RonW

Well, I did find a few "free" apps that record mouse/keyboard movements. However, they didn't work that well for what I wanted to do. However, I did try Jitbit Macro Recorder software, their 30 day trial of the product and it actually works pretty good. I was able to create a morning macro and evening macro, then compile them as executable "programs" and have the run as scheduled task. The Jitbit's trial limits a person to 20 "commands" that can be compiled to an executable, but you can test your scripts to verify that everything runs and works as you would want them to. If it does and in my case it did, so I dropped the cash and proceeded to move on my merry way. I only needed to tweak a couple of cameras and increase their brightness within the NUUO Main Console camera settings about 8 points higher than their daytime brightness values. However, I can see quite a few uses for the software besides just this one thing I needed it for. Upshot, it does a good job and it saved me hundreds of dollars from buying a couple new cameras - which in my opinion was not a good "option" since my b/w ex-view cameras work fine for my security needs on my patio. The only downside is the software costs a little over $40. Don't know if that is much of a downside, but I would have liked to have found a decent open source app that does the same thing. However, if you need to interact with your dvr software to make it do some things on a scheduled basis that it doesn't have built into it, and you don't feel like dropping money on new dvr software or cameras, then you might try looking into macro recording software. It works for me, but like with anything - your mileage may vary.

I've been using the nuuo scb 5008 card for well over a year now and have been quite pleased with it. However, I have several analog cameras that I have been manually tweaking based upon the sunlight changes during the seasonal changes based upon their locations. Mostly changing the brightness by increasing or decreasing during the year. My question is this. Has anyone used any macro recording software with the nuuo main console software? Anyone have any luck with any open/free macro recording software that could be used in this capacity? I contacted nuuo support to see if they were thinking about putting a timed event feature where a person could make changes like this in their their main console software. I also asked if they weren't if they had any ideas of how to accomplish this. I received a nice reply saying that I should get a wdr camera. Any successful macro recorder/playback software used in similar fashion for cctv?

Have you considered using RAID 10? Since you haven't mentioned anything about the pc/workstation/server that you're potentially using it makes suggesting any definitive solutions other than use fast drives and change the RAID level from 5 to the 10 the only suggestion that readily comes to mind.

I've been looking at the ACTi SED-2320Q 4 Channel MPEG-4 Quad Video Server and it looks like a nice unit for home use, but I haven't seen much talk about it actually being used. Anyone have any experience with this unit? Likes? Dislikes?

I couldn't agree with you more! I finally heard back from icrealtime and it's definitive about the reverse play, it's not supported from the remote or the unit. If I read the tech support reply correctly, the remote connection software will allow you to use a "slider" to move forwards/backwards during playback.

eric9547, I picked up the G4-4RTA very very recently and I can say from my own personal experience with the G4-4RTA that it does not play the recorded video in reverse. The documentation states "backwards", but that means the currently viewed video will be "replayed" from the beginning of the current video file. However, if you are slow on the "backwards" button and the next video sequence has already started playing, you cannot go back multiple files - you'll have to select the video you want to see again from the menu. Keep in mind this is using the ir remote and the unit's button interface. I didn't get to the web interface, especially since it's not my intention to serve up remote viewing. Currently I have sent in a support request at icrealtime to see if their dvr flex r30 units will play in reverse. From what I intially received for an answer the flex can step forwards or backwards frame by frame. I'm still waiting for a definitive yes/no answer about full motion playback in reverse via the ir control or the units push button interface. Maybe a flex user can answer this, but I haven't received a confirmation response yet. Hopefully that answers most of this question.

CCTV_Suppliers, thank you for taking the time to come up with some suggestions on different dvrs. It seems that there are some that will just do what I want, but not to the extent I'd like. Then there are some that will, but go outside of my price range. The decisions...the decisions.... I've been reading as much online material and I guess I'm looking at the ic realtime flex dvr again. It will do exactly what I'd like, or at least it might. Does anyone know how sensitive it is, it has 6 motion sensitivity settings - would the highest sensitivity setting capture a small bird from 20-30 feet away, with say a b/w cam using a 4-8mm lens (1/3" cam)? During the day under various daytime lighting conditions (cloudy, sunny, rainy, etc...) I'd rather have too many false motion recordings rather than too few. Is there a way to turn off the prompting for entering in passwords in order to change functionality? Can I turn all audible feedback off, when changing settings when using the remote controller? I've read the specs, but those details don't quite seem to come across to well, or maybe it's the way the manual was written. Anyone know?

