Cybersecurity · head to head
Hanwha Vision vs Rhombus Systems
Hanwha Vision
Cybersecurity
Korean camera maker whose Wisenet WAVE VMS licences are perpetual per channel with no annual renewal
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Rhombus Systems
Cybersecurity
Cloud-managed cameras, sensors and access control with a per-camera annual licence
- From
- $149/year
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Hanwha Vision nDAA compliance is confirmed per model and per bill of materials rather than across the brand, and TAA status depends on whether a specific unit was made in Korea or Vietnam, so a buyer with procurement obligations must get both stated on the quote rather than relying on a brand-level claim.; Rhombus Systems the per-camera annual licence never ends and a camera without an active licence stops working, so the total cost over a ten-year hardware life is several times the hardware price.
- They diverge on capability: Hanwha Vision covers Wisenet WAVE VMS, Rhombus Systems covers On-camera storage.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Hanwha Vision and Rhombus Systems actually diverge.
| Attribute | Hanwha Vision | Rhombus Systems |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | $149/year |
| Pricing model | One-time purchase | Per camera per year licence plus hardware |
| Platforms | Windows, Linux, Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cybersecurity).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Hanwha Vision
- Wisenet WAVE VMS
- On-camera AI
- NDAA and TAA positioning
- Multi-site management
- Open platform
- Wisenet cameras and recorders
- Cybersecurity hardening
- Integration licences
Only in Rhombus Systems
- On-camera storage
- No NVR or server
- AI search
- Access control
- Environmental sensors
- Unlimited users
- Ten year hardware warranty
- Optional cloud archiving
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Hanwha Vision
- A federal agency or federal contractor whose procurement rules exclude Section 889 covered manufacturersnot Rhombus Systems
- A school district that wants a fixed one-time software cost rather than a per-camera monthly subscriptionnot Rhombus Systems
- A site running 200 cameras for a decade where a cloud subscription would cost several times a perpetual licencenot Rhombus Systems
- An integrator standardising on one manufacturer for cameras, recorders and VMS to simplify supportnot Rhombus Systems
Rhombus Systems
- A school district running video across dozens of buildings with no local IT at each sitenot Hanwha Vision
- A clinic group needing door access and cameras in one console under a single audit trailnot Hanwha Vision
- A logistics operator that wants to search for a specific vehicle across sites without scrubbing footagenot Hanwha Vision
- An office estate replacing ageing NVRs where nobody remains who knows how to maintain themnot Hanwha Vision
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Hanwha Vision
- NDAA compliance is confirmed per model and per bill of materials rather than across the brand, and TAA status depends on whether a specific unit was made in Korea or Vietnam, so a buyer with procurement obligations must get both stated on the quote rather than relying on a brand-level claim.
- Perpetual licences mean you own the servers, storage and patching, so the cost avoided on subscription reappears as IT labour and a hardware refresh every five to seven years.
- Hanwha publishes no list pricing and sells through distributors, so the perpetual-versus-subscription comparison it wins on paper still requires a distributor quote to verify.
- Wisenet WAVE is a solid mid-market VMS but does not match Genetec or Milestone on enterprise features such as federation across independently owned systems, scripted operator procedures or deep access control unification.
- Hanwha Vision is part of Hanwha Group, a large Korean conglomerate spanning defence, chemicals and finance, so the video business is one line among many and roadmap priority is set at a corporate level well above the security division.
Rhombus Systems
- The per-camera annual licence never ends and a camera without an active licence stops working, so the total cost over a ten-year hardware life is several times the hardware price.
- Cameras must be Rhombus, so there is no reuse of existing IP cameras and migrating away means replacing every device rather than changing software.
- Cloud archiving is priced separately by retention and stream count, and long retention on multisensor cameras runs into five figures per camera, which can dwarf everything else in the quote.
- On-camera storage is the default retention, so a camera physically stolen or destroyed takes its unarchived footage with it unless cloud archiving was paid for on that camera.
