DVR and VoIP

[donmoody 0]

Hello,

 

Hope you are well,

 

I install CCTV and provide a remote access service to people who get a system installed from me.

 

I have been using avtech DVRs (digiguard, in particular) as they are cheap and effective for what i need them for.

 

I know i can remotely access the dvrs but if i wanted to send a message remotely, how could i do this? are there dvrs set up to do this? what would i need to have set up on the other end? can i do this at a budget?

 

My supplier is getting expensive by the minute, where can i get some cheap dvrs with Voip features and i do not mind buying bulk. Also cameras, if anybody has any ideas?

 

sorry to be a pain and thanks advance.

 

Regards

 

Moody

[thewireguys 3]

Mobotix is the only product (that I know of) that has built in VOIP support. They are MP IP cameras with built in DVRs.

 

http://www.mobotix.com

[Soundy 1]

What do you mean by "send a message remotely"? Are you looking to send an email or SMS (text message) to someone when an alert is generated? I can't think of a lot of use for VoIP on a DVR - what, so you can talk to it??

[donmoody 0]

Thanks for the reply,

 

I would like it, so when I speak down a mic, it transmits the message to the location via the dvr and the dvr possibly has an audio output, which I could connect speakers to, so it is out put into the yard or shop....

 

Unless there is an other way of doing this???

 

Sorry to sound silly, I hope you understand what I have explained.

Thanks again

 

regards

 

Moody

[aacctv 0]

hi dude, i have the same issue, need voip for a job where a guy needs to watch and communicate to a second site, i used a machine called a "alien dvr" a 8 port machine set me back £1000 uk pounds, i dont know if thats in your budget, i have used the digiguard machine its ok compared to alot of crap out their.for cameras try a company called y3k , they are generally the cheapest. p.s. how much do you pay for your digiguard machines?

[cctv_down_under 0]

Mobotix is the only product (that I know of) that has built in VOIP support. They are MP IP cameras with built in DVRs.

 

What a load of GARBAGE.

 

A lot of products have this feature - even Geovision - you could also just use a voip sender or audio encoder/reciever - it really depends on how you want it to work...IE

 

Just a message in text - windows live

Audio speaking directly - DVR Geovision or many other options

Answer the message like a telephone call - windows live messenger

 

There are plenty of options available - you cold use simple vooip to voip phones and set to auto answer

[Soundy 1]

Mobotix is the only product (that I know of) that has built in VOIP support. They are MP IP cameras with built in DVRs.

 

What a load of GARBAGE.

 

That's kinda harsh - he DID specify, "that I know of".

[rory 0]

Many many DVRs have so called VOIP where you can talk to the location and they can talk to you .. ive even seen a very cheap 4 channel DVR with that feature .. no its not typically the actual VOIP technology per say but it is still Voice Over IP.

[cctv_down_under 0]

Sorry soundy - perhapps it was - just tired of the ONLY IP approach - i wouldnt use a DVR for voip - they simply are not designed for it - besides you really want to set QOS before doing this and thats a lot easier with a voip router

[hardwired 0]

Some of it is splitting hairs, the Mobotix IS the only one I know of either that does use VOIP-specific SIP protocol with QOS for audio... But yes, many other DVR's are capable of 2-way audio, and if you've properly set up the routing, and you have a decent bandwidth WAN connection (for example, the DVR I typically use needs UDP port forwarding for audio, where video is over TCP), there's no reason why it will not work either.

 

The Mobotix IS nice in that the microphone and speaker are in it already, as well as a number of nice features (wave a magnet across the right spot and it speaks out your current network conditions, and a number of other nice features as well)

[rory 0]

Some of it is splitting hairs, the Mobotix IS the only one I know of either that does use VOIP-specific SIP protocol with QOS for audio... But yes, many other DVR's are capable of 2-way audio, and if you've properly set up the routing, and you have a decent bandwidth WAN connection (for example, the DVR I typically use needs UDP port forwarding for audio, where video is over TCP), there's no reason why it will not work either.

