Recommend Me A DVR Please?

[Mr. Anonymous 0]

I need a 4ch DVR for home use, I only have 2 cameras right now though (live view only). Cheaper the better and I've done a little research... I came up with this ZMODO 4ch 500GB (DVR-H9104UV) for $130:

http://www.zmodosecurity.com/4-channel-zmodo-real-time-security-digital-video-recorder-iphone-android-sensor-alarm/

 

 

Now I searched eBay only to find tons of generic versions of this claiming to have the same features, all in different boxes/shells it makes it a bit hard to choose. I could get an 8ch generic with the same features as the ZMODO for $80 shipped, any advice??

[jakesoundels 0]

Careful! There is a good chance those DVRs will provide lousy playback images, especially footage that needs to be backed up and handed over to the police. Don't skimp on the DVR. I have a budget 4 channel Dahua DVR and it performs quite well for my needs. I paid around $230 (includes 500 GB HDD). Then, if you upgrade cameras down the line, you will still have a decent DVR.

[Mr. Anonymous 0]

I was wondering about that, claims a good frame-rate but does not even mention the resolution/frame size!

 

I noticed all these have a VGA and Ethernet connection. Am I able to view live footage via Cat5 to my PC or "DVR>Internet" "Internet>PC" in other words I have to have an internet connection? Running a VGA cable 2.5 stories upstairs would be a costly pain.

[guy123 0]

Another good source (I bought one a DN-9016HF/KW-9016 units for $230 USD, /w no HDDs) is www.aliexpress.com. Once you select a model and/or manufacturer (dahua, TVT, etc.), just do a simple search.

 

Also, you need to decide on a price point - if you only need a 4 channel DVR with real time D1 (30 fps/channel), you don't need to spend more than $200 (with no HDD) for one of these units (have Q-see units, playback is fine, etc.).

 

One point of concern is the cameras - good quality units (using Sony 1/3 EFFIO CCDs, > 520 TVL, quality vari-focus, etc.) are not cheap (in excess of $100/unit for half decent picture quality units).

[jakesoundels 0]

You don't need internet to view the cameras on your LAN. As long as you have a switch or any router with ports on the back you will be good. For example, we had a storm the other day and internet was down but power was on. I was still able to view the cams.

 

My dvr is in the basement and I live 2 floors above that and get the cams over the lan via remote software. In fact the dahua remote software is acually better (playback) than the dvr itself. I did have to run cat5 from the basement but I did it on the outside of the house - gheto fab style! Terminating the cat5 is easy, watch a utube vid if needed. Worst case you can run premade cat 5 and use couplers if needed - just tape the jacks so they don't break during the run.

[Mr. Anonymous 0]

So "D1" = 30fps template?

 

Honestly my camera's are not that great, I have an old 1/4"cmos black and white 380TVL Swann Secura Cam (SW214-SCC):

 

I planned on picking up 2 or 3 more but a little better, not sure HOW MUCH better these are. They are 1/3" CCD color 600TVL, resolution 811x508 (ntsc) which is better then the 380TVL 510x492 just not sure how much better:

 

The only camera I have setup that actually takes great quality is my Hitachi VK-C77U:

 

Since I don't have a working system and never did...and don't necessarily NEED one, and money is an issue I might have to start small. The 1/3" CCD's might be sufficient on a budget DVR, and the Hitachi temporarily. Then when I get more Hitachi level cameras I can get another higher quality 4ch DVR, so I'd end up two two separate 4ch systems; one of lower quality.

 

 

You don't need internet to view the cameras on your LAN. As long as you have a switch or any router with ports on the back you will be good. For example, we had a storm the other day and internet was down but power was on. I was still able to view the cams.

 

My dvr is in the basement and I live 2 floors above that and get the cams over the lan via remote software. In fact the dahua remote software is acually better (playback) than the dvr itself. I did have to run cat5 from the basement but I did it on the outside of the house - gheto fab style! Terminating the cat5 is easy, watch a utube vid if needed. Worst case you can run premade cat 5 and use couplers if needed - just tape the jacks so they don't break during the run.

So can you can view all channels simultaneously in split screen over the LAN? Do these DVR's record all channels simultaneously as well or just the one you selected?

