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That's correct, you can usually replace a pinhole lens for another pinhole lens with a different angle, and a board lens with a different board lens with a different angle. If you change the lens type, you will probably have trouble focusing the camera. And the cameras are pretty good for their price (Pixim Seawolf 690tvl ultra WDR). You can surely get better cameras with Sony CCD, but I am positive that for the same price it will not be as good as this one, this one has a great quality for its value.

The mount for the lens is different with pinhole and board lenses; the place were the lens "screws" on the camera. So usually when you have a camera that has a board lens you will not be able to focus a pinhole lens, and with the same camera that has a pinhole lens you will not be able to focus a board lens. Like the following camera, they are the exact same model, but one is pinhole and the other one is board lens. You will notice that the place were the lens screws on the camera is different size. The same applies to the camera you linked above, notice the difference on the one with board lens and the one with pinhole lens: http://www.securitycamera2000.com/products/690TVL-Ultra-WDR-Pixim-SEAWOLF-HD-CCTV-Mini-Camera-3.6mm-Lens-OSD-Menu.html http://www.securame.com/mini-camara-mc100pix-dps-pixim-13-690-tvl-01lux-37mm-osd-ultra-wdr-p-1275.html

The two brands I use the most are Hikvision and Dahua, they both have software for Windows (client and Activex), Mac(client), iOS, Android, etc. I do think that Hikvision software is ahead to Dahua, but both of them are fine, and way batter than any other no brand/chinese DVR I have tried.

Best ones I have used like this are from manufacturer FUHO. They have models with 2 cams (front+rear), with GPS, G-sensor, speed indicator, etc. I have used CDR-E07 (dual camera) and CDR-E28 (single front camera), and I do like them a lot. http://www.fuho.com.tw/vvr/products.html

DS-7208HFI-ST is currently the highest model on Hikvision 72xx series (entry level). It is a great DVR, hardware and software speaking, it is a very good choice. That being said, the seller is "cheating", since they list the DVR on sale as DS-7208HFI-ST, and it is not. The item pictured is actually DS-7208HFI-ST/SN, which has a few differences with DS-7208HFI-ST, and the specs listed belong also to DS-7208HFI-ST/SN, so that must be the model they are selling, even they advertise it as DS-7208HFI-ST: DS-7208HFI-ST - Can be rack mounted (45mm(H)×445mm(W)×290mm(D) ) - 4 audio inputs - 2 SATA interfaces (up to 2 hard drives) - RS232 interface - Spot output (it has 2 analog video outputs) - 8 alarm inputs, 4 alarm outputs DS-7208HFI-ST/SN - Smaller case. Can not be installed on a rack. (315 (W)× 230(D) × 45 (H)mm) - 1 audio inputs - 1 SATA interface (you can only have 1 hard drive) - No RS232 interface - No spot output (only main analog video output) - 4 alarm inputs, 1 alarm output That said, if the differences are fine with you (you are ok with 1ch audio, you are ok with 4 alarm inputs, etc) 7208HFI-ST/SN is also a very good machine.

That is a great camera. I know it by the model name MC100PIX, and it might also come with pinhole lens, so you might ask. On the model that comes with board lens it would not be easy to install a pinhole (it would not focus).

Luke, You can easily find VGA to BNC adapters, and it will even split the signal (it will output at the same time on VGA and BNC output). I have previously used the following: http://www.securame.com/convertidor-video-vga-rca-bnc-svideo-tv502a-vga-to-video-p-473.html You will connect your DVR VGA output the the adapter; and from there the monitor on the VGA out, and on the video output (RCA) you can use a RCA to BNC adapter, and from there you will not need to change anything on your existing modulator setup.

If you do think that, why not change the passwords? Anyway, if the logs do not show anything, you are probably just being paranoid, and maybe you do not have your DVR schedule set up right.

If you already did that, which I think it's not an easy task, I would do it again, but first using an hex editor take a look at the rom you are dumping and search for the MAC. Maybe it is in the ROM, so you can hex edit it to a different one before copying it to the second DVR.

You can not do that easily, since for that you need to change the channel on your TV.

I have never connected a Hikvision HD to a computer or accessed it via FTP, so I have no idea on what file structure it uses. I would not find it strange that as soon as you "format" the HD, it all fills up with files from its own data structure. If the file dates/time on the files do not change, I really have no idea how you can tell what files have been changed/updated so they get backed up.

Never used Dahua cards so I can not help. But I have installed and sold quite a few Hik cards, and I have never had a single one fail or give me problems, so I do wonder why anyone would think that they are "very badly crafted cards"...

D1 on PAL is actually 720x576... So yeah, I can easily spot an advantage on using cameras up to 600tvl

What NAS are you running? If it is one with some linux distro you might be able to set up a cron job to do it, since you would need the NAS to have an ftp client. I do not think it will be easy, but if you are running one of the firmwares that supports ftp on the 7204 and your NAS has ftp client, you might be able to do it.

Nope, you don't, try again.

the toss... he is speaking about PTZ controllers, not about fixed dome cameras.

Yup, found it on his web page, thanks!

Wow that is awesome... 2 video signals AND power over a single coaxial cable? I will keep this ion mind in case I ever need it. I did buy one time one piece of junk for sending two video signals over one coaxial (no power), and image quality was kinda crappy.

This is what I knew: 2 axis: up/down - left/right 3 axis: up/down - left/right zoom - in/zoom out Subscribing to the thread, also interested on knowing what the 4th axis is...

PIRs do not use RS485... You have to connect them to the alarm inputs on your DVR, not on the RS485 port (that one is for controlling PTZ cameras).

Hey rory, I'd like to try it out now that I have my own Dahua for testing, am I missing the download link, or you only send the program to whoever asks for it?

I am using push notifications with gDMSS Plus, it works great. http://www.securamente.com/dmss-de-dahua-con-notificaciones-push-y-playback-remoto/ Push notifications can be used with many old devices, but the firmware needs to be updated: 31xx series, LEAS series, LEA series, LEU series, HFA series, HFL series, HFU series and HFS series. There is no iDMSS for Android from what I can tell, that is the name of the iPhone app. The one for Android is gDMSS. https://play.google.com/store/search?q=gdmss&c=apps

Tom, DMSS is the generic name of the program, and then you have different versions. iDMSS is the iPhone version, gDMSS is the Android version. Then you have Lite versions (free), and Plus versions (paid). And then you have the HD version, which is for tablets. So you would have for Android: gDMSS Lite gDMSS Plus gDMSS HD Lite gDMSS HD (this one would be like "HD Plus") and then you have the exact same versions for iPhone (iDMSS). I would say there is no problem using any of this versions with older Dahua DVRs, some of the newer features (like push notifications) will not work.

I do not have physical access to the machine (at least, not easily). This is the information I get on the web interface: Webrec Control Version: 2.1.7.35 Netsdk Version: 3.3.7.5465 Playsdk Version: 3.32.0.5442 © 2011 Version BIOS: 2.608.0000.1 Build: 2012-2-15

30 days in Spain.