inexpensive solutions

[DiasTech 0]

hell all! i am new to cctv and i just found this forum on the net and i hope to be learning a lot here.

 

my question is that i have a few friends looking for inexpensive solutions for cctv systems. they are looking for small cctv systems that require no more than 4 cameras. i have walked into some businesses and looked at thier systems and notice that they have time lapse vcr's and a small-large sized video moniters. this does the job for them and they said it wasnt that expensive.

 

my problem lies when i try to find a dealer on the net that sells this stuff. everything now is dvr and i havent found any ecommerce site that offers this equipment. i also noticed that the cables for the cameras plug directly into the moniters and they do not use siamese cable, but a cable with a special plug that has many very small connections within the plug. the cameras are also using this type of connection. all the sites i have visited that sell cctv cameras dont have this type of connection, but only BNC connections.

 

my main questions are:

1. what is the name of those connectors that the moniter is using and the cameras.

2. where is a reputable online business that sells this type of equipment at a great prices.

 

i am not a pro installer, but i do want to learn more and hopefully install these systems or DVR systems for a profit some time in the future.

 

thanks in advanced for your help/advice.

[jisaac 0]

dias tech,

The connectors you are probably looking at are din connectors. Several years ago there was a trend of having din connnectors. It provided power and video along the same cable. Well those are mostly being phased out. One of the reasons is because running power and video on the same cable is really not worked out as well as once thought. Interference and other problems. Most now like you said are running power in one cable and video on the other with bnc ends. I cant speek for everyone in this forum, but I do know that we never install time lapse vcrs anymore. Have not in years. DVR's just open up a whole realm of possibilities that analog could not. If you are looking at everything from a price perspective you will lean towards a vcr. But you have to look at it in the perspective of what will actually "fit their needs". Dvr's give you much better recording. Motion detection. Remote viewing. Alot more storage time without ever having to change the tapes or even worry about changing anything. If they want something inexpensive get a inexpensive dvr and show them the VALUE in it. Dont keep going back to the price. Because I am shure we all would like everything we want to be inexspensive. But when it comes down to it, we want whatever is the greatest VALUE not whatever is lowest price even though it is not what I need.

Hope this has helped.

[DiasTech 0]

thanks for the info. the reason why i noted on the din connectors because i saw a few people who had businesses who had recent installs of security systems that had that din setup.

 

in that case then with the dvr setup, what is better for the value, PC based dvr or standalone?

 

and if PC based cards are a better value, what are some good brand names to look for? something for the small mom and pop places who would like good (not excellent) quality video and good pricing. and what type of frame rates should i be looking for?

[VST_Man 1]

din connectors = cheap quality and if a professional instaled it I'd question the quality. facts are if they had to identify a perp from the video they would not get a clear pic of the face anyway, and details of the crime are lost in time lapse recorders. and if the police need the evidence they take the recorder because yoiu can't view a vhs time lapse on a regular video player.

 

PC based is the best out there..my opinion. more features, easily upgraded, and integrates with most corporate infrastructures (Microsoft).

 

facts are a standalone is a pc based system in a closed software package....meaning you can't goof around with it and break it. PC based are a nightmare if the owner thinks he/she is a geek.

 

I use Video Insight cards and have not found anyone that can beat them in terms of quality and support.................all american, if you know what I mean.

[jisaac 0]

lets not start this whole pc based vs embedded again or we will really have dias tech wishing they never came here for info. All the info you can find on that long long long overly discussed topic is easy to find. But yes you definitly need to get them into the dvr mindset. I am not just saying this, they are much better off with a dvr than a vcr.

[VST_Man 1]

it's all good. I think if you read my post you'll see that I said what you said.....or is it he said he said? anyway, I'm sure nobody is going to run just because.

 

there are many repeats on this forum and I hope we don't create another rule for everyday chit chat. I'm not trying to win the hearts and minds of, I am expressing what I know.

 

But for the record; The person who creates a WIN XP Pro program that locks out the consumer/operator will make some cha'ching". Then the standalone will truley be an antique.

[jisaac 0]

ya i know just wanted to try to keep us from hooking to far off the fairway. Ya you are right about the person making some money. I believe right now is a good opportunity for a lot of people to make some big money if they seize the opportunity that is out there. I also believe a lot of companys are about to get left in the dust because they are not keeping up with the changing technology. The ones that are investing in what they are used to and not the changing trends.

Wait a minute. Now i have gone to far off.

[Thomas 0]

Like I have time to check to duplicate threads. Honestly 99.9% of the moderating here is pricing. The other .1% is pirated cards. There aren't alot of flamewars, and almost all of the users are professional. This place doesn't need alot of moderating and I don't see that changing very much.

[rory 0]

i agree the members that come on this forum are very very professional .. I just left a Bahamas forum because it got way out of hand, and the owner/mod did nothing about it .. became a flame against the US from non Bahamians and all kinds of people came from yahoo etc, and had nothing to do with the bahamas .. course i wasnt a mod there

 

IMO right now, PC based if you have access to parts and know how to set them up properly as a DVR, stand alone if you do not, and certain applications can call for a stand alone over a PC based. Then there are client preferences. You get certain features with Windows based DVRs that you generally wont find in an non Windows DVR, and depending on the Card or System will depend how reliable it is, and what features come with the DVR software.

 

Things are changing quickly though and there are companies coming out with some really neat embedded non Windows systems, but then the Windows DVR companies are also coming out with new features also, and then there are the NVRs, though IMO most of the technology for those still has a way to go for clarity of remote recording.

 

I use PC Windows based now, PC parts are Duty Free, while we pay 35% customs duty on other electronics. Another reason is the DVR software for the PC is more customizable and has the features my clients need right now, which cant be found in the embedded non Windows as yet.

 

As for locking down the PC, i dont think i need to reinvent the wheel, here is a program that does that for you. http://www.winforcer.com/index.htm

 

Rory

[Securitymaster 0]

You know, is really not a term of pc based or stand alone. IT really comes down to the job, I mean, I have multiple supermarkets and restaurants that have PC based dvr's, but the majority of small grocery and convenience stores I use stand alones, just because there is no space for a pc to go in, and the client most of the time wants control of the dvr when he's behind the cash register, which is why DVR lock boxes are perfect for situations like these.

 

The plus side of PC DVR is that if the client does not like the particular card that's in it, it cost very little to replace it with a different one, which is why I carry 4 different manufacturers, you know, just in case.