Some time ago, I installed HikCentral Lite, a lightweight version of HikCentral Professional, and it offers more features than iVMS 4200. This software can be installed on Windows devices. Unfortunately, for Mac users, HikCentral Lite isn’t available yet. So, I switched to Windows. Most CCTV camera software only runs on Windows. So, if you want to try out all the CCTV camera software, you’ll need a Windows computer.
This article will show you how to use HikCentral Lite on your PC, such as adding devices, viewing live camera footage, and playback.
What is HikCentral Lite?
HikCentral Lite is a simplified version of Hikvision’s video management system, HikCentral Professional. It’s designed for small- to medium-sized surveillance systems where users need basic yet reliable monitoring features. Also read the guide on how to download and install HikCentral Lite on PC.
It is commonly used for:
- Home security systems
- Small office CCTV setups
- Retail and store monitoring with 128 cameras.
HikCentral Lite Software Menu List
When I look at the dashboard, I see a huge list of menus. However, for a user like me, I probably only use a few of them, such as adding a device, viewing the live view, and playback.
The HikCentral Lite menu list includes:
Left Side
- HikCentral Lite
- Map
- Statistics
- Web Page
- Local File
- View
If you enable the access control option during installation, an additional menu will appear such as:
- Add Person
- Add Device
- Authorize Access Level
- Quick Lock/Unlock
Right Side
- Alarm
- Event
- Notifications
Top Side of the Software
- Tab
- Search
- System
- Enable Application Market
- Download Status
- Local PC Status
- Help
- User
- Lock/Unlock Client
- Minimize
- Expand
- Software Close Button
How to Add Device (IP Camera, DVR, NVR) to HikCentral Lite?
Please open HikCentral Lite on your PC. Then click the System menu at the top.
The Device Management page will appear. Click the Add Device button. You can also add devices by importing data from iVMS 4200 (only for users who previously used iVMS 4200 on the same computer).
After pressing the Add Device button, the software will display devices on the same network. For example, as shown below, my DVR was automatically detected by HikCentral Lite.
Mark the detected device. Enter the device’s username and password. Click the Add button.
Example of failing to add device due to incorrect username and password.
If the device (IP camera, DVR, NVR) is successfully added to the HikCentral Lite software, the Device Management page will appear as shown in the image below.
How to View Camera Live Stream on HikCentral Lite?
Next, how do you view the live feed from a HikCentral Lite connected camera?
Close the Device Management window by clicking the X.
In the left panel, expand the HikCentral Lite menu, then expand your connected device by clicking the arrow next to its IP address. A list of available cameras will appear. Double-click the camera you want to open.
It will automatically display the camera’s view. An example is shown below.
How to Configure Storage in HikCentral Lite?
To play back video on HikCentral Lite, the video from the connected camera must be saved to local storage. Here, your PC’s hard drive acts as local storage. If the status on the camera is No Recording Schedule Configured, you’ll need to configure your storage settings.
Here’s how:
Open the System menu.
Then select the System Configuration tab.
1. Configure Storage Space
HikCentral Lite allows you to configure the storage capacity for recordings and other data. Because the software uses your computer’s hard drive for storage, make sure you have sufficient free disk space. For better performance and reliability, it is recommended to install HikCentral Lite on a dedicated PC instead of a personal computer.
Please provide the amount of storage capacity for videos, images and files. Click Save if you are done.
Click the OK button to confirm.
2. View Storage Location Setup
Next, set the storage location. This also serves as the initialization process so the storage can be used. To avoid deleting data on your computer, we recommend using another hard drive connected to your computer.
Click View Storage Location.
Next, move the cursor to the storage name until the text Initialize appears and click on it.
Click OK to confirm.
3. Enable Recording
Once the storage settings are complete, the next step is to enable the recording feature. This feature can only be activated if you have a license. Fortunately, Hikvision offers a free trial for users who want to try it out.
Here’s how to enable it:
Click on the camera that says No Recording Schedule Configured on the Device Management page.
Select Recording Configuration. If you don’t have a license, a notification like the one below will appear. Click the Configure License button if you have a license.
Then you will be directed to the License Management page and click the gear icon on Configure Device Storage Recording.
Mark the cameras for which you want to activate the recording feature. Click the right button to move them to the right side.
If the display is like the image below, click the Save button.
After the storage settings are made, the status on the camera which was previously No Recording Schedule Configured changes to Normal.
How to Playback Videos on HikCentral Lite?
Once the storage settings are complete, you can return to the main page. A new arrow will appear at the bottom of the main page.
Click the arrow to open the playback window.
Below is a screenshot of the video playback window in HikCentral Lite, complete with date and timeline.
How to Download Videos From HikCentral Lite?
Like DVRs and NVRs, users can download stored videos from HikCentral Lite. Users can select the date, time, and duration of the video they want to download.
Here’s how:
Open the Playback window.
Then right click on the timeline and select Export.
Set the length of the video you want to download by dragging the orange line left or right. The file type is AVI. In my experiments, there was no limit to the length of the video you could download.
Click the Export button to start the download process.
To see the results of the downloaded video, you can open the Download Center menu by clicking the Download icon in the top menu bar. Click Open to open the video and play it using your computer’s media player.
Below is a replay of the downloaded video from HikCentral Lite.
Conclusion
HikCentral Lite is a practical CCTV management software for users who need simple and efficient monitoring on their PC. It can be used for Hikvision devices (IP cameras, DVRs, NVRs, and access control). With features like device management, live viewing, and playback, this software is ideal for everyday security monitoring. By following the steps above, you can quickly set up the system and start monitoring your cameras without any hassle.
This concludes my guide to using HikCentral Lite on a PC. I hope this has been helpful. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below.