 

No I would run one solid Cat5(or 6) cable and terminate it myself.

[jakesoundels 0]

D1 is resolution (720 x486). Yes the dvrs will record any combination of channels or all channels on a schedule, motion or full time. You only need to record at 7 fps (not 30) if that. I'm at 7 and it's all I need. Not making movies and takez up less hard drive space.

[Mr. Anonymous 0]

D1 is resolution (720 x486). Yes the dvrs will record any combination of channels or all channels on a schedule, motion or full time. You only need to record at 7 fps (not 30) if that. I'm at 7 and it's all I need. Not making movies and takez up less hard drive space.

 

I'm going to research these budget models for D1 resolution, they all use H264 so compression quality probably is the same. Are you saying that your DVR records UP TO 30fps and you have selected 7? I'm a videographer by hobby and the more fps the better in my eyes, even if I have to manually dump my DVR every other day or something...as long as I can get 24 hours out of it I can dump the DVR when I come thru the door after work each day.

 

Can anyone tell me how these DVR's use the cell phone stream? Do they have a cellular radio in them or is it accessed thru mobile wifi feeding into the network end of the DVR?

[shockwave199 0]

A really great 8 channel dvr is a q-see QS408-

 

http://q-see.com/products/product_description.php?cId=34&pId=58&id=34&pid=27

 

A QS408-5 is one that includes a 500gb hard drive. You're on a tight budget, so full D1 isn't in your price range. The 408 has D1 on the first two channels. The rest have HD1. It's an excellent full featured dvr. You can swap out your cameras for gadspots as budget permits- good affordable cameras. Also, you don't need to 'dump' the dvr. You set them to overwrite when full. Anything for remote viewing such as cell phones or any computer anywhere requires networking and port forwarding in your router.

[Mr. Anonymous 0]

A really great 8 channel dvr is a q-see QS408-

 

http://q-see.com/products/product_description.php?cId=34&pId=58&id=34&pid=27

 

A QS408-5 is one that includes a 500gb hard drive. You're on a tight budget, so full D1 isn't in your price range. The 408 has D1 on the first two channels. The rest have HD1. It's an excellent full featured dvr. You can swap out your cameras for gadspots as budget permits- good affordable cameras. Also, you don't need to 'dump' the dvr. You set them to overwrite when full. Anything for remote viewing such as cell phones or any computer anywhere requires networking and port forwarding in your router.

 

Darn still up there in price I like the idea that 2/8 channels support D1 that's a great option if you don't need all 8 cam's in D1! What resolution size is HD1?

 

So your mobile device accesses the DVR thrugh it's wifi radio not cellular? In other words I need to be in range of my router for it to work?

[jakesoundels 0]

Mobile viewing is through separate apps and are usuLly free. The images are viewble on the cell as long as your router is configured correctly -port forwarding and what not. If you have a dynamic ip address at home you will need to set up a free dynamic dns updater so your dvr will always be accessable over the internet.

 

The hdd's on the dvrs record over from the beginning so no need to dump. Its just that you might want to have at least a week of footage in case something happens and your not able to playback for a few days because of vacation or whatever. I hear what your sayin about the 30 fps. I thought the same thing. My dvr allows the first channel to record at 30 which is the current setting. Only reason is I have a TB drive and the rest of the cams are recording motion only. I set the first cam to record 24/7 by choice. But, think about it, how many fps will you really need to catch tbe bad guy doing something bad? At work we have mp cams - they are set to 3fps and we just got an arrest based on playback of someone leaving a stolen car on our property. I think panasonic has an example of fps on their website. Just don't know it off hand but do a search here since this forum is how I found out about it.

[jakesoundels 0]

A really great 8 channel dvr is a q-see QS408-

 

http://q-see.com/products/product_description.php?cId=34&pId=58&id=34&pid=27

 

A QS408-5 is one that includes a 500gb hard drive. You're on a tight budget, so full D1 isn't in your price range. The 408 has D1 on the first two channels. The rest have HD1. It's an excellent full featured dvr. You can swap out your cameras for gadspots as budget permits- good affordable cameras. Also, you don't need to 'dump' the dvr. You set them to overwrite when full. Anything for remote viewing such as cell phones or any computer anywhere requires networking and port forwarding in your router.

