Dahua
Chinese IP cameras and NVR — cost-effective CCTV with HTTP alarm output for KNX building automation integration.
Dahua Technology (Hangzhou, China — founded 2001) is the world's second-largest IP camera manufacturer after Hikvision, with strong presence in European residential and small commercial CCTV markets. European products carry CE marking, are ONVIF Profile S/G/T compliant, and include AI analytics features under the Wizsense and IVS branding. For KNX integrators, Dahua cameras are integrated via two paths: (1) HTTP URL trigger — cameras send an HTTP GET request to a configured URL on detection events (motion, SMD Plus person/vehicle, IVS tripwire, intrusion detection); Home Assistant receives via webhook and writes to KNX group addresses; (2) Physical alarm output — cameras with I/O terminals provide a dry contact relay output on alarm, wired directly to KNX binary input modules. Dahua does not expose Modbus or BACnet — HTTP trigger and physical I/O are the only integration paths. ONVIF Profile S/T is supported for NVR and VMS interoperability but ONVIF events are less reliable than Dahua's native CGI/HTTP trigger for HA integration.
Role in our panels
How we use Dahua
Dahua's product lineup relevant for KNX projects covers several categories. Fixed eyeball and bullet cameras: IPC-HDW3549H-AS-PV (5MP full-colour, built-in mic/speaker for active deterrence), IPC-HFW4849S-SE-LED (8MP ColorVu with 60m colour night vision). PTZ: SD49425XB-HNR (4MP 25× optical zoom, AI deterrence). NVR: DHI-NVR5432-EI (32-channel, 4K AI NVR). Multi-sensor: IPC-HUM8401P-E2 (4×4MP 180° panoramic). AI features marketed under Wizsense: SMD Plus (Smart Motion Detection) filters motion events for person or vehicle classification, eliminating false triggers from animals, wind-blown vegetation or headlights — critical for reliable HTTP trigger → KNX automation without nuisance activations. Perimeter Protection adds tripwire and intrusion zone detection with person/vehicle classification. Facial recognition is available on higher-end IPC and NVR models but faces GDPR data subject consent requirements in EU deployments. The Dahua CGI HTTP API is comparable to Hikvision's ISAPI in feature scope; both are less formally documented than Axis VAPIX, but the HTTP URL alarm trigger path is straightforward and stable across Dahua firmware generations.
No native KNX protocol in Dahua hardware — integration is always via HTTP trigger or physical I/O. Panel design for Dahua CCTV with KNX: cameras on a dedicated security VLAN (separate from KNX IP router subnet and IoT subnet), powered by panel-mounted PoE switch (unmanaged or managed, 802.3af/at per camera power budget). Dahua IPC-HDW3549H-AS-PV: 7W PoE consumption, 802.3af compliant. IPC-HFW4849S-SE-LED: 12W, 802.3at required. HTTP trigger path: Dahua camera web interface → Alarm → Motion Detection (or IVS Event) → HTTP Upload → URL = http://[HA-IP]:8123/api/webhook/[webhook-id] (GET or POST, configurable). HA webhook automation: trigger on webhook → KNX write binary 1 to group address; companion time-delayed automation: wait 60s → KNX write binary 0. For physical I/O path: Dahua cameras with alarm output terminal (e.g., IPC-HDW3549H alarm I/O terminal block) → 2-core wire → MDT STC-0416.02 KNX binary input module (floating input, NO contact) → KNX group address. Active deterrence via HTTP API: Dahua IPC-HDW3549H has built-in speaker and white light strobes — KNX logic (e.g., Gira HomeServer logic block) sends HTTP GET to camera CGI endpoint to trigger audio deterrence when a KNX alarm condition is detected (e.g., Ajax alarm zone active AND camera SMD person detection on same zone).
Used in these project types
Dahua products
Key components we install
Dahua 5MP Full-Colour Eyeball with Active Deterrence
5MP full-colour fixed eyeball camera (F1.0 aperture for colour night vision without IR), built-in microphone and speaker for active deterrence (plays alarm tones or custom audio via CGI API), SMD Plus person/vehicle detection, 2.8mm fixed lens, IP67, IK08, 802.3af PoE. HTTP URL alarm trigger configurable per detection rule. Alarm I/O terminal: 1 input, 1 output (relay, max 1A/30VDC). For KNX perimeter: HTTP trigger → HA → KNX garden lights or KNX alarm zone; or relay output → KNX binary input. KNX can also trigger active deterrence tone via Dahua CGI HTTP API.
Dahua 8MP ColorVu Night Colour Bullet
8MP (3840×2160) bullet camera with full-colour night vision to 60m using warm white LED illuminators (no IR). SMD Plus person/vehicle detection. 4mm fixed lens. IP67, IK10. 802.3at PoE+ (12W). HTTP URL trigger for SMD Plus events. No alarm I/O terminal on this model — HTTP trigger is the only alarm output path. For high-resolution recording of entrance areas, parking or loading docks. ONVIF Profile S/T for DIVAR or third-party NVR recording. Colour night video eliminates the need for external lighting at recording locations.
