Ozone

hi the 3208 cant run 7 cameras .....well it can but only at D1. all dahua specs even for the 4 way only shows the spec as a 16 way DAHUA 3208 will run up to 8 cameras with 25fps@720p (/channel) - tested and working! Downside from 3216 that it will only display/record/configure max 8 cams (even at D1) (vs 16) and has only 8 alarm inputs (not 16). Please be aware that the whole 32XX series have the same specs for toal max fps@max resolution (1080p), 2 HDDs, FullHD output, sync playback for recordings. The XX stands for how many alarm inputs and how many total channels it can display/record, but keeping in mind the total fps/bitrate. Are you sure? On the specs it says: 8ch@D1 max D1 recording for the NVR3208 while the 3216 can do 8ch@720P. Anyone else can confirm?

So wait. If you want to run 7-8 2MP cameras. You will need to buy a NVR3208 - 8 Port NVR, Then a 16 port switch such as this one - Zyxel ES1100-16P Then you're off to the races recording 15fps 1080P on all 7-8 cameras? Or am I missing something here.

Thanks for the responses everyone. What I think I will do is stick with buying a couple IPC-HFW3200S's. Also looking at some budget friendly ones to put around the yard. Looking at buying upwards of 4 or 5 camera's but looking to spend $100-$200 for each camera and the IPC-HFW3200S is on the higher side of that(still haven't received a quote yet)

I originally posted a thread but was in the wrong area. After a lot of research I have come to these conclusions: I need a ZyXEL ES2108PWR 8-Port Layer 2 Managed Switch with PoE Support as well as another NIC card I need some sort of software to manage the recordings. I plan on running it off of my computer.(Suggestions?) I need some cameras(see below) I need RJ-45 cables to run to the camera's. What is the cheapest way(but not sacrificing quality) to hook up the camera. Shouldnt need more than 100ft-150ft per camera. What I am trying to do is be able to watch the cars that are parked outfront of my house. My brothers car has been keyed 3 times, the hoods of 2 of our cars have dents from people running up them, and people drive by the cars and egg them. What I want is to try and capture the LP's of the cars that drive by the road while also being able to monitor the cars for any activity. I plan on doing this with 2 cameras, one on the telephone poll and one on top of a fence post(I will camouflage them so they aren't too obvious) I am standing in the same position what I took the photos to give you an idea. The speed limit on the road is roughly 25mph(40km/h) and there is a raised cross walk right where I want to capture the license plates. This could be either good or bad. The camera's I was looking at were the IPC-HFW3200S. Since none(that I know of) own this camera I guess I have to wait to see how great the quality is at night and even if it can capture a license plate at that speed/distance. Any suggestions on alternatives to this camera which will be able to capture a license plate? Lastly, if I add 5 or 6 camera's in total, will this hurt the quality of the other camera's because it is recorded to my computer? I should I consider investing in a NVR? Thanks in advance for the help.

Thanks for the reply! Maybe I posted in the wrong section when I should have posted in the "General CCTV Discussions - Residential", maybe it could be moved? I am having a look now at the various models and got a quote for the Dahua DH-IPC-HFW2100 for $160, is this a bit high or right around the right price range? So from what I gather most home systems,which are lower quality picture, are analog while IP produce a higher quality picture. I understand I run an RJ-45 cable from the camera, but don't exactly know what device is supposed to record the video so I can watch it later. In my ideal world I would like to be able to record the content, play it back later on if needed, and view the live feed on my ipad. I currently have a computer that is running 24/7 and has a lot of power to it. Could I connect the 4 different camera's to my computer some how? I also have a lot of space on the computer(3TB) so wouldnt have to worry about that. My last question(probably not going to be the last ), is I want to be able to record a LP on the video. I want to know if the camera I noted above would be able to capture a LP of a car going roughly 25miles per hour(raised cross walk). I got the measurements using my ultralyte LRB(its a police laser gun that determines speeds and distances, and no, im not a cop.) If not what camera would you suggest that would be in a respectable price range?

So glad I stumbled upon this forum! I have gone through the gantlet of cheap video camera's and finally arrived to some great advice here. I currently have a few different camera's in mind but 2 of which are the Lorex LBC6050 and the other 2 are the DigiMerge DCD210533(I believe Digimerge and Lorex are one in the same) Now my question's are: A) Are these camera's very good? I have looked across the web at reviews of these camera's and haven't found any negative reviews on them. Only positive ones. B) Can I mix and match cameras to a DVR? Does the DVR have to be from the same company as the cameras, this assumes the cameras are connected with BNC connectors. C) Im looking for an 8-channel DVR, any suggestions? My price range for everything is around the $800 mark but could see myself adding better quality cameras in the future to capture license plates at night etc. But as of now don't have the funds to buy a $300-$400 camera that can do that. So I figure if I get an 8-channel DVR I can always add better quality cameras at a later date. Hope this wasn't too long in terms of my first post but willing to learn and make a small investment into what I think could be a new hobby for me. Thanks, Owen