 

Darn still up there in price I like the idea that 2/8 channels support D1 that's a great option if you don't need all 8 cam's in D1! What resolution size is HD1?

 

So your mobile device accesses the DVR thrugh it's wifi radio not cellular? In other words I need to be in range of my router for it to work?

 

You still have to go throught the internet on your phone to access the dvr whether its through 3g or wifi . You might want to tell the app to use the dvr's extra stream, not main, for 3g.

[Mr. Anonymous 0]

I see, so a PC is not required got ya. Although what if I wanted to view in HQ from another PC? Access the same directly to the DVR off the telephone pole/modem I would on a cell phone or do I need to view through remote desktop? Is the extra stream lower quality/bitrate then the main? Thanks btw for answering all my questions guys!!

 

So your 7fps is not MP it's stills? The advantage I see in a higher FPS is more angles to choose from of face shots, if you rotate your head at 7fps you will get 7 face shots...at 30fps I would have 30 shots to choose from (23 more choices for better lighting or less glare on a face).

[jakesoundels 0]

I see, so a PC is not required got ya. Although what if I wanted to view in HQ from another PC? Access the same directly to the DVR off the telephone pole/modem I would on a cell phone or do I need to view through remote desktop? Is the extra stream lower quality/bitrate then the main? Thanks btw for answering all my questions guys!!

 

So your 7fps is not MP it's stills? The advantage I see in a higher FPS is more angles to choose from of face shots, if you rotate your head at 7fps you will get 7 face shots...at 30fps I would have 30 shots to choose from (23 more choices for better lighting or less glare on a face).

 

Now you are getting into whether you live in the ghetto versus a typical residential area where the bad guys come around every now and then. I live in a drug zone - constant dealing in a parking lot near my home. I have turned a lot of footage over to the police; some have resulted in arrests. 7 FPS was plenty; in fact, the cops commented on the quality of the resolution (D1 with decent cameras) not the frame rate. In the end that's what it is all about on CCTV - believe me, the cops do not need much because 9 out of 10 times they know these idiots or know someone who knows them!

 

Regarding viewing the cams remotely; you do not use remote desktop, you use the remote software for the DVR. In my case, for the Dahua its PSS. Sometimes I use the HDMI out on my laptop and hook up to the DVI in on the TV. Images are nice but, keep in mind, my cameras 9 (and DVR) are analog so the image will be limited to those D1 specs.

 

Yes, the extra stream is a lower resolution and bit rate so that it can be seen via 3G. to me it is not worth it because it is too slow. So, whenever my phone is connected to a WIFI I check the home cameras and they come on really well with fluid motion (limited to the 7 FPS they are set at).

[jakesoundels 0]

So your 7fps is not MP it's stills? The advantage I see in a higher FPS is more angles to choose from of face shots, if you rotate your head at 7fps you will get 7 face shots...at 30fps I would have 30 shots to choose from (23 more choices for better lighting or less glare on a face).

 

This may help

[GrouchoBoucho 0]

So your 7fps is not MP it's stills? The advantage I see in a higher FPS is more angles to choose from of face shots, if you rotate your head at 7fps you will get 7 face shots...at 30fps I would have 30 shots to choose from (23 more choices for better lighting or less glare on a face).

if you're rotating your head at 30fps, you're either linda blair, or you're going to get dizzy real fast.

[Mr. Anonymous 0]

Yeah I don't live in a ghetto or anything, 7-15fps will be fine but I do PC repair and large HDDs are easy to come by so I might be able to slap a big daddy in there and go 30fps all the time. Does live viewing support 30fps or do you have to view at the same specs your recording at??

 

I'm going to look through those cheap H264 DVRs on eBay and see if any are D1

[yakky 0]

I'm going to look through those cheap H264 DVRs on eBay and see if any are D1

 

How much money do you think you are going to save on a cheap POS DVR versus getting a quality unit? You can buy a good 8 channel unit for $150.

