daveshoot

What I really like is seeing nothing going on at my house. Remote area, interesting neighbors. I am so tickled with the broadband, which entailed trenching 250 yards to the pump station to get a line of sight... I am still figuring out what to do with it. I ran a couple extras for CCTV, most in conduit. Remote gate control will be next. I would like a doorbell/call box/gate output kinda thing that lets me interrogate visitors via phone after viewing, then let them in if they pass muster (propane fill guy, etc.). If you know of something decent that is IP based, I'd be interested. A remote control gopher shooter is also high on my list but will require some back-country engineering and PTZ.

I'll be finding out soon. Pulled the trigger yesterday. I think I will try to get the whole thing running as-is before getting crazy with the updates and downloads. I have also finally been able to establish a broadband connection here in the boonies, so remote viewing, operating, etc. is suddenly more interesting to me. Details (hopefully happy ones) to follow.

This pic might be a little clearer. The big green connector is labeled. Top right is RS-485 for PTZ control. Top left is alarm output. The bottom strip is for the alarm inputs. It's easier to see if you click on the pic to see the full size.

The Swann has an alarm I/O input connector on the back, separate from the RS-485. This is where you'd connect external motion and PIR. Unfortunately the manual download link only gives you the Spanish version, or I'd know more about it. I reckon I will just order the system and hope the English paper version is in the box.

Update: Swann support confirms the Costco deal is an NVR, and the SDI reference was an error.

Isn't this Hikvision? http://www.hikvision.com/en/Products_show.asp?id=7333 I don't think Lorex/Swann are offering them but they appear to be out there.

http://www.costco.com/Swann-8-Channel-HD-NVR-Security-System-with-2TB-Hard-Drive-and-4-1080p-IP-Cameras.product.100027599.html

Well, that Lorex is an SDI coax system, which is not what I want. YMMV but not apples and apples. The SDI debate is elsewhere in the forum, but I understand IP a lot better, and am now sorta pre-wired for it. For the last couple months they have had the Lorex IP and the Swann SDI. Now the roles are suddenly reversed, and the Swann NVR had more features than the comparable Lorex. So that is my fork in the road.

Those are kinda standard "engineering" increments... 14 F is -10 C, and -22 F is -30 C. We (USA) are an island of F in an ocean of C so the converted values give an impression of accuracy. Temp specs are usually conservative and rounded to these benchmark figures. Rating product temps is not a very exact science. While I have no insight on the cameras, I find that electronics prefer cold to heat, and not counting any motors, I wouldn't give them a second thought.

In olden times I was associated with a brand of CCTV cams. One of our tube cameras was installed outside the entrance of a bank. A gentleman with a ski mask successfully robbed the bank with a revolver, and left with the cash in a bag. As he exited the building he saw the camera as he was removing his mask. Being a thorough sort of criminal, he aimed and shot the camera. Thanks to his careful aim, the PD had a perfect full face mug shot. The .38 round went through the camera body but missed the tube, not that it mattered. Of course in those days it was all recorded on analog physical tape. I imagine him telling his cellmates to be sure to put a second round through the cams in the future, to be sure they're really dead. Dolt.

Umm... Wife happy. Picture good. Price cheap. Installed and operational, not broken. Yup, time to make some changes... I am still waiting for the Swanns to come back.

Does this forum have a Post of the Month award? Because I am nominating Maxi's test. Thanks for the time you put into a very thorough and useful comparison.

I had pretty good luck with my only call to Swann, not so good to Lorex. I think it's luck of the draw, time of day, and the kind of day... there is nothing worse than a retail/consumer call center job, and I don't care if you're in Mumbai or Kansas City. Highly unqualified people feel entitled to dump on you all day. The worst are retired engineers. Sorry, retired engineers; if the shoe fits... please call the CEO with your valuable insights and not the freakin' tech support line. Anyway, PTZ support is for full motorized pan/tilt/zoom controls, many of which are domes, and some of which are not. PTZ compatibility would certainly not matter much with fixed bullet cameras, or fixed dome cameras. But, full PTZs are actually out there and very useful for certain applications, and it would be nice to have a network system that allowed me to expand to them in the future. They might be offered by Swann, or maybe Dahua or HIK or other standards-compliant suppliers. Lorex says no, Swann says yes. IR LEDs are visible because they center on the IR range but emit light on either side of it, some of which is visible. If you want invisible, there are coherent laser IR illuminators that are more precisely on IR frequencies (although you can see a faint glow even from them, at least in my very dated experience) but the potential for retina damage is much greater, and beam control was iffy. Perhaps that's all changed now?

