CYANiDE

WD1 was created to take advantage of 960H resolution. Yes, getting a 1000TVL (probably really 960 TVL) you will see an improvement although you need to be weary as one manufacturers 1000TVL looks about as good as anothers 480TVL. The sensor used can play a big part of getting the image quality you want.

There are also Hybrid DVRs that have up to 32GB of storage from Dahua. If I understand you, basically the same exact setup before gave you more days of storage? Is the system set to motion record or continuous? If motion recording, confirm that the camera is actually recording during motion and that you don't see long sections of video without any motion. It is possible the camera is picking up a lighting change or something to that effect and then it starts recording.

Are you using analog or IP cameras? Dahua has offerings for DVR's with 32TB storage capacity.

I am willing to bet that it is a power issue. Question - why are you recording some sort of wall that takes 1/5 of the screen. Waste of storage real estate.

Most "hidden" cameras have poor resolution. Why do you need a hidden camera in your business? Can it just be visible?

You will benefit from WDR if there are certain areas in images where it is much darker than the surrounding area. See this link on the Axis site: http://www.axis.com/products/video/camera/about_cameras/wdr.htm You probably wouldn't need WDR for anything lit with fluorescent lights. WDR is really beneficial outdoors, but I'm sure some indoor applications would require the use of a camera with good WDR.

IP Camera with a separate IR illuminator is probably the best solution. If you want to stick with analog, lots of places are now releasing 1000TVL cameras but I think that is more of an advertising thing than too much image improvement.

The placement of the camera will determine how well you can capture a plate. Usually cameras with built in IR have a very concentrated beam in the center of the image and can wash out plates. At 60+ feet with regular analog camera, it will still be a bit tough to grab a clear image of a license plate. There are 1000TVL cameras in the ~$100 range that I've used (usually no name brand stuff straight from factories) that are actually great performers in low light but you will see the IR wash out the plates.

It seems like you have a good grasp of what you want (most customers don't really know or are unrealistic with their expectations). Honestly, for corridors get some 1.3mp cameras, depending on ceiling heights they should definitely be enough for facial identification. A mix of 1.3mp and 3mp would be the best bet and can save some money. If you are looking to save cash, hire a local Low Voltage AV company to run wires to your comm/server room. Once cables are terminated into a patch panel in the room you can definitely take care of the rest with your experience. Exacqvision should be fine, but get pricing for other software as well (Genetec is nice as is OnSSI). Do you have any floor plans of the school? I would start with some PDF floorplans and make a symbol that indicates a camera and start dragging and dropping to see an accurate count and measure if you have adequate coverage. DIY will save tons of money but you also need to look at it from a troubleshooting standpoint. Having to deal with the configuration of the VMS server and client software on top of other stuff on your plate can be more costly in the long run. Also, going with an integrator/installer, any issues with cameras/server will be handled and you can sign up for a service contract as well.

ACTi makes some great cameras. Your biggest limitation is simply going to be your budget. Also, at 60+ cameras, you will also need to set aside money for video management software and licensing for it. As far as 1.3MP vs 3MP, you need to do storage calculations depending on how you want to setup the system (stream type, recording setting (motion, continuous, etc)) and see the price difference in storage using both types of cameras. For a school environment, I honestly think you should save your money and go with 1.3MP, but when I go out to my customers I will always recommend 3MP from the get go because of the clarity (they are always impressed when you demo a 3MP cam). Vari-focal or fixed will depend on what views you are trying to get. If you have very little camera overlapping wider will almost always be better. Again, your biggest constraint will be budget. Doing it yourself would be cheaper, but I'm not sure you want to be in charge of a 60 camera project on your own while you manage the other details of the school. Outsourcing it to a company will allow you to get them to handle all the networking parts and troubleshoot issues that will arise.

There are Bosch cameras that come with wipers and a cleaner fluid that will spray on the lens to keep it clean. That may be one solution.

You are on the wrong forum for that but maybe someone would be able to help you out. A photography forum may be more informative on this subject.

Why an NVR if you are not planning to use megapixel cameras?

Moth balls or some other insect repellent may work. Is this camera near a light source? The warmth of the camera may be attracting spiders.

For such a small installation, I'm not sure you really need identity management. With the use of controllers and such comes the cost of access control management software. I would just buy two readers and several RFID ID cards, and just program the two readers individually. I wouldn't be able to justify the cost of paying for the capability to change things over a network for a 2 reader install (unless you are planning to have a lot of users). However, if you do really need the networking capability, I would recommend Rosslare as the product of choice. It's much more budget oriented and suitable for a home user. AC-215 can do two card readers. Just buy a backup battery. Not sure on how much their client software is (AxTraxNG). Let me know if you need any Rosslare stuff and I can help you out.

Honestly, getting a good IR illuminator can make a crappier camera perform significantly better. You do need to be careful that the IR illuminator doesn't wash-out license plates though.

What is the system for? I rarely recommend wireless systems, unless that is the only solution possible.

How big is the parking lot? You can probably grab one or two IR illuminators and use a high res. camera and your problem is solved.

Hey All, My father own several small retail locations. We would like to place some 4 or 8 camera DVRs and there are so many different options (from some Bosch 500GB units at about $500 for just the DVR, and some Sony cameras or something with decent quality 540TVL or above - looking at over 1200 per site). Our budget is around $1000 per site and a few requirements: Looking for DVRs that will allow us to have at least one or 2 PTZ cameras under our control. 4-8 channels (no audio needed). Will need 2-3 cameras per site that are both good in daytime and night time (when do I need IR illuminators?) Access all locations via Internet for live viewing and controlling of PTZs. Motion alarming (this is done on the DVR itself correct?) Sorry for my noob questions. I've read some okay stuff about Dahua, Zmodo, etc. I need something with decent RMA process or Tech Support if needed. Any recommended sites would be cool too.

Good point. I'm located in New York USA. I know it seems difficult to get something with good tech support or decent returns because a lot of it is Chinese made products. It seems to get the best deal I will need to purchase it online. Now, the issue I've heard with NVRs and IP cams is the fact that you need some decent bandwidth to run these at decent quality. The stores only have really basic cable connections (10mb down, 1mb up). I'm looking into getting a rebranded dahua (GenIV Tech maybe?) -- is there a better place to get the rebranded dahuas from? Or a site most guys here prefer? Also, I see a lot of guys like the CNB cams - is there a preferred site to get those as well? What about the baluns - preferred brands or anything off of Amazon?

What minimum resolution should I be looking for? 480TVL, 600TVL more? What are some reputable sites to get cameras and a DVR?

Okay, so let's remove the PTZ and just replace with additional cameras. What is a good DVR to use? So many options..

BUMP. Anyone?