Standalone vs PC-Based DVRs: Pros and Cons
Filed under: Beginning CCTV, CCTV Articles, CCTV Camera, CCTV Security DVR Cards, Comparisons, General Technology, Security Camera System
Not to be overly simplistic, but when choosing a DVR for your surveillance system, you’ll basically need to decide if you want to go with a PC-based model or a standalone unit. To make this decision a little easier, let’s take a look at what each of these are, and what kinds of benefits they provide.
Standalone DVR
A standalone digital video recorder is a unit that is made specifically for one purpose, which is to capture, record, and store your surveillance footage. Standalone DVRs usually use a Linux-based operating system that is designed with whatever features the DVR needs to perform.
PROS
- With a standalone DVR, you have a stable and dedicated recorder that can quickly and easily record your various surveillance cameras’ input and store their footage for later viewing. Furthermore, the hardware and software are pre-installed, making setup a breeze.
- Linux operating systems are less vulnerable to viruses, and since the DVR won’t be accessing the internet on a regular basis (beyond serving up video for remote access), your chances of getting a virus that will clog up your system are very small.
CONS
- Standalone DVRs can cost a bit more than it would to make or buy a PC-based DVR that runs with a windows operating system.
- With a standalone DVR, you will not be able to perform other functions that you may want, such as internet browsing and word processing.
PC-Based DVR
A PC-based DVR is a digital video recorder that uses a PC operating system (mainly Windows), and can record your surveillance footage, but it can also act as any normal PC would and operate in that fashion.
PROS
- Many standard computers can be turned into a PC-based DVR simply by buying the proper equipment. By getting a DVR card and the software to accompany it, you can make your home computer into a DVR capable of recording your security camera footage.
- These types of DVRs can be a bit more cost effective (especially if you’re just upgrading your pre-existing home PC with a DVR card).
CONS
- A big downfall of PC-based DVRs has to do with their higher chance of breaking down or having buggy issues. The reason for this is because instead of only having to worry about video recording, it now has to deal with all the other programs that are running, such as internet browsers, word processors, video games, etc. These additional programs create more strain and complications with the hardware, and can cause more problems.
- Another setback for PC-based DVRs has to do with storage. If you are running a PC DVR, and it’s your main personal computer as well, then you will be competing for hard drive space as it records and stores your video.
CCTV Cable Lengths & Cuts: Crimpin’ Ain’t Easy
Filed under: Beginning CCTV, Cables, CCTV Articles, CCTV Camera, General Technology, Guides, Security Camera, Security Camera System
Most surveillance systems are wired, and therefore use a lot of CCTV cabling. Whether you’re using RG59 coax or UTP wiring, there are a couple of notes to keep in mind when building your system and selecting CCTV cable.
When purchasing CCTV cable for your surveillance system, you need to know your required lengths; for example: how far it is from your camera to your DVR? Once you figure out the length, you have a couple options: you can either purchase a pre-made cable that is already cut and ready at a specific length, or you can get a custom cable made.
If you buy a pre-made cable, you’ll want to purchase one that’s at least 1 or 2 feet longer than needed. The reasoning is that it’s best to avoid having a cable with a lot of tension in it, as it will put stress on the connectors and the cable itself. You also don’t want the cable to be too much longer than your run, because it will sit coiled up next to your DVR and potentially cause interference within your surveillance system.
If you can’t find a pre-made CCTV cable that fits within these parameters, you may consider getting a cable length cut by an expert. You can either get a trained professional to cut and crimp the cable for your system, or you can order the cable length and connectors, and attempt it yourself.
If you plan to do it yourself, you need to be absolutely sure you know what you’re doing; if you mess up the connection even slightly, you may end up with a bad connection with lower quality output or no output whatsoever. Furthermore, if you mess up the crimp, you will end up having to cut it off and start again, which means you’ll ultimately have less cable to work with. If you have any doubt about your crimping ability, it would be a wiser choice to pay the couple extra bucks and get a cable specifically made for your CCTV system.
Remember to also pay attention your camera’s cable type. As with knowing the required cable length, knowing the type of cable and connections required is a necessity. Since video signals will start to degrade after certain long distances, different cable types are available to remedy signal quality for long runs.
Knowing your cable requirements is one of the most important steps in CCTV installation. Remember to check out our helpful CCTV video tutorials if you’re approaching this from a DIY standpoint.
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