Many apartment owners, private households, and small businesses are looking for affordable yet reliable security solutions. One such device is the Hikvision DS-E04NI-Q1 – a compact NVR (Network Video Recorder) for 4 IP cameras that combines easy setup, an intuitive menu, and the possibility of flexible scaling.

Why Hikvision

When I was choosing an NVR, my main criteria were not only technical specifications but also practical aspects.

First of all — compact size. Most video recorders take up a lot of space and look like mini-computers, but the Hikvision DS-E04NI-Q1 stands out with its very small case. Its dimensions are 265 × 225 × 45 mm, which means it easily fits into a narrow niche or on a shelf next to the router. This was important for me since I had already planned a mounting box for low-voltage equipment during my apartment renovation.

The second factor was SSD support. I immediately decided to use a solid-state drive instead of a traditional HDD. This NVR comes with a built-in 1TB SSD, which is enough for many hours of recording. Thanks to the absence of active cooling and the SSD itself, the device operates completely silently.

The third important point was the price. This is not exactly a budget model — its cost is about $150–180, which is roughly twice as expensive as entry-level recorders. However, in my opinion, the price is fair for what it offers. For home use or a small office, there is no reason to overpay for “professional” solutions, and buying outdated models makes little sense. Against the background of other options, this NVR looked like the most optimal choice.

In the end, it was precisely the combination of these three factors — compact size, fair price, and SSD support — that became the decisive argument in favor of purchasing the Hikvision DS-E04NI-Q1.

First Impressions

Even before powering it on, the device leaves a good impression with its packaging. Inside the box you will find everything necessary to get started:

• The NVR itself
• A 12V power adapter
• A mouse for menu navigation
• An Ethernet cable
• A user manual

Everything is packed neatly and logically, showing the manufacturer’s attention to detail.

Hikvision DS-E04NI-Q1 – package

Hikvision DS-E04NI-Q1 – charger

Hikvision DS-E04NI-Q1 – mouse

Hikvision DS-E04NI-Q1 – ethernet

Hikvision DS-E04NI-Q1 – user manual

The case of the recorder is compact and minimalistic, designed in a classic style without unnecessary elements. On the front panel, there are several LED indicators that allow you to instantly check the device status: whether it’s powered on, recording, or connected to the network.

Hikvision DS-E04NI-Q1 – top

Hikvision DS-E04NI-Q1 – front

Hikvision DS-E04NI-Q1 – back

On the back side, there are also only the essential ports — Ethernet for connecting to a router or switch, HDMI for connecting a monitor, two USB ports for the mouse and another device, and a 12V power connector.

Thanks to its small size, the NVR can be placed next to the router, on a shelf, or even hidden in a cabinet so that it doesn’t attract attention.

Features and Usage

The DS-E04NI-Q1 is designed to work with four IP cameras, which is more than enough for a small apartment or house. It supports modern video compression formats, allowing recordings to take up less disk space while maintaining good image quality.

What’s especially convenient is that the user can choose how to interact with the recorder. It can be connected to a monitor and controlled directly with a mouse, or configured through the mobile Hik-Connect app. This is very practical since it allows you to view live video or playback recordings even when you are far from home.

Setup

When I first connected the NVR, it automatically obtained an IP address. I just had to check it and open the settings page in a browser. During the initial setup, the system requires user initialization: creating a password and setting up recovery methods in case the password is lost.

Hikvision access password

Hikvision channel password

Hikvision restore password

I assumed the camera was already configured, so the following steps focused only on the NVR. At this stage, I needed to add the camera. For convenience, I used the Hikvision IVMS-4200 software.

After launching the program, you go to the Device Management section to add both the NVR and the camera. In the “Devices” menu, all supported devices in the local network are displayed automatically. You simply need to add the NVR by entering the login and password you set earlier.

Then you add the camera as well.

Once both devices show an “online” status, you can proceed to the next step: linking the camera to the recorder. In the Devices menu, under the Operation column, click the settings icon and open Basic Settings. This opens the web interface of the NVR.

To add the camera, go to the System menu, then Camera Management, and select Quick Add. The NVR will automatically find the camera, and all you need to do is confirm by clicking OK.

Now the camera is connected. The next step is to configure the recording type. In my case, I chose 24/7 recording triggered only by motion detection. This is configured under the Storage menu, in the Schedule Settings submenu. There you select the camera (in my case, only one — Camera 01), enable recording, and set “Motion” as the event type, applying it across the 24-hour timeline. Once saved, the schedule is ready.

Other parameters, such as image quality and detailed camera settings, are configured directly in the camera, so I won’t cover them in this article. But feel free to leave a comment if you have questions — I’ll be glad to help.

Conclusion

The Hikvision DS-E04NI-Q1 is a simple and reliable NVR that is perfectly suited for home use or small business applications. Its main strength lies in the balance between price and functionality. You get a device that is easy to set up, convenient to use, and capable of ensuring your security on a daily basis.

