Abrasive

Hello, I'm new to CCTV and have been doing a lot of reading trying to determine which DVR card is right for me. A little about me, I'm a computer hardware enthusiast, as well as a programmer. Looking forward to learning about CCTV systems My problem is it is hard to find information on them to compare them. Unlike other computer hardware, nobody seems to do side-by-side reviews and comparisons of this type of hardware. I seem to be having the most trouble finding the right DVR card, so I guess I'll start here 1. Which cards have Windows XP software? Linux software? 2. Does the DVR card have a large effect on the quality of the video recorded? 3. Does DVR software generally allow you to share real time video over the network, or is that usually reserved for IP cameras? 4. Should I assume cards are restricted to Intel chips/chipsets, or is that mainly just Geovision? 5. Is there a list of common cards available? 6. Where are some safe places I can be sure I won't purchase a pirate card? I'm in the U.S. 7. Does software come with all DVR cards? 8. Is any generic DVR software recommended over the software that may come with the card? Good advice is much appreciated!