How to Find a Worthy DVR

Written by Tom Connor

Thursday, 24 January 2008

How to Find a Good DVR

Written by Tom Connor
Wednesday, 23 January 2008

Crunch, crunch, crunch go your feet over rocky, cracked blacktop as you take your first steps onto a used car lot a short drive from your home. Looking down as you try not to trip over uneven pavement, you passively notice a dandelion strangely growing between two loose chunks of asphalt, apparently watered by a puddle of oily liquid running downhill from a service garage on the other side of the lot’s showroom. The cars around you look like a random sampling taken during a day-after-thanksgiving sale at the mall; all kinds of makes, models, colors and conditions are present, but here each has its own adjective, worn like a badge of honor, strategically stickered on the car where the customer is sure to notice.

“LOW MILES”

“LIKE NEW”

“A STEAL!!!!!!!”

“RUNS GREAT!”

These adjectives, you realize as you walk toward the front door of the showroom, don’t really tell you anything. It’s like reading the most exaggerated resumes on the planet, only resumes, at least, have references, these stickers just have bright letters and sensationalism, no actual substance. Questions go unanswered. What happens if the car stops working? What are you getting for your money? What assurances do you have that you’ll be supported after you hand the salesman a check? Minutes later, while speaking with your salesman, you notice two things: firstly, he’s definitely more interested in selling to you than addressing your concerns, and secondly, the amount of money the man spends on hair gel and tanning beds probably rivals your monthly grocery bill.

In a situation like this, most buyers would simply say thanks, turn around, and go home. After all, without support, guarantees, or any sort of verifiable track record, handing a check to a business like that is a crapshoot, and when spending a large amount of money, assurances are needed. This same logic carries over to the purchase of a surveillance DVR, and knowing what assurances to look for is crucially important to finding the right vendor.

The most basic form in which a company can support its DVR is through tech support, which can come in a variety of forms. The most forward-looking companies have begun to offer remote desktop and system health monitoring , however any company worth purchasing from should offer a bare minimum of online tech support (meaning the customer is able to go through two-way communication with a technician via email), and the vast majority offer over-the-phone tech support in some form. Having a system supported like this not only means that customers can get help when they need it, it also means that the vendor itself is willing to stand behind its products and show a valuable vote of confidence in the equipment it sells. In contrast, a company that offers no tech support is one that willingly leaves its customers out in the cold on any issues that may arise, and that’s not a company worth doing business with. Especially for those customers who are unfamiliar with surveillance or computer technology, tech support is a must-have asset to look for when shopping for security cameras.

Once that has been satisfied, though, things can get very difficult very quickly. To really determine a DVR’s merit requires an in-depth study of its spec sheet, a task which is time consuming to those with experience and Greek to those without. Still, there are a few easy features to look for, and once that information has been found it’s quick work for anyone to determine whether or not a DVR is worth the cost. Unfortunately, one of the easiest to spot specifications to watch out for might strike a sour note: as a matter of reliability and longevity, no DVR should ever be constructed from a Dell PC. To be perfectly clear, in no way should this imply that Dells are bad systems when it comes to normal, everyday computing. Ironically, the exact same thing that makes them such reliable PCs is what makes them poor DVRs.

In order to increase their everyday reliability, all Dell systems come with drivers and updaters unique to Dell computers. For the average user, these little cogs of software automate many crucial but easy-to-forget tasks, like updating media centers or players. The problem, though, is that these use up memory and interfere with the operation of surveillance software, but if removed, completely destabilize the system as a whole. In other words, a Dell places the surveillance user between a rock and a hard place: remove the proprietary software and the system won’t work properly, but leave it in and it’s functionally useless as a DVR. Since there’s no practical way around this quandary, it’s best to avoid Dell-based DVRs.

If Dell isn’t an issue, the next thing to look for is recording resolution, which makes or breaks the usefulness of a DVR since a low-resolution recording unit will render even high resolution cameras effectively useless. Virtually any system will be able to operate at a recording resolution of 320 x 280 (roughly the size of a YouTube video), however when shopping for surveillance equipment it is crucial that the DVR be capable of D-1 recording (720 x 480, the size of your desktop wallpaper on a standard computer monitor). The reason that high-resolution recording is so important is that it directly aids in identification of a person from recorded footage; if the resolution is set too low (in other words, the image itself is too small) even a great camera would look fuzzy and pixilated, meaning identification of a person becomes very difficult, if not impossible. Avoiding this possibility is easy; all it takes is ensuring that both the DVR and the cameras are rated for high-resolution (D-1) performance.

