AcuSeek is Hikvision's AI video search. Instead of scrubbing through hours of footage, you type what you're looking for, like "white van" or "person walking a dog," and the recorder finds the matching clips in seconds.
Hikvision launched AcuSeek NVRs in June 2025. AcuSeek works best with cameras that already sort people from vehicles on their own, which is exactly what Hikvision's G3 cameras do.
Here's how it works, which AcuSeek NVRs and G3 cameras to pick, and how to add AcuSeek to a system you already have.
Search video the way you'd describe it
With a regular recorder, finding an incident means picking a camera, guessing a time window and scrubbing through footage. With AcuSeek, you describe what you're looking for in a few words, and the NVR returns matching clips and snapshots across your cameras.
Hikvision's own examples show the range:
- People: "person on a phone call," "person wearing a hat and black clothing," "child carrying a backpack"
- Vehicles: "white van," "black SUV with round headlights," scooters and motorcycles
- Objects and pets: wheeled suitcases, small carts, "person walking a dog"
For quick jobs, there are one-tap shortcuts: Find People, Find Vehicles and Find Pets. Nobody needs training to use it; if you can describe it, you can search for it.
Where you can use it
- On the NVR itself, at the recorder or through its interface.
- In Hik-Connect 6, Hikvision's mobile app, including voice search.
- In HikCentral Professional, for sites managed from a central platform.
What that means day to day
A property manager can find the white pickup that clipped the gate last Tuesday without watching the whole day. A warehouse can pull every clip of a person at the loading dock after hours. The time saved is the point: the footage was always there, and now it's quick to find.
The AcuSeek NVRs we carry
AcuSeek runs on Hikvision's VPro recorders. We carry two lines: the compact 1U K VPro, and the I VPro, which scales to 32 channels.
| Model | Channels | PoE ports | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| DS-7604NXI-K1/4P/VPro | 4 | 4 | K VPro |
| DS-7608NXI-K2/8P/VPro | 8 | 8 | K VPro |
| DS-7616NXI-K2/16P/VPro | 16 | 16 | K VPro |
| DS-7608NXI-I2/8P/VPro | 8 | 8 | I VPro |
| DS-7616NXI-I2/16P/VPro | 16 | 16 | I VPro |
| DS-7732NXI-I4/16P/VPro | 32 | 16 | I VPro |
How to choose
- Count your cameras, then size up. Six cameras today means an 8-channel recorder, so there's room for the camera you'll add next year.
- PoE ports are plug-and-play. Each PoE port powers one camera and carries its video over a single cable. The 32-channel model has 16 PoE ports, so the rest of the cameras connect through a PoE switch.
- K VPro for compact installs, I VPro to scale. The K VPro fits small sites and tight racks; go I VPro when the site is bigger or will grow past 16 cameras.
Not sure which fits? Email sales@noctoptics.com with your camera count and we'll size it for you.
G3 cameras and AcuSeek
What the G3 generation adds
- ColorVu 3.0 with Smart Hybrid Light. Infrared and white light in one camera, with AI image processing that cuts noise, so night footage stays clear and in colour when you need it.
- AcuSense 3.0. The camera itself tells people from vehicles, which cuts false alarms and feeds cleaner data to the recorder's search.
- Audio. Built-in dual microphones and two-way audio on models like the 8 MP turret.
- Deterrence. The /SL versions add a strobe light and an audible alarm to warn intruders off.
- Built for Canadian weather. The 8 MP turret is rated IP67, has a NEMA 4X anti-corrosion design, and operates down to −30 °C.
How G3 cameras pair with an AcuSeek NVR
AcuSeek's results are only as good as what the cameras pick up. On the VPro recorders, AcuSeek works with cameras that have AcuSense or Motion Detection 3.0, and Hikvision recommends higher-resolution AcuSense cameras, like the G3 series, for the most accurate searches. In practice: G3 cameras plus a VPro NVR is the full AcuSeek setup.
The G3 cameras we carry
| Type | Models |
|---|---|
| Turret | DS-2CD2347G3-LIS2UY/SL (4 MP), DS-2CD2387G3-LIS2UY/SL (8 MP) |
| Bullet | DS-2CD2T47G3-LIS2UY/SL (4 MP), DS-2CD2T87G3-LIS2UY/SL (8 MP) |
| Dome | DS-2CD2147G3-LI(S2U)Y (4 MP), DS-2CD2187G3-LI(S2U)Y (8 MP mini dome) |
| Varifocal bullet | DS-2CD2687G3T-LIZSY (8 MP, motorized zoom) |
| 180° panoramic | DS-2CD2387G3P-LIS2UY/SRB, DS-2CD23167G3P-LIS2UY/SL |
The turrets also come in /SRB versions.
Who gets the most out of AcuSeek
Anyone who regularly has to pull footage after something happens: property managers, condo boards, retailers, warehouses, parking lots and offices. If your staff spend time scrubbing video to answer "who was that?" or "when did that truck leave?", AcuSeek gives that time back.
Adding AcuSeek to a system you already have
You don't always need to start from scratch:
- Check your cameras. If they already have AcuSense, they may work with an AcuSeek NVR as they are.
- Swap the recorder. Replace the old NVR with a VPro model sized for your camera count.
- Upgrade where it counts. Put G3 cameras on entrances, gates and parking areas, where sharp detail and night colour make searches more accurate.
Send your camera list to sales@noctoptics.com and we'll tell you what you can keep and what's worth upgrading. Installers can open a dealer account for dealer pricing.
Can you still buy Hikvision in Canada?
Yes, if you're a private business, an installer working for private clients or a homeowner. A 2025 federal order closed Hikvision Canada and bars federal departments, agencies and Crown corporations from buying or using Hikvision products, but it doesn't apply to the private sector. Read Is Hikvision banned in Canada? for the full picture.
Frequently asked questions
What is Hikvision AcuSeek?
AcuSeek is Hikvision's AI video search. You type a short description, like "white van" or "person wearing a hat," and an AcuSeek NVR finds the matching footage in seconds.
Which Hikvision NVRs have AcuSeek?
The VPro recorders. We carry the K VPro line (4, 8 and 16 channels) and the I VPro line (8, 16 and 32 channels).
Do I need new cameras to use AcuSeek?
Not always. On the VPro recorders, AcuSeek works with cameras that have AcuSense or Motion Detection 3.0. For the most accurate searches, Hikvision recommends higher-resolution AcuSense cameras like the G3 series.
Can I use AcuSeek on my phone?
Yes. Hikvision added AcuSeek search to its Hik-Connect 6 app, including voice search, and to HikCentral Professional.
What's the difference between AcuSeek and AcuSense?
AcuSense is the camera telling people and vehicles apart. AcuSeek is the recorder letting you search all that footage by description. They work best together.
Can I buy AcuSeek NVRs and G3 cameras in Canada?
Yes, for private businesses, installers and homeowners. We ship them across Canada from Laval. Email sales@noctoptics.com for a quote, or open a dealer account for dealer pricing.