G-Mac

That's a HikVision card with a different model number. Looks exactly like the one in my hand. DS-4008HCI, if I'm not mistaken.

I agree - however if you use a IP decoder to dump back to analog before it goes to the DVR, then the new DVR simply needs to take analog. So, the comment above is also true: Things just get outdated. That's the point - you can set a system up so that the entire system doesn't get outdated at one time. Only pieces of it do, and you can upgrade different components as costs and other considerations allow/require. This is partly philosophical, of course. Are you the kind of person who buys a combo Microwave/Toaster/Coffee Maker, or do you buy three different devices? There are strong arguments for both ways.

We use screw-on ones with a flexible metal coil that keeps the wiring from bending too sharply. The most important part is the stress prevention - you can even just stuff a stiff metal coil on the cable before putting the connector on.

How about 30 fps in 4CIF, 8 ch per PCI card. That's 8 ch, 30 fps per channel, at 4CIF, recording and live. Simultaneous. Same card does 16 ch, 30fps per channel, at CIF. Same card is configurable for QCIF, CIF, 2CIF, DCIF, and 4CIF. There are also smaller cards available, 8 cif / 4 4cif and 4 cif / 2 4cif. It's all hardware encoding, using H.264, with enterprise-class software. So, it exists. Send me a private message or email me. It's not even ONLY my company. There are other options. Lots of them.

Some thoughts: It is ALL about quality components. If your PC-based system builder will not send you the parts list, assume the worst. Software stability is a matter of good quality control and having that software development and testing team local (as in "not across an ocean") is vital. I don't mind considering a software company that outsources some code-work, but the core development team really needs to work closely with the customer service and and tech support folks. So, what to look for: Windows XP pro is fine, but a stock config is not. Ask what OS tuning takes place to optimize the system for DVR duty. To be honest, if the desktop is blue and green and the Start Menu is cluttered with the standard garbage (if Solitaire is installed!) they probably haven't taken the time to tune the OS. Dedicated Video Card: Most DVR applications benefit from a good video card. While some companies excel at tuning their app for a very specific on-board video chipset for very specific purposes, this is not the best way to go. And if you are building your own, make sure you ask what video card is going to give the best video presentation on both the Server and any remote clients. So, of course, that's all kinda of an Ad. Email me if you want to know what my company does to overcome the well-known history of PC-based DVR troubles.

A few things I think are important in a complete IP video surveillance solution. Modularity. Consider the cost of a normal camera vs. a IP camera of equal video quality. If just the camera gets mashed, do you want to pay that premium for a whole new IP camera? I recommend that the camera and video to IP streamer be separate devices. Vandalism was noted earlier. You can save future costs by installing the a normal analog camera in the open where it needs to be and run a short analog wire to an IP streamer that is safely protected. Flexibiliy. If your cameras are outdated and you want new ones, go get them without having to buy hew IP Cameras. If your DVR is old, go get a new one without worrying about whether your IP Cameras work with it. If new network video streaming abilities are invented in the future, buy a single package that does it without changing the Cameras or the DVR. So, Analog Camera connects to nearby IP Encoder. Then here's your network, which could be wireless or what-have-you. IP Decoder near the DVR turns it back to Analog to go back into the DVR. Any of the three technologies can be made better later, by different companies, and you can upgrade without dumping the entire package. The initial per-channel cost goes up, yes. I think future flexibility is worth it, but do the customers?

I read through this and kept thinking about the comment that if you point it at the ground (no blue sky) the problem goes away. But you say you tried several different cameras on the same location. I see wave distortion over the blue sky, which reads as interference to me. If it were me, I'd try mounting it in a different place that gets the same view if possible, and not point at sky at all. You note that it's probably a combination of things, and I'm inclined to agree. Someone else said it, too: Gremlins. But they can be defeated by changing EVERYTHING. Sometimes.

Busy busy... sorry for the delay in getting back - I've got this forum on my hometabs in Firefox, so hopefully I'll be a lot more active. Anywho, we presently make analog DVR's capable of handling from 8-64 channels of CIF @ 30 fps per channel (recording and live view) simultaneously. They can also do from 4-32 4CIF @ 30 fps per channel in recording and live view, and various combinations between QCIF, CIF, 2CIF, DCIF, and 4CIF. So for example, a 64 CIF channel system can be configured to do 32 4CIF channels. Same hardware, just flip a bit in the settings. They are Windows XP based systems that come with 500 GB up to 6.5 TB of storage, and are priced ... awesome. (Resellers get a break, you know...) Go to our website (google airshipdvr) and register in the Store to get pricing info. Did someone say IP? Yeah, we got that coming in the very near future, but in the meantime, we play well with IP Encoders / Decoders from other folks. Our systems use H.264 hardware encoding, have remote clients with full server configuration access, a web client that looks great and users love. What else you wanna know? BTW - is that advertising? I feel like it's an advertisement and that's not why I'm here. What kind of DVR's are YOU looking for? We want to expand our product line so what needs have you?

Hey there, my name is Gryphon. I work for Airship Industries in Bellevue, WA. We make DVR's. Hope that's not an ad; I'm not here to advertise. I'm really just here to read what kind of problems system installers and techs run into, so I can get ideas for making my company's products better. Of course, if I have something truly useful to add, I will. Thanks...