recommend them to everyone.

Great product easy to install ,great video quality, and no monthly payments.

So glad that I choose this system over the 1080. Camera is so clear. Even at night.Very easy to install and set up.

With the exception of a couple of holes through an exterior wall this unit was easy to install. I’m just using the basic features (not the app features) but so far it’s great.

Easy to install and cameras have excellent quality. Just wished it came with a users manual.

System was extremely easy to set up. Cameras are clear day an night. Some thought is needed to properly position the cameras. Any close light sources will I secure the night vision capabilities. FLIR technology is top notch. I’ve used it for years in industrial settings and the quality transfers over to these cameras. I’m very happy with this system.

The price was great. The quality is awesome. Easy setup!

easy to install, excellent view, easy to use, very good quality

Good cameras, picture results great and very to set up.

System was easy to setup and install. Phone app connected and works well. Resolution on monitor is very detailed.

I like it. It was easy to set up. Security cameras are great.

The Lorex 8 channel DVR cameras is a great set up for anyone looking for a little added security for their home or business. While this system allows for different kinds of streaming and 4k quality there are a few areas that i think it kind of missed some spots in. However this is still hands down one of the best camera set up that i have seen and own. Hopefully this review will help in deciding if this is the right set up for you. First off out of the box your going to receive 4 cameras, DVR box, mouse, cable to run everything, remote control and some instructions. The DVR box contains two usb ports one being for the wired mouse, and HDMI port and 8 channel inputs. Set is done rather easy and really the only hard part is running the wires if you don't wish to run them where they are visible. In reality its not that much more different than basically running speaker wires in a way. Lorex also provides an app that allows you to gain access to your security system while you are away and provides a few other functions that we'll get into later. The wires provided in the box were enough to run all 4 cameras on a 2400 sq. ft. house however if you seem to fall short they have the option to buy more feet from their website. Also with this being a 8 channel set up you can also view what other cameras are compatible with this in the event you wish to add more cameras. They have some pretty cool full rotation cameras that you can buy from their site and hook up. Also from the site you have subscription plans that you can enroll in if you wish to, however all the plans really do is just provide cloud storage. For home use i find this kind of a waste of money seeing as how the DVR is a 2 TB hard drive which should be more than enough. However if you plan on buying this for a business and plan to keep the cameras on a continuous loop than ya your going to need the cloud storage as you will burn through 2 TB pretty quickly. Once your cameras are hooked up to the DVR and your DVR is hooked up to your TV its time to get things set up and going. You can pull up all your cameras/zones from your DVR menu and display them on your TV. Your DVR is going to be your main hub of operations and the place where most of your options and set ups take place. The app is mainly for on the go camera footage with very little controls at least as of writing this review. Lets talk about what you can do with these cameras and some of the options available to you through your DVR set up. From here you can name your zones or cameras that you have set up. You can also control your camera lights, alarms and motion sense. You can control what cameras you want to do what and how intense you want it to be. For example, I have 2 cameras out side and 2 inside my house. I have my two cameras outside set up to record when motion is detected and that it is all. I have the alarm and strobe lights shut off on them because i live near the mountains. I don't want to be awoken or wake my neighbors every time an animal walks by and sets them off. Therefore they are set to just record and only record. Now the other two cameras i have are in my garage and by my back door. I have those cameras set up to sound the alarm and strobe lights if it detects motion. One thing i really like about this set up is the ability to set up how loud you want your alarm to be and how bright you want your strobe lights to flash. And let me tell you one thing that alarm is very loud and those strobe lights get very bright to the point of disorientation. Another nice feature for you pet owners out there is the ability to also set up how sensitive the motion sensors are. If you have some smaller dogs or animals that like to roam around at night then you can set your motion sense really low. If you live without pets then you can choose to set it really high. I have noticed that big dogs however will set the motion sensors off regardless of how low you set it so keep in mind that it is not completely full proof in the way of bigger pets. Another thing you have is the ability to set up recording schedules. You can choose to have the cameras motion sense on all the time or you can pick a time when they are turned on. For example when im out work i have the motion sensors off since my wife is a stay at home mom. However i can pull the cameras up at any time through the app and see whats going on. I have my time schedule set up so that at 9pm at night every night the motion senors will automatically start recording anytime they are triggered. Now there is audio and mic playback but this was one area that was a little weird to me. I don't know if i did something wrong when setting this up or if this is the way its supposed to be but if i use the app i get no audio playback and if i try to use the mic my voice is only heard through my TV if it is on. Audio playback on a previous footage can also only be heard on my TV as well. All the other security systems i own allow mic and audio playback through their apps however this one did not. Like i said i don't know if i didn't set up an option right (however set up isn't that complicated) or if this is the way it is intended to be. If so than that's kind of disappointing. Lorex also allows you to set up administrators and guest accounts for people you wish to give access to your security system. So rather you have a family member house sitting or a business employee you trust, you can give them access and also chose just how much access they have to your system. Now lets talk quality, after all this claims 4k streaming and recording. Video quality is hands down the best i have ever seen. This is kind of disappointing for me because i actually pay for a contract security system from a company that has been around for decades and these cameras record 100% clearer picture quality than my paid service cameras. The quality is so impressive that when my contract is up im actually going to cancel my plan with my security company. Now the quality of playback depends on your TV. If you do not have a 4k TV it will default to 1080. However if you do have a 4K TV it will playback the footage with very crisp 4K quality that will almost allow you to be able to count how many arm hairs are on a person. Now you do have zoom features on your recordings and this is where the quality really shines. Yes you do loose some quality the closer you zoom in on a image however the picture is so crips and clean that the clarity almost seems like it does not drop at all as you zoom in. Now i noticed that Lorex put in their description colored night vision and this is where i got a little confused. Im not sure if they are supposed to actually record night vision in color or if that is a descriptive term they use to describe the hardware they use to record at night. I say that because i got no colored night vision at all. But what i did get is probably the best night vision footage i have ever seen. Even in extreme low light my outdoor cameras where able to record all the way down my street as if the whole street was lit up. I don't have very many streetlights where i live by the way. My other security cameras need some light to help out with their night vision or else all i will get is a black screen. However these cameras record so well at night that there were very little dead spots with low light . Heres my final verdict. This is a great set up for any home owner and business owner. For the home owner the 2 TB DVR hard drive is plenty of storage space allowing you to avoid paying for additional storage or paying for a security company to come in and lend you their service and servers. And for the business owner looking for continual recording, the low cost for cloud storage is ideal for cost efficient business owners who are looking to save money without compromising their personal security. The ability to set up different functions for your cameras based on what zone you have them in makes this even more ideal. Each camera can act differently based on where they are placed. The one big turn off for me however and the reason i did not give this five stars is due to a lack luster app service with little to no push notifications based on alarm detection. What i mean by this is if an alarm is set off your app will not notify you unless you actually open it up and physically check it. My other cameras do a really good job with push notifications when a zone is set off. I'll give you an example of what im talking about. The other night my daughter got up at 5AM to let my dog outside. Well in doing so she set off my alarm system. I was able to grab my phone and without even turning on my screen there in big bold wording was a push notification letting me know that an alarm had been set off and that it was the backdoor. This is a nice feature to have due to the fact that i didn't have to run around the house looking to see what set it off but rather was guided directly to the problem. At least as of writing this review Lorex has not implemented this feature and its really kind of a shame. My hope is that they will change that in the near future.

