Confused over cheap dvr,s and cams? Advice Please

[jizzer]

Hello,

I came across this site when looking for cctv gear.....really informative especially as most of the guys are in the trade

I am an industrial control and instrument electrician by trade never had anything to do with cctv but i want to install a system to my home.

Have looked around the net for gear and info, a little confusing to say the least BUT this site may be where i get good honest knowledgable advice.

Here goes this is what I have picked up for my self please advise

My requirements

1.Was going to go down the pci card in the pc (GEOVISION) route

but the number of times pc's crash thought maybe not reliable TRUE or not?

2.Decided on DVR ...that many on market mainly taiwanese/chinese etc REALLY need advice on this one

I need a 4 Channel able to have motion detection the type you can select on screen not with seperate sensors

Need to be able to inject feed in domestic TV distribution (I assume via a modulator)

Need to view via PC and back up via PC can I do this with a LAN capable DVR

Please suggest DVR's around £250 ... big headache for me was looking at LJD lite till i read this forum bid on an avermedia on e bay (mainly cos could connect straight to pc monitor and had usb)

looked at dedicated micros ...i Guess thet are the business the money they are ?

3.Cameras £125 (ish)

Want good quality but reasonable price

Day/Night cam ccd better than

cmos....Is that true?

10 to 15 M range at night

Are the better day night cams the one that have a mechanical filter that changes at night...???

good resolution I am of the opinion if I am going to fit cams I want a good clear picture not like some of the footage on crimewatch who their own mother would'nt recognize.

Do not want a trditional housing too big but then again not covert

5.

Coax????? RG59 seems to be spec what benefits over CT100 standard satallite co.ax

6.Where should I look for gear some of the good dealers mentioned on hear are trade only.....Been looking at RF concepts.....Y3K.......henrys.....2seetv....i view cameras.......digital cybermasters

Any recomendations on equipment and where to buy will be appreciated or other places I could gain knowledge ...

I am of the old school as an apprentce all the drawings used to be stamped up "IF IN DOUBT ASK"....I still do that to this day .

And looking at this site I expect the trade guys will come up with the goods....Thankyou

[JB_]

Sorry can't help with regards to pricing as my boss does all that but i'll give my tips as to getting a 'better' system for you.

1- Geovision - Used a few of these myself for people that wanted to go a similar route and as long as you dont 'mess' with your pc then they can be quite reliable, having it sat there just ticking over causes very few problems that cause pc's to crash. Usually it's when you using it that they crash. You can actually get away with a fairly low spec base unit going this way.

2- DVR - You'll probably find if you look at different models from different people that they'll end up being exactly the same unit either in a different box or a different sticker on then. My one majoy quarrel with cheap dvr's is they seem to want to playback at 25fps ALL the time, so if you record at 6fps for example it end's up playing back at 4 times normal speed. (25 divide by 6 = 4, roughly)

3- Cameras - Have as many as you can afford, stick a 3.6mm lens on a camera and you may get a good 80degree view but when it comes to actually recognising someone you wont have a chance over anything like 10m away. Much better off having more cameras looking at smaller areas to maximize the chance of anything you record actually being usefull. Looking at 4 channel? Get an 8, nearly 60% of people who insist they'll never need any more end up having 1 or 2 more for the reason stated above.

4- What happened to 4?

5- Coax - Yep, RG59 and either twist on or crimp on bnc's.

6- Sorry no idea who sells what, I just get told 'fit this, fit that' and get no input on what equipment we use or wheree it comes from.

7- Hard drive - Always go for as big a unit as poss, after installing you may find you can get 2 months recording on it, so why not reduce that time and higher your quality? (i added 7 myself )

[ian.cant]

Plenty to answer here, you will no doubt get various suggestions also, heres my thoughts.

1. I wouldnt, PC's dont crash so much these days but i still wouldnt, too much hassle when you can buy it in a box ready to go so to speak.

2.Yes generally they are the same kit in a similar box housing. LJD's box is the same as a few others, they are reliable in my experience. I dont like motion detection, buy as big a HDD as you can then you can afford to record everything.

Yes a modulator will let you feed your tv system.

You wont be able to get hold of DM kit easy, its very much Pro kit and unless your home is huge and full of expensive stuff a cheap DVR (with LAN)will be fine.

They usually come with a CD writer to back-up so it can be done on board anyway. You can the playback the CD on your PC or anyone else's provided you load the software.

3.You should be able to buy a reasonable day/night high res with 15mtr IR for under £150 each, would like to say where though.

CCD is far superior to CMOS, MERC v's Trabant almost.

Where the IR range at night can be up to 15mtrs the width of IR beam is very narrow compared to a 4mm lens say. Also pointing it at an object helps rather than into an open space.

Mechanical cut filters are better but they generally are fitted to more expensive body cameras. Stick with the bullet types as you wont have the kit or the knowledge/experience to correctly set up body cameras and lens situated externally. Bullet cameras are more covert than overt which fits in with your wish list also.

5.Use RG59 and make sure you use crimp on connectors not the screw on type, you can buy them at maplins along with the crimp tool (and bullet cameras i think).

6. I wouldnt know anything about any of those places other than what ive read on here, yk3 seems like one too avoid at all costs.

I could supply the kit you require and depending where your located give some practical assistance, as i am sure others would do likewise.

It makes a refreshing change to have some sensible questions asked by someone who has thought about it first.

[ian.cant]

My one majoy quarrel with cheap dvr's is they seem to want to playback at 25fps ALL the time, so if you record at 6fps for example it end's up playing back at 4 times normal speed. (25 divide by 6 = 4, roughly)

They record at 25fps and playback is at normal speed, unless you fast forward!

[JB_]

They record at 25fps and playback is at normal speed, unless you fast forward!

58918[/snapback]

Well you convinced me there!! I must have just been accidentally fast forwarding ALL those hundreds of times, what with my hands being the size of trucks and me not having the intelligence to realise the difference between the letters 'PLAY' and 'FAST FORWARD'

[JB_]

It may say 'member' not 'trade' at the the side of my posts but that doesn't make me a complete idiot, ALL the cheap LJD or COP dvr's i've used bar 1 have had a problem when recording at lower frame rates where the machine assumes you want to play back at 25fps, resulting it playback actually going typically 4 or 5 times normal speed. I made that point because it's true and if you haven't found out then good for you as you obviously don't have to install the same rebadged taiwanese/chinese/japanese **** as I do. (not through choice I add but it aint my company)

[ian.cant]

Ive only had 1 DVR that played back too fast (it played 1hr of recording in about 20 seconds), which i sent back to COP as faulty and duely received a credit for it.

In my experience they play back at normal speed, sorry if your experience is different but play back should be at normal speeds and certainly not 4x normal.

[Rich]

Sounds like your service guys could get busy soon JB_

[jizzer]

"LJD do a nice day night bullet camera with ir funily enough I have two on my house "

Could you advise on the make and model of cams you are talking about or a link ....Thankyou

[baywatch]

Depending on the situation, spiders can cause havoc with cameras with built in I.Rs.

If your budget will allow use seperate bullet cam & IR lights to prevent this problem. This also allows you to put the IR in a better position than a built in cam. Make sure thr bullet is IR sensitive.