What is a DVR?
Filed under: Beginning CCTV, CCTV Articles, CCTV Glossary, General Technology
DVRs are versatile pieces of equipment. The main function of a CCTV DVR is to record the feeds of your cameras. But as with everything in technology, they have evolved into more sophisticated devices. The DVR can be a standalone or PC-based. Also, you have the option to use either analog CCTV cameras or IP (internet protocols). Finally, if you are on the go, like most working professionals, you can view your DVR from any computer that is running windows or from your smartphone. With this kind of versatility and viewing options, modern DVRs will put you at your home or place of business right in front of you even if you are half way around the world.
PC Based DVRs vs. Standalone DVRs
Filed under: Comparisons, Security Camera System, Security DVR
I get calls on a daily basis asking which I prefer, PC based or Standalone DVRs. In most cases I would have to say PC based systems. Don’t get me wrong, the standalone units are great for small budgets, but when you need to retrieve the data from one or expand your system…
Standalone DVR Overview
Several people want to use the smaller, less expensive DVR… and for good reasons. One would be cost; they range in price from a couple hundred to a few thousand dollars. Also, they have all the operating system software written directly into the motherboard, making them more secure from outside threats. Some have a fairly simple menu and even use a remote control or mouse for on-screen navigation, too.
Overall, though, these smaller, less expensive units all have a few failing points. Since the standalone DVRs typically use a Linux based operating system, they are often difficult to link to a PC for backups, etc. Several have built in CD/DVD burners that allow you to backup your security camera footage directly, but you still need a PC to play the files. This is where the fun begins; you will likely need special software or video codecs to view the file on your PC! Sometimes the DVR will come with the needed software, but if you are reading this post because yours did not, I would suggest downloading the “K-Lite Codec Pack – FULL.” Once installed, that should allow you to play almost any video you will ever come across. If that does not work, I would say contact the manufacturer or check out their website to see if they can offer any insight.
The final “con” associated with Standalone DVRs is that they are basically trash if the unit ever stops working. Most of the time you get your money’s worth, though.
PC-Based DVR Overview
I would much rather look to the long term of the device I purchase. With a PC-based DVR, you have a lot more versatility and power, but also a larger price tag. You have all of the options that Windows gives you, and unfortunately the drawbacks too. One major “pro” is that you have the ability to upgrade the DVR to a more powerful system and add additional CCTV cameras later, if wanted. The added ability to choose a surveillance company’s DVR card and the options that they provide increases the desirability, in my opinion.
These systems allow for more reliable control over your security system and the ability to extract the DVR data, when needed, is easier. Larger companies, such as banks, schools and casinos, rely on the options given by these extremely customizable PC-based DVRs. Being Windows systems, the CD/DVDs that you backup to can be played on any similar windows system (may still require codec updates).
In summary, PC-Based DVRs can make surveillance at home, business or school easier to deal with, but they still have a few drawbacks, such as power cost, size and having to use Windows Vista in most cases. Overall, I prefer my video surveillance be done with a PC.
Questions or Comments? Don’t be afraid to comment on the blog or contact us directly. We’d be happy to assist you in making the right decision for your application!
Security DVRs for Surveillance and Safety
In the early days, video from multiple security cameras were recorded using time-lapse VCRs and multiplexers. Due to recent advancements in recording technology, digital video recorders (DVRs) have started replacing many VCRs and multiplexers. DVR security camera systems record video on a hard drive-based medium, eliminating the need for a videotape. These sophisticated systems have the ability to manage multiple security cameras as well as record and playback video locally or through the Internet.
Before choosing a DVR, decide how many cameras you want to connect to it. The video recording rate, which is calculated in frames per second (fps), should also play a major role in your buying decision. For high-end security systems, opt for a DVR that has a high recording rate; however, a camera with a low recording rate would be sufficient to meet most security needs.