Connection Dahua IP camera to a router with a video recorder function Ubiquiti UCG‑Max is a great way to integrate an existing video surveillance system into the ecosystem UniFi Protect, without spending money on a complete replacement of equipment. And although previously only Ubiquiti cameras were supported, now the situation has changed.

Support Third‑Party Cameras (ONVIF-compatible cameras) c UniFi Protect appeared relatively recently – it was introduced in version 5.0 Protect, the release of which was announced in October 2024 year The successful addition of third-party cameras to UniFi Protect has been officially confirmed in the Community Release version UniFi Protect 5.0.33, where support for receiving ONVIF cameras has already appeared.

To configure, you must perform the following sequence of actions:

• Dahua camera settings
• Activation of UniFi Protect
• Adding a camera

I will start sequentially with screenshots.

Dahua camera settings

I have one of the budget cameras Dahua DH-IPC-HDW1230T1-S5, I used to use a software video recorder that was installed on my Raspberry Pi. But after purchasing a new router, I decided to migrate to a built-in solution UniFi Protect.

Camera firmware

You need to select an item System -> Upgrade -> Manual check. In my case, the firmware was updated recently, in June 2025, which indicates that the camera is still being supported.

ONVIF activation

This option is included in the section Network -> Access Platform -> ONVIF -> Authentication -> ON -> Save

For authentication, you need to create an ONVIF user System -> Account -> ONVIF User. Here you can either create a new user or edit an existing one.

Date and time

I thought this setting was not important, but I decided to follow the recommendations. To do this, I selected the System -> General -> Date&Time menu and checked that all my settings correspond to the necessary ones and the time is displayed correctly.

This preliminarily completes the camera setup.

Activation of UniFi Protect

By default, UniFi Protect is not activated. To activate it, you need to go to the section Settings -> Console Plane and in the list of additional services opposite Protect to press Install and wait for the installation to complete.

Installation took about 5 minutes. The latest version at that time was displayed in the list UniFi Protect 6.0.53. An additional tab appeared in the upper panel – Protect, let’s go to it. A feature video has been played in the Dashboard section UniFi Protect and a link to the setup guide. It looks touching!

Adding a camera

To activate cameras from other manufacturers, you need to go to the section Settings -> System ->Advanced and put a check mark opposite Discover 3rd-Party Cameras.

After applying the changes, you need to go to the Unifi Devices menu and my Dahua DH-IPC-HDW1230T1-S5 camera will automatically appear in the list. In order for it to be added, you just need to click on the Click to Adopt link.

A window will open, where you need to enter the login and password for the camera, and click on the confirmation button – Confirm.

Almost instantly, the camera will connect and you can see its status. After the camera has already been added, you can go to the main Dashboard page and see the general information.

Advantages and disadvantages of UniFi Protect

Here we are talking about cameras with ONVIF support, i.e. from third-party manufacturers, like mine – Dahua DH-IPC-HDW1230T1-S5. I have a little experience working with video surveillance cameras, starting with Dahua and Hikvision complexes and with software solutions such as NX Witness. Since I only have one camera, I decided to describe exactly the criteria that led me to try Ubiquiti UniFi Protect.

I bought a router Ubiquiti UCG-Max in order to additionally receive a modern, powerful video recorder with a memory capacity of 512 GB. That is, I was counting on a 2-in-1 device. In general, my expectations were met, because the ecosystem Ubiquitii like I considered the criterion of economy and rationality of using one device instead of two. If you paint it by points, it looks like in comparison Ubiquiti UCG-Max and Ubiquiti UXG-Lite + Hikvision DS-E08NL-Q1 So:

• The price of these sets is almost the same
• Size UCG-Max smaller than a router + video recorder

Unfortunately about disadvantages I found out today while setting up and writing this article. Through a single ecosystem Ubiquitidecided to limit not only proprietary functions such as artificial intelligence for recognizing faces and license plates, but also completely banal unremarkable functions, at least this the absence of the possibility of recording by movement or event this sucks for me, because no one is going to watch 100 hours of video in one stream, it’s very inconvenient!

Conclusion

Adding third-party IP cameras, including Dahua, to Ubiquiti UCG-Max with UniFi Protect is a real opportunity to build a unified video surveillance system based on existing equipment. However, there are limitations to consider: you only get basic 24/7 or scheduled video recording, without full integration of “smart” camera features. This solution is ideal for those who want to centralize the archive and remote access, but do not count on deep analytics in Protect, but definitely not for me!

I will buy a budget camera for this solution UbiquitiG5 Turret Ultra which costs $129, and has basic functionality in the form of a regular one motion or event recording, which suits me perfectly. Otherwise I will be forced to sell Ubiquiti UCG-Max and buy a budget router and a portable video recorder separately.