 

The Mobotix IS nice in that the microphone and speaker are in it already, as well as a number of nice features (wave a magnet across the right spot and it speaks out your current network conditions, and a number of other nice features as well)

 

sounds like a lot more things to go wrong

[donmoody 0]

Hello,

 

hope you are all well,

 

Thank you everybody.

 

The digiguard dvr cost around £750 for a 8ch but this changes as and when my supplier feels like it.

 

So what ways could I get my audio to another site, which would be the cheapest and most effective way.

 

Thank you again.

 

Regards

 

Moody

[tomcctv 190]

Some of it is splitting hairs, the Mobotix IS the only one I know of either that does use VOIP-specific SIP protocol with QOS for audio... But yes, many other DVR's are capable of 2-way audio, and if you've properly set up the routing, and you have a decent bandwidth WAN connection (for example, the DVR I typically use needs UDP port forwarding for audio, where video is over TCP), there's no reason why it will not work either.

 

The Mobotix IS nice in that the microphone and speaker are in it already, as well as a number of nice features (wave a magnet across the right spot and it speaks out your current network conditions, and a number of other nice features as well)

 

sounds like a lot more things to go wrong

yes the mobotix is a very good camera (Q24) but most people that use the mic and speaker find that the speaker is not very load. and one thing that gets me is if you disable the mic from a Q24 its gone for ever or at least till you send it back to mobotix to be reset at a cost. everything with mobotix has a cost (never ending)

 

the avermedia sa5000 has what you need and it works very well oooooooooooppps you cant buy it in america.

[aacctv 0]

£750 , man you are getting taken to the cleaners a 8 port dvr for the price of a 16 port unless you are getting a years worth of recording on it!, change supplier! try y3k.

[Soundy 1]

All I can say is, you get what you pay for. Nowhere is this as true as in the CCTV biz.

[Twilo123 0]

another small thing to note is that 2way audio is not necessarly the same as voip or a traditional sip client. 2way can function more like a walkie talkie with half duplex conversation whereas a full sip client can have live full duplex conversations like for video conferencing for instance. also there are many more control options on a sip client than just 2way audio.

 

finally the codecs being used as well as the settings on those codecs (nevermind the hardware side) can really play into whether the audio is worth it on a unit or just marketing bs. for instance many dvr 2way codecs are simply .wav audio and they don't implement time stamps properly for conversations so the actual audio is out of whack, skips a lot, etc.

 

this is an interesting topic and i would love to hear actual experiences on it with specific hardware setups if anyone has direct experience. i know it is against the law in many states at least in the US but i am interested discussing this topic as i believe it should be fully supported (IMO as a sip client not just 2way audio).

[tomcctv 190]

£750 , man you are getting taken to the cleaners a 8 port dvr for the price of a 16 port unless you are getting a years worth of recording on it!, change supplier! try y3k.

 

 

£750 is not a bad starting price for an 8 port.

[rory 0]

another small thing to note is that 2way audio is not necessarly the same as voip or a traditional sip client. 2way can function more like a walkie talkie with half duplex conversation whereas a full sip client can have live full duplex conversations like for video conferencing for instance. also there are many more control options on a sip client than just 2way audio.

 

finally the codecs being used as well as the settings on those codecs (nevermind the hardware side) can really play into whether the audio is worth it on a unit or just marketing bs. for instance many dvr 2way codecs are simply .wav audio and they don't implement time stamps properly for conversations so the actual audio is out of whack, skips a lot, etc.

 

this is an interesting topic and i would love to hear actual experiences on it with specific hardware setups if anyone has direct experience. i know it is against the law in many states at least in the US but i am interested discussing this topic as i believe it should be fully supported (IMO as a sip client not just 2way audio).

 

A sip client needs a sip server .. thats where the issues would arise. Manufacturers probably dont want to have to setup servers for people that buy their hardware.

[Soundy 1]

A sip client needs a sip server .. thats where the issues would arise. Manufacturers probably dont want to have to setup servers for people that buy their hardware.

 

Anyone who has a central login setup for webcams would already have such a system in place.

