danweber

Does anyone know what the latest firmware version for the IPC-HDBW3202 camera is? I have 2.100.0000.7.R build 2012-08-30 and was wondering if there was a newer version because the motion detection in this camera is awful and it might have been improved in a later version. Thanks Dan

To the experts in the security field... I had a recent break-in attempt at my residence and my current security system captured some halfway useful pictures for the local law enforcement agency but I now decided to upgrade to something higher resolution and IP based. I'll be doing it in two phases with the front of the house being first. These are the three cameras in the front today, they are facing north, so no direct sun hitting them but the backlight on the front door camera is quite strong and the other two cameras have large shady areas during the winter time. At night the front porch lights stay on all night so no IR needed there. There is a street light on the left property corner and garage lights that stay on all night but the right side has no lights. At first I thought to replace the two front yard cameras with one 4MP or 5MP camera and a 2.5mm lens but due to tall landscaping in the FOV I think I need to keep them as two separate ones and therefore I think 2MP might be fine and certainly a huge improvement over what I have now. The two front yard cameras now have a 4mm lens and I'd like to go a little wider to get better coverage on the right side, I am thinking 3mm. The front door camera is 4mm as well and a standard 3.6mm lens should work there. So far my shortlist on cameras is Dahua and ACTi. Obviously Dahua is the budget friendly choice and ACTi is the alternative based on the excellent reviews on buellwinkle's blog. For Dahua I was thinking the IPC-HDB3200C with 3.6mm lens for the front door and two IPC-HDBW3202 for the front yard. The bullet is just physically too big for my liking and I wasn't able to find any seller for the newer short version (IPC-HFW3200S) that might work as well. If I select Dahua I am probably also getting one of their NVRs and based on reports in forums like this, and buellwinkle's blog, it seems the NVRs don't handle the 3MP cameras, so no reason to get a 3MP cam then. For ACTi The shortlist of cameras are the 2MP KCM-5511 (the KCM-5611 and KCM-5211E both don't have a wide enough lens unfortunately), or the 4MP KCM-7311 or KCM-7111. These cameras are at substantial higher price than the Dahuas but maybe the premium is worth it? Within a given brand I can probably experiment with different models by finding a seller that would allow return&exchange for different models but I haven't found a dealer that carries both brands so I could compare between brands. For a while I also considered Brickcom and Geovision but tossed them out of the shortlist along the way. Recommendation, feedback, suggestions are very welcome at this stage... Thanks Dan

This seems to be a 1MP camera. I was going for at least full HD (2MP) because I am going to cover such a wide area. I get your point on the built-in IR. I see the spider web issue on the ones I have now and it makes sense to use a separate IR illuminator. In that case I assume it is still desirable to have a true D/N camera with removable IR cut filter, correct?

Do you have the model number? I understand that Axis is one of the best options but from the prices I checked it is likely over what I want to spend for a residential install. Around $700 was what I had in mind spending for each cam, max. Clearly this is one area where you get what you pay for but I can't go too crazy (or I find myself in trouble with someone else.....)

Thank you for the detailed feedback Buellwinkle. I'll wait a couple weeks and see if ACTi will release their new cameras and maybe by that time you got the new HFW3200S from Dahua and can provide feedback about that one. Do you happen to know a reputable ACTi dealer in the US?

What would your recommendation be? Axis seems to be mentioned a lot but it's a bit more than I wanted to spend and I thought ACTi would fit between the Dahua and the Axis. Maybe there are other options I should be looking at? I used Vivotek bullets in another location but I am not thrilled with them. I also used Mobotix in the past which worked fine during the day but the low light performance is not good (I didn't use the dual sensor model) and they are a bit out of my desired price range too.

Thanks for the feedback on the non-IR dome. Do you happen to know when the new, smaller, bullet should be available?

Anyone have an opinion about these two models? Seems the KCM-7311 has WDR and a better noise filter which could make a big difference in low light situations, correct? I haven't been able to find any low light video samples of either camera.

