What has happened to this forum

[HiddenMountain 0]

Among other things, it seems as though the really knowledgeable members are either gone or not participating anymore. I feel like the guy who got to the party just as everyone is leaving

[SB_Jim 1]

Well, as a new guy who knows a little bit about basic concepts of networking, DVRs, and surveillance cams - yet is very much motivated to learn a whole lot more - I really appreciate having a place where I can come to both read extensively - and pose my own DIY and tech questions - knowing that many of the participants on this forum are actually willing to share their knowledge and experience. So, for the many of us - Thank You!

 

Jim

[ChrisL 0]

There is very little detailed discussion here as to what there use to be... But with that said, the entire industry is becoming a lick-and-stick solution. What requires skill today? Every manufacturer has made this so simple that any idiot can start a company and be semi-successful selling CCTV.

 

Video is the redheaded step child in the security world. Its simplistic nature will always keep it there. Its why a large amount of talented people in this industry move over to Controls / Integration. The Andover/Pelco, and SoftwareHouse/AD's of the world get it...

[shockwave199 0]

It's the same thing with audio recording. Back in the day if you wanted to record a song you booked time in a pro studio- people who knew the process and all that goes into it. Now, anybody can have a computer with some software and call themselves an AE- even hang a shingle on the lawn and ruin other peoples recordings for hire. Technology and those who supply it work to make things easy. And then there's these very forums, too. A number of experienced people here pulled back exactly because DIY'ers would come in and pick their brains and split- likely making money off information they themselves didn't work or pay for. Sharing is cool, but that scenario will grow old in a hurry. Forums and technology are enabling everyone, no matter if they should be or not.

 

Doesn't make it better. It just makes it so.

[larry 2]

Among other things, it seems as though the really knowledgeable members are either gone or not participating anymore. I feel like the guy who got to the party just as everyone is leaving

 

What's with all this? I mean, this forum is about helping people with CCTV questions. If it turns out that this forum is a bunch of DIY'ers, sticking together and helping each other out then, I ask, what the hell is wrong with that?

 

There are some very knowledgeable people here now that did not come here with infinite knowledge. They learned it on their own and by asking questions or by trial and error or by just figuring stuff out. You have to be the type of person that likes to help others out with what you learned; some do, some don't.

 

Out of necessity, I had to learn how fix my own appliances. I gain knowledge from people - some being experienced repairmen, willing to help at forums like fixya and the like. But guess what, I still see Sears appliance repair trucks all over my neighborhood.

 

Like ShockWave said ...

 

Forums and technology are enabling everyone, no matter if they should be or not.

 

Doesn't make it better. It just makes it so.

[HiddenMountain 0]

Among other things, it seems as though the really knowledgeable members are either gone or not participating anymore. I feel like the guy who got to the party just as everyone is leaving

 

What's with all this? I mean, this forum is about helping people with CCTV questions. If it turns out that this forum is a bunch of DIY'ers, sticking together and helping each other out then, I ask, what the hell is wrong with that?

 

There are some very knowledgeable people here now that did not come here with infinite knowledge. They learned it on their own and by asking questions or by trial and error or by just figuring stuff out. You have to be the type of person that likes to help others out with what you learned; some do, some don't.

 

Out of necessity, I had to learn how fix my own appliances. I gain knowledge from people - some being experienced repairmen, willing to help at forums like fixya and the like. But guess what, I still see Sears appliance repair trucks all over my neighborhood.

 

Like ShockWave said ...

 

Forums and technology are enabling everyone, no matter if they should be or not.

 

Doesn't make it better. It just makes it so.

 

Yes, I realize that things change and people move on. I am still gleaning a lot of knowledge from this forum.

 

I was just wondering what happened to some of the guys that were here when I joined. For instance, Soundy was a fountain of knowledge and a pretty good guy too. He and a few others just seem to have vanished.

 

Nothing wrong with the DIY'ers helping each other out. That's how I got started in this myself, as a DIY'er, and then someone asked me if I could do a system for them, and then another and so on. I'm still far from being an expert and frankly, I feel very under qualified to be doing this, but, at the same time, I love electronics and helping people, so this is a good fit for me at this stage of my life. I guess my frustration comes from not having my peers readily available to pat me on the back or kick me in the rear as needed.