There are two types of DVRs, PC-based models and stand-alone units. PC-based DVRs come with 4, 8, 12, 16, or 32 camera inputs. These security DVR systems convert analog signals to digital signals and compress them. The compressed data is then stored on a hard drive for archiving and playback. By entering the date and time using their on-screen menus, PC-based DVR systems allow you to search and easily retrieve images and videos of any point in time.
You can access a network-based DVR surveillance camera system from a remote location using any TCP/IP network or dial-up connection. The video that the security camera systems capture can even be viewed with client software. The PC-based DVR has the added advantage of allowing you to connect more cameras when you install multiple DVR cards in your computer. These capture cards are available from INOX, AverMedia, and GeoVision.
You can also opt for stand-alone DVR systems. These can be operated by the simple push of a button and do not require the use of a PC. They come with 4, 8, 9, or 16 camera inputs. Because their video is compressed less than PC-based units, stand-alone DVR security systems offer better picture quality. They have a single circuit board with software that is encoded on their chips. The software of these DVR surveillance systems is often more stable than PC-based DVRs.
Standalone DVR units are very efficient when used for home security. They allow you to monitor your security cameras while you watch TV. They also include an IR remote that lets you control the live video from your security camera. If you want to record and store this data, then get a stand-alone DVR model that includes a hard drive.
Security DVR systems provide detailed images and crystal clear video that do not degrade. They also allow you to record video for a longer period of time and let you pause the video without distorting the picture.
Read more on the differences between PC-Based and Standalone DVRs in this artcle, PC-Based DVRs vs. Standalone DVRs, and feel free to take a look at our Security DVR selection.
GeoVision DVR Cards – Use Your Computer as a Security System
Transform your computer into a digital surveillance recording system using digital video recorder (DVR) cards. Surveillance systems use DVR cards to process data received from multiple security cameras and transfer it to a storage device. These cards are ideal to upgrade the security systems of government buildings, financial institutions, casinos, and corporations.
GeoVision digital video cards are known for their high performance and provide excellent picture quality. These security DVR cards have state-of-the-art functions, like high-speed processing, audio recording and MPEG-4 hardware compression. They also come with sophisticated software programs. The software’s primary purpose is to display and record information from many cameras at the same time. The video management software of these multi-channel video surveillance cards is typically very user friendly.
Installing a digital video recorder card is as simple as plugging it into your motherboard’s PCI-based slot. As soon as the card is in and your cameras are connected to it, you can start digitally recording signals as well as view them. With the POS Live View feature, GeoVision digital video recorder cards also allow you to view transactions details along with the live video being captured by the security cameras in a retail shop. The GeoVision backup system then stores videos processed by your GeoVision PCI DVR cards to hard drive disks or other optical storage devices.
The cards range from the GV-600 to the award winning GV-2008. GeoVision cards have different recording frame rates, like 30, 60, 120, 240, and 480 fps. The higher the fps, the better the picture quality is. Pick a card with the maximum number of inputs to connect many cameras for the most secure surveillance system. You can also install more than one card to support additional cameras.
Our GeoVision GV-600 DVR Card comes with 4, 8, 10, 12, 14, or 16 channels. It can process images at up to 30 frames per second. GV-1480 Security DVR Cards, on the other hand, come standard with 16 channels for recording and viewing at a maximum speed of 480 fps. The GV-1480 is one of the most advanced products in the GeoVision series. This card allows you to spot monitor with its real-time display and TV output. For enhanced network surveillance, this combo card comes with TCP/IP remote access and powerful Ethernet capabilities.
The GV-2008 Card is designed to meet high-profile security needs and allows you to monitor up to 8 cameras. The frame rates of each connected camera can be adjusted based on your needs. The GV-2008 Card compresses video using MPEG-4 technologies to minimize the amount of space the captured data takes up in your HDD.
All of these GeoVision DVR cards are great buys and most of them are compatible with Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows 2000 Operating Systems. You can see a full list of our available DVR Cards on the Security DVR Card page.
Hang out with us!
