Help identifying equipment and upgrade options

[briancl 0]

Hi,

 

My house came with pre-installed cameras and DVR. It's obviously generic junk from China, and although I have the passwords, the setup does not have the features I'd like. Can someone help me identify what I'm working with? As for overall goals here, I'm hoping to keep the cameras in place and just drop in a new DVR to get up and running.

 

The primary question I have is based around the connections on the rear of my DVR. I see ethernet coming out of the wall (presumably going directly to each camera) which are then split: 2 pair each to a power supply, 2 pair each to a "Video Balen" which then connects to the back of the DVR via coax. All of this is pictured below. Are my cameras IP cameras with PoE (hence the ethernet spit into a power supply) but just rigged up to a non-IP DVR? Ideally I'd like to terminate the ethernet coming out of the wall into RJ45 and just plug those into an IP-ready DVR. The concept of PoE is natural to me from my networking background, but I don't know anything about cameras.

 

I've read that Hikvision works with my home automation setup, so would one of their systems work with my cameras? Is it plug and play? As for features, I'd like the whole system to be smarter and more accessible, e.g., alert me of events which can be easily recalled and replayed. Right now I have an isolated system that is only accessed from a really awful web player from Windows only and which is just a dumb recording. No intelligence about what activity is worth reviewing.

 

Also, as a final question, should I decide I wanted better cameras, would new cameras be easily swapped out? Does it seem like my cameras are fairly standard? They are not pictured below, but they look like just about everything else I've seen, e.g., http://www.amazon.com/dp/B014E995K8?psc=1

 

Here is the gear:

 

[Boogieman 1]

That DVRis not ip nor are the cameras. The installer used ethernet and baluns for analog cameras. This is great for you. since all you need to do is remove the baluns on both sides and crimp so new rj45 plugs on and buy ip cameras and an NVR. If you want flexibility consider a software based VMS like blue iris. Before buying cameras or nvr start doing some research to understand what you are buying.

[checkley101 0]

It's looks like a copy of the qvis Apollo dvrs, like Brian said if it's I.p your after then you could just put rj45 connectors on the cable then plug in to the Poe dvr , this would work fine, where abouts do you live .? I can point you in the right direction if you need any further assistance

[briancl 0]

Okay, makes sense.. these are analog cameras.

 

Is it possible to keep my analog cameras and connect them to a smarter DVR/NVR which gives me the features I want (better access to events, intelligent monitoring and alerting, home automation integration)? Or do I need to replace the cameras and go all IP for that?

 

I guess what I'm asking is.. is the brains of the operation the DVR to provide the above features, and the cameras just are sources of content. How they connect (analog or digital) isn't important.

 

Or maybe its the other way around.. the cameras must be IP and themselves equipped to provide the features I'm after.

[tomcctv 190]

Hi. That is a old dahua unit .... Still works with apps and there PSS viewer.

 

What are the features you are looking for ?

[briancl 0]

Hi. That is a old dahua unit .... Still works with apps and there PSS viewer.

 

What are the features you are looking for ?

 

I've seen setups where there is an activity log that is easy to review, e.g., view these 5 events that occurred in the past 24 hours, and the software presents a playlist of clips. This is far more convenient than scrubbing through hours of footage for a possible event. Also, being able to trigger events through home automation (save recording or snapshot at event X).

 

What I'm hearing is that maybe all I need is the right software? My hardware is good enough? Right now I can barely do anything because the supplied web player is basically unusable.

[tomcctv 190]

Can you post a picture of your playback screen ?

[briancl 0]

The web app for this DVR is awful. Notice the position of the scrollbars on the far right of the browser window. This is actually 1 really long page that with config settings up top and camera views on the bottom. No change in zoom level, resolution, or browser window fixes this. Also notice how there are no links for most functions, just plain text, but if you click the text, the link activates. I popped open the config screen here.

 

The biggest issue for me is that this only works on Windows, which I don't really have available to me. I have to fire up an old laptop to get this.

 

[tomcctv 190]

Hi. Try PSS from dahua for PC or apple mac

[Boogieman 1]

Hi,

 

I recommend you buy a Matrix HVR that has both IP and analog inputs. It will help if you plan to convert to IP in future. Its Universal Plug and Play. Additionally, Matrix device comes with cascading features, which allows you to operate up to 20 devices (480 cameras) from a single device without a server/laptop through a master slave configuration, the only requirement being all the cameras should be in the same network. The output can be taken to any monitor through a HDMI cable. It also has other unique features like camera-wise recording retention that allows you to bifurcate storage space giving more space to important cameras. It gives real time e-mail notifications with snapshot, so that you don’t lose proof even if device is damaged or destroyed, along with SMS notification. It also has other advanced features like synchronous/asynchronous playback, Intelligent Video Analytics, Integration with Access Control, etc.

Rule number 1, avoid buying from anyone who spams the forum.