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Maybe I understand "good quality" different than you, but I use and have used plenty of sub $500 h.264 dvrs that I think are really good...

50m with those crappy IRs...? No way, those cameras and those IRs are mainly for use indoors... - Night vision (up to 8 meters) via auto IR-LED illumination

Something like this, maybe...?

Never used 2003 server before, can't help there. I don't think that should be a problem. \Program Files folder is for 64bit apps, Program Files (x86) is for 32 bit. But Windows should redirect any queries to those directories as needed, in fact on non english Win7s, if I browse my C: I see the directory as "Archivos de programa (x86)", when it's real name is "Program Files (x86)". Also, I think programs like ActiveX, OCX, and so on do not install themselves on IE folder, but somewhere on the Windows installation (C:\Windows\System32\ or whatever)

Hi Robert, My tests on Windows7 are also done with the 64bit version, and it did work ok with me. Also; with Win7 64 bits, you have good old IE8, and also IE8 64 bits (you actually have 2 different shortcuts on the start menu, and the most used and default one is the old trusty 32 bit version. You could have problems using IE8 64 bit, but when using IE8 32 bit, I would say the results should be the same as if using Windows 7 32 bit. No clue on where the problems might be coming from, but I do not think the issue is running Win7 64 bit. Graphic drivers maybe...?

I have one of this things for tests. 1ch video, 2 channel audio which I never use, USB 2.0, 720x576@25fps (I will guess @30fps when doing NTSC). Main problem is software, it does not come with a "real" CCTV program, but the typical program so grandpa can convert his old VHS tapes to DVD. But I am sure it can be used with other programs (I use it with AMCAP). Works great with XP, Vista and Win7 64 bits (NOTE, not all of them from what I know; typical made in China, one packaging, many insides)

First download link I found by googling "portable explorer 6" is working: http://www.enpalermo.com/descargas/utilidades/internet-explorer-6-0-sp1-portable.html http://files.enpalermo.com/ie6sp1_eolas.zip Untested, and note that this will probably be IE6 portable in SPANISH. An Activex won't work with Firefox. No, I did not say that newer DVRs do not use activex, most do, I was saying that if your DVR is an old one, with an Activex made to work when IE6 was the latest and greatest, if that Activex will not work with IE7 and IE8, you are out of luck. You could try to get a firmware update from the manufacturer (very hard for an old model) , and your best solution would be to stick to IE6 for watching the DVR (if IE6 won't do it, maybe just have a virtual machine for that...)

Vista...?? Run!! It is going to be a dedicated DVR machine? If so, I would say just "downgrade" to XP 32 bits, and stay away from Vista.

I kinda doubt you could do 4 channels D1 over a USB 2.0 port... ALl the USB DVR 4ch I have always tried were usually "not so good" to say the least when being used with 4ch at the same time. tomcctv, could I also get a link to that 1ch video server please?

Hello, I PMed one of the mods 2 months ago asking for access to the private forums. I do not know what it takes to get access, or who is the guy I should be asking, so I am just posting it here... I work in a small security company in Barcelona, Spain. We import, sell, install and do about any jobs that we find interesting related mainly to CCTV. Thanks!

No clue, sorry. Everything went smooth on the first try with Win7/IE8, I didn't have to do anything out of the ordinary to make it work. I use VMware daily, but for other matters, mainly programming, and I do have two debian servers running non stop on a Windows server. I never thought it would be a good idea to try hardware/drivers under a virtual machine...

dvrhost.com is NOT a web site, but a dynamic DNS service which redirects it to your DVR. If you are not saying what DVR you are using, noone will be able to help you, but if it is an old model with an ActiveX that works only under IE6, and it does not get along well with IE7 and IE8, you won't have an easy solution. There are program versions called "portable" that means they work with no installation. You can carry them around on a pendrive, run them on a computer with no prior install, wipe the folder and it will leave nothing on the registry, etc. This versions are usually hacked versions and in no way supported by the original software manufacturer. You could try IE6 portable, and if it works just keep it around, it should not conflict with your main IE install.