For the last few weeks I have been looking around the Internet to select a DVR for my new house that I am building. I am having eight cameras installed around the property and would like to use a DVR that I can also monitor remotely (over the Internet) occasionally. The selection out there is tremendous and it is difficult to pick a good system, at least for someone that is not in this business. At the moment I am in Favor of the PowerTelecomm PDVR-8100 unit. Checking with their sales department I learned however that the maximum recording resolution is now 720x240 and no longer 720x480. I am not sure if this will make as much difference as it sounds like. The runner up unit would be a Nuvico NVDV-8000N or NVJV-8000. Many places sell Nuvico and that makes me somewhat confident that it would be a decent unit. Does anyone have experience with the PowerTelecomm unit? I have seen some posts here that seem to indicate that it is an ok unit for home use. Unfortunately they do not have a demo unit connected. Thanks Dan

I have an IC Realtime Pro - 8 Channel DVR with 160GB HD for sale $500, obo - plus shipping PM me with offers

DVR is sold now

Yes it is. I was just getting ready to list it on Craigslist. You can e-mail me directly at drw33062-cctv@yahoo.com

Hmmm. I don't have that option Menu -> Camera and I get the screen below Below is the version I have I do have the option in the newest NetViewer I downloaded but the recording is always the same, regardless of the setting.

Does anyone one know for sure if the ICRealtime Pro does D1 recording, and at what fps?

I live in a gated community with 170 houses and the homeowner association has asked me to investigate some options for a camera system for our entrance area. The area has two automatic gates (unattended) and there is electric there but no phone or other networking capabilities. I am considering two cameras with a 4 channel DVR. Because I already maintain the association Website they would like me to host the DVR at my house, which would be roughly 300ft line of sight from the gates. There are two main options that I have in mind and I'd like to get some feedback from the experts. Budget is a little tight and I'd like to get a proposal together for as little as possible and it does not have to be a high end system, a good economy system should suffice. The basic idea is to monitor the gates since they get "run over" quite frequently and if we can identify the cars then we could recoup some of the repair costs. License plate cameras are too expensive though but in most cases a good visual of the car itself should work. I might play with a camera mounted at a lower location, zoomed in on the rear of the cars as they have to stop at the gate for it to open and might get a good enough reading of the license plate that way. Option 1: Use a set of wireless cameras, I came across the Speco WC-2503 which seem interesting or the VideoComm ZX480SR40. The distance might be pushing it but maybe I could change the antennas to a higher gain one and make it work. Alternatively it might be necessary to get a good day/night camera and a separate wireless transmitter and put it all in an external housing. As far as the DVR goes it does not have to be anything fancy. A simple 4 channel DVR like Speco, Everfocus or Nuvico should do. It should have some decent remote capability through a browser so the association board can operate it remotely as well. Option 2: Use IP/Network cameras instead with a router and install a point to point Ethernet bridge. There are some good wireless bridges with directional antennas that should make this work. The problem here is that I have no experience at all on the DVR options for IP/Network cameras. The camera selection is also more limited and I have no idea how they compare in quality to a regular CCTV camera. For the same price you probably get a much better non-Network camera instead and I guess I could use a video server and a standard CCTV camera but then we are getting so many different parts that it starts to get a little too involved. There is no guard house either so I would have to find an enclosure I can mount on a pole to house all the equipment and this is in Florida where heat might start to play a role too. I did some searching around the forums and most postings on wireless equipment is older and at that time everybody seemed to recommend to stay away. I am hopeful that the technology has improved in the meantime and that there are some decent options available now. I believe it was rory that stated that he had some good results with VideoComm equipment. The fact that the camera signals wont be encrypted is not an issue and would not be a reason to favor the Ethernet bridge option. Any suggestions and comments are greatly appreciated. Personally I am using ICRealtime ICR200 domes and an ICRealtime Pro DVR around my house. Thanks Dan

