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I was wondering what the real purpose or benefits are? If I have a home DVR system (8 or so cameras) and use cameras in the 520-600 TVL range, would monitoring or playback look sharper or better on a 19" 720P or 1080P monitor or is HDMI output designed to really shine on a 32" (or larger) high res monitor that would be placed in a store entrance or something like that? I'm just not sure it is something the home security DIYer would make full use of...but I could be wrong.

Thanks Matt, it's much clearer to me now. I want to build in a lot of expandability to my system.

Hi guys, Just a basic theory question here. Say you have two camera power supplies. One is a 4 camera 5 AMP supply (with all 4 cameras hooked into it) but the other is a 16 camera 25 AMP supply (with only 4 cameras hooked into it)...would the 25 AMP supply still cost more to run every month than the smaller unit? Thanks, Bob

8 cameras to start (D1 @ 7FPS 24/7) maxing out to possibly 16 cams

Have you ever used the Seagate Barracuda? If so, curious what you thought. I was going to get one for a DVR, but the Pipeline HD you mentioned looks very interesting. Seagate spins a bit faster, but does that matter at all?

I want to mount a dome camera in the corner of my garage. There's vinyl siding with 1/2" of foam board beneath and then solid wood under that. I don't want to cut the vinyl siding, although I have no problem drilling holes into it. What's the best way to get a nice secure install? I'm not sure if I should add a small piece of 1/2" square plywood (in place of the foam board) under the vinyl? The separate vinyl sections are removable for easy access. I have seen some of you just make a white 6 x 6" wood square plate and drill that directly to the siding and the camera then goes on that, but I'm not sure I like the way that looks. I want it to look as professional as possible when done. Your experience and opinions appreciated...thanks.

What is it's original intended use?

I'm interested in how you use these in a Cat5e video installation and why? How do they help? Do they just keep things neat and tidy? What if you need to use two or three pairs of the cat5e to power the camera...would you bypass the wiring block?

Welcome aboard

Hello all...new member here. I have been lurking for just a short while and have been learning a lot from reading all your posts. I own a small house and I'd like to jump in with an 8 camera capable system, but start with 4 cameras to give me the basic outdoor coverage I need. Before finding this forum, I researched kits that were all inclusive. Many were unacceptable, even to a newbie like myself. I kind of like the price to features aspect of this particular kit as it includes 1 TB hard drive and will record in D1 resolution on all 8 channels at 30FPS. There is also a separate power supply and the cameras are all 520 lines. http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?Prodid=11602522 I plan to run Cat5e using baluns with the power pair doubled up. I have a somewhat limited budget and was very attracted to the $600 price...but then I'm old enough to know you get what you pay for. I have thought of putting an "entry level" system together from scratch, but I have two concerns: 1) There is so much equipment out there to choose from, it's a bit overwhelming to the noob. 2) The budget is a consideration. I need the best bang for the buck. I'd love to hear your opinions of the system I posted. Will it most likely just die someday due to poor build quality? If it's no good, please help by suggesting alternatives, as I will check out all the paths that you suggest. I am not in a hurry and thank you for sharing your expertise and experience with me. Bob

Sam, could you post a link to the model DVR that you use please? Thank you.

Thanks for your input Sam. A few questions for you, if you don't mind. I wonder why QVis over Dahua DVR's and did you get a hard drive pre-installed or add your own? Do the cameras you recommended look any better on playback than the ones that came with the Qsee? Thanks, Bob

Greetings all...just a DIY type of guy that has learned a lot from lurking here. Plan to ask some questions soon, as I want to install an 8 camera system in my home.