AMLINK ALN-4216E 16-Channel PoE Network Video Recorder
No videos are available for this product yet.
Customer photos & videos
From 7 customers
Customer
★★★★★
Easy camera setup with useful AI search and plenty of local storage
I wanted a central recorder that would let me keep all my security footage locally rather than relying on a cloud subscription, while still giving me room to expand the camera system later. Setup with my AMLINK cameras was straightforward, and everything connected and started recording without much fuss or too much noise.
The human and vehicle detection has been useful. Instead of going through every motion event to find when someone walked past or a car pulled up, I can narrow things down much faster. With multiple cameras recording, that saves a surprising amount of time.
One pleasant surprise was the hardware itself. My unit arrived with 16 physical PoE ports rather than the eight stated in the listing. It also has two SATA bays inside, although it doesn't include a hard drive, so you'll need to add your own storage. I especially like having the recordings on my own drive rather than needing an ongoing cloud subscription. H.265 compression also helps make better use of that storage when recording continuously.
The unit itself is affordably priced, compact, neatly laid out, and has integrated well into my security setup. With straightforward camera connections, useful AI detection, and the ability to keep a substantial amount of footage locally, it does what I wanted from a central recorder without adding another monthly service.
R
Richard
★★★★★
Decent NVR
I am very familiar with NVRs and cameras. I currently use two different 8-Port NVRs with my cameras. NVRs are about eight years old. They have always worked great with my ONVIF compliant cameras. However. managing two NVRs was a bit inconvenient, so, this 16-Port Amlink NVR was a great opportunity to consolidate.
Here is a rundown:
- No HDMI cable in the box. Use your own.
- I installed two 2TB drives (purple). They were detected and work fine.
- NVR and fan are quiet.
- The three LEDs on the NVR front panel do not light up. Checked the cables, and they seemed OK.
- Attached twelve 4K cameras to the NVR (10 are ONVIF compliant and two are AMLINK 4K cameras).
- All cameras were detected and successfully logged in (each camera received it DHCP IP address).
- Live view was showing all cameras at 4K. - All good so far.
- I use both the NVR and the NVR's web browser (via Windows).
- NVR and cameras are all at the latest firmware.
- Very easy to use and understand the NVR menu system.
- Noticed that each camera was in continuous record mode. (i.e. 24x7). Was able to correct this by going into the STORAGE tab and setting the recording schedule to EXENT ONLY. This worked fine.
- However, one of the cameras would still continuously record 24x7. Tried everything possible to stop that. Ended up replacing the camera with a different ONVIF compliant camera.
Everything has so far worked as expected other than the items mentioned above.
Some of the NVR problems I see:
- Pre-Record setting does not appear to work. It defaults to four seconds, however, when I look at video playback, it's at most one second. I then change the NVR pre-record setting to ten seconds, but still no change. I really need for Pre-Record to work. Very important function. I never had any issues with pre-record with my two previous NVRs.
- Sometimes when I change the NVR to full screen for a selected camera, it only displays a black screen.
- Sometimes when I do a video playback on the NVR, for a selected camera, it only displays a black screen.
- On most occasions, a NVR power-cycle fixes the issue, but black screen comes back later on.
- When I enable audio for a camera (on the NVR live view screen), I get a popup message stating "Operation Failed". Sometimes I then reboot the NVR and/or camera, and audio starts to work. But issue later returns again. Has even happened on the fully supported AMLINK 4K cameras. I never had any audio problems with my two previous NVRs. Audio always worked.
- All the features of motion detection (HVD) work as expected with my two AMLINK cameras.
- For my other non-Amlink cameras, you will not see full compatibility with most features other than standard motion detection. Thus, the NVR will not show advanced functions on the NVR screen. This is normal for any NVR connected to ONVIF compliant cameras. To get around this, I connect my laptop to the NVR, then, then use the browser to launch the camera's web server (i.e. graphical user interface). From the camera browser, I can configure any camera item, such as the LED intensity, I/R schedule, AI features..etc). These are all transparent to the NVR. Works fine.