 

FWIW, I am the consummate do it yourself-er. I have built my own house, installed my own hydro-electric generating system, wired it (with 24V and 12V, as well as 120/240V), plumbed it, roofed, floored, dry-walled and ceiled it. I have done all of the landscaping, basically carving a lawn out of the forest..lol.. and am also the head mechanic for keeping the vehicles running around here. When it came to installing a CCTV system, it wasn't that big of a leap for me. Now I'm learning the finer points of using a router to make moldings for finish carpentry...

 

That said, if I can learn something, or even contribute, then this forum is still valuable, not only to me, but to anyone who needs information about the CCTV world.

[shockwave199 0]

The old timers are still here, believe me. Some maybe even post under a different name

 

Don't forget, the guys who are 'fountains of info' are mostly pros and they do this for a living. When you're super busy and kick ass all day, you don't always come home and want to type away on a forum. Sometimes the work load eases up, and then you have more time...and then we see them post more often. Forums are cyclical. What goes around comes around. There's still plenty here to steer you away from problems, and into better solutions. And the more people can speak from experience, the more accurate their advice becomes. I'm a nobody, but I grab a cup of coffee evey day and read and share. I don't always agree with how things go down along the way. But if you ask what happened to this forum, I'd have to say... nothing. It's a forum. ****t happens, and ****t don't. Roll with it.

 

Where's my coffee

[Kawboy12R 0]

I was kinda wondering what happened to Soundy and Rory. They both seemed to disappear right around the same time.

[Sawbones 0]

Are Soundy and Rory gone?

[Kawboy12R 0]

My unofficial topic search puts Soundy's last post around last August and Rory's at over a year ago. Here's one of Rory's last posts at the end of Feb 2012-

 

"if you want free tech support you came to the wrong forum, this forum is run and owned by communists now."

[Kawboy12R 0]

I guess the two didn't drop off the radar quite as closely together as I thought.

[groovyman 0]

I believe rory got banned and soundy got fed up.

[tomcctv 190]

both are still here. soundy is still a big part of forum.

[Kawboy12R 0]

Soundy must've changed his nick to Silenty or Sneaky.

 

...

[mikegerard 0]

I appreciate all the help I've gotten from you guys on this forum.

 

I'm looking at the simple DIY systems at Costco too. My wife wants a system but I don't want to spend a ton of money on it. We've been in the same house for 10 years and have never had anything that I needed to get a recording of....so for me spending more than $1000 makes no sense.

 

I can see how advanced users would find these discussions boring....but they were very helpful for me.

 

Now when I'm shopping I have a good idea of the difference between D1, 720, 1080, can evaluate a camera's fov based on lens size, and understand how the digital cameras interface to the NVR.

 

It seems like there is a lot of new equipment coming online (especially in the IP camera domain). I find this exciting because it looks like you can finally create an at home system that works well enough to have good video and not cost a fortune to implement.

 

Mike

[MR2 0]

I gotta say, I don't see why people have their knickers in a knot... the price of EVERYTHING comes down, there will ALWAYS be people willing to see how good the cheap stuff is, people will be doing things you "don't agree" with, if you don't agree with it, considering we're only talking about cheap camera systems, why get stressed?

 

not sure you'd be so worried about people asking for tech support, if you want to help... help, if you don't... then don't! but why would you get angry at people willing to sacrifice what they perceive is a small amount of quality for a 1/2 in price?

 

what really amuses me is that the big brands rarely keep up with what all the "other" and usually asian based companies are doing, Geovision was mentioned....

 

Get Geovision to talk with some of the big NVR systems to gain support? GOOD LUCK!!! I find that a lot of the larger established companies think that their product is "good enough" they should have a good lock in the rear view, the other companies are catching up, and FAST.

 

Case in point, Mobotix don't have a 5mp 360 degree, say what you want, but more pixels with a matching lens, is better, plenty of cheaper companies are offering 5mp, and these have good lenses and are half the price, look in the rear view mirror guys.

[wkearney99 0]

the price of EVERYTHING comes down.