CCTV_Suplier, as cool as it would be to grab the analog input via grabbers and utilize capture software that I could customize to my liking. I really do prefer package/design of the embeded units. Let's say that my day job as a software engineer keeps me from going the pc/software/grabber route. The CBC specs do look pretty straight forward design features, but I can't quite bring myself to head down that road. It's not an issue of I can't do it, but I choose not to do that. As an experienced software engineer sometimes it's nice to leave work at home. I did stumble across the GE SymSafe Pro 4+2 and that sure looks like it will do nearly everything that I'd like it to do. The real time recording at 2cif, forward/reverse cueing/playback, plus the dvd option, and quite a few nice features, and the ability to handle ip cameras for "the future". I've see a few posts about GE-Kalatel, and about the only thing that I haven't dug up in the users manual is if a person can turn the recording on for say as long as I want (as long as I have hard disk space) so that I could record an extneded event - like a meteor shower for 4 hours. Have you had any experience with this unit? I know it costs more than my $2,000 budget for a little more -- but if it will do everything that I want. I know I'd have no problem picking one of these units up. Do you or anyone have any experience with this GE SymSafe Pro 4+2?

CCTV_Supliers, thanks for you reply. I had actually looked at both the Sanyo DSR-2004H80 and the CBC DR4NC. Both units look great, but I've been rather hesitant about both of them due to the recording being sub 30fps at above CIF. This is one thing that I do want is the ability to record each channel at the 30fps at 2cif. 30fps at dcif - now that would be awesome! The cdrw backup is nice, but I'd like the dvd backup thinking it would be the better way to go since video size will become larger with the higher resolution/quality of the recorded channels. I have looked at the intellicam and icrealtime units, and they look great. However, the ability to play the video in reverse is another must have feature, something that both of those units aren't capable of to my knowledge. I'd wonder if a hybrid system might have what I need. Time to do some more searching. If you stumble across something, let me know.

I'll upload some files later today. Mostly the images are in wmf or avi format using the watec 902h2 ultimate 1/2" ccd for meteor dvr video recording. I don't have any using the mintron and I do have some video using the kt&c kpc 650ch for color recordings. For home security I have some images taken with the kt&c kpc650bhex. Whoops - can't add anything yet.

Hello, I'm new to the forum, but I have read many thread/posts for several years now and have come away with plenty of useful information. Right now I'm in the market to purchase a new dvr. Be patient, this gets a little "involved." Currently I'm using a single channel Sanyo DSR-300 for front yard security and several other uses. As warmer seasons progress the dvr sees action in wildlife recording (front yard again) of migrating hummingbirds using motion detection at feeders. I have quite a few mintron and watec b/w 1/2" and 1/3" low light cameras, and several KT&C HiRes Color 1/3" ExView cameras. Various lenses of fixed and varifocal lengths, but I find that I mostly use 6-8mm for security and 12-50mm lenses for wildlife recording. The majority of the recording is done using motion detection, which I'm extremely happy with the Sanyo's 10 levels of motion detection. When viewing hummingbirds that are only 2-3.5" in size, the highest level of sensitivity is needed to trigger a motion detection recording event. I guess I'd rather have too much be recorded than not enough. Every once in a while I'll throw the unit into manual recoding mode to record meteor showers. I guess you could say we like nature at my house, astronomy, and of course seeing what the crazy world is doing outside our front windows. Okay, hopefully that should provide a little background. I've spent the last several months researching new dvr's that meet the following specs and have had a dfficult time finding such as beast, so I thought I'd ask the forum for suggestions. What I need in a stand-alone new dvr that cost less than $2000: 4 channel input Max 30 fps recording at 2CIF or greater per channel Varaible recording fps on each channel at various specs CIF, DCIF, 2CIF Image quality that varies from basic detail to knock your socks off image quality (I know this is subjective - but image quality is what I'm going for) Motion detection sensitivity that has more than 5 levels of detection, the more sensitive the motion detection is the better. Must be able to playback recording in reverse (backwards cueing) at various speeds Remote Access - Serving Video Remotely -- Not required Pre-Post Recording on each channel independant of other channels settings I would like a 250Gb hard disk to be useable at highest recording frame rate and highest image quality to last 24 Hours or more if possible. Unit must be expandable to at least 1TB disk space Must have DVD backup for video Audible menu/remote feedback must have a "silent mode" (so I don't wake up or annoy the family when I'm using the remote DVR IR control). So, if that isn't a long winded explanation and list of specifications I don't know what is. You made it through to this point - thanks for your patience. So, am I asking too much from a dvr that is not a pc based dvr? Does one exist that won't break my budget? Thanks again for reading this long winded post, and for any help in finding a DVR that fits my specs. -Ron-