Does 4x2 = 8?

[bike_rider 0]

I'm working with a neighbor on a system for their house. Pretty typical setup - front door, back door, side gate/utility panel and 1 camera covering the street. The FD/BD will be 484s, so we are looking for something with good image quality. I''m looking at dedicated DVRs for simplicity sake. The owner would like the option to add up to 2 more cameras, so I had been thinking 8 channels. That lead me looking at 16 ch systems, like the EH5116, in order to get D1 (4CIF whatever) recording at decent fps.

 

Then I thought, what about 2 four channel systems instead. Something like the EB1304. Buy one now, add another later if needed. The price would quite a bit less.

 

What am I missing?

 

I'm still trying to figure out if the 1304 accepts alarm inputs and what size the hard drive is. Can that HD be upgraded with a generic one?

[tomcctv 190]

I'm working with a neighbor on a system for their house. Pretty typical setup - front door, back door, side gate/utility panel and 1 camera covering the street. The FD/BD will be 484s, so we are looking for something with good image quality. I''m looking at dedicated DVRs for simplicity sake. The owner would like the option to add up to 2 more cameras, so I had been thinking 8 channels. That lead me looking at 16 ch systems, like the EH5116, in order to get D1 (4CIF whatever) recording at decent fps.

 

Then I thought, what about 2 four channel systems instead. Something like the EB1304. Buy one now, add another later if needed. The price would quite a bit less.

 

What am I missing?

 

I'm still trying to figure out if the 1304 accepts alarm inputs and what size the hard drive is. Can that HD be upgraded with a generic one?

 

yes the avermedia does accept alarm inputs but you are best of running it on the cm3000 software if you are thinking of running two eb1304. this will let you have all 8 on one screen and you can keep adding 4 ways. cm3000 is a free down load from avermedia. H/drives onboard 1 tr or like most avers including the new 4 ways you can add external raid. plus also record from the cm3000 software (about 3-4 fps off site) and you also get the iMatrix software with avers which also lets you config screen set-up

[bike_rider 0]

Thanks Tom. This looks very promising.

 

In another thread you wrote

 

the avermedia lets us watch on any pc or tv in the house and watch live images on mobile.

 

Can you elaborate on the "tv" part of that sentence. I do not know if the user will be interested in this, but I'm curious about how it is done.

 

Do you know if there is a PDF of the manual available anywhere?

[tomcctv 190]

Thanks Tom. This looks very promising.

 

In another thread you wrote

 

the avermedia lets us watch on any pc or tv in the house and watch live images on mobile.

 

Can you elaborate on the "tv" part of that sentence. I do not know if the user will be interested in this, but I'm curious about how it is done.

on any tv and pc.............. if connected to a router and rf box (bnc output) to aerial.

http://www.avermedia-usa.com/surveillance/uploads//productimages/EB1304NETSATAds.pdf

Do you know if there is a PDF of the manual available anywhere?

[bike_rider 0]

Thanks for the link to that PDF. I've seen that and was hoping for the complete manual. It just kills me that in this day and age manufacturers keep the manuals under wraps.

 

 

You lost me with this bit

 

if connected to a router and rf box (bnc output) to aerial

[tomcctv 190]

Thanks for the link to that PDF. I've seen that and was hoping for the complete manual. It just kills me that in this day and age manufacturers keep the manuals under wraps.

 

 

You lost me with this bit

 

if connected to a router and rf box (bnc output) to aerial

the eb comes with vga and bnc output for viewing if you connect the bnc output to a rf box to your home tv aerial then the images will show on tvs or if you tv has a vga input then it will connect directly to you tv.

[rory 0]

The local EB1304 quality is great. The biggest downfall to that EB1304 DVR is the remote video, and also the lack of motion masking. I recently tested an 8 channel that blows away the EB1304 for probably a couple hundred dollars more, and has D1 recording on all channels. 4 channel DVRs with all D1 are rare. The manufacturer (OEM) link is: http://www.vsionis.com

 

Yes they have a 4 channel but it is only D1 on 1 channel and CIF on the other 3, uses the same multi site software or browser activeX also. It is half the cost of the EB1304.

 

Not sure on who sells them, I was using a couple demo units, its a new OEM company so would need to search, but testing came out great, I dont see it having any issues.

[bike_rider 0]

Thanks Rory. You are such a tease. I'll see if I can hunt down that DVR.

 

I wonder how the EB1304 Net handles "remote" video since you would think that would be intended as the primary playback.

