Streaming 5 analog cameras online, combined with a DVR/NVR?

[timter51 0]

Hi all,

 

I currently have 5 x 700tvl analog cameras on site at our small wildlife park (in the UK), originally running back to a DVR system on coax + BNC cabling. The DVR has been damaged beyond repair, and so I'm going to take this chance to upgrade the system, and take it online. I need to keep my 5 cameras, but the rest of the system is up for debate.

 

This system is for public viewing more than CCTV security, so please bear that in mind. These are my key, critical requirements:

 

1) Deliver independent streams from each camera that can be viewed by anyone online, without the need for a username or password, or to have to download software, or be restricted to IE. These seem extremely archaic "features" that cripple many DVR systems (though I appreciate, being CCTV orientated, they are designed to be "closed"). Ideally, I will set up a Wowza VPS to take the load off of our upstream bandwidth. This means the system needs to be able to deliver streams in a supported format (http://www.wowza.com/products/streaming-engine/specifications) that can be sent to the Wowza server. The streams from Wowza will then be embedded on our site with Flash/HTML video players.

 

2) I still want all the functionality of a modern DVR system. Store and review footage, and display the live feeds in our visitor centre.

 

How I go about the above is where I need your expert advice! Point 1 seems the be the trickiest problem I'm facing, as DVRs just don't seem to cateer for open online streaming. Do I need to be looking at NVR for this, or do they have the same issue? I know I'd need to convert my analog video signals to digital, but there seems to be hardware that does that.

 

*edit* Wowza have a guide on how to stream from an IP camera, could I get to this point? http://www.wowza.com/forums/content.php?39

 

Budget is not really an issue, I'd like to hear any thoughts or ideas on what hardware would solve this for me.

Thank you in advance!

[abdelm01 0]

This is the time to Upgrade to an IP System. Nowadays most IP Systems are able to stream to any site you want to as long as you have your coding right in your website. You would embed the configurations of your NVR into the website, or if you are wanting to only add a selected few cameras to be viewed online then you would embed the single camera info into your website. Also if you want to keep your analog cameras, which i would not since your DVR went out i would do a complete upgrade to IP all the way, but if you want to keep those cameras and also add IP cameras, i would recommend you to get a Hybrid DVR that can handle both Analog and IP Cameras.

[timter51 0]

This is the time to Upgrade to an IP System. Nowadays most IP Systems are able to stream to any site you want to as long as you have your coding right in your website. You would embed the configurations of your NVR into the website, or if you are wanting to only add a selected few cameras to be viewed online then you would embed the single camera info into your website. Also if you want to keep your analog cameras, which i would not since your DVR went out i would do a complete upgrade to IP all the way, but if you want to keep those cameras and also add IP cameras, i would recommend you to get a Hybrid DVR that can handle both Analog and IP Cameras.

 

Thanks for this abdel, I looked into IP cameras but from what I can tell you can't have more than 100m cables? This would be a problem for me as all my cameras are over 100m away from the visitor centre... otherwise it's a very tempting upgrade route!

[Don Stephens 0]

These would solve your distance problem:

 

http://www.veracityglobal.com/products/ethernet-and-poe-devices/outreach-max.aspx

[abdelm01 0]

You can use the extenders like "Don Stephens" has showed in the link but also you can keep your existing Coax Cable and use the Cat5 over coax.

http://www.buycameradirect.com/index.php/ds-1h05t-hik-vision-coaxial-network-extender-transmitter.html