shockwave199

I'd guess analog would suffice. And that system I linked to has alarm inputs/outputs too, in case they throw in that requirement. It also does audio and it can handle ptz cameras if you needed. I did a video on the unit in my signature link. This type of unit easily hooks up to your router and can be networked to view remotely, so no problem there. You'd need to either temporarily or perminantly dedicate a 17" or 19" monitor to set up the system initially. After that more often than not, you hit the unit remotely or via cellphone app. I have no motivation to frequently recommend SCK products other than I have the unit and it's great. I also shop amazon and 'NS' [shhh], and gadspot as well. When someone like you comes in need of a prepackaged system that can makes sense, I link to one, that's all. And if you think 1,200- 1,500 is a lot, think again. You're lucky they aren't insisting on an IP/Megapixel system at this point...as far as cost, anyway. It's preferred in terms of quality, but an eight channel system with large storage capacity will be costly. Good luck. If you have a headache from all this well...you're surrounded by the remedy.

You haven't described your facility, address, directions, combination to the locks Seriously though, how big is your place? How have you come to the conclusion that eight cameras will suffice? What and how many areas are you covering? Typical IR cameras make a red glow at night that is faintly visable to the eye but it's not like LED glow and they should be installed 10' or so up, so the actual glow from IR would not reach plants to cause problems unless your plants are towering right in front of the cameras. Define IP compatable? Such as, a typcial analog system that can be networked to view remotely? That requirement is gonna matter greatly as to which system you actually need to buy- analog or IP/MP- the latter being much more expensive. For what you desire, you want the answer to be analog. This is a full package and the only reason I link to it instead of a cheaper qsee package on amazon is because this dvr can take large hard drives. Pop in a 4tb for 1,237 or a 6tb for 1,550 bucks. If you want more real estate out of the drive you could try setting the recording mode to a 'combo' mode of continuous/motion recording. Keep continuous recording set to 1fps and set motion to 15fps. This way it'll record 24/7 at a low but completely usable 1fps and whenever there is actual motion it'll kick up to 15fps. But I'd guess 4 or 6tb drive even just set on continuous 15fps 24/7 would hold you for the minimum or more. http://www.securitycameraking.com/complete-8-channel-ultimate-mini-59099-prd1.html

No, it's not wireless. All cameras need power, which necessitates wires. And since wireless isn't nearly as good or reliable in terms of picture feed and the fact that you have to run wires anyway, you should really install wired cameras for the best results.

It's not likely you'll find anything else that works with your dvr. Have you tried a PC with the software and does it have the same problem as the mac version?

Is this your home or an apartment? Can't run wires to the outside? Even wireless cameras have a power wire, so it still presents a problem of wiring. This system, when ordering it with a 500gb hard drive will run you just under 500 bucks. You can also look for a coupon code at coupon sites for them and you can probably knock off 5% of the price. This will give you day/night vision cameras, a large hard drive to easily watch recordings, all the wire you need, and the power adapter for the cameras. It's a complete 4 camera set and support is great too. You just need a 17" or 19" monitor to hook up to the dvr. Hope it works out for you. http://www.securitycameraking.com/complete-4-channel-elite-mini-59022-prd1.html

It can come down to better settings for your particular spot, but available light will also drastically change the image for the better or worse. Keep that in mind when comparing your images to someone elses. The very best thing you can do to improve your image and keep it useful for surveillance is provide some light out there. I've suggested this a number of times before; help your camera help you, provide some light. Also, a bit of a noisy night image can provide more usable details than a spotless one can, because in total darkness the spotless one is usually that way because of surveillance degrading DNR or sens up settings. Do not judge your image by the picture alone. Always get in front of your camera in daylight and nightime and see what details your camera is and isn't giving you. PEOPLE and their movement matter in an image, not just the quality of a static image of a backyard in darkness. That's not surveillance, that's photography.

Maybe try a different AWB profile?

Check your nearest adult book store

You could always switch over to HD-SDI. It'll cost you, but you can keep your cables in place. You'd need an HD-SDI recorder and HD-SDI cameras. Money, but an upgrade to HD without ripping out your cables.

