jmsjabb Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 I have searched on here for recommendations regarding the Alien brand, and it seems the DVRs are liked, but there seems to be a debate on the picture quality. Can someone give some advice / physical experience with these DVRs and if they rate them or not. I have been looking for a good DVR to replace a Vista Network DVR. I know you will hate me, but I would look at ebay and around the £150 mark. ( This would get old DM kit, Alien kit, unbranded and older models. )
sixwheeledbeast Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 I have searched on here for recommendations regarding the Alien brand, and it seems the DVRs are liked, but there seems to be a debate on the picture quality. Can someone give some advice / physical experience with these DVRs and if they rate them or not. I have been looking for a good DVR to replace a Vista Network DVR. I know you will hate me, but I would look at ebay and around the £150 mark. ( This would get old DM kit, Alien kit, unbranded and older models. ) How many channels are required? What is it for? There are lots of models on the market, it's knowing what's tat and not. The latter is generally up for debate.
jmsjabb Posted April 7, 2011 Author Posted April 7, 2011 At the moment, only 3. I could add a 4th. I need to record the front of my house as we have a "difficult" neighbour and have needed footage in the past and will again. I put the Vista into retirement, only using it to view the cameras via my iphone ( vista does this ) on a loop through from a COP unit I bought, but the COP recording seems very poor quality. Ideally I would like about 20 days recording, more would be better. I have never used motion, but I guess that could be used to upp the record time.
Adi Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 replaced my alien on wednesday, say no more I really can't be ar**** with it anymore.
jmsjabb Posted April 7, 2011 Author Posted April 7, 2011 Adi. From that I see you don't now rate them, but maybe did to buy one? I am looking at a unit from 2 or 3 years back. I don't need bells and whistles, only a good honest machine. Could you offer any suggestions other than the Alien, and maybe what you didn't like?
digitalwitness Posted April 7, 2011 Posted April 7, 2011 I am not criticizing jmsjabb but to date: Vista + COP DVR = undesirable results. Adding £150 will not get the result you are looking for, if the Ebay DVR works you maybe limited by older compression technologies and compatible hard drive types and sizes. Before you spend more money, can you list the COP DVR you are using and what settings it is at, resolution, frame rate, compression level, etc. Picture quality is very subjective, can you describe why you consider the picture unacceptable or post a snapshot. I believe the best question to ask at this time is to ask how to get the best of what you have, if that is not good enough, then move to the next option of replacing.
SystemQ Posted April 8, 2011 Posted April 8, 2011 replaced my alien on wednesday, say no more Hi Adi. To be honest I don’t think the remark is totally fair as you had a basic budget model from 2008. If I demonstrated the 2011 AlienUltra to you its hard to tell the difference between live images and playback as the record quality is that good. Sure, the model you bought in 2008 is not as good as you want, I don't doubt that from your comment, but it does not mean that the current models do not offer performance you and others would want. As they are currently being specified by many High Street retailers and councils after trials against “traditional” brands, they obviously have impressed some very senior, diligent corporate buyers. Could I arrange a demonstration for you and you post your honest remarks about the current range? , Paul. System Q Ltd.
tomcctv Posted April 8, 2011 Posted April 8, 2011 Adi. From that I see you don't now rate them, but maybe did to buy one? I am looking at a unit from 2 or 3 years back. I don't need bells and whistles, only a good honest machine. Could you offer any suggestions other than the Alien, and maybe what you didn't like? two very good little units are the avermedia nano4 or the new range of dahua . if you are a mac user then dahua dvr. pc user then the aver nano.
jmsjabb Posted April 8, 2011 Author Posted April 8, 2011 I use both PC and Mac. I would be looking at an Alien Pro ( lite maybe ). Other options would be older DM units. There are a couple of Ganz units at the mo. I am in no hurry. The image on the cop is set to best all round but I feel it is "smudgy" The user interface is also not too pleasing and friendly. If I went the alien route, i could sell both Vista and cop. Otherwise, I would keep the Vista as a net viewer.
Alarm Protection Posted April 8, 2011 Posted April 8, 2011 Cop with DM.........nuff said. Get a decent system and not of e bay. Or get a local installer to come round and give you a quote. Never used the system q alien range but other installers i have spoken to like them and customer friendly for playback etc. !
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