doug25427

I have been looking at the Ganz DR8HV-500 8 Channel Digimaster Value H.264 DVR, 500GB and it looks like a good upper middle of the road DVR. Anyone have a comments or alternative favorites? I want to use in the tougher spots around my home the VCM-24VF Monalisa outdoor domes and then try to save a little money in the easier spots with lower grade cameras. Anyone have a comments or alternative favorites? I have read enough on this forum to stay away from the big box store CCTV package deals and even some the online security equipment supply companies seem to be cutting corners on their bundles to meet a price point. In my mind picking each component is better than a bundle but it isn't an easy thing to do for someone not in the business. Thanks in advance for any help. Doug

I am new to home video security and thought I had read enough to know what I wanted. All things considered I think my best way to go is NVR IP system. 8 channels will more than cover my areas. I have one area at my home where it will be impractical to run CAT5 cable. I do have easy access to 120 volt power there. I think I can use a wireless camera but have to supply it with power... right? The other areas are fairly easy cable runs under the soffit mostly but two will have to be run inside the attic to keep the cable runs shorter. By the way... how far can CAT5 camera runs be before it causes an issue? I don't see many systems or stand alone NVRs which support wireless cameras or maybe I am suffering from information overload? I have read some of these NVRs and or cameras will lose their programing if the power fails and they aren't easy to set up again. I surely want to avoid those. I have a loose budget of $1500. I'm willing to hold off on installing all 8 cameras so as to afford a better core system adding additional cameras later. I would appreciate anyone who might be able to steer me around the potholes. Doug

I won't drop off the radar once I make a system choice. Once I decide on a system I'll make it a point to post the installation and the operational results. Adding to the forum knowledge base on a particular system is a good thing for everyone.

I agree...it is a lot of money to risk on a system without much feedback/reviews. I can cover my most critical areas with 4 cams and spring for the remaining 4 at a later date. I'll defiantly have to consider the overall cost more than I have. I do have a wife I need to convince this purchase is in our best interest! I checked out the link. Decoding the changes in Dahua brand names is a challenge. From what I am reading they don't sell their brand name in the USA. They change it to some other name and model number further clouding the ability to make sound choices. Do you have a good site for their products?

See, that's not necessarily true. That's what you come to believe when you haven't actually had an MP camera in line, and just form opinions from reading and looking at pictures. MP cameras have quirks. And even worse, unlike analog where the choice of cameras is endless, with NVR packages such as swann, lorex, or dahua, you're getting just one type of camera. Just ONE. Or if you want, for a bunch more money you can purchase a set of another type of camera- ONE other type of camera that works with their systems. At the price point for the average customer who would buy an analog system, an NVR package is actually quite limiting still. But that gets washed over by the thought of mega pixels and higher resolution. It is NOT just higher resolution that matters. You cannot throw all that matters for surveillance out the window just for the sake of higher resolution. If you do, you'll be disappointed. I do agree, seeing even a 1.3mp picture is a beautiful thing compared to an analog picture. And having that resolution means you can digitally drill into a shot more than you can with analog. But that's as far as resolution will go for you. Those who would buy into NVR packages still need varifocal camera choices, more fixed lens choices, light finder choices, cameras with audio, better WDR performance, some ptz choices, and eyeball dome choices which inherently work much better with IR built in than bubble domes. And the only eyeball dome I see available is a 1.3mp from dahua- kudos at least for that. If you want more and better camera choices, that changes the approach of your system entirely, as well as the cost. All I'm saying is that mere higher resolution is not the end all of well installed surveillance. It's a big part of it, but everything else still applies AND, you need to be very comfortable with either learning some networking techniques or have some basic knowledge to carry you through. The package NVR system providers are banking on the fact that higher resolution will distract you from all the limitations at this point. And all things considered, for certain people who ask here, I'm just trying to truly assess their needs and keep it real for them. I am hoping like hell all the offerings and improvements in NVR boxes and MP cameras comes FAST because I want to install a system at home too! But, it still has to makes sense to go through all the work of the change from analog. It just doesn't yet. Mega pixels alone isn't enough to properly work for every area I need to cover. At least, not at my budget. I get your points regarding IP vs Analog and to tell you the truth I began to consider analog more after your comments if only for all of the analog options. Since I'll be installing my first system I think it should be IP if I could find something reasonably stable. Like you said image quality is only one of the variables but high image quality is something to be desired. Installing analog even using the tricks to make the switch to IP easier later on seems to be the wrong way to go for a new first system install. If you would take a look at this system and give me your comments with the varnish off. http://www.costco.com/AvertX-8-Channel-Professional-IP-HD-Security-System-with-2TB-Hard-Drive-and-4-1080p-IP-Cameras.product.100033068.html#BVRRWidgetID What makes forums great are the widely differing opinions and experiences we all have. I have found the best solutions to be found inside these discussion. It doesn't take the place of specific education on a subject but it does define the area to be studied. By the way... I'm not a Network IP professional but I'm not illiterate either. I have resources who know Networking who can help me with the setup as long as what I buy isn't quirky out of the box. If I could have found a NVR system that had some consistent reviews I would have bought it by now. I appreciate your time arguing your points in this post.