Dahua 4MP 25× Optical Zoom PTZ
4MP PTZ with 25× optical zoom (4.8-120mm), AI active deterrence (white light + siren), Wizsense SMD Plus and Perimeter Protection analytics, HDMI direct output for local monitor, 802.3at PoE+. HTTP URL alarm trigger. ONVIF. Auto-tracking on person or vehicle detection. For large perimeters: PTZ covers large area with one camera, auto-tracks intruder, HTTP trigger → HA → KNX alarm zone + lights. Also used in hotel entrances or industrial yards where operator can use HDMI output for local security desk monitor.
Dahua 32-Channel 4K AI NVR
32-channel NVR, 4K display output, H.265+ and H.264 recording, 4× HDD bays (max 32TB), onboard AI for face detection and SMD Plus without requiring AI-capable cameras. ONVIF Profile S/G. Alarm relay output (1× dry contact): configurable per NVR alarm rule or motion detection event → wired to KNX binary input module for physical alarm bridging independent of HA. Supports Dahua DMSS and DSS Pro VMS integration. For residential and small commercial: DHI-NVR5432-EI provides centralised recording and AI analytics for up to 32 Dahua IPC cameras.
Dahua Multi-Sensor Panoramic 4×4MP
Panoramic camera with 4 independent 4MP sensors, 180° combined field of view. SMD Plus person/vehicle per sensor channel. HTTP URL trigger per sensor channel or combined. ONVIF. For wide-area coverage with a single IP and PoE connection: retail entrance person counting, corridor end-to-end coverage, building perimeter without PTZ gaps. ONVIF analytics stream supports Milestone or Genetec VMS for professional operator monitoring. HTTP trigger per sensor → HA → KNX zone binary for multi-zone detection from single camera unit.
Dahua FAQ
How does a Dahua camera trigger a KNX group address?
The integration path is: Dahua camera → HTTP URL trigger → Home Assistant webhook → KNX group address write. In the Dahua camera web interface: navigate to Alarm → Motion Detection (or IVS → Intrusion Detection for SMD Plus rules) → enable HTTP Upload → set URL to http://[homeassistant-ip]:8123/api/webhook/[your-webhook-id] (Dahua supports GET and POST; HA webhook accepts either). In Home Assistant: create an automation with trigger type Webhook with matching webhook ID → action: call service knx.send with address and payload (true = binary 1, false = binary 0). A companion automation with a time delay resets the KNX group address to 0 after the desired hold time (e.g., 60 seconds). For SMD Plus events (person or vehicle only, suppressing animal/environmental false triggers): use IVS → Intrusion Detection or Tripwire rule instead of generic motion detection, and configure the HTTP Upload on the IVS rule, not the motion detection alarm. On cameras without alarm I/O: HTTP trigger is the only path. On cameras with alarm I/O terminal (IPC-HDW3549H): alternatively, wire relay output → MDT STC-0416.02 KNX binary input module floating input terminal → KNX group address — this hardware path functions independently of HA availability.
Is Dahua GDPR compliant for European installations?
Dahua CE-marked cameras satisfy EU hardware requirements: video encryption (TLS for RTSP/HTTP), user authentication with mandatory password change on first login, no default open admin password since firmware 2.800+. From a hardware and firmware standpoint, Dahua cameras can be configured to EU data protection standards. GDPR compliance obligations — storage location (must be within EU or adequately protected third country), retention period limits, data subject access rights, privacy impact assessment for biometric data — are the responsibility of the building owner as data controller, not the camera manufacturer. Facial recognition features: in EU public spaces and employment contexts, facial recognition processing faces strict legal basis requirements under GDPR and AI Act; restrict to private access control use cases with explicit consent documentation. Procurement restrictions: several EU member states and EU institutions have procurement guidelines restricting Hikvision and Dahua in high-security public sector contexts (classified facilities, police, military). For EU government, healthcare or critical infrastructure projects: verify applicable national procurement rules before specifying Dahua. For private residential and commercial non-public-sector projects: no general EU-wide procurement restriction applies.
How does Dahua compare to Hikvision for KNX integration?
Technical integration capability is comparable. Both Dahua and Hikvision use HTTP URL triggers (Dahua CGI API, Hikvision ISAPI) to send alarm events to external URLs, both support ONVIF Profile S/T, and both have AI analytics for person/vehicle classification (Dahua SMD Plus, Hikvision AcuSense). The HTTP trigger → HA webhook → KNX group address path works identically with either brand. Documentation: Hikvision ISAPI is more extensively documented in the public developer portal; Dahua CGI API documentation is available via Dahua partner portal and community resources — both are sufficient for HTTP trigger configuration. For professional KNX projects where camera integration is a primary integration point (not just CCTV recording): Axis (Gothenburg, Sweden) is the premium alternative — ACAP edge analytics platform, VAPIX API with full documentation, superior long-term firmware support, and preferred by EU government and enterprise procurement. Axis cameras are significantly more expensive (2-4× per camera) but offer ACAP applications (people counting, crowd density, license plate recognition) running on-camera without an NVR. For cost-effective CCTV where the KNX integration is secondary to recording and deterrence: Dahua and Hikvision are equivalent choices; select based on existing installer familiarity, distributor terms and specific camera model features.
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