Using laptop monitor as an external monitor

[abdelm01 0]

hey i have a macbook pro and Lenova laptop, and i work for a video surveillance company. when installing a DVR at a a job site, you would need a monitor to attach to it to configure. Is there a software that allows you to connect the DVR via VGA to the laptop and use as a regular monitor through a software, than rather having to take a monitor and all that hassle to every job site. Most of our consumers won't have a monitor to use, they use our Client Software to view/manage cameras. The DVR uses a Linux OS.

[Boogieman 1]

This will not work, the VGA/hdmi on a laptop is only output not input. Your best bet is something like this http://www.amazon.com/GeChic-ON-LAP-Portable-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B00H4MWMWQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1406854472&sr=8-5&keywords=portable+vga+monitor

[abdelm01 0]

This will not work, the VGA/hdmi on a laptop is only output not input. Your best bet is something like this http://www.amazon.com/GeChic-ON-LAP-Portable-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B00H4MWMWQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1406854472&sr=8-5&keywords=portable+vga+monitor

 

what about some kind of vga to usb device that will allow input signal through a software?

[MrMxyzptlk 0]

This will not work, the VGA/hdmi on a laptop is only output not input. Your best bet is something like this http://www.amazon.com/GeChic-ON-LAP-Portable-Monitor-Speakers/dp/B00H4MWMWQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1406854472&sr=8-5&keywords=portable+vga+monitor

 

what about some kind of vga to usb device that will allow input signal through a software?

 

Type 7 Inch Car Monitor VGA into the search engine of your choice. Under $100 and far easier than some twitchy software app and adaptor.

[shockwave199 0]

Even though that compact portable monitor looks very cool, I would suggest you grab a 19" on sale for the purpose. Dvr's and nvr's don't really support anything less than 17" monitors now, at least in my experience. I tried a 15" on a dahua Dvr and the dvr didn't know what to do with it- the screen was a hazy mess. Since most people use 19" as a minimum these days, it would also help the customer should they decide to put their own monitor on down the line. The Dvr will already be looking for one.

[mgb 0]

Don't the DVRs you install have remote software that you can use either on the network or with a temporary switch?

[shockwave199 0]

You need a monitor on a Dvr for initial setup. You can't administer it remotely without setting it up in the Dvr initially, hence a monitor on the Dvr. Once you setup everything, for the most part you can tweak things remotely and pull the monitor off the Dvr if you wish. I prefer to keep a monitor in line and always recommended people do so if possible.

[mgb 0]

You need a monitor on a Dvr for initial setup. You can't administer it remotely without setting it up in the Dvr initially, hence a monitor on the Dvr. Once you setup everything, for the most part you can tweak things remotely and pull the monitor off the Dvr if you wish. I prefer to keep a monitor in line and always recommended people do so if possible.

 

Yeah, true.

I wasn't really thinking about that. Though with some DVRs, you can easily remote into right away.

For instance, if I have a Honeywell dvr freshly installed and I have Honeywells Multisite software on my laptop. I can easily scan the network using a simple app or through the routers browser and find out the ip assigned to the dvr.

But it is simple enough to keep a cheap monitor on hand for basic setup then.

We have a couple in our shop and just grab them when needed.

It's not like the days of crts at least.

 

Another somewhat silly work around is if you have an analog to ip cctv encoder. As long as the dvr has a BNC output, you can view it that way.

[MrMxyzptlk 0]

Even though that compact portable monitor looks very cool, I would suggest you grab a 19" on sale for the purpose.

 

Very true. Not to mention monitors have gone down in price, we bought a rather cool 17 inch that can do Type F, BCN, HDMI, VGA, USB, KGB, IRS and FBI for $100. It's a good little beast.

[cdknapp 0]

I also have a Lenova lap top, with has an HDMI port built into it.

If I were to use this lap top instead of a conventional monitor, hooking it up from the DVR to the lap top via HDMI, would it be able to replace a monitor as the OP asked?

I am thinking that the lap top would act ONLY as the monitor, and that anything to do with set up of the DVR etc. would be done directly on the DVR itself (not attempting to use the lap top as a computer to attempt to program / adjust the DVR).

The main reason that I ask about this is because many of the newer lap tops (even the lower-end ones) are now coming with a HDMI port built in / stock.

 

Thanks!

Dave

[dan732 0]

I also have a Lenova lap top, with has an HDMI port built into it.

If I were to use this lap top instead of a conventional monitor, hooking it up from the DVR to the lap top via HDMI, would it be able to replace a monitor as the OP asked?

