buellwinkle

If you use all Axis (models that support Edge recording), you can use the free ACC app that runs in the camera to record to an SD card or a CIFS mount (NAS) and then you run a Windows program to view the recordings, no Mac support, no browser support. I personally use Milestone XProtect NVR software and they have versions in all price ranges from free to expensive. While it runs on Windows, you can view the cameras/recordings from any browser, including Safari on OS X and it includes IOS & Android apps. I did use Synology Surveillance Station for a while, an NVR solution on a smart NAS. Worked pretty well but was a little sluggish for me. Feature rich. All browser based and can be access from a Mac.

I've had this running for a few days (actually got it early direct from ACTi) and I'm not having the over sensitivity issues, but I'm running this on 2 D-Series (Milestone has a bug with the E-series, but that was just recently fixed in the latest device pack) so I'll see if the E performs different when I mount that later today The weird problem I had was that if I switch the E32 to MJPEG, within a second it changed it back to H.264 but on the D32, it stays in MJPEG mode.

I use the WattStopper Astronomical light switch I got at my local electrical supply house, very nice, has a bright OLED display, better than the one at Home Depot.

Cable modems with single IP address are the norm, at least from my experience in the two places I have cable. You attach a router to it, pretty cheap especially since you won't likely need WiFi. Then get PoE switch with 8 PoE ports (typically 16 port switches where half are PoE) to handle 8 cameras and connect the cameras and the NVR or PC with NVR software to the switch.

They are both good deals, depends on if you want the PTZ camera in the Q-See deal which is pretty cool and sells for $600 elsewhere by itself, so if you factor in the 3 cameras which are typically over $200 elsewhere, it's like getting the NVR for free. The Swann is 4 cameras that typically sell for $175 each, so not as good a deal if you split it out like the Q-See but still very nice cameras and cheaper than buying the pieces separately.

The Avigilon experts have said posted several times that this camera does work and motion detection works. I can also personally attest that it works with Synology Surveillance Station, BlueIris and Milestone.

The firmware for Derytech is posted for download under support on the Wrightwood website.

No I'm right, LOL. Really I am though. If the mod doesn't mind, I'll give you the history, if not, delete it. I asked my distributor that sells many brands for Hikvision cameras, so the owner who also owns this other company in Taiwan, Derytech struck an OEM agreement with Hikvision to sell these as Derytech because selling them as Hikvision USA was $100/cam more.

It's tricky in the way they word their specs. Go to their website, for example http://www.dahuasecurity.com/products/nvr580858165832-301.html and click "Technical Specifications" and you'll see that the 5808 can record in 5MP(2560×1920) / 3MP(2048×1536) / 1080P(1920×1080) / 720P(1280×720) / D1 (704×576/704×480). It can only display 1080P, but that's expected as most TV's or computer monitors are 1080P. I would expect that you can take 5MP snapshots. They probably have a E-PTZ function as that's what other NVR's do with 5MP images.

Their website is http://www.derytech.com.tw/ but I was dealing with the distributor, http://www.gsscctv.com/pts/, both have direct support. Also, one person went directly to Hikvision and got a reset code. Sorry, was just trying to give people a heads up in case it happens to them. Maybe a file compare of the two firmwares may reveal the password.

With a Hikvision reset code, you can change the password to what you want. This applies to [Mod: removed] and Wrightwood (OEM version, not Hikvision version).

Some of their cameras do audio, but most do not. I agree, front of my garage the lights work better than IR, but I have the side and backyards where there may be landscape lights that look good, but they backlight the subject so actually hurt more than they help. My front door is next to my bedroom window so unfortunately can't leave lights on. Indoors, I can't imagine not using IR because can't leave lights on all night. You can always mix & match, find the best camera for the task. For example, we go away a lot, so we have a AVTech camera indoors with PIR motion detect, 2 way audio and push video so we get zero false alerts and instant alerts from their app that automatically plays back the last recorded video within seconds of a detect. This is separate from my normal NVR and cameras, it's on only when we leave for a while, sort of the canary in the coal mine. Once I know there's an issue, I can log into the NVR software to get the bigger picture. If I had my NVR software notify me of each motion alert, I would get hundreds a day, LOL.