I do get them from China, yes.

The cards I use have chip CD22M3494MQZ I would say... It is printed as CD22M 3494MQZ P0801BB39

I always use "old" computers for testing. Right now my two test computers are Athlon XP 2600 with 512Mb RAM and nVidia 6600GT AGP video card, and Athlon64 3000 with 1Gb RAM and nVidia 7600GT PCIE video card. They are computers that nowadays I only used them for tests, doing videos, guides, testing DVR PCI cards, etc. I also have a couple Athlon XP 1700 with 512Mb and Geforce4MX video card, but they hardly get any use any more. I have about 6-7 hard drives for tests, anywhere from 40Gb to 320Gb. More than enough for what I need. XP2600 I only use it with Windows XP, Athlon64 I have two different hard drivers, one with Windows XP and another one with Windows 7. All my main SO hard disks always have 3 partitions; C: just for operating system, D: for desktop, screen and video captures, ghost images, softwares, etc, and E: is just a temp partition for any DVR program that requires a complete hard drive/partition for its recordings. Anything I need to test, it always gets done on a clean install, either Windows XP or Windows 7. I boot with a pendrive, I restore the C: partition to a clean state (Windows XP or Windows 7 with the latest patches, drivers, and the basic software), and then do any tests I have to do. This way I know I will have no conflicting drivers, and that the tests will always be done under the same conditions. I also keep images of the SO installed with drivers and software for a given DVR PCI card. In this way, if I have the need to test any DVR card (either a client wants to see it working, wants to check out the software, it has been returned as non working and needs to bne tried, etc) I just need to plug the card, restore the C: partition with the correct image, and I am ready to go in a few minutes!

I would also say go Foscam. I have used their F980A models, not bad for a cheap camera.

All my tests are always done on a clean SO install with all the updates, both on XP and Win7 (we do not use Vista). That is, no extra programs, just Win7 installation with all the patches. Test systems have just some basic non intrusive programs, like image capture program, Acrobat Reader, Firefox, and little else... We clone/restore/ghost on every tests we have to do, so the machine is always clean before trying any new equipment.

I can check out tomorrow at work what chip the cards I use have. I have better res pictures here, but they are too blurry to tell...

Check out those screenshots, they might help (even most parts are in spanish). http://www.twistedtienda.com/tarjeta-dvr-aop108-8ch-200fps-btwincap-active-webcam-a-47.html I have successfully used the following 3 cards with Bt878 chip with no problemas at all, on Windows Xp and with BTWinCap: http://www.twistedtienda.com/tarjeta-dvr-pci-aop104-4ch-video-25fps-bt878-p-103.html http://www.twistedtienda.com/tarjeta-dvr-pci-aop416-4ch-video-100fps-bt878-p-421.html http://www.twistedtienda.com/tarjeta-dvr-pci-aop108-8ch-video-200fps-bt878-p-391.html

What DVR is that? I have had no problems using a DVR that has a WebGUI like that one on Win7 and IE8, it worked great. The program it installed for me on IE8 was something like "DvxOcx.cab" from "shenzhen GIEC electronics co, ltd". http://www.twistedtienda.com/grabador-sky-8008v-capturas-webgui-a-61.html

I can confirm that DVR card works great with BTWinCap under Windows XP. No idea about Vista or 7...

I would say that your best chance is to contact Eyemax, and ask them if that given DVR card/software has iphone client... If they do not support iphone, it would not look like that "straightforward" to me.

I have no clue on what card is that, but sine it is using Conexant BT878A chips, you could try to use BTWinCap drivers which should work at least on Windows XP. If they work, you could then use a program like Active Webcam with it.

From the first post, I was referring to standalone DVRs, not DVR cards Hikvision web site still down after this many days. Not that it says anyting good about them, bleh... :/

Thx, I signed up as a partner, hopefully they will give me some information. Maybe I should just keep buying in China just low/mid end DVRs, and forget about trying to find there anything high end. It might not be worth the headaches...