[rory 0]

also, the other thing I dont like about the EB1304 is the evidence sharing .. sorry that is a pretty major issue! Its network playback software is very lame, at best. HOWEVER, it still blows away the AvTech DVRs in that respect

[bike_rider 0]

(Insert rant about not being able to d/l a stupid manual.) Can you tell me more about evidence sharing with theEB1304?

[rory 0]

There is USB Backup, but could not get that to work. It didnt seem to see my USB jump drive.

The network software is tedious, you search, find a time, has some thumbnail thing but that is very slow, and then eventually backup. Its been a while but I just remember it being very tedious. And need their player to play the file, but if I remember correctly that allows you to then save it as AVI but in low quality. This other one i tested, lets you backup straight to AVI over the network, as well as setup the DVR and even Motion masking, even in the less expensive 4 channel. Nothing is perfect though.

[tomcctv 190]

also, the other thing I dont like about the EB1304 is the evidence sharing .. sorry that is a pretty major issue! Its network playback software is very lame, at best. HOWEVER, it still blows away the AvTech DVRs in that respect

 

yes rory the playback is a bit slow on the eb. but have you tried the new seb 1304 full D1 on all channels and its mouse controlled.

 

it might take longer for the new dvrs to get to you on your hot all year round island. (what i would not give to be hot all year round )

[C.O.P. 0]

I am curious about doubling the cards. I also thought about just going with a 4 channel card initially with the idea I'd add another in the future if needed.

My wife is getting a little "iffy" about the money I am talking about spending. I WAS going to do the Geovision 1240A with the idea I REALLY doubt I'll ever want more than 8 cameras.

Thanks to this post... I am now thinking about starting with 1 Geovision 800 (4 channel) and adding a 2nd later if need be. Saves money on the front end.

 

Besides the increased demand on the host PC (not sure why that is)... is there any particular drawback to going a 2 x 4 system?

[bike_rider 0]

[oops, you can put two GV in a computer now] My scenario is two stand alone DVRs. I did eventually find a manual for the 1304 and to described it as "limited functionality" is putting it mildly. I saw a video explaining some of the features on a 16 Ch AverMedia DVR and it had way more features. This is to be expected at this price point. I could not live with the limitation, but i can see where it has its place and it may be fine for my neighbor.

 

Tom, one more quesiton. One feature that is a must have is record on motion and, separately, send email on alarm input with a snap shot from a defined camera. Can the 1304 do this? Email on motion is useless for me.

Edited January 28, 2010 by Guest

[tomcctv 190]

You cannot put two GV cards in a single computer. My scenario is two stand alone DVRs. I did eventually find a manual for the 1304 and to described it as "limited functionality" is putting it mildly. I saw a video explaining some of the features on a 16 Ch AverMedia DVR and it had way more features. This is to be expected at this price point. I could not live with the limitation, but i can see where it has its place and it may be fine for my neighbor.

 

Tom, on more quesiton. One feature that is a must have is record on motion and, separately, send email on alarm input with a snap shot from a defined camera. Can the 1304 do this? Email on motion is useless for me.

no the eb1304 sata can not do that. but the sa 5000 can but you cant buy this in america. i will pm you a link to a demo

[C.O.P. 0]

According to this:

http://www.apexcctv.com/support/Downloads/CaptureCards/GeoVision/Installing-2-GV-ComboACards.pdf

You can go with double Geos up to 32 channels but the system requirements jump up a bit.

 

I know it's a link to a store but I didn't know how else to do it.

[rory 0]

You cannot put two GV cards in a single computer.

Yes with the new cards and 8.3 you can stack them now.

[bike_rider 0]

You cannot put two GV cards in a single computer.

Yes with the new cards and 8.3 you can stack them now.

 

Oops. How dare they improve their product without telling me?!

[C.O.P. 0]

Given the above revelations, I assume then that doing 4 and 4 would work just fine.

 

I did think of a couple potential problems besides the added system demand...

 

The cards have to be identicle... so if you/I wait too long, we may not be able to get the 2nd.

 

Probably the most important for me... I'd need 3 PCIE slots. I only have 2 (my video card uses 1 so I only have 1 left). My system is old but was higher end when I bought it (I try to buy top end to minimize how often I have to upgrade). I assume new motherboards come with more PCIE slots these days. If so... I can still go with 1 4 channel then upgrade my board if I need another card... hmmm but then it would be cheaper to just buy the 8 channel card (new board prob = new CPU, new memory also).

 

Ok, I am done thinking in type.