You can't skip the local area connection steps or else it won't work. About the activeX settings, if you get to a cameras web page, sign into the camera and see- maybe you don't need to tweak activeX. This video may help you. I did not need to run as administrator, as the video suggests. I juts opened IE and put in a camera address. 31ch1PYQ0C8

Edit- sorry I misread.

Also make sure you aren't losing detection because of poor range. Know the coverage range you really want and make sure the PIR's range is up to the task.

You want analog ptz cameras. They're out there by the ton. Dahua makes one in 650 and 700tvl, the 700 being better and a really nice camera. But ptz's are expensive and it can be complicated to mount and set them up, and more complicated to set up more than one on a system if you don't know how to do it. Not really hard and you can do it, but a ptz is a different thing altogether and harder to get going when you just don't know what you're doing. If you want one or more, have the bucks and learn the know-how. You're gonna need it.

Well if you can, do it yourself and then check playback. Btw- a snapshot of the picture would be good to see.

It's probably between the sens up and 3D DNR settings. That is an IR camera and you really should keep sens up off. If the IR is doing it's job you really shouldn't need rely on sens up. Sens up can help a dome with no IR in certain situations. You can try sens up but start very low and raise it incrementally, making sure you don't introduce ghosting. But probably the biggest culprit is 3D DNR. Turn it off. If the picture is too noisy put it on low and see how the ghosting problem is. But going to med or high or auto will make for a great looking picture but unusable surveillance. Also I see your IR has beam spread. Try the two choices and see if one helps illuminate the scene better than the other. Keep smart IR on. But adjust the sens up and 3D DNR. It's between those two that you have to balance a clean verses noisy night shot. Ghosting will determine when you have those settings too strong.

It's just a matter of a slight patching reconfiguration. Hope it works out!

And if this might be a solution to get the right preferred port to send emails and camera feeds, and you're out of ports on the switch to configure it that way, perhaps a 4 port cheap switch into a port on the main switch to get more available ports? I'm kinda just guessing it could be. I wouldn't want you to redo your whole setup without someone else confirming.

Kind of like this, only a different dahua- OniVaR0UBb8

Shouldn't your switch be hooked up to the router? The nvr to the switch, switch to the router, no? This way everything is on the same network using only one port on the nvr.

What menu page in the nvr is that setting in. I don't remember seeing that and I looked at a ton of vids and manuals on dahua nvrs. Guess I missed it.

Niiiiice! Did you use the pole mount or did you just bolt that sucker to the pole? Nice pictures! That baby is gonna be put to the test soon enough through the winter months. In really bad snow they can pack up a bit and lose some tilt motion, but it clears with the sun. A little careful moving of the camera can help to clear it too, during the storm. The dahua I installed made it through Sandy up on a pole, so they are tough mofos! Thanks for posting. I always look forward to it!

Wait, are you talking about the preferred DNS and alternate DNS fields like I think you are? If so, you should keep them at the goggle default, which is 8.8.8.8 for the preferred and 8.8.4.4 for the alternate. This what I thought you were referring to. Sorry if I'm wrong.

I'll have to look when I get home. But all I do is typical networking for the unit and that's that. I leave whatever the preferred network choice is alone. I don't change it and I don't choose it. Never been a problem for emails.

Beats me. I don't touch those settings in the first place. Just cause there's a setting doesn't mean you have to tweak it. I leave that default and it's never been a problem.

The system I linked to has PSS software that will import all locations and you can open any of them in one tidy program, so long as you install the same system at each location. And really, there are a number of other units within the dahua family that will open in PSS, including dvr's and nvr's. So managing all locations from one software program is no problem- remotely of course too. Phones supported are iphone, android, and windows phone. I have a vid in my signature link showing the software with analog and MP combined. The software goes deeper, but it's a decent look at it in the vid. But like I said, what I'm talking about is a modest MP system that will likely give you perfectly satisfactory results, albeit no POS. Figure about 1,200 with a decent hard drive in the unit. Bare minimum for the quality you need. It comes down to you understanding that what you want is gonna be more than you thought. The more complex you make the system per location, the greater the cost. But, you can't cheap out with analog either and we're all saying that because of what you said you need. Details at the register is the game changer. Actually POS is too. Otherwise, if it was just overview general surveillance analog might suffice.