Best possible resolution?

[touring 0]

Hi all

I have been using a generic Bt848 based 4 port DVR PCI card for several years, but have found that the image quality looks much the same whether I use a $25 camera from Ebay or a $200 1/3" name brand camera.

 

After doing lots of searching on the forum I became aware of the concept of CIF/2CIF etc. I understand that many cards may record at a lower resolution and play back that same data "magnified" to a higher resolution.

 

I then looked at a BT848 datasheet which seemed to say that the full PAL output resolution is either 720x576 or 768x576 depending on format. Can anyone tell me if this is true?

 

I understand that using 4 cameras on a single card reduces the actual frame rate drastically, but wouldn't the resolution be unaffected?

My software does produce video that appears to be 640x480, but resolution does appear rather poor.

What is the maximum resolution one should expect from this sort of card?

 

It's only for a home security system, so while I can drool at name brand cards mentioned on here, they are a bit beyond my budget..

[adamcheung 0]

Hi, D1(704x576) for CIF(352x288), Half D1(704X288).our DVR's format including D1/Half D1/CIF.

[touring 0]

I'm sorry I didn't understand the last post

[touring 0]

I am not looking to buy anything at the moment.

I was looking for answers to the questions I posted

[tomcctv 187]

I am not looking to buy anything at the moment.

I was looking for answers to the questions I posted

 

Hi touring. just pm you some update links.

[touring 0]

Thanks for the link, it was useful general information.

But my question relates to a specific chipset, which I imagine many people on this forum would have used in the past.

 

It's a bit surprising that noone seems able to answer the question.

Perhaps they are all too busy making sales to other forum newcomers lol

[tomcctv 187]

Thanks for the link, it was useful general information.

But my question relates to a specific chipset, which I imagine many people on this forum would have used in the past.

 

It's a bit surprising that noone seems able to answer the question.

Perhaps they are all too busy making sales to other forum newcomers lol

hi the card is about 5 years old. so i would say you are only going to get cif. . if you are looking at making your recordings better then you need a new card

[touring 0]

Thanks Tom

 

So it wouldn't make any difference whether I used the supplied Pico200 software or something like H264 WebCam which has been recommended elsewhere in the forum, the resolution on screen would be the same?

 

Is anyone able to comment on the resolution of current cards based on the Techwell 6805 chipset? What is the recording resolution from them?

[touring 0]

Given the number of vendors trolling around on this forum, I'm surprised that noone can comment on Techwell chipset cards.

 

Perhaps they aren't quite familiar with the finer details of their products

[Guest]

Hi! Just a detail!

 

D1 = 720x576

4CIF = 704x576

 

in PAL signal system!

 

Best Regards

 

 

JD

 

 

Hi, D1(704x576) for CIF(352x288), Half D1(704X288).our DVR's format including D1/Half D1/CIF.

[Guest]

Hi!

 

If it is 704 x 576 it is not D1 then it is 4CIF

 

JD

[Soundy 1]

I understand that using 4 cameras on a single card reduces the actual frame rate drastically, but wouldn't the resolution be unaffected?

 

That actually depends on the specific hardware and how it handles multiple cameras. It would be rare that multiple cameras would split up the resolution, but it is possible depending on how the manufacturer has implemented things. There's a lot of weird designs out there.

 

So it wouldn't make any difference whether I used the supplied Pico200 software or something like H264 WebCam which has been recommended elsewhere in the forum, the resolution on screen would be the same?

 

Correct. The software is just taking in the signal from the card, via the card's driver. It can scale down the resolution from there, but it can't create higher resolution than the card produces.

 

Is anyone able to comment on the resolution of current cards based on the Techwell 6805 chipset? What is the recording resolution from them?

Doesn't sound like anyone here is familiar with them.

[touring 0]

Thanks Matt, useful answers.

 

I am puzzled that noone has come across Techwell cards as they have been all over Ebay for a while.

Obviously *someone* is buying them

[Soundy 1]

General advice around here is avoid *ANY* CCTV products from fleaBay. Probably why nobody (at least none of the regulars) has any experience with them. The only time you'll see someone here discussing CCTV components from eBay, it'll be someone asking why they don't work as advertised.

[Guest]

Hi!

 

I remeber Techwell was used on the Thakral cards I used around year 2000 up to the Mpeg4 cards from HIkvision came.

 

JD

[cglaeser 0]

I am puzzled that noone has come across Techwell cards as they have been all over Ebay for a while.

 

Installers on this forum typically avoid the junk on eBay and prefer to get equipment from distributors with warranties and support.

 

Obviously *someone* is buying them

 

Ten million flies can't be wrong ...

 

Best,

Christopher

[touring 0]

Fair comment.

But it does seem a little unlikely that Techwell designed a chipset for Ebay buyers lol

 

I'd have thought that they made it into other vendors products too