[Monitor Your Assets 0]

yes the mobotix is a very good camera (Q24) but most people that use the mic and speaker find that the speaker is not very load. and one thing that gets me is if you disable the mic from a Q24 its gone for ever or at least till you send it back to mobotix to be reset at a cost. everything with mobotix has a cost (never ending)

Mobotix microphones can be temporarily disabled *or* permanently disabled. The permanent method is for liability/compliance reasons that eliminate the possibility of operators toggling it when they shouldn't be able to. Probably seldom used, but nice to have the option.

 

I have yet to play with a Q24, but the volume on my M12 is more than enough. In a residential setting, I had to dial it back.

 

Attached are a couple of screen shots of the VoIP configuration pages which show how flexible they are. I use a M12 with a Epygi Quadro and it works quite well. One very useful feature of the audio system is to trigger a sound when motion is detected. People nearly always look in the direction of the camera resulting in a great 'money shot'!

[rory 0]

Anyone who has a central login setup for webcams would already have such a system in place.

 

How so?

[Soundy 1]

Anyone who has a central login setup for webcams would already have such a system in place.

 

How so?

 

If a manufacturer has a setup that allows their IP cameras to connect in, and users to then access their cams via that website, then they've already "setup servers for people that buy their hardware". Adding another for SIP shouldn't be a big deal.

 

For that matter, providing users of your equipment a SIP server shouldn't be that big a deal in the first place, really. Make it a value-added service, or make it a free service and tack a couple extra bucks on your price.

[rory 0]

 

If a manufacturer has a setup that allows their IP cameras to connect in, and users to then access their cams via that website, then they've already "setup servers for people that buy their hardware". Adding another for SIP shouldn't be a big deal.

most manufacturers dont have that though, especially DVR manufacturers. cant blame them, they dont want direct dealings with the end user on a recurring basis such as a monthly service like a website/server, they deal with so many other levels like dealers, distributors, reps etc. But even if they did I wouldnt rely on it unless it was a long time manufacturer like panosonic or bosch, the rest could work now but not 3 months from now, from something as simple as not paying their hosting/domain fees. Even though I use Geovision, they have their own DDNS server, Digimap, I never use it, I prefer to use a service that does just that. I can see where the service could be useful for some .. though personally i wouldnt use it.

[Soundy 1]

 

If a manufacturer has a setup that allows their IP cameras to connect in, and users to then access their cams via that website, then they've already "setup servers for people that buy their hardware". Adding another for SIP shouldn't be a big deal.

most manufacturers dont have that though, especially DVR manufacturers.

 

I realize that... I said that it's not a big deal add it. SIP servers are NOT that difficult or costly to set up.

[thewireguys 3]

yes the mobotix is a very good camera (Q24) but most people that use the mic and speaker find that the speaker is not very load. and one thing that gets me is if you disable the mic from a Q24 its gone for ever or at least till you send it back to mobotix to be reset at a cost. everything with mobotix has a cost (never ending)

Mobotix microphones can be temporarily disabled *or* permanently disabled. The permanent method is for liability/compliance reasons that eliminate the possibility of operators toggling it when they shouldn't be able to. Probably seldom used, but nice to have the option.

 

I have yet to play with a Q24, but the volume on my M12 is more than enough. In a residential setting, I had to dial it back.

 

Attached are a couple of screen shots of the VoIP configuration pages which show how flexible they are. I use a M12 with a Epygi Quadro and it works quite well. One very useful feature of the audio system is to trigger a sound when motion is detected. People nearly always look in the direction of the camera resulting in a great 'money shot'!

 

 

The speaker and mic in the Q24 and M12 work very well. I too had to turn the volume down because they where too loud.

 

tomcctv I strongly recommend you take one if the Mobotix classes and you will see the two different ways of disabling the mic and Mobotix will explain to you why they do this. Also there is NO way of resetting the mic once it is permanently disabled, Mobotix can't even do it. "Mobotix has a cost (never ending)" the only fee Mobotix charges is to reset the admin password. They do this for security reason so if somebody steals a camera a) they can't see the recorded footage b) they can't sell the camera on ebay. Nothing else, no firmware or software updates and the software is free for life so I don't know where you came up with "cost (never ending)"

 

The only downfall with Mobotix is they are complicated.