My company is to the point of choosing to stick with video-insight or switch to exacq. We are still evaluating the cost vs benefit of building systems under each platform. Does anyone have an opinion one way or the other? In reading through the forums I've seen multiple references to exacq vms running on atom based systems. This is a very attractive prospect and it makes me feel like im missing part of the equation. Video-Insight requires a fairly robust machine for its server in comparison so it appears that the equipment cost of exacq is lower with a more impressive set of features. Since the licensing for both companies is very comparable I dont see a reason to stick with video-insight unless im just overlooking something.
Im making my evaluation based on the needs on my upcoming project which is the pilot for refitting every branch, nationwide. Both locations will have 6 1.3mpx cameras and location A will be the primary location B is the remote. The sysadmin will administer both systems from location A but office managers in both locations will need viewing but not administrative access. Manager in location A will have access to cameras in A & B and manager in location B will have access to only B.
Using Video Insight I would accomplish this by having roughly the same level of server at both sites connect via web or VPN, the sysadmin would administer the 2 systems from the server itself in location A. The managers of each office would view the cameras via the webclient.
If I am understanding exacq correctly I can build a drastically less expensive server for location B and feed the manager the video through his mobile device or via the web based thin-client. In location A I have a couple of options, I can build a more robust machine that acts as the server and the client from which the sysadmin manages both A and B, or I can stick with the same inexpensive server as B and let the sysadmin manage the system by running the client from his day to day operations PC in his office (which is a PC I dont have to pay for) and then the manager in A can also view both A and B via webclient or using exacq mobile.
Are there costs or potential problems that I have overlooked?
Also I am assuming that even though someone has been able to run the server on an atom the other specs have been followed such as separate OS and storage drives. Are the i3/4gig recommendations only in the case of combining server and client? How much of an increase in performance is needed when adding web client access for 2 simultaneous connections?
Thanks in advance for any advice, help, or derision.
Phillip