rory

I agree 11K is a little excessive for 8 cameras. I recently specked out a 47 camera job and labour and parts are no more than $14K. But in this case we dont know when he got this installed, a few years ago DVRs alone were in the $4-6K range retail, some still are.

All the digital so called "analog" cameras have the ABILITY to be updated or more precisely reprogrammed, doesnt mean the manufacturer automatically gives you that option - if one pays them enough they will. There are specific OEM brands that sell that as an option. But if dealing with a $40 camera (or free in my case) its cheaper to just buy (or acquire) another camera that does what you want it to. ...

BTW why do you clowns have to get personal? I never mentioned you or your business. 2 can play that game, how you like it if I said any dummy can install the cameras you install??

sure ok find a worthwhile firmware update for a crappy IP camera LOL you missed the point though, technology changes every day, so that IP camera, firmware or not, could be outdated the next day. With "analog" camera, as long as there is something with BNC connectors, its going nowhere, and it has proven that for a number of decades now rory you are right technology does change everyday. and you like 1000s of other engineers have moved with that technology. 1 example i hope you dont sell to your customers a full good D1 dvr and then install 320tvl cameras. you have moved with technology just by going low tvl to your 520 CMBs now we just need you to catch up and go MP ...... it wont hurt you ....... it doesent hurt at all honest you wont feel a thing I dont sell cameras, but when MP catches up with "analog" then I just might

sure ok find a worthwhile firmware update for a crappy IP camera LOL you missed the point though, technology changes every day, so that IP camera, firmware or not, could be outdated the next day. With "analog" camera, as long as there is something with BNC connectors, its going nowhere, and it has proven that for a number of decades now

actually the "analog" camera has a firmware too, since it is actually digital, so it COULD be updated.

actually the analog camera has a firmware too, since it is actually digital, so it can be updated.

So you are saying you cant update the firmware on a DVR .. i can show you how if you like.

he should have got a mortgage and paid for an avilon 16 megapixal camera one time.

a crappy overpriced ip camera is outdated the same week you buy it, technology changes every day ... hmm

id say he sounds like he has alot of money throwing ipods around like candy and driving super expensive vehicles so .. im sure he has good insurance and therefor i am inclined to say who cares. Besides based on that thread there is no way to know what kind of system he has, he said he zoomed in for that picture, so could be anything, for all we know his truck could be a mile away. Believe it or not there are people in this world that dont want to install the system themselves, therefore the installer is contracted to source and sell the equipment to them and install it - hence larger than normal cost. However that said the 8-channel part is a LITTLE disturbing

check out the Dahua SDK's http://www.dahuasecurity.com/download.aspx?p=fwyxz&p_kind=4&c_kind=17&c_kind2=140

oh BTW a client had mini domes in a house for 10 years now .. the staff didnt know they existed until just a couple years ago Ofcourse they also have motion detection cameras and a GE Brute camera..

you can make your own for ALOT less.

I used GeoVision for a few years and since I moved to Dahua .. never looked back. The DVR is literally plug and play out of the box. Now I have more time to spend on other work. There are only a couple features Geo has that the Stand alone doesnt which I kind of want but it is not imperative, that being able to set the start up multiview and better remote playback. Other than that it does everything most clients would ever need and then some. Its not like the stand alones of years gone by .. they know they have lots of competition now so they need to keep up. Sure with PC based you tend to have some more search and playback features, but its not that they CANT do that in the stand alone, they just havent yet .. after all its linux, not some limited MAC OS. And previous stand alones were using a much more restricted RTOS and that DID limit them in many ways (Eg. Nucleus RTOS on GE/Kalatel). But to each their own, if I ran a PC store then that would be a whole different thing, if PC parts for a DVR were easy to come by, not as much these days, especially down here. However stand alone DVRs would still have their place, small compact units with 25watt current draw and basically no heat apart from the HDD, and even then you can run it without a HDD and just record over the network/internet to a central location using their free software. When you are dealing with Compter illiterate clients, it also makes sense to use something other than a PC. For the advanced users sure they could do alot, write scripts and custom schedules and stuff for the PC DVR .. but unlikely the DVR clients are paying for all that labour. Anyway it is what it is .. and like I said, we can still use a PC to record the video from the stand alone DVR

Is Avtech H.264? If the DVR is H.264 you need to install codecs for that.

then you would have to worry about the crack addicts

There are 2 types of Domes with built in Infrared 1-The Standard Dome with the foam ring to block IR from entering the lens. 2-Eyeball / Turret style domes which have a separate IR window. The latter are the ones I use and they are no mickey mouse setup, they do work. However for any longer range IR I would use a bullet with IR, or if they can afford it something like the Extreme IR cameras, or BETTER yet separate IR alltogether. The reason for using Infrared in the first place is because the camera needs light, no matter how well it may compensate for low light, it cant see in pitch dark. Also most cameras that see in very low light compensate so much that there is a ton of noise. The trick is knowing when to use Infrared and when not to, unfortunately no matter what you tell the clients, many these days have already made their mind up that Infrared is the way to go, while most times a good color or BW camera, or True Day Night camera without IR .. is all that is needed. That said a camera with built in Infrared is usually the manufacturer's attempt to make it easier for the installer and in some cases cheaper - than buying the camera without IR and adding it as needed. The customer buys it with Infrared just incase they need it, in many cases they dont. Decent external Infrared costs money and takes additional labour, unless one has the time to mess with LEDs off ebay or direct from china. The idea of the built in IR cameras is that its a plug and play solution, but really it is never guaranteed, even with the $2000 extreme IR cameras. Typically when I DO use Domes with IR it would be in a small office or at the inside or outside of an entrance, basically short distances. Otherwise its non IR domes or True Day night bullets with IR (hard to find them without these days) where one can disable the IR if needed. But to each their own, the main thing is to please the client. Most of my apps for the past 10 years have been day night installs, and pitch dark, so I have definitely had the need for Infrared. Im tired of Infrared and so are my eyes having used so much of it over the years (imagine 500' IR hallogen bulbs that burn your skin at 3 feet away). But I use it when I need to. Ofcourse most cheap outdoor dome cameras come with built in infrared anyway, and without it they rarely see much of anything at night even under alot of light. So what you use will depend on the client and application.

Yes if you use the right product.

Dahua does.

Nope not even close. the hardware is totally different in most cases. its one reason we use the small stand alone dvr over PC now, they can take the heat where PCs cant.

Ive used a Wireless Bridge with a Stand alone DVR before. Best to run wire if you can though.

Firefox is a PITA, use Chrome or Safari. At this point im willing to say I drop all support for Firefox.

I am no longer affiliated with this forum in that way. New owners rule the world.