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ssnapier

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Posts posted by ssnapier

  1. Posted

    Pelco did something like this with the Endura system, but it is not really something that most CCTV systems deal with. Generally if you need the evidence then you need it to be quality evidence, regardless of age. Compression and reduction of frame rate could ruin that. My customers expect quality evidence from every camera for the entire duration of the storage period. Generally if they want an archive, I will spec an additional NAS to do that and then include software/ scripts to automatically archive the video and delete anything on the archive older than the specified archive period.

  3. Posted

    Lighting is always the best option for improving image quality when identification is the primary consideration and it should help to reduce false alarms too. There are a ton of cameras on the market that will do what you are asking for, but if you are happy with the brand you have then keep rolling with it. If you choose proper lenses then I would not worry about upgrading the NVR. I would just add cameras that work with your current gear and make sure you have lenses that give you a nice tight field of view on what you want to see.

  4. Posted

    Just a bit of a correction, you are looking for 3-4MP cameras not MB, MP is the abbreviation for megapixel (a measure of resolution) and MB is the abbreviation for megabyte (a measure of file size).

     

    As for bullet vs. dome it is really just an aesthetic preference. Most folks prefer dome for a cleaner look, but it depends on the application. Sometimes a bullet makes more sense for ease of adjustability, but it is really just a personal preference.

     

    Based on your description is sounds like at least 4 cameras, but probably more like 6. I would look at an 8 camera setup and if you want to stay on the low end of things budget wise, the Costco is not nearly as bad as the junk sold on ebay. They will work for your needs and will have the IR capability (night vision) you are looking for too. If you hate them, at least the wiring will be in place for a replacement down the road. I have never looked at any of those Costco options, but they are all re-branded Dahua or Hkvision cameras for the most part and for basic home stuff they will do just fine.

  5. Posted

    The best brand that I use would have to be Axis. The support is good, the software works when I need it to work, and the cameras are built well. They are also priced decently with a HUGE catalog of equipment to choose from.

     

    I am sure some folks will say Avigilon, but I have very little real world experience with them so I cannot make a real judgment. From what I have seen they are quite nice, but I will leave that choice to others.

  9. Posted

    Ok, let's get one thing cleared up. When you are displaying multiple cameras in a grid, the NVR is generally smart enough to down-sample that image.

     

    The point of displaying/ recording a 4MP image is to give the ability to zoom in (using digital zoom) while maintaining a good quality picture, i fyou reduce the resolution if means you are reducing the number of pixels available to maintain a quality image, got it?

     

    If there are no plans to zoom in on anything in the field of view, you are 100% correct that 4MP makes no sense. You have to think this all the way thru though. What happens on the one day that something truly awful happens and you need video evidence of that awful thing? There is a STRONG possibility that you will want to zoom in on a particular target. That is the reason for the high resolution. Generally you should trust a published spec, unless there is some mitigating factor to give you cause for doubting it. In this case, they claim 16 channels at 4MP so roll with it! I think you are seriously underestimating the power of a purpose built device whose only job is to manage, decode, and record your video. This is not an off the shelf PC that is made to do 9,000,000,000 things it has one job... CCTV.

  11. Posted

    Honestly, this is a situation where you get what you pay for. I would NEVER trust a no-name DVR purchased from ebay. These are security devices, and you should probably take a little more care to buy something that is supportable. Sorry to be so harsh, but the facts are the facts. If you can get a refund do it, and then go buy something supportable with an actual warranty.

  19. Posted

    You could pretty easily run POE over coax at those distances. (something like this: CLICK ME )

     

    As for cameras, it sounds to me like you might be able to get away with some nice outdoor bullets. Maybe something like this: CLICK ME

     

    I would not bother with wireless, it gets to be a pain faster than you think. I would just get some quality direct burial coax and a couple of cheap weatherproof plastic junction boxes to mount the camera and handle/protect the transition from coax to CAT-5.

     

    Total cost for 3 cameras is probably $1200-1500 depending on how much effort you put into burying/ protecting the cable.

  22. Posted

    I know this is a difficult question to answer as it varies for each person, but for a 40,000/ft2 building with an elevator (3 floors), 6 stairwell doors and 2 exterior doors. What manufacturer would be suggested. A good user interface is preferable.

     

    My thoughts so far are:

     

    Nortek (Linear)

     

    Honeywell (Web-ax controller)

     

    Keri

     

    Any thoughts on these or an other brands?

     

    I just started also looking into DAQ/Entrowatch

     

    My company is a DAQ VAR and the Entrostar platform is GREAT!! We also install Galaxy, Keri, and a few others. Honestly, the DAQ solution would be my preference nearly every time. They (along with Galaxy) are also made and supported in the USA, so that is a bonus in my book.

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