metapts

Well, I guess we're just looking to get as good of quality as possible on a budget. Storage is the cheapest part of the package. So far, I've done a few setups at a couple of our smaller properties, using 4-9 cameras. At D1 resolution, about 4fps/camera, motion-triggered recording, and a single 500GB hard drive (each), I'm getting about 2 weeks or more of video at each location. That seems like plenty to me. If I need to, I can throw in another HD for $100, which is pretty low compared to the price of the whole package. If something does happen, we should know about it pretty soon, and we want the picture to be as clear as possible. What are you're thoughts?

Joebo~ How is the tech support with Nuvico? Ever had to contact them for anything?

I need a few cameras for indoor use. They all face outwards towards entrances and one of them is pointing at a glass wall and door, so I'm worried about contrast/backlight issues. They should also have IR so they can see in the dark. Any suggestions? Also, they must be analog/bnc and I will be recording at D1 resolution. Will there any benefit in going above 420 TVL? Live viewing is not an issue, so all images will be recorded, digitised, compressed, etc. Thanks.

i've been looking at pelco brand and covisec alcatraz any thoughts on these?

I've purchased a few low-end DVRs (q-see and k-guard) and am not really happy with them - mostly because of the client software. We do not monitor live video, we just let the DVR do its thing and then search for video when an issue is reported. The software on the ones I have is not very intuitive and seems to crash the DVR and/or client computer when searching for video. Can anyone suggest a medium-to-high-end DVR that will perform a little better and have decent support? I need 8 and 16 channel models, hopefully in the $1000-2000 range (the other ones were under $1000). I need to record at full D1 resolution, fps is not as much of an issue. No audio necessary. Must be network capable. Thanks.

I need to set up a system with 22 cameras, and I would prefer to work with standalone DVRs. The biggest standalone systems I can find have 16 channels, so I would need 2 DVRs (16+16 or 16+. Are there any DVRs out there that can work together and appear to the user as one system? I would like to be able to view any/all channels at once and not have to log in and out of each. If that is not possible, what are my best options for a pc based system? Thanks.

Does anyone know of any cameras that transmit video via Wimax? Or do you have to connect to a Wimax router to get back to the source? I can't seem to find any that use Wimax without a second device.

one more question about the PC DVR: will we be able to use this pc as a workstation as well (MS office, internet, etc.), or should it be dedicated as a DVR? or, how powerful would it have to be in order to perform both functions?

Hmm, ok. Well, here's a little more about our setup: The cameras would all be in one apartment building. They would be recorded locally and viewed by a local apartment manager. Occasionally, we would like to view live or recorded video from our main business office at a different location. 1. An internal network should be able to handle this kind of traffic, right? 2. For recorded video, the data will have to come from the DVR PC. For watching live video from our main office, can we view individual cameras directly, or would the images be routed through the DVR PC? (we have a hardware vpn that will effectively make both locations on the same network) Thanks again

If I buy IP cameras (no analog), then all I need is a PC and recording/viewing software, right? Does the PC need anything special other than a network connection and a hard drive? How much does the power of the PC impact the quality/frame rate of the video I'm able to store (primarily) and view (really, only when necessary)? What is most important - processor, memory? What is good and cheap software? Really all we need is the ability to record video and then search through and back up if something happened. No one will really be monitoring the cameras in real time and I doubt we'll ever have a need for PTZ. I'll have about 32 cameras max. Thanks.

I'm looking to do install 21 cameras at a large apartment complex. For the other installations I've done, wiring and labor have cost me more than the actual cameras and recorders. So, one way to prevent this would be to install wireless cameras. 1. How reliable is wireless? Can you get 640x480 images at at least 4 fps? 2. Will 21 wireless cameras create too much traffic? Thanks.

I manage several apartment buildings and have started adding security systems to some of them. I'd like anyone's input on what I have been doing and how I can improve my systems in the future. I have been purchasing standalone network DVRs from Q-See (and my first one was from K-Guard) at about $750 for an 8 channel or $850 for a 16 channel, each with 500GB hard drive. The cameras are CCTVStar model SD-420SIV for $80 apiece. We then buy 500' spools of siamese 18 gauge/rg59 cables an connectors to run our own cable. Most of our cameras have been indoors and in lighted areas, though we may have some outdoor installations coming up. Video quality is important (enough to recognize a face). We also need to have at least 3-4 days of storage and the ability to search for and back up snippets of video to a network storage location. Also, an upcoming install will have 21 cameras, which is more than any standalone I've seen can handle. Should I just get 2 DVRs, or go to a PC based solution? Any critiques, insights, suggestions? Especially on the best setup for an outdoor camera (Cold winters here in Wisconsin!) Thanks! ~Ryan