rory

Yes it will be slightly higher quality. You will definately notice a difference on the live CCTV monitor.

i get an error with the password ...

yep it sure is!!

Hi No prob, though whether it has USB, MPEG4, or a Removeable HDD, doesnt really make it a good unit, some of the higher end stand alones have none of that, and they are the best around It is just a good machine for the price, obviously loaded with features.

Its up to you, I cant recommend anything from Sams Club, Kmart, etc. But I can point you to other budget DVRs. PowerTellecom R4000 - great 4 channel unit and Self Executable for Remote Video Live and Admin. Post a Request on this forum if you are interested in it as only dealers sell them. No motion detection though. AvTech 4 channel - Great little 4 channel if you need browser based DVR. Has removeable HDD, and USB. Client program is not great but if you can live with Browser based, this is a good little unit. Motion detection really doesnt exist though. Those are "budget" ultimately cheapest. Next step up is the Active-Tek 4 channel DVR. http://www.active-tek.com/jun/HtmlPro/product1-2.htm USB, VGA, Motion Detection, CDR, LAN with Admin, etc. (also sold under EclipseCCTV, Uriel (.net), Lexion, etc. http://www.bahamassecurity.com/uploads/tm4cd.pdf Those are stand alones, then you move into the PC based, and also high(er) end stand alone systems from companies like Bosch, GE, etc. Rory

Actually a UPS does nothing for brownouts, spikes, etc, need a voltage regulator for that. We get power problems daily here in the 3rd world, and ive seen UPS' totally fried, or where the spike went through the UPS and fried the PC.

I looked at it when it came out, but decided if Im buying GE im going for the StoreSafe one time, otherwise the ActiveTek model is a better buy, IMO.

Hi Ganz does have some good pricing on good cameras. Check out the Ganz Wide Dynamic cameras: http://www.cbcamerica.com/cctvprod/ganz/cams/csmount/csm_pdf/CamZC_Y30NH4.pdf Also they have regular color, but if you dont want to go back alot due to someone moving the camera, then you may want to look at the Ganz Color Dome camera, its not a wide dynamic but it is High Res color: http://www.cbcamerica.com/cctvprod/ganz/cams/domeCams/DomePDF/zcd6000_cut.pdf Vandal domes seem to be out of your price range, but if they are interested then check out: http://www.wizkidoptotech.com/products/ More advanced (and more expensive): http://www.extremecctv.com/products/index.cfm?fam=4 Rory

Scott the link is right here: http://80.2.191.202/PCDVR_Web_eng.htm Doesnt look like anything close to the Geo Software, at least not their ActiveX.

The Iview is the best ive seen for remote video, using the manufacturers software. It is actually easier to use than the others, very simple in fact, just doesnt have the playback features, meaning its not as complicated. One job i have them on is 2 stores, the owner views both stores through a VPN in the remote video software from his office in the main store, in a multi site multi view, and leaves it running mostly all day long. Ive almost got this Iview demo set back up, just gotta grab a network card tonight from someone ... will let you know when its on. One thing, the Geo is more complicated, but both the Iview and the Geo you can set up a user with limited use, leave that in full screen and they can just click on cameras and click back to multi view, so that pretty much leaves it like a normal type CCTV view. Digiflower is a pain to set up users and user levels, the remote video itself needs seperate users set up, i hate it!

That depends on the card used and drivers installed. If the program has a set up you may be able to change the input type from USB etc. More common Cards like BT878 are generally recognised but thats those drivers.

So each run is around 2000-3000'? Or thats the total run? If so I kind of see why they used RG11, but being it was how many years ago, they probably should have used fiber, if it was now they could have got away with Twisted Pair and Active Hubs (NOT Baluns). But if its direct bury you could still end up near the Fiber cost!

Iview is cheaper, and i have a 120pps card running on a 1.7Ghz 256MB old second hand PC ... playback features are pretty limited but it works with no issues.

GE claims to have it in this PC based DVR ... but it costs big time $$ .. http://www.geindustrial.com/ge-interlogix/kalatel/videoiq.html Filtering out parts of the video is not an issue and nothing new, though having the software do itself without human interaction is another thing. Some DVRs such as the PC DVR GeoVision has Object tracking and missing object, as well as PTZ tracking. But no they dont do human identification like you mentioned, but they are close. Ive seen a box that does all this but cant remember where, if you have a link please post. Nice to have something seperate of the system which can be used with any System. Actually the best "normal" motion detection I have experienced was while using the Kalatel (now GE) DVRs ... the PC DVRs havent matched up to that part yet, though they do have much more motion detection features, some of them. Thanks Rory

foe real Quite a few of them have hardware compression cards just ask for it. Geo has one also.

no need unless you are going to browse the web, check email, or download software on it. If you turn off all the services and uninstall programs not required, there isnt much a virus will be able to do.

Regardless of the card make sure nothing else is installed on the PC except the DVR Server Software, and close out all services that are not required. See the last post on the following thread: http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=2707

Anything that is open to the internet is a risk, but unless you are the CIA i wouldnt worry about it. Just enable Block Anonymous Internet Requests You can also set up TCP filtering on the PCs if you want,. just enable the ports that you will use.

Yeah but VPN is a bit too much for most users.

i dont know off hand, but this one is also in the linksys. http://www.tzo.com/

If its a Linksys router you can set up a DDNS at www.DynDns.org, and enter that info in the router, then you dont need a static IP. VNC lets you enter an IP or a DDNS name.

Right here bud: -uninstall any programs not required, clean up desktop and all other folders. -bascically i do all updates then turn it off automatic updates. -take off all start up programs. -close out all unneeded services and disable them. -control panel, system, performace, set to best. -theme to windows classic. -screen saver off. -effects turned off in appearence. -tweakui all effects turned off, active desktop disabled, mouse speed to fast. -power - monitor off in 20 minutes or whatever, hdd always on, hiber & standby off. -windows components - leave on windows media player, accessories -after all windows updates uninstall MSN messenger, disable in program access, and uninstall again using sysoc.inf in the windows INF folder .. delete HIDE, then uninstall again in windows components. -turn off access to all windows programs except windows media player. -turn off all services not needed in msconfig and services, restart then go in admin and services and turn off others. -and i dont install antivirus or spybot S&D or any other software besides the DVR server, on the DVR PC. -also the more services you can turn off the faster it will run, especially if they are set to automatic and running. -Use TCP filtering if you want even more security. Download Screen Shots here .. http://www.bahamassecurity.com/uploads/xptweakDVR.zip

Streaming 16 cameras from a remote location im using 50-70% it gets higher when i do something else, or stays even around 40-50% when just the remote video window is open ... Just FYIs.

Yeah I just usually "tape" them I dont know, what is 300m in feet .. and RG11 ...?

Never heard of that, but ofcourse a "joint" is going to lower the distance, so joining it together instead of using a connector will help. How many cameras are causing problems? Is this RG59? How much feet is the distance? Possibly look at an amplifier as well. But wire needs to be soughted out first. Where are the splices located? Rory