4 camera office system

[zztv 0]

I’m building a 4 camera system for the office. The system needs to have remote access and motion detection. Two of the offices are 11’ x 17’ (~ 4m x 5m), the third a little bigger and the fourth a little smaller.

 

100% reliability is not required. Where can I cut corners and still have a descent system?

 

Computer (custom built by me – I have enough experience)

4 Sony cameras (3.6mm lenses)

GeoVision card

 

Any advice is greatly appreciated.

[Thomas 0]

Don't cut corners. If the system isn't worth the money it costs to do it right then your need isn't really there.

[garzajd3 0]

Not an expert at this yet, but it sounds like all your looking for now is pc based software. If your just wanting the basic surveillance then what you have will work, atleast it can get you up and running. As for the software there are many to chose from and most all of them will do what you want. I personally have used Luxriot (luxriot.com) many times and it works pretty well, have had issues with compression. I dont believe it currently supports the geovision cards.

Geovision themselves has a DVR pc based software packages that will work well with your setup. Like I said you could atleast get your wire and pc setup and in the future easily change the software and/or cameras.

[rory 0]

If you really want to cut corners, so to speak, you could get some standard color bullet cameras, and a slower frame rate card, in the case of Geo something like the GV250. The GV250 would at least get you used to the Geo Software.

 

Run the correct video and power cable now. Put it in conduit where applicable. This can cost though, so if you really want to save in this area, get 4 x 100' RCA Dual Power Video Cables for now, but make sure they are clear from any high voltage and lighting. With cheap OEM Bullet cameras it would be fine, for Pro cameras you would want to upgrade that cable to RG59 Siamese.

 

Build the PC so it would be able to install a higher frame rate card in it later. Or you can always upgrade say the Video card, memory and hard Drive when you install the faster card later.

 

Eg. Starting with GV250-GV800, Ending with GV1120-1480

 

Now - Intel ChipSet, P4 3Ghz, 128 Saphire Radeon Video Card, 120GB HDD, 512MB RAM.

 

Later - 256 ATI Radeon Video Card, 500GB HDD, Add 512MB RAM.

 

 

Make sure you use a UPS with AVR.

 

Get a Multi Power Supply just for the amount of cameras you are installing now, you can always switch it out later on. If its cheap OEM bullet cameras you really dont need more than an OEM Power supply, just make sure its fused. When you upgrade to Pro cameras later, buy a Decent PS like Altronix or Pthree.

 

Using the Color Cameras, you would get a better idea of what kind of lighting requirements there are at each location, before you go and buy a High Performance 200' Infrared Day Night Camera, you may already have enough light there for a Low Lux Color Camera. Since the cheap color bullets are high lux like 1.0 they would give you a good idea, and not cost much when you are ready to chuck them and switch over, if you switch over.

 

Also, most entry level 4 channel cards from most brands, dont require much more than a Via Chipset.