The final point to watch for isn’t usually listed on spec sheets, but is arguably the most important feature to have. When buying a DVR, it’s crucial to pick one out that is not only designed to perform, but also is meant to ensure compatibility with future products so as not to become obsolete. An excellent example of this would be the PC Witness Pro series of DVRs (the LT, V\RT and RT ), which were deliberately designed to function as a NVR\DVRs (Network Video Recorder \ Digital Video Recorder), meaning they can take on both IP and analog cameras with equal ease. Though analog cameras rule the market right now, IP cameras have been progressing in leaps and bounds since their first appearance on the market a few years ago, and over time may even supplant analog cameras as the dominant model. By using a DVR from the PC Witness brand, users are not only covered for the state of camera production today, but they’re also easily set for the next ten years as IP camera technology develops and matures.

Part of that as well, though, is being able to predict one’s own future needs. If buying for a business that plans on moving to a larger space within just a few years, purchasing a DVR with extra video inputs for future cameras would be wise, and the same might be true for a homeowner planning an addition later down the road. In short: a DVR isn’t just a tool, it’s an investment, and like any good investment, it should not only be stable, it should be ready to face the test of time.

Bookmark

Comments (4) Add Comment

...
written by blagarde, August 03, 2008

HarryW,

To keep your system up even when your power goes down, I would suggest you purchase an inexpensive UPS (Uninterruptable Power Supply) battery backup. You can get one from most any consumer electronics store. It will also greatly protect your system from being fried. If you need a recorder, I would suggest http://cctvwholesalers.com/pro...259&page=1 .

Sorry to hear about your Katrina troubles. We're in New Orleans and trust me when I say that I understand.

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

...
written by harryw, August 02, 2008

I have built my own set up from Radio Shack 10 years ago and bought a pir sensor from Texas. I use a motion sensor and a vcr to record. This way when I watch it, I only see what has moved around outside. I don't waste time watching nothing. But I have a problem hiding my vcr in case somebody breaks in and when the power goes out, the system won't start up unless I turn it all back on manually. Pisses me off!......Why can't I find an inexpensive package that does what I want?......That will stay on when the power goes out and doesn't Fry during an electrical storm...with a motion detector and a wireless vcr or something I can hide. I don't have much money. My insurance co ripped me off after Katrina. This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

...
written by blagarde, May 09, 2008

Hello,

Suggest you call Tom Connor at 800.291.0523. I suspect you are looking for a system similar like the custom job Tom is currently doing for homeland security involving wireless IP cameras and the PC-Witness Pro Hybrid DVR / NVR.

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

...
written by chris inos, May 09, 2008

Looking for security system...in wireless....security video camera....to transmit up to3 miles...
I have surfed the net and was not successful.. any suggestion or recommendation as to model, systems or sites?

thank you

csi

report abuse

vote down

vote up

Votes: +0

Write comment

Free social bookmarking plugins and extensions for Joomla! websites! title=

Tom Connor
		About the author:
		One of the newest additions to the aboutcctv staff, Tom Connor works as a Commercial Surveillance Solutions Architech with CCTV Wholesalers, assisting residential, commercial, and governmental entities with their security needs while at the same time keeping other departments in the company abreast of new problems and trends brought to us by our customers. With broad experience in sales, project management and customer service, Tom is a proven asset on the CCTV Wholesalers team. Call Tom toll free at 800.291.0523 ext. 134 and get a free professional consultation and instant price quote.
	Read More >>

Articles by this Author:

View all articles by this author

Last Updated ( Thursday, 24 January 2008 )

< Prev		Next >

[ Back ]

Latest Video

How to Install a 1304NET DVR Camera System

Got a CCTV related question or need help with your existing surveillance system? Click here to submit your question and have the caring staff of AboutCCTV.com help you.