Looking for Linux NVR software.

[MindrustUK 0]

Hi all,

 

I'm looking to upgrade my existing analogue setup. I've got a 4 Channel Dahua with a few cameras (varying types). And so far I've been REALLY happy with the Dahua (I did have an Avtech which worked but the software was painful to use).

 

I've elected to go for IP over HD-SDI I've bought one camera to start and test with (Hikvision DS-2CD2012-I) following some recommendations via networkcameracritic.com's reviews.

 

I'm currently looking at options for the DVR/NVR side of the solution now. It seems there are a few really good free Windows solutions (I've tried Genius Vision NVR Community Edition), but I'd like to avoid running windows where possible. I'm looking to put in 6 cameras total, probably all one or three megapixels. And make the most use of motion detection. There are a few Dahua NVR's which look good which come in around 300 UK pounds which I'm reserving as plan b.

 

I have an Intel Atom and an i3 (I'd prefer to use the Atom) to hand, Linux is very much my platform of choice (nothing wrong with Windows I'm just a penguin at heart). To this end I've been looking for NVR software in the 100-200 UK Pounds bracket. Network Optix HD Witness has been really good of what I've seen of it but works out too expensive (around 150 USD per camera). I've tried Zoneminder and Motion for Linux which while both work seem to be low quality and extremely heavy on resources. Bluecherry also showed a lot of promise but didn't have an Android client and also seems to have some pretty nasty bugs.

 

So are there any suggestions for good Linux based NVR software that's potentially cheaper than buying a dedicated NVR?

[buellwinkle 0]

You can run Zoneminder, it's free open source Linux NVR software. For pay software, Exacq can run on Linux.

 

For an Atom processor, I would recommend Exacq. Zoneminder is a CPU piglet and doubt you'll get more than 2 HD cameras on an Atom processor where you may get 8 or more cameras with Exacq. Exacq has a lower cost entry level package called Start that may fit your needs.

[Shplad 0]

As I mentioned in another post, I used Xeoma on Ubuntu 11.1 and it seemed to work very nicely indeed. Two different DVR cards, about 6 different cameras. Xeoma was fairly easy to set up, and has an intuitive interface, and the publishers are always pushing some really cheap deal to expand whatever version you are using to get more features/power/scalability.

 

An i3-2100 should be way more than enough processing power for Xeoma. Of course, I wouldn't choose Ubuntu again, but that's entirely another story.

 

Shplad

[buellwinkle 0]

Linux will definitely limit your choices. But here's the delio. Cheap software, meaning open source or lower end products (under a few hundred USD) is going to use generic ways of getting video from the cameras usually via RTSP, it has to decode that usually from h.264 and then evaluate the frames for difference to detect motion. They tend to be CPU hogs, so the trade off is price of software vs. price of hardware.

 

Step up to a commercial grade product and the entry prices for their low end tends to be $50-100 per camera. But what that pays for is to have a solution engineered for each camera that lets the camera do the heavy lifting and that gives your CPU a rest.

 

The only one I know of that I would recommend that runs on Linux is ExacqVision. Their economy version is about $50/camera. Here's the download - https://exacq.com/support/downloads.php and it should give you a trial period so you can validate it works with your cameras.

 

Not saying Exacq is the best, just a good one that runs on Linux. All the other commercial grade products run on Windows, sort of the standard for this. Yes, I know Linux is cool, it's what I've worked with at work since version 0.9 in 1990, but for some reason, the CCTV industry is not in love with Linus Torvalds and his baby, they are more on Bill Gate's side

[drocer 0]

As I mentioned in another post, I used Xeoma on Ubuntu 11.1 and it seemed to work very nicely indeed. Two different DVR cards, about 6 different cameras. Xeoma was fairly easy to set up, and has an intuitive interface, and the publishers are always pushing some really cheap deal to expand whatever version you are using to get more features/power/scalability.

 

An i3-2100 should be way more than enough processing power for Xeoma. Of course, I wouldn't choose Ubuntu again, but that's entirely another story.

 

Shplad

 

Okay. In 1.5 seconds after launch, xeoma found all my IP cameras, set motion record, and then proceeded to almost melt my G630 CPU. For setup up, it beat everything I've tried. The UI look good but performance >MP really isn't good (it brought an i7-3770 down too).

 

1 1080p camera is 50%

 

Blue Iris:

1 1080p@25fps 40-45%

 

Megapixel or less resolution/cam + lower frame rate, and xeoma might not be that bad.

 

______

I would just find cameras that handle motion/ftp/nas/etc and just run a cheap linux box. Use a tablet/smartphone for access to live feeds from camera or stored video from linux box.

[drocer 0]

...

The only one I know of that I would recommend that runs on Linux is ExacqVision. Their economy version is about $50/camera. Here's the download - https://exacq.com/support/downloads.php and it should give you a trial period so you can validate it works with your cameras.

 

Not saying Exacq is the best, just a good one that runs on Linux. All the other commercial grade products run on Windows, sort of the standard for this. Yes, I know Linux is cool, it's what I've worked with at work since version 0.9 in 1990, but for some reason, the CCTV industry is not in love with Linus Torvalds and his baby, they are more on Bill Gate's side

 

$50/camera is IMHO not "economy."

 

Open source = scary. Linux is coming to the camera vs the camera going to linux because of that. Look at the advancements of android smartphones. IR lights, IP66 housing, and better than USB is all that is missing.

 

 

(I'd be amazed if there were 0 GPL violations by these chinese IP camera makers; linux is already in most already.)