Here is a picture of the entrance area. The neighborhood is to the left and the beach and beachfront state road are to the right. The red circle is where there is a pole with an electric meter and a circuit panel that powers the electric gates and the pole lights next to them. There is no other structure nearby nor is there any phone service. I was going to extend the pole where the circuit panel is, to about 10-12 feet and mount the cameras on there. Then I was going to add a small lockable outdoor equipment box and wire an outlet from the circuit panel and put any equipment I might need in there. This is a hurricane area, so I want to have a good solid housing for the camera, to withstand the wind. I was thinking that a bullet camera might offer less resistance to the wind and might work out better than a traditional box camera and housing but in the end it probably is about the same. Some of the brackets I have seen online look a little weak and I definitely don't want anything plastic, which the sun will briddle up in no time. The blue line indicates where the two gates are. I am currently planning to use an overview camera to capture the two gates and immediate surrounding areas. a 3.6 or 2.8 lens would probably give me the coverage I need. Then a little lower on the pole, at maybe 8 feet height I was going to mount another camera, either an Extreme X-Reg or a good B/W camera tightly zoomed in, to capture the license plates. Budget is a little bit of a problem. The association is volunteer and not all residents pay the suggested dues, which covers the electricity for the gates, insurance and repairs. Most residents voted to have the cameras though and I am trying to come up with an economical solution that does not break the bank. The association did not ask for the license plate coverage, I added that as my own idea, and maybe we'll start out with the overview camera and DVR this year and add the Reg-X next year, to spread the cost. So the system should be expandable and I was looking at a 4CH DVR. Down the road they might want to add cameras facing the bridge or install a camera with a big zoom to face the beach (in the extension of the road). Once the basic setup is in place it should be no big deal to add on. Oh yes, one thing. The location of the DVR was determined to be at my house, since I am better with technology than most and I am full time residents whereas most people around the immediate gate area are part time residents or are renting their houses. That's why the distance came to 300ft and there is some tree foliage in the line of sight. Thanks for all your suggestions.

Nobody has a recommendation on the video signal transmission? Should I go with VideComm 5.8GHz transmitters/receivers or should I use a p2p Ethernet bridge and use IP cameras or video servers attached to traditional CCTV cameras? This is the hardest part I can't decide upon and any help is appreciated. Dan

Ok, I understand your point and it is well taken. I am in fairly close range and think the Reg-X should suffice in this case. The area is also fairly well lit and I think a good day/night camera should be sufficient as overview camera, without needing IR capabilities. What would you recommend as backhaul for the video stream? Connect both cameras to a IP video server and install an Ethernet bridge or will the VideoComm transmitter/receivers be sufficient for 300ft? As another thought, how about a megapixel IP camera for the license plate capture, zoomed in on the target area? The cars pretty much have to come to a stop and wait for the gate, so I don't need the 30mph capture capability of the Reg-X.

I had read some favorable comments on this site about the Nuvico CB-SD3895N-L, and now I have learned from a dealer that this camera has been discontinued. Does anyone know what the replacement model would be? Would it be safe for me to still purchase the camera if I can find a dealer with remaining stock? Thanks PS: Looking for a decent outdoor IR Day/Night camera with 50ft usable distance with 3.6mm lens for roughly $250. That's how I got to the Nuvico. Had also looked at the KT&C KPC-N600NHDCI10 but I am not sure the IR performance would be sufficient, given they "claim" 60ft and I read suggestions on this forum to divide the manufacturer distance by 2.

What's the model number of the new one?

I have a ICRealtime Pro, 8 channel DVR for sale. The unit was only used for my own evaluation and is in perfect working order. $1200 + shipping, or best offers. Make offer to danweber@yahoo.com

Updated my posting above

Does anyone know where the Avermedia NV6000 card can be purchased?