Not always, but with evolving technologies the price point for the 'latest and greatest' usually stays the same. It's the price for the older generation gear that usually decreases. For two reasons, one because they're making enough of them in volume to gain benefits from economies of scale. Or, two, because they can't sell 'em anymore and it's a fire sale.

 

In addition as these shifts occur there's often an uptake by previously untapped markets. What might have once only been the province of pro or commercial consumers suddenly opens up to the larger residential consumer market. At the same time that new market being less educated but cost-conscious may willingly make lower-end choices that previous 'pros' would never chose. Is this bad?

 

Tech products are a rapidly changing landscape. Keep up or sit tight with what you know. Just don't expect the rest of the market to stay behind with you.

[MR2 0]

the price of EVERYTHING comes down.

Not always, but with evolving technologies the price point for the 'latest and greatest' usually stays the same. It's the price for the older generation gear that usually decreases. For two reasons, one because they're making enough of them in volume to gain benefits from economies of scale. Or, two, because they can't sell 'em anymore and it's a fire sale.

 

In addition as these shifts occur there's often an uptake by previously untapped markets. What might have once only been the province of pro or commercial consumers suddenly opens up to the larger residential consumer market. At the same time that new market being less educated but cost-conscious may willingly make lower-end choices that previous 'pros' would never chose. Is this bad?

 

Tech products are a rapidly changing landscape. Keep up or sit tight with what you know. Just don't expect the rest of the market to stay behind with you.

 

Exactly... except some companies have forgotten that they are not bleeding edge anymore and are still charging like wounded animals as opposed to gradually dropping their pricing as the market catch's up to the point where people forgive their shortcommings

[wkearney99 0]

Exactly... except some companies have forgotten that they are not bleeding edge anymore and are still charging like wounded animals as opposed to gradually dropping their pricing as the market catch's up to the point where people forgive their shortcomings

And yet if their target market is still willing to pay, why should they alter their pricing? Just because the rabble/consumer market wants stuff cheaper doesn't mean the pro market suppliers have to go after it. The trick is in maintaining their desired volumes at the higher-end.

 

It doesn't always make economic sense to go after a fish too big to catch. Plenty of companies have failed trying to serve a market beyond their capacities.

[MR2 0]

Exactly... except some companies have forgotten that they are not bleeding edge anymore and are still charging like wounded animals as opposed to gradually dropping their pricing as the market catch's up to the point where people forgive their shortcomings

And yet if their target market is still willing to pay, why should they alter their pricing? Just because the rabble/consumer market wants stuff cheaper doesn't mean the pro market suppliers have to go after it. The trick is in maintaining their desired volumes at the higher-end.

 

It doesn't always make economic sense to go after a fish too big to catch. Plenty of companies have failed trying to serve a market beyond their capacities.

 

 

It's not just the Lower end of the market that wants cheaper, I represent a group of companies and the managers of those companies are a whole lot more responsive to $500 per camera systems (including storage/software) than $1200 per camera systems that most of those Pro Suppliers, I'm not sure what the Volumes part of it comes in, what's important I thought, was that they continue to have their quality/performance gap, and frankly that is disappearing for many of them

[SectorSecurity 0]

Hate to revive old threads but, I think this forum is still great, even if it represents a shift in the industry to lower end systems. I don't like this shift personally, but I will install a Q-See system for a customer just the same as I would a Digital Watchdog system. As long as I get paid at the end I don't care.

 

I have to say what I do hate is the hostility some members bring when they don't get the answer they want, or get it in the time they want.

 

As has been stated many of us do this as a living and when we get home we don't always feel like typing away answers to questions, specially when we usually get paid to answer these questions or do this work for our customers.

[Brenning 0]

To be honest I'm quite impressed with these "cheap" systems from China. I did look at the Avigilion 29mp cameras etc. Great quality but low frame rate and not compact enough etc. For residential use, the "cheap" cameras from China work just fine for me

 

Not sure what peoples beef is really, is it affecting your business as a cctv installer? Times change in any industry, keep up or you'l be left behind, or diversify.

 

I'm sure theres more to it than this, but above is one point of view.

[buellwinkle 0]

What is meant by cheap Chinese cameras? Wanscam, Foscam, Dropcam, Dericam or Dahua and Hikvision or both?