Need help to buy the correct DVR please

[678hug 0]

Hi guys. First post and i'm after some advice about standalone DVR's

I'm in the UK using the PAL system and i know the US works on NTSC, but any help at all would be appreciated

 

Got burgled and caught him on my current cctv. Video and still taken from it were ok just, and he admitted it eventually after almost getting to crown court. I now want to go for better quality recordings, but i'm blown away by all the specifications.

 

I'm after a 4 channel standalone DVR with 1 ch audio input and facility for 2 HDD's (preferably 1Tb SATA's)

 

The manual for my current DVR says it records at 120FPS. I guess this is NTSC so a PAL setting would be 100, across 4 channels giving 25 frames / sec per channel. However, this might be fields/sec as this would then only be 12.5 frames/sec per channel. The recording playback is lower quality than real time viewing, so as i understand it, real time would be 25 frames/sec and a 12.5 frame/sec would explain the lower quality playback.

 

Maplins (a bit like Radioshack in the US) are selling one that says it has 200 frames/sec across 4 cameras (£499 / $770), "giving up to twice the real time recording at 50fps per channel".

It says the record resolution is

Full (720x288), Dual (360x288), Quad (360x144).

Display frame rate 100fps.

Record frame rate 50fps(full), 100fps(dual), 200fps(quad).

 

This is where i get totally lost. I just want one that is better than what i already have. Basic recording. Don't need remote viewing, dvd backup etc.

 

Any advice or pointers would be much appreciated. I'm really lost with the full dual and quad bit. I take it quad means if i use my 4 cameras but can i take it that i'll get 50fps only if i view it at 360x144 and is 360x144 a quarter of the screen sort of size.

 

Record quality at full screen is my highest priority

 

I have it all linked into my home tv system so normal viewing is on a tv and i use my home dvd recorder to backup.

 

Thanks

 

Gary

[leonligang 0]

There are too many indexes in the manual of every DVR.

 

But the most important information for users is:

 

Display definition

D1 (704*576 PAL), CIF(352*288 PAL), QCIF,QVGA etc.

Record definition

D1 (704*576 PAL), CIF(352*288 PAL), QCIF,QVGA etc.

Hard Disk interface

SATA or IDE, usually1 to4

Audio interface

as you want

Encode protocol

H.264 or MPEG-4

 

D1 definition video looks like DVD, and CIF difinition video looks like VCD.

H.264 is better than MPEG-4 because H.264 is a ITU-T protocol,and the efficency of encoding is better than MPEG-4, it means the same definition video file on your disk is smaller when it is encoded in H.264.

 

The maximal frame per second of PAL is 25, and NTSC is 30, the difference between PAL and NTSC is not only FPS, but definition and other factors.

The FPS of a DVR is narration of the capacity of processor.Users need not care about so many index, just set your DVR at PAL,D1,25FPS,and your TV and DVD must be set to PAL too, then you will be pleased to hava a not bad video surveillance system for individual use.

[zmxtech 0]

dont waste any more time with analog gear go IP and get that great picture your after ! [at least 1.3MP]

 

z

[Squiffy 0]

The recording FPS per channel often seems to be the hardest specification to pin down when reading manuals and feature lists, followed by the maximum recording resolution per channel.

 

In one manual I read recently it gives two different maximum resolutions (one at the front of manual, the other at the back...).

 

D1 resolution is necessary for good quality recording, while 25FPS per channel as an option is preferable (to me), I'd settle for half that for home CCTV use.

 

I assume you're referring to a Swann model, in which case more detailed information is no doubt available from them.

[678hug 0]

Thanks for the replies. I know answering my question can require a lot of typing so i appreciate all answers.

 

I did look at IP systems, but then i would have to replace the cameras and it's too much cost at the moment.

 

I hadn't looked at the swann one. The one i was looking at is made by Safe-Core.

[Squiffy 0]

Which model? DVR-400M?

[678hug 0]

I think the model number is DVR400DUAL.

 

I would post a link but i can't until i've been a member of this site for 5 days

[Squiffy 0]

I can't see that model listed on the Maplin site, I assumed they'd phased out the Safe-Core models and only stocked Swann these days. Having said that it's probably all the same stuff anyway, just rebadged.

 

I would think it's 12.5 FPS per channel at 720x288.

[Erron S. 0]

dont waste any more time with analog gear go IP and get that great picture your after ! [at least 1.3MP]

 

z

 

I agree!!

[678hug 0]

On the Maplin site it's listed as a 4-channel Dual codec Network CCTV Recorder. I only know it's made by safe core because a company called CPC are selling the same model with the Safe-Core badge.

 

Maplin Stock Code N80GC

[Squiffy 0]

> Maplin Stock Code N80GC

 

Ah, well that shows it as 50FPS per channel, which is more than necessary.

 

Given that you don't actually need all of the features it provides, I would say it's a lot of money to pay for something that will probably disappoint you regarding the recording video resolution.

 

Rather than wading through lots of manuals trying to find specs for DVRs, it would be great to see a table of recent and new models to make it easy to locate models which provide D1 resolution for example.

[678hug 0]

Still unsure why i would be disappointed. Recording at 50 fps is a lot better than the 12.5 that i've got at the moment. I realis that anything recorded above 25fps would be wasted anyway (I think!!!)

 

I've also found this until available for £379.

 

 

deal or no deal?

[Squiffy 0]

No problem with the FPS, only the resolution (i.e. it will not look as sharp as the live displayed video).

 

If undecided, why not buy it and try it out, then take it back for a refund if not adequate for your purposes?

Or ask for a demonstration in store? Maplin (their stores in my area anyway) usually have a working Swann model on display connected to a 7" LCD but you'll need a bigger monitor size to assess quality properly.

[678hug 0]

I think i'll do just that. Gonna buy it online from flyonthewall.co.uk

£375 +VAT. Watch this space

 

Maplins don't have it in their stores as it is online only

[Squiffy 0]

You might want to check they offer a full no-quibble refund.

 

You could also check actual images (I'm sure there are plenty on this forum) giving A/B comparisons between live display/recorded video to see if you think it'll be adequate.

[Sawbones 0]

What you really want to know is FPS at specific resolutions

 

120 FPS at CIF isn't that great... 120FPS at D1 is quite good. If you're after image quality, D1 is what you want, and I doubt you'd need more than 10-12 fps for most standard applications.

 

*********** Edit ************

 

But as another poster already pointed out, megapixel IP cameras with are far nicer than almost any standard analog camera. Megapixel is THE reason why I ditched my embedded DVR for a PC-based system this year.