Being in the business I have the experience and tools to cut the asphalt and install the cables. It was my first thought but I have abandoned the idea since I can cover the same area without the hassle. It is hard to argue with Shockwave199's logic if he is correct about the limited options using NVR. Clearly the better the image the more likely you'll be able to make an ID all things being equal but like he said it is only one of the variables. I haven't been able to find one with reviews that aren't spotty. The Q-see has a motion detection issue, the Swann is supposedly tough to configure and yet another one loses it's setup info when the power goes out. Seems to me the NVR systems are not ready for a guy like me who wants to get them up and running without much trouble and then leave them alone to do their job. Or I could be wrong? This is the only unit I noticed on Costco's site which would fit my needs. http://www.costco.com/AvertX-8-Channel-Professional-IP-HD-Security-System-with-2TB-Hard-Drive-and-4-1080p-IP-Cameras.product.100033068.html#BVRRWidgetID The specs say the NVR supports AvertX and ONVIF compliant cameras but they surely are NOT inexpensive. This NVR appears to be new enough not to have many reviews. Given the fact I don't have a system now and have a budget to afford a NVR system this bundle has promise. I don't mind being limited to four cameras at first if I am beginning with a solid system. Anyone have any comments on this bundle?

Search, read and learn is always good advice. I stopped counting how many times specific forums have helped me avoid the potholes in the road of life. I agree... a $10K or more video security system can not 100% guarantee a "gotcha" image. Too many variables to consider and it is impossible to cover every conceivable angle or the craftiness of crooks. I believe I have a good layered system now. A noisy, big dog, good outside lighting, deadbolts on every door and a monitored home alarm system with signage. The addition of a good video security system should finish the job. I look at a video security system as a tool. I have plenty of tools but not many of the very best like Snap-On. What I have suits my needs. I can afford Snap-On tools but wouldn't buy them. The worst part of tool buying is to make sure not to buy a bad one when a few bucks more buys a real good one. I'm prepared to spend in the range of $1500 for a system and accept the quality as not being the latest and greatest. Once its running right I doubt I'll be back on the forum unless I have an issue and need help. That is the point of my post... not to need help after buying a not so good system. I'm sure many here have asked the question why didn't you make inquiries here before you bought? Once I make a DVR choice the remaining finer details should become easier. I'm fairly convinced buying the pieces separately with some thought/investigation should yield a much better system than a Big Box store, all in one system. I'm a little surprised no one has a high recommendation on a good DVR. Amazon is full of recommendations of what NOT to buy. Thanks for your reply