They don't really have a site. I'll see if I can get it and post it somewhere.

Sounds like it's done. Should be under warranty though.

No, the specs are identical, same max frame rate, same hard drive quantity, same look. Just the firmware checks how many cameras you are allowed to have. It's not different firmware, it's something burned into a ROM that determines how many cameras you can use.

I tried various bit rates to see where the fall off point would be and with 3MP at 15fps, I use 4096. Going higher like 8192 does not produce a significant difference.

So you don't need an amplified mic with the AXIS p33? That's great, very nice setup. I'm amazed how much light the 8w LED bulbs put out, makes a huge difference at my house and I leave 2 of them from dusk to dawn with WattStopper Timer switch. You can also get the P3364-LVE that has the illuminators. IR illuminators are more discrete at night when you can't have lights on because it disturbs you or the neighbors. Comes down to budget and if you want higher resolution.

I think the misunderstanding on price is a while ago, Dahua cameras coming from distributors in China were cheaper, but that changed when Dahua cracked down on them. What I have seen though is prices slowing creeping back down again. They have to realize that the price is what made them attractive for a while, but if you charge as much as established brands with good support, you will not sell many cameras.

Web browser do not have support to playback RTSP streams. So there's ActiveX or Java applets that are specific to a camera and browser like IE where you can stream the video from the camera to a web page. For example, with Axis cameras, they provide a way to stream to a web page using Quicktime to play, but this requires the person viewing to have software installed and may or may not work with all browser. If this is for personal use, meaning just you or your close friends, it's will work but for a web page open to the public, this solution won't work. Enter HTML5 and/or Adobe Flash. To view streaming video on the camera, you have to have a way of re-streaming from RTSP to a format suitable for a Flash player or HTM5 player, that's how most websites that have streaming video do it. So you need software that converts the RTSP stream to an RTMP stream. Wowsa is probably the most popular commercial solution. I use Unreal Media Server free version and have an example on my blog. VLC will work, but I was not happy with the video quality but also free. Wowsa is not free but maybe more suitable for a larger project. A while back, someone proposed taking JPG snapshots from the camera in Javascript and rapidly displaying them in a loop to form motion video. Don't know where this went, but with today's HD cameras, not sure that you would be happy with the frame rate. Recently someone I know tried this with a Dahua camera and don't even think he got 1 fps.

IR illuminators can be expensive, a least a few hundred, requires that you run separate power and you have an extra piece of equipment to look at. Raytec is the brand to get, about $300ish for their RM25. We have one going in later this month, just shy of $1,400. As for spiders, depends. Out of 5 outside camera, for some reason, only 2 attract spiders. I have to go wipe the lens with duster about once a week during spider season, so maybe 3-4 times a year for me in So Cal. I've been lazy but putting a chemical with a strong scent like Citronella or Citrus oil is supposed to keep them away.

When you try and stream RTSP on a web page, it's going to be a headache with browser support. I convert my stream to RTMP for this purpose.

There are several official OEM Dahua distributors, I'll PM you who I use.

No audio on the Costco bundle. Usually it's a step up in price to get audio. Axis has a mic for their cameras but crazy expensive. If you want Axis level of support but lower in price, i would recommend ACTi. They have excellent free NVR software (also supports Axis cameras but not free) and has cameras in a wide variety of price ranges. The problem for me with Axis is for home installs, having IR illuminators in the camera is nice to have and they are limited in cameras with this.

Going to be attending this conference later this month. Anyone else going?

And if only that review site had access to Avigilon cameras. So are you going to join me at the ASIS conference in 3 weeks, Avigilon will be there.