The lorex system is great. Once it was set up, it was easy to use and operate. The picture quality is also really good. Being able to check it wherever I am gives me peace and mind. The challange was running the cables so they were hidden. If you have places to hide the wires this system is for you.

First off, if this is your first camera system and want to learn or have never set up a system before, this is a very good starter. Lets start with the good stuff... Very easy to setup. Pull the cable, mount the cameras, plug everything in. Comes out of the box ready to use, with a few simple steps, and is preset to optimal settings. Excellent video quality at 5-15 feet from camera. Deterrent lights are a nice feature just to let people know they are being recorded. Motion activation is pretty spot on. I watch footage of 24 hour recording and see every point where motion should activate, it activates every time. FlirCloud for the PC (PC software from Lorex) is the only real way to search though videos. And.... That's about it. Lets start with the video quality. 4K/8mp, wow right? This only records 4K @7fps. This makes for a very choppy recording. So while you can get a great image if someone is walking in slow motion, anyone running, or a car driving by is out of the question. 5mp @20fps or 3mp @30+fps would ultimately give you a better image. Night vision coverage is pretty good, (black and white) the IR emitters are strong and provide good coverage. The color night vision is a problem. I never could get mine to function properly and when it does work everything is so dark you can't see anything. No Audio Mobile application needs a lot of work. It is impossible to just look through the recordings unless you have hours to do just that. Makes it very unpleasant to try and look for an event, or just see what may have happened around the house during the day. Customer service is AWFUL. Spent an hour talking with them and got absolutely nothing accomplished . They tried to bail on helping me multiple times. The only information or support they have to give is everything you find in the generic publications on the website and throughout the internet. For what it's worth, I am returning this. I will spend a little more money for a system that better suits my needs. My old system gave me a sense of security knowing it was in place and working. This system has me worried about the security of my home and the functionality of the system. Added stress is not what I thought I was purchasing.