With the ability to support up to 20 users, the Reolink RLC-823A offers ample accessibility for multiple individuals to view the camera’s feed simultaneously. It supports a wide range of network protocols, including HTTPS, SSL, TCP/IP, UDP, HTTP, IPv4, UPnP, RTSP, RTMP, SMTP, NTP, DHCP, DNS, DDNS, FTP, and P2P, ensuring seamless integration with various network systems. Additionally, the Reolink RLC-823A supports mobile operating systems such as Android and iOS, enabling users to conveniently access the camera's live feed and recordings using their smartphones or tablets. With a pan speed of 150° per second, this camera allows for swift and efficient monitoring across a wide range of angles. For comparison here are some pictures from my older models. Still quite good but I can see a difference in quality. Optical Zoom testing Before zoom Zoom Optimizing NVR resources Setting up the RLC-823A 16X is straightforward; you can use the Reolink app, but with this sample, I used the Reolink Windows application. The app automatically recognised the camera on my network, and I just had to initialise it. The unboxing of the RLC-823A 16X reveals the camera, warranty and, waterproof lid installation guides, and several accessories and parts for installation.

For Blue Iris or other third-party NVRs, you will want to enable RTSP and ONVIF within the settings, under network and advanced. The RTSP URL format is the same as other Reolink cameras: Spotlight. Also didn’t feel like it was necessary. I want to be more discreet with my monitoring and bright light at night kind of ruins it. The built-in IR light works perfectly well with night vision.As impressive as it is, I’d say the 16x zoom makes this quite a niche camera compared to many of the other Reolink cameras. The narrow FoV limits appeal the appeal somewhat, and you need enough space to take advantage of that 16x zoom. In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve. As previously stated, with these 4 cameras, I am running at about 7-8% CPU usage. After adding cameras, I was met with quite a bit higher CPU usage so I did some optimizations to reduce CPU load. The first thing I learned about are sub-streams. It turns out that all of my cameras are able to provide 2 discrete RTSP streams. 1 higher quality and 1 lower quality. I knew that it was there but didn’t grasp why until I started researching. I assumed the lower quality stream was for remote streaming outside of the local network. That one is a no-brainer. I found this explanation if you want to go into more detail.

The best example is the small sign on the roundabout, which I would guess is about 75m away. Zoomed out, you can barely see it is there, certainly not read the sign. Zoomed in, the text is legible. If you are using a drill, I would still recommend a right angle attachment to make it easier to screw things in. They definitely made it a whole lot easier, but without that I probably would have struggled for another 5 minutes or stripped the screws. We’re about to review the Reolink RLC-823A Smart 8MP PTZ PoE Camera. This camera records in the equivalent of 4K ultra HD, with a 5x optical zoom for catching the finest details. It has two-way audio communication, a built-in spotlight, and support for up to 256GB of storage. These features alone made us eager to take a look. But to find out how well this camera performs, we needed to dig a little bit deeper. We’ll talk about how it’s built and installed, as well as the quality of the video. We’ll also discuss the app functions and features, and how the camera is used. Once we’ve considered all of those factors, we’ll deliver our final verdict. Do not point the camera towards a glass window. Or, it may result in poor image performance due to the window glare from infrared LEDs, ambient lights or status lights.One option is to use the cameras solely for remote monitoring through the Reolink app. This would definitely reduce the usefulness of the cameras. Overall, I would highly recommend the 823a or 823a 16x depending on your living situation. If you are in the suburbs or urban areas, I would recommend the 823a as you probably need the bigger FOV and spotlight. If you live in a rural area, I would recommend the 823a 16x as it would probably have far more uses on more open land. The FOV alone is kind of big deal with how much it is reduced in the new camera. Thankfully with the floodlight Reolink is releasing, I can at least make up for the colored night mode issue, but I’m hoping that there may be a firmware update to fix the FOV, but if this is standard, at least everyone will know what to expect.

I have been running unRAID for quite a while now to simplify my server requirements. I was running several small SBC’s and a standalone NAS drive and consolidated them onto my main rig. AMD has pushed desktop core counts with their Ryzen CPUs and I have cores to spare. I started with a 3700x giving 2 cores to applications leaving me with 6 cores for my VM’s but recently upgraded to a 3900x. I now give 3 to applications and 9 cores for my VM’s. I chose not to install a microSD card at first, as I planned to use the Reolink NVR. However, within the NVR, not all the functionality is available like the other cameras. For example, the NVR doesn’t seem to tag the motion detection as human or vehicles.Time-lapse videos: The camera allows you to create beautiful time-lapse videos in 4K and share them with your friends on social media. Physically the cameras are nearly identical with the exception of the antennas for the wireless version as well as power delivery. I personally would never use the wireless version and in all cases recommend the PoE version. The optical zoom capability is the main difference between the RLC-823A 16X and the standard RLC-823A. The RLC-823A 16X has a 16X optical zoom, while the RLC-823A has a 5X optical zoom.

You’ll also get a waterproof lid that protects the cable from rain and snow. How does the RLC-823A work? Users can view live footage, control the pan and tilt features, and set up person and vehicle detection. Therefore, the low light footage is a bit hit or miss and will depend on your placement and specific needs. Advanced recording capabilities: The Reolink 823A can be set to record 24/7 or only when motion is detected. Choose the first option for high-traffic areas and the second option for low-risk areas around your home or office. The camera also supports scheduled recording. The 16x optical zoom will obviously make this outclass cameras with a lower zoom, but I can’t understate how impressive it is when you zoom in on something you can barely see with your own eyes.

This camera boasts a waterproof feature, ensuring its durability and functionality in diverse weather conditions. It has been certified with an International Protection (IP) code of IP66, signifying its ability to withstand dust and powerful water jets from any angle. Patrol is spotty occasionally. If you plan to watch this away from home on a tablet or your phone, be prepared to see freezing frames and lag occasionally. Movement takes a lot bandwidth when not connected to the same internet.