Can I change cameras?

I have 8 Speco Intensifier 2 Cameras that I'm not happy with the quality of the picture. I have had a few incidents and no way in hell you can tell who they are. They are attached to a Speco 8TL DVR. I'd like to change out the cameras but don't know which ones would be good both day and night, will work in the frigid Chicago winters and would also be compatible with the current wiring that was installed. The cameras are only a few years old.

The problem with analog is even if you get say 700TVL cameras, the recorder probably still records 480. It's just old technology and tough to accept when even inexpensive cell phones shoot 1080P video.

If you want something cheap that will work, go to a Costco store, they have the Lorex HDCVI (if I spelled that right), eight 720P cameras with DVR for $500, includes HDD, uses the old coax wiring. 720P is double the resolution of 960H or about 3x the resolution of typical 480P analog. You can also go 1080P SDI, but will cost double.

What exact model of camera you have. Maybe send picture that you think is not good enough so we know what exactly you mean.

For any analog DVR max resolution of recording is 960 x 480 if i remember correctly. Vertical is definitely less than 500px.

So say you buy 700 TVL (TV Vertical Lines) each TVL is approximately 0.7 pixels so 700*0.7 = 490 pixels vertical resolution, its probably what you have already.

Not sure of the model but here is a photo of them

Here is a couple screen shots from the video

I have installed a large number of these Speco TL series back in 07-09. You have multiple problems:

Cameras: these cameras are only 580TVL, top of the line back then, obsolete now.

DVR:

Mpeg4 DVR, very old technology.

CIF only recording, which translates to the DVR recording half the camera's resolution

Small HD, and is IDE only, so no proper upgrade is avaliable.

Remote Viewing is VERY VERY slow..

You have options, but you must be realistic on budget. If you are looking to spend no more than 1K, there's a Dahua 720p 8CH complete system with cameras that uses your existing wirring, and the difference is night and day.

I would like a system that works well, that I can view on my computer better. That I can actually access remotely unlike this crappy system. The locations are inn the soffits of the house mainly so I do need some zooming capability at the camera for setup. I don't need to zoom from the computer. I think a $2,000 budget would be about it for me at this time. If I waited a bit I could probably do another $1,000.

If that's your budget, I would use the old coax to pull Ethernet cable and go IP. A good varifocal bullet or dome are the Hikvision ds-2cd2632-i or ds-2cd2732-is and runs $259 each, so four would be slightly over a grand. Then you can use a PC with their free PCNVR software or get their NVR, about the same price. I like PC's because you have more flexibility and one that works for me is the Intel NUC i5, about $500ish with a 2TB drive and is 4.6 x 4.4 x 2", so very low power, low heat, fits in the palm of your hand. Then get an 8 port PoE switch, about $50-80. Their 8 channel NVR runs about $369 shipped, add a 2TB drive for about $100

If you want to save money, get the Hikvision ds-2cd2032-i mini bullets, $168 shipped and comes in various lens sizes.

This would represent about 10x the resolution from analog which is about 0.3MP and the Hikvision are 3MP or you can go down t 1080P (2MP).

I have installed a large number of these Speco TL series back in 07-09. You have multiple problems:

 

Cameras: these cameras are only 580TVL, top of the line back then, obsolete now.

 

DVR:

Mpeg4 DVR, very old technology.

CIF only recording, which translates to the DVR recording half the camera's resolution

Small HD, and is IDE only, so no proper upgrade is avaliable.

Remote Viewing is VERY VERY slow..

 

You have options, but you must be realistic on budget. If you are looking to spend no more than 1K, there's a Dahua 720p 8CH complete system with cameras that uses your existing wirring, and the difference is night and day.

Could I just change cameras to increase quality or the whole sytem needs to be changed?

Not sure of the model but here is a photo of them

 

Here is a couple screen shots from the video

 

Well that's not too bad, it is pretty obvious the kid on the scooter is Justin Beiber (looks like he is carrying a dozen eggs in his basket)

Sorry! Could not resist, been lurking for a while, getting ready for my NVR system install (will be my first)