I am thinking that the lap top would act ONLY as the monitor, and that anything to do with set up of the DVR etc. would be done directly on the DVR itself (not attempting to use the lap top as a computer to attempt to program / adjust the DVR).

The main reason that I ask about this is because many of the newer lap tops (even the lower-end ones) are now coming with a HDMI port built in / stock.

 

Thanks!

Dave

Nope the HDMI port is an output on the laptop and an output on the DVR

 

Two outs, but no ins, that aint gonna do it

[tomcctv 190]

hey i have a macbook pro and Lenova laptop, and i work for a video surveillance company. when installing a DVR at a a job site, you would need a monitor to attach to it to configure. Is there a software that allows you to connect the DVR via VGA to the laptop and use as a regular monitor through a software, than rather having to take a monitor and all that hassle to every job site. Most of our consumers won't have a monitor to use, they use our Client Software to view/manage cameras. The DVR uses a Linux OS.

 

 

Hi. Think the question to ask is why leave all your customers without monitors.

 

 

What if customers network goes down or IP change

[MrMxyzptlk 0]

Hi. Think the question to ask is why leave all your customers without monitors.

 

I'm of two minds on this one. Yes giving the customer access can be good. However I have one customer who screws around too much and messes up passwords and the like. So she needs minimal access to her system.

[mgb 0]

Then you charge for a visit to fix it. She'll learn or go without.

People need to have some kind of access to their cctv. They do need to see the images one way or another, whether its through remote access or through a monitor right off the dvr/nvr.

My thinking is don't give them so much that they will be messing with things they need not mess with but at the end of the day, they own it.

[tomcctv 190]

Hi. Think the question to ask is why leave all your customers without monitors.

 

I'm of two minds on this one. Yes giving the customer access can be good. However I have one customer who screws around too much and messes up passwords and the like. So she needs minimal access to her system.

 

 

Hi that would be the owners problem .... But if she need quick accesse to her own system then that option should be there.

 

Your other option is once system is set up make a recovery men stick for her to use

 

But long term like everything she will get used to working her system

[SunnyKim 2]

Buy a USB-DVR that takes input of NTSC/PAL which is camera's output, or

DVR's TV out.

The displaying video quality is not bad, because it is in CIF size or D1 size.

Good enough to manage camera's. There are bunch of them on the internet.

[abdelm01 0]

Let me kind break it down a little more. a customers just purchased 365 IP cameras for a Native Canadian Village and the cameras are scattered all over the village. so what we did is at every location we create a solution box which contains (32CH NVR/or 16CH, POE SWITCH, UPS) enclosed in the box, now there are a total of 23 locations and at every location there are the solution boxes there. Now once all cameras and NVR Boxes are installed at locations, we go in for configuring and commissioning the system, after all cameras are up, we link them ALL back to the surveillance site for ONLY Surveillance Operators to see the video feeds to monitor the whole village in one room. That is why there will be no monitors at every location. Therefore i was wondering of there was a device i can attach to my laptop to view the NVR directly to laptop as if i was using a monitor locally, not through web browser just in case something happens and i need to view locally on a monitor. I was trying to avoid carrying a mojito with me to ever location and with me while traveling across country. But i ended up buying a mini palm size projector that was REALLY small but was trying to see if i was able to view the DVR through my laptop screen as if it was a regular mojito attached to the DVR without having to carry extra baggage around. I know that VGA and HDMI ports on laptops are the output only, but was rather wonder of an inout device through USB.

 

Thanks

[FranciscoNET 0]

You could try a USB video capture card, try

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=7387020&CatId=1428

Supports input resolutions up to 1080p (1920x1080) via HDMI, you can attach the DVR to the HDMI port and view the DVR on the laptop's monitor. However this particular device seems not to have VGA input, only HDMI, if VGA is important to you then you can get a VGA to HDMI converter or get a USB video capture card that also supports the VGA format.

 

A much more cheaper solution (non HD, 720x480 only) would be:

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=3584104&CatId=1428

That only supports RCA and S-Video input. Most DVR has RCA Video output that you can use to connect the DVR to the yellow video input of the USB video capture card and configure the DVR that way. If VGA is required you can use a VGA to RCA scanline modulator even though the resolution will be scaled down to 720x480 you should still be able to understand the DVR onscreen configuration dialog boxes/prompts and the scanline modulator supports regional PANable zooming features in case if you have to zoom in to a particular area.