[Mr. Anonymous 0]

I'm going to look through those cheap H264 DVRs on eBay and see if any are D1

 

 

How much money do you think you are going to save on a cheap POS DVR versus getting a quality unit? You can buy a good 8 channel unit for $150.

 

Link?

 

Well seeing how I have $0 and am having a hard time finding work locally, a $60 D1 DVR might save $4,000 worth of AV equipment in my truck from being stolen. What's the difference between a $60 and $150 DVR besides it does not include a cheap Chinese HDD that I would rather install myself, a trusted model HDD. Then I can upgrade in the future to a better 4ch and use the cheap 4ch for just door cams where the target is so close extreme detail will not be necessary.

[yakky 0]

I'm going to look through those cheap H264 DVRs on eBay and see if any are D1

 

 

How much money do you think you are going to save on a cheap POS DVR versus getting a quality unit? You can buy a good 8 channel unit for $150.

 

Link?

 

Well seeing how I have $0 and am having a hard time finding work locally, a $60 D1 DVR might save $4,000 worth of AV equipment in my truck from being stolen. What's the difference between a $60 and $150 DVR besides it does not include a cheap Chinese HDD that I would rather install myself, a trusted model HDD. Then I can upgrade in the future to a better 4ch and use the cheap 4ch for just door cams where the target is so close extreme detail will not be necessary.

 

If your goal is to save the $4000 worth of equipment, a DVR system isn't your best bet. Lots of other ways to protect your truck. What is the difference in a $60 and $150 unit? Real D1 recording vs upsampled. advanced scheduling features, better motion detection, better interface, after sale support, a real warranty. I had a cheaper DVR, a NightOwl, and Newegg was nice enough to take it back. The replacement Dahua based unit is night and day with the NightOwl. I'd send you a link but the forum moderator doesn't allow links to Selly's Nurplus.

 

But if you are a person that compares specs and can't comprehend there being more to it than just raw specs (which are from the seller anyway), then yeah, get the cheapest D1 DVR you can find.

[Mr. Anonymous 0]

I have my other method, a spotlight and a gun. Surveillance is just an added sense of security, I can deff say I do not need any motion detection or scheduling. Interface I could care less about as long as it functions, I'm a huge customer at Newegg they have taken monitors back over 2 years after I purchased them so I may try their DVRs. Raw specs are what makes something what it is, are you a brand name shopper?

 

Unsampled D1 footage? They say real D1, do you mean recorded at a lower bitrate sort of thing?

 

For someone who is new to the CCTV it might be best off to start small and really learn/see the difference for myself. Right now I have live view cameras which are doing me no good...what about a "cheap" single channel DVR? Get all the quality you rant about but dropping the channels I don't need/have cams for to compensate the price? If I can record just my Hitachi for now it will make me sleep better until I can afford to drop decent money on a multichannel DVR.

[yakky 0]

Raw specs are what makes something what it is, are you a brand name shopper?

 

Unsampled D1 footage? They say real D1, do you mean recorded at a lower bitrate sort of thing?

 

For someone who is new to the CCTV it might be best off to start small and really learn/see the difference for myself. Right now I have live view cameras which are doing me no good...what about a "cheap" single channel DVR? Get all the quality you rant about but dropping the channels I don't need/have cams for to compensate the price? If I can record just my Hitachi for now it will make me sleep better until I can afford to drop decent money on a multichannel DVR.

 

Raw specs are often fudged. I'm not a brand shopper but I do trust certain brands to deliver a good user experience. Perfect example is how many of the DVRs claim to record in D1, but they upsample the image to D1 size. It takes more space, but offers no more resolution than CIF.

 

Quality I'm ranting about? Dude.... you have me laughing. Buy the cheapest thing you can find. Go for it. You are so smart, everyone is trying to rip you off with their higher priced items. See you at Walmart!

[Mr. Anonymous 0]

Hmm never thought about re-sampling, I've heard of that with camcorders and key-chain video cams. Good point

 

Nah not always, I have some of the best brands and product lines in my truck advaible to the audio industry so it depends on what we are talking about. I will take your advice and buy a $150-$200 unit, any sites you recommend buying from? Where what I see I know are good products and I don't have to fish them out?