That explains why I haven't seen many NVR options after hours of searching. I wasn't all that interested in the very best video... just enough to ID someone. My main point for going NVR IP is the industry is moving this way. I guess the better thought is to get something of quality which fits what I actually need rather than be concerned about where the industry is going. I'm not one to upgrade something like this over and over. Once it is installed and doing its job well I'll leave it alone. I have plenty of hobbies right now! I checked out some of your links. I don't think I need any PTZ cameras. I'll have to spend some time considering the various cameras to fit the different areas I want to monitor. I read a little regarding baluns. The idea is to run CAT5 to the cameras and then add the balun to adapt it to BNC at the DVR? I though some of these DVRs used CAT5 for the camera input? I assume there are and will be better camera choices using CAT5. As far as I can tell the choice begins with a good DVR and from there the rest is dialing in the camera for each channel's application. Have any good suggestions on a good DVR? I didn't mention it and I think I should. The maximum distance for any camera to monitor will be 50 feet. All of the areas I want to monitor range from good night lighting to some night lighting. Thanks for your reply

My asphalt driveway runs between my attached garage and a tool shed 24 feet from the attached garage. A good place to mount a camera would be on the tool shed facing the side garage entrance door. I'd have to saw cut the driveway to get a CAT5 to the tool shed. Since I wrote this post I thought of mounting the camera(s) on the end of the attached garage so they cover the side of the garage eliminating the need to mount anything on the tool shed. Right now I'd like to receive some advice on a reliable and easy to set up NVR. One that won't lose its set up information when the power goes out as it does around here too often. Once I have the NVR nailed its on to the camera selections which will begin another round of endless reading and browsing the Net. I was looking a year ago to add a video surveillance system to argument my home alarm system. I got into it so far, dropped it and I'm sorry I did now. A few days ago I had a mysterious alarm trip while I was away and no one can figure out what exactly happened. All anyone knows is someone entered the locked side garage door, 4 seconds later opened the unlocked mud room door leading into the house... and where my 90 pound Boxer was sleeping! When I got home I found the Boxer inside the garage. He is OK. The mudroom door shut and the side garage door shut and locked. No evidence in the slightest anyone entered the house or touched anything. Very weird to say the least. Needless to say I want the property under video surveillance now. I'm sort of in a rush but not such a big rush as to buy without careful thought. Thanks for your reply.

Hello all, I have read a good many prior posts to gain some knowledge prior to purchase of a DYI residential system. I have a monitored hard wired alarm system now. Adding good quality video surveillance is now my goal. My requirements are to watch over two buildings. One would be 25 feet away from the camera and is 30 feet wide. The other is 25 feet from the camera and 20 feet wide. Both of these areas are always fairly well lighted at night. Watch over an entrance door which is 20 feet from the camera and 8 feet wide. This area is not well lighted at night. Three or four cameras would do the trick and then some. It would be great if I had enough resolution to be able to legally ID intruders but from my reading this is real tough to do at night without breaking the bank. This is what I have determined so far along with some questions: 1) I want a PC based DVR system. It seems to me the easy choice is GeoVision but which one? 2) The Bosch brand cameras seem to get some high marks. The WZ series and the better bullets I have considered. Any comment? 3) Hard wiring the cameras is not an issue for me. Is it best to purchase an integrated power supply? It makes sense it would be more reliable than the single PS for each camera and easier to install. 4) Is a monitor necessary if I can output to a big screen TV? Or is it easier to set up and maintain the system with a monitor nearby the PC? Thanks in advance for any help you may offer Doug

Thanks for the reply. I looked over the VBM-24VD in more than a few places. I noticed one of your posts detailing the cam. It would surely serve me well and seems not to be so expensive either. The arm mount will work nicely too. I noticed the comments regarding the quality of the DVR as it ought to match the cams abilities. Since these systems seem to be mostly based upon cams and DVR quality my concern now is DVR choice. Anyone have any GeoVision card recommendations which would be a good fit to the system I am planning using the VBM-24VD? As it plays out I have a common wall between the master bedroom and walk in closet. The big screen, which has an available HDMI port, is mounted to this wall. It will be simple to install the PC and the power supply inside the walk in closet. Fishing the cam wiring will be easy enough to do and I would bet a wireless keyboard and mouse will span the distance to the big screen eliminating the need of a monitor.