Had it on good authority today... let's say a little bird told me... In a matter of weeks rather than months, the Swanns will be back at Costco. I sure hope it's true. I'm ready to go. As far as I'm concerned, the bloom is off the rose on the Lorex due to previously-mentioned lack of alarm input and PTZ. I will wait for the Swann unless Q-See posts a 1080 package with comparable features and price. There was also some hope that Swann might add a PTZ to their offerings, although that was a little more vague. PS: These Costco threads must be driving the pros and tekkies nuts. I have found them tremendously helpful, including some of the pro's insights, but I would hate to be them, wading through puddles of unenlightened ignorance. I am very grateful for the forum and the input of all the more experienced professionals here. If it's any comfort, my budget has more or less tripled since I started looking at sample video, reading, and searching, although there is still a limit. But if I don't buy and install it myself, it's not going to get done, as with so many other things here on the "farm". It just needs to get done and with some level of Costco support guarantee.

I've decided I don't want the Lorex NVR, based on no alarms or PTZ, so the quest (and the wait) continues. If the Swann package (or a comparable res IP Q-See) goes back up, I'll have to jump on it.

Link? I am not seeing anything but the Swann cameras, or the D1 packages. The NVR package doesn't show with a search. I am trying to figure out what makes an AvertX worth an extra $1000... it does have alarm inputs and PTZ control... very nice but not THAT nice.

I received an answer to my queries from Lorex: (1) No, it (the RS485 or any other alarm input) is not compatible, alarms cannot be connected. (2) Currently there are no plans for an IP NETWORK PTZ type camera for this system. So that takes care of that.

Y'all are going to buy this one out before I even get my questions answered, just like the Swann deal... FWIW I emailed Swann several weeks ago, and never received a response. I emailed Lorex this AM re: external alarm input and future PTZ possibilities. So far, just a robo-response, but it's only been a few hours. We might extrapolate that Swann was sour if they are losing the distribution of this thing to Lorex, and disdained to answer further questions on it, but I am not sure that's the case (even if understandable). Anyway, as a supplier it's understandable if Lorex or others choose not to support certain features. It doesn't mean they aren't in there . Nobody wants to support third-party stuff that's been cobbled into their product, especially when they're essentially distributors rather than the actual manufacturer. No harm in asking and it's a good test of their response. I should just order the dang thing but I was thinking alarm input in particular was a handy feature in a security recorder?

I would bet it's the same fan, and there is an FAQ on the Lorex site about the fan noise being perfectly normal. Tells me they expect questions on it.

From what I saw comparing the two, the big difference on the very-similar NVRs was that the Lorex did not have the alarm input connector, only a single RS-485 terminal that is listed as "unsupported". The Swann had a multi-input terminal connection in the same location.

The backs of the Swann and Lorex NVRs are extremely similar... but Swann has the big alarm input connector, where the Lorex only has a two-terminal "RS-485" connector at the same spot. The Lorex manual (very large) only makes one reference to the RS-485 port: "Unsupported".

They do appear physically identical. Also, 4mm lens like the Swann package. It would be more reassuring to see them run with a brand for a while, and add to the accessories and spares over time. I don't know whether Costco will offer additional camera packs for this item, and I still want to phase in PTZ over time. The on-again, off-again nature of these deals makes them seem like a cul-de-sac in terms of future expansion. But I am really ready to go with something and this may be the new ticket.

Really. Right now there is a dearth of IP package selection at Costco; no network Swann's, no mid-range Q-See package (8 ch. IP with 1080?), and the Avertx at the high price and a less than desirable camera mix (for me). I emailed Swann but haven't heard back yet. Hopefully they are just waiting for the next run with fan mufflers and hard right edges . I liked their lens selection better, and I'm ready to go if they show back up.

Thanks jsl, but I found that link, too. And it says: "Product Not Found This product is out of stock and cannot be added to your cart at this time." Maybe just a temporary stock situation, but I really want to get going on something.

Maybe I'm missing something, but they don't appear to carry the NVR for these? The camera copy says, "This camera 2 pack is an ideal upgrade option if you have already purchased the Swann 8 Channel HD NVR Security System with 4 x 1080p cameras... This camera can only be used in combination with Swann’s 1080p Network Video Recorders for cutting-edge IP surveillance in full HD." The bullets add, "Add to Swann 8 Channel NVR & 4 Cameras (Item #730186)". But there are no Swann NVR packages listed, and that item number comes up not found. The only Swann packages shown are all D1. Another minor but annoying incident with our lovely neighbors yesterday is moving this to front burner (wifey fully on board now).