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Vivotek SD9394-EHL
PTZ Camera with 8.3MP (3840×2160) resolution, 64° field of view, and 0m IR night vision range.
SPECIFICATIONS · SD9394-EHL
Specifications
About the Vivotek SD9394-EHL
The Vivotek SD9394-EHL is a motorized PTZ chassis ideal for large open spaces — parking lots, stadiums, airports, and city surveillance. At 8MP the camera covers more area per device while preserving enough pixels-per-meter for legal evidence quality at typical installation distances. There is no built-in IR illuminator on this model, so it depends entirely on ambient light. In dark environments, pair it with external IR floods or white-light illuminators. A standard 50–80° horizontal FOV mimics how a person sees a scene and works well for general-purpose monitoring of rooms, parking spaces, and perimeter walls without distortion.
Best use cases for this camera
Large area patrol & target tracking
PTZ control enables operator-initiated tracking of suspicious activity, scheduled tours of preset positions overnight, and forensic zoom into recorded footage. Best paired with a wide-angle "overview" camera that triggers the PTZ via analytics.
Strengths
- •8.3MP sensor preserves detail under digital zoom on recorded footage
- •PTZ control enables operator-driven tracking and pre-set tours
Considerations
- •No built-in IR — requires external illumination for night use
- •PTZ cameras only see one direction at a time — pair with a fixed overview camera to avoid blind spots
- •Higher resolution increases storage and bandwidth requirements proportionally — verify NVR capacity
Coverage at Different Distances
| Distance | Coverage Width | Coverage Area | Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5m | 6.2m | 31 m² | Entrance, corridor |
| 10m | 12.5m | 125 m² | Room, retail aisle |
| 15m | 18.7m | 281 m² | Warehouse, parking row |
| 20m | 25.0m | 500 m² | Parking row, courtyard |
| 30m | 37.5m | 1125 m² | Parking lot, yard |
| 50m | 62.5m | 3124 m² | Perimeter, large area |
Field of View Visualization
Night Vision Performance
Daytime
Full 8.3MP (3840×2160) resolution at 64° field of view. Effective identification range up to 100m in good lighting conditions.
Nighttime (IR)
Built-in IR LEDs illuminate up to 0m in complete darkness. Switches to B/W mode for clear night footage.
Installation tips for the SD9394-EHL
Mount above 4 m on a rigid pole or wall bracket — PTZ vibrations are amplified at low mounting heights and degrade image quality during pan operations.
Plan storage at roughly 33 GB per camera per day for continuous H.265 recording at 15fps — verify NVR has sufficient HDD bay capacity.
Coverage geometry & DORI distances
At a 5-metre standoff the Vivotek SD9394-EHL covers about 6.2 m of scene width; at 10 m that grows to 12.5 m, and at 20 m to 25.0 m. Translating those numbers through EN 62676-4 pixel-density thresholds, the camera can detect a person up to 123 m, observe up to 49 m, recognise up to 25 m, and produce identification-grade detail (the ≥250 px/m bar used by Polish and EU courts as evidentiary) up to 12 m. Effective range above the identify threshold relies on supplementary lighting or a longer-focal-length optic — the geometry above assumes the 6.5-212mm lens declared by the manufacturer.
Power & cabling
The Vivotek SD9394-EHL draws an estimated 30.0 W under typical load (with the IR illuminator engaged where applicable), placing it in the 802.3at (Class 4, ≤30 W) budget. A single switch port supplies enough power without an injector. Cabling: stick to Cat6 STP for runs up to 100 m end-to-end — beyond that, add an inline PoE extender or move to fibre with a media converter at the camera end. On outdoor runs, route through ø25 PVC or PE conduit to keep the cable shielded from UV and rodents.
Privacy & legal (GDPR / RODO)
Any camera operating in a publicly accessible area falls under GDPR (RODO in Poland) — Art. 13 obliges the data controller to post an information sign at every entry point with controller name, DPO contact, lawful basis (typically Art. 6(1)(f) legitimate interest for property protection), purpose, and retention period. The Vivotek SD9394-EHL's PTZ pan range can sweep into neighbouring properties or public roads; document allowed pan limits in the installation record and configure privacy masks (see Vivotek's web-UI under "Privacy Mask") for any window or doorway you cannot legally surveil.
Installer time & cost (rough estimate)
A typical EU installer quotes 5–6 h of labour per ptz camera of this class (approximately €225–€275 excluding hardware), broken down as bracket mounting, cable termination at both ends, on-site commissioning, and a brief operator handover. Allow extra time for high mounts (>4 m), exterior installations requiring scaffolding, or sites where cable routing demands wall penetrations or conduit work.
Indicative EU 2024-2025 pricing — actual quotes vary by region, mounting height, and site conditions. Excludes hardware, transport, permits, and VAT.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Vivotek SD9394-EHL suitable for outdoor installation?
Vivotek PTZ models are generally designed for outdoor use with IP66 ingress rating and -30°C to +60°C operating range. Mount on a rigid pole at ≥ 4 m to dampen wind-driven vibration that would degrade the live image during pan operations.
What PoE class powers the Vivotek SD9394-EHL?
The camera draws roughly 30.0 W in steady-state operation, requiring a 802.3at (Class 4, ≤30 W) switch port. A single Cat6 STP cable carries both data and power up to 100 m — beyond that, add an inline extender or convert to fibre near the camera.
How much storage does the Vivotek SD9394-EHL consume per day?
At 8.3MP (3840×2160) resolution, 15 fps H.265 continuous recording, the SD9394-EHL produces approximately 33 GB per day — about 990 GB per month. Motion-only or event-triggered recording typically cuts that by 40–70 % depending on scene activity. Plan NVR HDD capacity for the longest retention period required by your privacy policy or insurance contract.
Up to what distance can the Vivotek SD9394-EHL identify a person?
Per EN 62676-4:2025 pixel-density thresholds, this camera identifies (≥ 250 px/m on the target) up to about 12 m, recognises a person up to 25 m, observes general activity up to 49 m, and detects motion up to 123 m. Identification distance assumes daylight or full IR illumination on the target — at the limits of the IR cone the effective identify distance shrinks roughly 30 %.
What network bandwidth does Vivotek SD9394-EHL use?
Typical ingest is 12 Mbps for the main stream (H.265, medium scene complexity, 15 fps) plus ~0.5 Mbps for a low-resolution sub-stream used by mobile clients. For a 16-camera installation of this class, plan a 50–100 Mbps NVR uplink and a dedicated VLAN for camera traffic.
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