Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

This is the first segment of what I intend to be a long line of updated reviews regarding this NVR. First off, it was shipped to Alaska, arrived undamaged and packaged very well. Everything I was going to need was included and is working correctly. Upon setting up, there were "odd" and specific instructions. 1. Plug power into the unit (this was highlighted and stated NOT to connect the router, cameras, HDMI, etc. 2. Plug in Cameras 3. Plug NVR into Router 4. Attach HDMI cable I felt their emphasis was odd, or that it needed to be that specific. On initial setup, I could not locate "uppercase" option. This isn't available on the "on-screen key pad", but is instead in the field you are using the onscreen keypad to enter. On the right side of the entry field. Click it with the mouse to cycle through Lower case/ Upper case / Numbers. The selection of "special characters" is limited to just a few. This list isn't inclusive, but included overly used selection such as: !#$-. I don't use these characters, so this made for a complication. Especially when setting up my email settings. More on this later. Once this was all set up and working initially, I assigned an IP address and then went to the computer to simplify the remaining install and configuration. All in all, the NVR (on the TV), the App and the computer interface all work easily enough to configure the NVR. I used my computer to establish the email (created a special/specific email to send emails from, makes them easier to identify and can configure my phone to use a different "ring tone" when I receive notifications). No where, absolutely NO WHERE in my hours of searching did I find a password limitation for the email settings. It was merely by accident did I notice that my default password was 1 character too long. I already had to modify my password configuration because of the limited characters available with the NVR, now after hours of troubleshooting my lack of email notifications I stumbled upon that the system was only accepting 11 of my 12 character password. Once I went to Gmail, changed my password to an 11 character password and then hit "test" on the NVR did everything work. Silly limitation and VERY easily to rectify if Reolink put that information on the email configuration page. For motion settings, I was SUPER happy to see there were hundreds of small squares on the screen and you can select a range that will be "watched" for change and then initiate an email as an alert. This is much better than the camera watching for a percentage change throughout the entire photo. In my instance, I was able to draw a small box around my entry door and the window next to the door. So, if our small pets walked around, they would not trigger an alarm, but if somebody broke the window or opened the door an alert would be initiated and a photo sent. EXCELLENT! Follow Up (3 Apr 2017) & in reply to "Later 2 U": In my instance, installing firmware: "HI3535_NVR_8IP_REOLINK_L300_1219_4210_1447.pak" my update was done via USB thumb drive directly plugged into the NVR. At that point, I was able to do the camera firmware update "remotely". I downloaded both versions of the updates (NVR & Cameras) to my computer. After the NVR Update, I was able to click "From Local" (for the Firmware upgrade for Cameras). At that point, I had already expanded the firmware files and just selected the specific file for the cameras. All done via the computer. Exactly the way that the entire system should operate. Another additional note! I would suggest backing up your settings, or doing the firmware update as the first step. I had to reconfigure everything (except the alert zones in the cameras). Significantly annoying. This isn't what normal consumer electronics function like (Routers, Computers, Etc.) A current HUGE annoyance I'm having. I CANNOT "play back" any videos on the computer. I can view playback on my Android phone via the app, directly via the NVR, but it is completely unable to view the playback. This is all on current versions of: IE 11: Version 11.0.8600.18617 Chrome: Version 57.0.2987.133 Fire Fox: Version 52 Additionally, the required file to run on both Chrome & FF will not download/install. Only on IE. This is a huge annoyance as I had intended to mount this NVR in a remote/hard to access location with out the monitor. Using my PC as the control point. This appears to be an unrealistic expectation. Although, frankly, it should be. I'm not "un happy" with this purchase, but it is lacking basic fundamentals that one would expect in 2017. 4/13/2017 Follow Up In my initial images I (have now realized) the entire screen is "red" when selecting a "alert" zone, and you can draw a box/rectangle, etc to select the area you want to record. I was incorrect in my assumption. Red=Record, not the other way I had. So, in my images, the areas I wanted as an alert area are clear (due to my mistake) and would not trigger "record" until the person/vehicle, etc. reached the checkered area. I have gone to set up a "schedule" for alerts because of the amount of alerts I was getting (also adjusted the sensitivity). I changed the alert areas and set up schedules for alerts but the NVR would NOT accept the changes. I tried and tried and tried. After a few hours I noticed some of the changes were taking affect. Upon further research I found that the software will only accept (it appears) one change at a time! You need to make the change, click "ok"(ie: save), then click the "X" to close that window, and then go back to "Motion" and start again. This is for EVERY setting, for EVERY camera. I hate to say this is stupid. but it is. Its seriously STUPID. These programmers need to take off their foil hats and come out of the bunker. Y2K all worked out.... I just purchased the RLC-423 PTZ camera (Their flagship), purchased directly from the Reolink site. This thing is built LIKE A TANK! Awesome speed, hugely robust and a very impressive unit. The software that came installed (unsure of version) was hugely buggy. The image (For my trial) orientation was not correct (I have the unit standing on the wall mount on a table) and was able to "flip" the image in the NVR settings. but ironically, not a single direction angle corresponded to the new orientation. Seriously? Foil hat again people.... Also, when I would try to elevate/lower the camera angle the camera would just spin around the axis. 360 deg, continuously in one direction. On that note, this camera only seems to spin in one direction. (Unconfirmed as of the date of this update). This camera also has zoom and focus adjustment. Even while using the NVR to control, via a 4' CAT6 patch, was significantly "laggy". Also, this gets really irritating when trying to make adjustments with the focus. One click doesn't really = much (its small adjustments). So then you click and hold for a moment and nothing... So you repeat the process and nothing. Repeat and WHAM! HUGE jump, out of focus the other direction... And now onto the Pan and Tilt functions... Just like the zoom, when making multiple clicks = crazy camera, in every directions. There really isn't any real sense to what this thing is doing. I'm giving it a little leeway just because I have acknowledged that even with the image flipped, the directions don't flip with the image. So, once its mounted (as shown on the MFG website, vs. vertically on a table top) I'll see if something makes more sense. Honestly, I don't expect greatness. The camera shouldn't care about its orientation. I have also installed the most current firmware prior to writing this update. While discussing cameras. They are all assigned (I believe by the NVR) IP Addresses. The cameras have a sticker on them (bottom, right where EVERYBODY can see the sticker, SN, User ID & PW). But, no where have I figured out how to use the PW or change the PW. I'm still happy. I'm still planning on purchasing the 16ch NVR and additional cameras. The issues with this PTZ camera, I'm (initially) willing to overlook because of what I'm going to be using it for. But, the software to adjust the camera is annoying to use. Directions don't equal the directions you will end up having the camera move. The ability to actually adjust the focus (and zoom) is nice. Its built like a tank and I'm excited to see how it holds up in the -50 (and colder) Interior Alaskan winters. Lastly, as one other reviewer stated, bugs LOVE these cameras. I've had to drop the sensitivity down significantly so I'm not flooded with emails in my inbox from the insects.