- If you are going to use this NVR, I would suggest you use a fully supported Amlink camera so that you don't have to worry about compatibility / ONVIF.
- If you use the NVR Web Browser (Windows), be sure to also download the Amlink Viewer application or else the browser will not work properly.
The cost / price is reasonable, but you will also need to install your own harddrives, which adds cost to the NVR.
Overall, this is a good NVR, but the issues noted above can cause a challenges for the average user. All the other features appear to work fine. I have reached out to the seller regarding the the front panel LEDs. They are working with me to resolve this as well as all other issues. I have confidence in a resolution.
Miraje
★★★★★
Solid NVR
This seems like a solid buy so far. I am still getting familiar with all of the settings and features, but the system feels well made and offers plenty of room to expand a security camera setup.
I like that it supports up to 16 IP cameras and includes eight PoE ports, which helps simplify installation by carrying power and video through the same cable. The human and vehicle detection features are also useful for reducing unnecessary motion alerts. It supports high-resolution cameras and allows a large hard drive to be added for plenty of recording storage.
Pros:
* Solid, well-made unit
* Supports up to 16 IP cameras
* Eight built-in PoE ports
* Human and vehicle detection
* Supports cameras up to 12MP
* Expandable storage up to 20TB
* Good option for a larger security system
* Plenty of features for the price
Cons:
* Hard drive is not included
* There is a learning curve when first setting everything up
Overall, this appears to be a capable and expandable NVR with useful AI detection features and support for a large number of cameras. I am still learning everything it can do, but so far it feels like a solid purchase.
J
john casey
★★★★★
Top-Tier Security and Flawless AI Detection!
This AMLINK 12MP 16-Channel NVR deserves a solid 5 stars for its incredible performance, crisp resolution, and smart AI tracking. It handles high-resolution cameras flawlessly, making it a massive upgrade for any security setup.
Here is what stands out:
Advanced AI Detection: The human and vehicle detection features work perfectly, cutting out annoying false alerts from wind or shadows.
Plug-and-Play PoE: The 8-port built-in PoE makes setup incredibly easy, powering the cameras directly through the ethernet cables.
Massive Storage Capacity: Supporting up to a 20TB hard drive gives plenty of room for continuous, high-definition recording without constant overwriting.
Patricia Elder
★★★★★
Great
I’m super happy with this network video recorder. The casing feels durable and it stays pretty quiet while running. Setting up the system was super easy and I didn’t run into any issues getting my network connected. It is compatible with my wired IP security cameras. Having 16 channels gives me plenty of room to add extra cameras later without needing another unit. Good security. Overall, it functions great!!! Great value in my opinion.
MOCTODNOZAMA
★★★★★
Excellent 4k NVR, must bring your own POE cameras and hard drive...
THE GOOD:
--------------
* Excellent modern 4K NVR supports HDs up to 20 tb.
* Supports up to sixteen 12mp cameras.
* AI features human and vehicle detection, as well as tripwire and intrusion.
* There are 8 POE ports.
* NVR uses h.265 compression allowing you to store more data.
* Utilizes the amplink pro app.
* Professional retail box, so it's very giftable.
THE BAD:
-----------
* Nothing at all, 5-Stars.
S
Skippitydooda
★★★★★
Nice addition for home security.
I ordered this to have a wired system in addition to my wireless system. I had a variety of PoE IP cameras for different locations that were all compatible with this recorder. Set-up was fairly simple using the AMLINK PRO app for full control of your system. The picture is crystal clear; connectivity has been reliable with multiple features for your personal preference (tripwire, intrusion, human/vehicle detection). Complies with the National Defense Authorization Act for a secure connection and supports storage to a hard drive up to 20TB that is not included. I really like knowing recorded footage is secured on my own storage drive under my control. Well priced for building or adding to your existing security system. Highly recommend.