In one of my other threads I promised I would post a review of the newly acquired ICRealtime Pro DVR. I didn't have enough time to play with it extensively but here a couple of my first impressions: 1) No ability to disable the local key lock (IR remote or front panel) is very annoying 2) Events are listed in a list instead of a calendar format. It works but with many cameras and many events it is not very intuitive and a calendar/channel matrix display would be much cleaner 3) Some minor firmware errors where the text on the event list wraps to the next line and some areas are not refreshed. Rather disappointing for a unit at this price point (yes, i am picky). 4) IR remote control perfomance is laughable. You have to really point the remote control to the correct spot for the unit to accept the signal. 5) Even though the unit records at 720x480 resolution, with everything set to maximum quality, the live image shows more detail. This is a minor detail but a little surprising. Recorded quality is good though (if it were the same as the live view it would be excellent). 6) REW/FF makes the video jump in quite large increments (even at the first level) instead of just playing the video faster. It's very easy to miss something this way. 7) REW/FF does not give any progress indication in relation to the current event. What I mean by that is that it does not show you if you are at the beginning, middle, end, or wherever within the entire event. At the end of the event it simply jumps to the next event and this is only noticeable by looking at the time stamp. Remote software has no apparent REW/FF controls in playback mode 9) I haven't found a way yet to playback all channels at the same time. Would be nice to playback multiple channels at the same time, in synchronized fashion to see an event from different angles for instance. 10) Unit is very noisy Bottom Line: The unit works adequately but to me it is not superior to other units I have seen. I think it is largely over hyped and in my opinion overpriced. The PowerTelecomm unit I looked at before was easier to handle and would be my preferred choice, if it didn't had the network issue (which we discussed to death already). As I continue to use the unit I will post additional comments. The builder of my house was interested at DVRs as well but at the moment I don't feel comfortable to recommend this unit to him. I'll start looking again at other units from my previous short list and see how they perform. I think I also have to rethink my original exclusion of PC based DVRs and reconsider the latest GeoVision and AverMedia products.

Ok, first off I need to set something clear: I don't work in the industry, I am simply an end-user that originally evaluated a unit for a new house I have built. The task was easy, so it seemed: put up a few decent cameras and use a DVR to record and monitor them. In my day to day job I am a Software Engineer and an IT Consultant so I know a little something about user friendly software and software quality. My previous exposure to CCTV has been when I owned a small resort where I put together my own DVR with a home built PC and a GeoVision card and then hooked some cheapo bullet cameras up to it. That system worked pretty well and I customized the remote viewer to my likes. I was even able to provide the police with some good footage of some incidents. I don't have the money to just go out and buy every DVR out there so I largely depend on recommendations and my own research. When I started this entire process for my personal use I was approached by my builder (which I have a very good relationship with) and he asked me to share the outcome of my research because he wanted to use some DVR systems as well. My first idea was to use a GeoVision again as I knew what it was about from my previous use but I thought a standalone unit would be a better system and would be easier to maintain and operate. For the PC Card based systems an IR remote control is always an add-on where for a standalone system it is the primary way of interacting with the DVR and I thought that this would make it easier to operate. I have the monitor output modulated onto a TV channel and distribute it to every TV in the house and with the IR network I can use the remote to control the DVR from any TV location. To narrow down my selection of a DVR I tried to obtain the user manuals of as many units as I could to read through the operation of the unit and its features. I also looked at some online demos but most of them usually didn't work properly. Now I have a IC Realtime Pro hooked up and it IS a nice dvr. And as one person pointed out before, most of my 'dislikes' are personal preferences and picky details. However, that's what's important to me and the items mentioned are annoying to me. Does anyone know how frequently software updates for the IC Realtime are being released? The usability could be tremendously improved by cleaning up the firmware a little and I would be willing to put together some suggestions based on my background in Software Engineering. With so many DVRs coming from Asia I am not sure if distributors have input in that though and I don't want to waste my time. I'll keep the IC Realtime in operation for the moment but at the same time I decided to go ahead and look at the GeoVision offerings again. Their new combo cards look interesting. I also read some good comments about AverMedia and will look into them as well. I like the fact that AverMedia now has a Linux based card, even though the software is not yet on par with the Windows cards. The good thing about the cards is that they are in a price range that allows me to just order one to look at.