Don Stephens

You just need an NVR; not a DVR. You can get them with or without network ports. If you get one without network ports for your cameras, then your cameras just need to be connected to your router/modem/switch and then brought in through there IP addresses to the NVR.

The first product you linked to seems to have everything that you require. The only real noticeable or usable difference between the two seems to be the number of audio inputs. I guess it's just a matter of whether or not you're ever going to need more than four. I don't know anything about either company so I can't speak to them or their quality of products other than what's on the spec sheet. Are you shopping around for a 960H DVR because you already have 960H cameras? I feel you have better options these days for your money. I've always felt the prices on 960H products to be a little inflated for what you get out of them.

Yah, you can expext this when you change the static IP on the router. Normally, disabling and then enabling your LAN (if you're hardwired) is enough to assign the new change to your computers. If not, just set the DHCP up on each computer.

My mistake. I should have mentioned that. You absolutely need to be using solid copper RG59. The copper clad RG59 wasn't even something I tried during product testing as it wasn't recommended. Theoretically, I guess it might work up to 300ft, but I wouldn't bother wasting your time unless you've got a bunch of extra cable lying around.

I've been lucky enough to have product tested just about every HDCVI model that Dahua has to offer at this time. I can't speak for the other manufacturers, but bottom line, the Dahua HDCVI line good buy for your money and the easiest sale to customers that I've ever made. Is it as sharp as HD-SDI? No. Does it come at half the price of HD-SDI? Yes. Is the image quality damn good for the price? Hell yes. ALso, HDCVI is also compatible with 1600ft runs over coax (for video) which beats the heck out of HD-SDI, and I can vouch for that. The 2 megapixel models will be hitting the market soon from Dahua and that's all that HD-SDI really has over it right now. Also, I don't know what other peoples experience has been with HD-SDI, but I've seen more than a view quality control issues with manufacturers that I've never had a problem with before. I don't know if HD-SDI is just flaky or if QC has just taken a dump on itself.

I'm all about wireless but only when it's required. Wireless is more complicated, more expensive, and lacks the capabilities and reliability of a wired system unless you want to put some big money into additional hardware. If you're worries about temperature and weather conditions, box cameras and enclosures would be worth thinking about.

You won't be able to ping it because it's not on your network yet. If you can't use the configuration software to change the IP address to match your current network settings, then you'll need to change your network settings to accommodate the camera. This is done in your router/modem. Every device is different so you'll have to find the area in there where you can assign a new static IP to your router/modem. Right now it's set to 192.168.0.1. Make the change to 192.168.1.1 and if your IP camera connected to your network properly, you should be able to ping it once the change is made.

My first piece of advice would be to stop looking for something cheap. Ten years of dealing with wireless setups has taught me that when you try and save money by buying inferior products, you end up paying for it in the end anyway when you have to start replacing the hardware within a year or two. People who start with systems from companies like Lorex almost always end up upgrading with a couple years of that purchase. Skip the middle man and go with a system that's built to last. I also wouldn't put too much stock in reviews that you find. This industry has become littered with dirty sales techniques involving the creation of fake reviews as a way to upsell their own products. You need to be going by recommendations from trusted sources as to who a reputable dealer might be. As far as how to set things up, that's usually more complicated than anyone is going to be able to put into works for you on this forum (especially with wireless systems). If you're fairly comfortable with networking, it's probably something you can get through on your own, but more than likely, you're going to need some professional help when you get passed the cheaper commercial systems. I'm aware of applications that you can record video segments with, but it's going to eat up storage on a tablet pretty fast if you're doing it often. Also, if you're do this from outside of the network, you'll usually have to record it at it's substream because of bandwidth limitations so you can kiss your resolution goodbye. An NVR would be the way to go if you can afford the extra expense. Hardwired, for now, is always going to be cheaper and better when compared to wireless. Running cable isn't everyone's favorite thing to do, but it's well worth the time investment. I always tell people not to go wireless unless they absolutely have to. You can PM me if you have any questions.

Cat5e is all you need for any camera on the market right now. They don't required anything bigger or better. I guess for the sake of higher quality and longevity you could go with Cat6, but it's not required.

Personally, I'd stick to getting a Hikvision NVR for Hikvision cameras. Dahua is a good compatible option but most Hikvision cameras usually lose some of there functions/features when you use other brands alongside them.

1. Your ISP could be blocking your HTTP port. You can trying changing it your DVR to something other than 80, 81, or 8080. You'll then need to edit your existing port forwarding settings. Use this site to scan your ports: https://www.grc.com/x/ne.dll?bh0bkyd2. If they're displaying as "Stealth", that almost always means that your ISP is blocking the port. 2. You're using a browser incompatible with your DVR. Try using IE as it's compatible with almost any DVR. 3. Active X usually needs to be enabled to it's entirety at first before you're able to bring up your feed. As this causes most browsers to have a fit about security settings, just add your DVR as a trusted site once you get logged in and then tell your browser to fix the settings for you.

I'd second this. Most Hikvision products will work with other brands but usually not to their full capacity.

Anytime I've seen this is directly a result of using a browser incompatible with the DVR. Internet Explorer, while awful, is usually the safest bet for compatibility. If it's not this, malware does a pretty fantastic job of messing things up for you on the internet browser. If the DVR came with viewing software, I would recommend trying that to see whether it's your browser or DVR that's causing the issue (or just try using a different computer).

I don't know much about the ACTi cams but this particular model is supposed to be a vast improvement on previous models. I've got to say, for the money and simply being time tested and proven to work, I'd have to choose the Dahua over the ACTi. You're familiar with "you get what you pay for" but I'm a bigger fan of "want vs need." I can't imagine a scenario where the Dahua cam isn't going to do the job for you where the ACTi would.

1. Pretty much every single CCTV camera that you'll be able to find will have the ability to detect motion. You're going to have a harder time finding one that doesn't have that feature. If you want more precise motion detection, you can tie PIR sensors into your system but it's probably not necessary at this point. 2. It's pretty much become the industry standard for DVRs to be accessible through the internet. Again, as long as you're buying from a reputable supplier, you won't have any problem finding a DVR with that feature. 3. You have options for recording based on the cameras you choose to go with but ultimately it's going to be easiest for you to just go with a standalone video recorder with the features you want. 4. Most DVRs will be able to accommodate remote viewing from any desktop, laptop, tablet and smartphone. Whether it's through software, internet browser, or app, you really should have multiple, if not all of these, options available to you. Now, I don't know what this BS is about you being overly paranoid about someone stealing the video recorder, but if someone does steal it, you bought all of this equipment for nothing. Whether or not they know what they're looking at when they're robbing you, the fact is that it's a piece of electronic equipment and even stupid criminals will know it's worth money. Bottom line, either hide the video recorder in a location they won't be able to easily find it, or invest in a DVR lock-box so they can't just walk out your front door with it.

The problem could certainly be related to the "crappy software" and if that's the case, just contact your supplier and ask them what the deal is. Have you tried pinging the IP address your attempting to change the camera to. Most IP config software isn't smart enough to tell you whether or not you're creating a conflict. Often times, it will just give you the generic "failed" message. If you want to bypass all of this, just set a new static IP for your network to match what the cameras are already set to (192.168.1.1). You'll just want to make sure you're not creating any IP conflicts in the process.