DVR Security Camera Systems

When researching how to buy dvr security camera systems, several factors should be considered. Of course, price is an essential element, but other factors will determine how large your package is and where you buy it. The price can fluctuate from as little as $600 to as much as $5,000 or more. What is contained in these products are the number of camera supported, frames per second, compression technology, hard drive space, network connection or remote viewing capability, motion detection, scheduling, and ability to save work onto video or audio, or to a CD or flash drive. A color ccd security camera may contain as much as a terabyte of hard drive storage.

Another important factor is how easy it is to use. A good product will have easy search capabilities and audio support. Some of the smaller products have a basic 4 camera input and the larger ones have a 32 camera input and can be used in real time. The digital video recorder is really a computer that saves security images to a hard drive by taking the pictures from the camera feed and converts it to digital and compresses it.

DVR stands for digital video recorder. When looking for dvr security camera systems, check out how many frames per second the equipment can record. The calculation means taking the total frames per second in the system and dividing it by the number of video inputs. If a person has a 60 fps machine with 4 outputs, the fps would be 15. In higher end products, this can be done in real time recording. One important consideration is the size of the hard drive to use with the technology. Because digital pictures are saved on the hard drive continuously, the size of the hard drive becomes important. The specifications on the machine lists the size of the hard drive, but this is a rough estimate. Instead, look at the compression format. The type of cameras selected to use with the color ccd security camera will make a difference on the size of the product needed. Other features that will change the capacity are the scheduling or motion detection or even the field of view. These will affect the storage capacity and how much hard drive that will need to be purchased to do the job.

There are two ways to service the cameras. Either an existing PC can be altered to adapt it to the purposes or a machine developed especially for dvr security camera systems can be purchased. This last product is called an embedded system. An embedded system is far more stable and has fewer working parts so the equipment will most likely last longer and require fewer repairs. Several cameras can be hooked up to PC, allowing more flexibility. The owner simply plugs the cameras into the back of the PC. Because most cameras produce analog pictures, the PC then converts the analog into a digital picture. The digital video recorder will allow the owner to view all the views at one time, up to 32 cameras. A standard hard drive is 120 gigs. Monitors are best purchased at a local computer store to save on cost on shipping. Another problem with building a component system is that not all the parts will be compatible, therefore the resulting system may not work properly.

It's better to purchase an embedded product and save on the frustrations of bad compatibility. The software can be very sensitive to the type of motherboard installed or even the cpu that is used. Even the video card can cause problems. But if the owner decides to build his own product, it's essential that the owner set aside one computer to use for the purposes since this computer has to be altered. Other software should not be running while the color ccd security camera input is digested. When purchasing an embedded product, software for setup will be included. Also included are the power cord and documentation. The PC will come with a mouse and keyboard. The purchaser will need to select the cameras and applicable cables, and a monitor. An embedded product may just use a television. A PC machine will need a monitor that is compatible. Some companies will offer technical support with a purchase.

A person who wants to find the best equipment safety measures will take the advice of Proverbs 1:5: "A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels." Check out the many dvr security camera systems available on the market and make sure that the product will fill the needs of the business or other property. Each segment of the system has many different options, and the number of views desired is essential to determine before deciding on a color ccd security camera and PC-based or embedded computer. With the embedded machines, the software comes in basic machine code or Linux code. These tend to be more stable and to work more effectively than Windows. PC based machines have on-screen menus and a mouse. Many times they have more features than embedded machines. On the other hand, embedded products usually have one circuit board with software burned into the chip. That's why it's important to assess the pluses and minuses of each type of system before purchasing any component. Many companies out there will try to get a looker to buy their equipment, but the wise shopper will research what is best for his purposes.

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