- Analytics and integrations are good for mid-market needs but shallower than a dedicated enterprise VMS with a large third-party ecosystem, so specialist requirements like advanced LPR or forensic search hit limits.
Pricing, plan by plan
Hanwha Vision
On request- Wisenet WAVE channel licence$undefined/year
- Perpetual per-channel licence that does not expire once activated
- No annual renewal fee to keep the system running
- Sold singly and in 4, 8, 16, 24 and 48 channel bundles
Rhombus Systems
$149/year- Professional$149/year
- Per camera per year
- Cloud console and management
- On-camera storage retention
- Enterprise$199/year
- Per camera per year
- Everything in Professional
- Flexible cloud archiving options
- Cloud archiving$undefined/year
- Priced separately by retention period and stream count
- Multisensor cameras cost several times a single sensor camera
- Long retention on multisensor models can reach five figures per camera
Which should you pick?
Choose Hanwha Vision if
- You need wisenet wave vms.
- You work on Windows, Linux, Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want on-camera ai.
Choose Rhombus Systems if
- You need on-camera storage.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want no nvr or server.
Questions people ask
- Is Hanwha Vision or Rhombus Systems better?
- Neither clearly leads. Hanwha Vision starts at On request and Rhombus Systems at $149/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Hanwha Vision or Rhombus Systems?
- Hanwha Vision starts at On request and Rhombus Systems at $149/year.
- Does Hanwha Vision or Rhombus Systems run on more platforms?
- Hanwha Vision runs on Windows, Linux, Web, iOS, Android. Rhombus Systems runs on Web, iOS, Android.
- What is Hanwha Vision best used for?
- Hanwha Vision is most often used for a federal agency or federal contractor whose procurement rules exclude section 889 covered manufacturers, a school district that wants a fixed one-time software cost rather than a per-camera monthly subscription, a site running 200 cameras for a decade where a cloud subscription would cost several times a perpetual licence, an integrator standardising on one manufacturer for cameras, recorders and vms to simplify support. Of those, a federal agency or federal contractor whose procurement rules exclude section 889 covered manufacturers and a school district that wants a fixed one-time software cost rather than a per-camera monthly subscription are not what Rhombus Systems is typically brought in for.
- What can Hanwha Vision do that Rhombus Systems cannot?
- Hanwha Vision covers Wisenet WAVE VMS, On-camera AI, NDAA and TAA positioning, Multi-site management. Rhombus Systems covers On-camera storage, No NVR or server, AI search, Access control.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Hanwha Vision: Is Hanwha Vision NDAA compliant?
Hanwha is a South Korean manufacturer and is not among the Section 889 covered entities, which are Hikvision, Dahua, Huawei, ZTE and Hytera, and its cameras do not use banned Chinese system-on-chip processors. Confirm compliance per model on the quote.
Rhombus Systems: Do I need an NVR or a server?
No. Cameras record on board and connect directly to the cloud console, which is the main operational reason organisations pick it.
Hanwha Vision: Are Wisenet WAVE licences subscriptions?
No. Channel licences are perpetual and do not expire once activated, with no annual renewal fee.
Rhombus Systems: What does the licence cost?
Roughly $149 per camera per year for Professional and about $199 for Enterprise, typically sold in one, three, five or ten year terms.
Hanwha Vision: Is Wisenet WAVE the same as Nx Witness?
It is built on the Network Optix platform, so the two share a common core, with Hanwha adding its own camera integration and support.
Rhombus Systems: Is cloud storage included?
No. On-camera storage is the default. Cloud archiving is a separate charge priced by retention duration and number of streams.
Hanwha Vision: Is Hanwha TAA compliant?
Many models are, manufactured in South Korea and Vietnam, but TAA is a per-unit question tied to manufacturing origin, so it must be verified model by model.
Rhombus Systems: Can I use my existing cameras?
No. The platform works only with Rhombus hardware, which is the trade-off for the zero-server architecture.
Related pages
More on Hanwha Vision
More on Rhombus Systems
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