[Shplad 0]

I was really just sort of doing a "drive-by posting." Don't really keep up with the CCTV scene. So I didn't even know that 1080p cameras existed. You didn't mention the resolution in your first post, and I didn't look up that camera model.

 

So, that being said, do you really need full 1080p resolution? Isn't it probably overkill? Not trying to sound snide, just genuinely asking. If you do, are there some settings that might need fiddling with? I'm glad your setup experience with Xeoma was pleasant.

 

 

 

As I mentioned in another post, I used Xeoma on Ubuntu 11.1 and it seemed to work very nicely indeed. Two different DVR cards, about 6 different cameras. Xeoma was fairly easy to set up, and has an intuitive interface, and the publishers are always pushing some really cheap deal to expand whatever version you are using to get more features/power/scalability.

 

An i3-2100 should be way more than enough processing power for Xeoma. Of course, I wouldn't choose Ubuntu again, but that's entirely another story.

 

Shplad

 

Okay. In 1.5 seconds after launch, xeoma found all my IP cameras, set motion record, and then proceeded to almost melt my G630 CPU. For setup up, it beat everything I've tried. The UI look good but performance >MP really isn't good (it brought an i7-3770 down too).

 

1 1080p camera is 50%

 

Blue Iris:

1 1080p@25fps 40-45%

 

Megapixel or less resolution/cam + lower frame rate, and xeoma might not be that bad.

 

______

I would just find cameras that handle motion/ftp/nas/etc and just run a cheap linux box. Use a tablet/smartphone for access to live feeds from camera or stored video from linux box.

[buellwinkle 0]

Does anyone need 1080P, no, we can go back to analog TV's, flip phones, VHS VCRs, 8-tracks and walkmans. Seriously, 1080P is the new low end. 2K (1440P) and 4K (2160P) TV & monitors are the new thing.

 

The idea behind megapixel cameras is to get higher pixel density to cover a larger area and still have enough pixels to identify someone. To me, 3MP is my minimum and starting to implement 5MP (2K).

[drocer 0]

I was really just sort of doing a "drive-by posting." Don't really keep up with the CCTV scene. So I didn't even know that 1080p cameras existed. You didn't mention the resolution in your first post, and I didn't look up that camera model.

 

So, that being said, do you really need full 1080p resolution? Isn't it probably overkill? Not trying to sound snide, just genuinely asking. If you do, are there some settings that might need fiddling with? I'm glad your setup experience with Xeoma was pleasant.

 

 

 

As I mentioned in another post, I used Xeoma on Ubuntu 11.1 and it seemed to work very nicely indeed. Two different DVR cards, about 6 different cameras. Xeoma was fairly easy to set up, and has an intuitive interface, and the publishers are always pushing some really cheap deal to expand whatever version you are using to get more features/power/scalability.

 

An i3-2100 should be way more than enough processing power for Xeoma. Of course, I wouldn't choose Ubuntu again, but that's entirely another story.

 

Shplad

 

Okay. In 1.5 seconds after launch, xeoma found all my IP cameras, set motion record, and then proceeded to almost melt my G630 CPU. For setup up, it beat everything I've tried. The UI look good but performance >MP really isn't good (it brought an i7-3770 down too).

 

1 1080p camera is 50%

 

Blue Iris:

1 1080p@25fps 40-45%

 

Megapixel or less resolution/cam + lower frame rate, and xeoma might not be that bad.

 

______

I would just find cameras that handle motion/ftp/nas/etc and just run a cheap linux box. Use a tablet/smartphone for access to live feeds from camera or stored video from linux box.

 

For security, 720p-1080p (1.3MP - 2.1MP) is perfect. Tons of people on here install for businesses so higher megapixels are worth it for them.

[buellwinkle 0]

What if 10MP was the same price next year as 2MP is today? I'm testing an IR vandal dome from ACTi, 10MP, 2 way audio, 3-axis, WDR, alarm I-O for under $300, actually less expensive than the comparable 1080P/2MP model.

 

More pixels lets you use a much wider angle lens while maintaining enough pixel density to identify someone. I can take that 10MP image and print it in a large print format and have pretty decent detail.

[tomcctv 187]

We had the ACTi E97 last year.........no way is it a true 10mp

 

It was on ACTi stand at ifsec and it was a camera that people could not understand why.

 

It can't do 10mp video it can only do 30fps at 2mp

10mp was just snapshots in MPEG or 2fps

 

But side by side any other 2 or3mp it was nothing better

 

But worse is a fixed lens ....... 10mp with fixed lens is just pointless

 

 

ACTi must also see the problem 10mp cheaper than there own 2mp

[SunnyKim 2]

To me, it seems that 10 M Pixel sensor counts the Max number of pixels (image size) in a snap shot, say, JPEG.

But in video, there are 2 M Pixels in 1080P (1080 Line X 1920 Width). And in 30 Frames per second video, the sensor should be capable of generating 60 M Pixels (2MX 30Frame) per second.

 

Buellwinkle,

In old days, CCTV system should rely on the most powerful chip set in the world which is Intel's at that time. Its programming environment is in general Windows. Easy to make money quickly. For example, PCI capture card. Nowdays, CCTV dedicated chipset (SoC for stand alone DVR) supports only Linux not Windows. No reason to pay for Windows, though Linux is still heavy.

[ssmith10pn 0]

$50/camera is IMHO not "economy."

 

 

Well you better not shop the big guys then.

[buellwinkle 0]

I agree that their 10MP is not that great, probably not more detail than their 5MP and is limited to 6 fps, but it's a step in the right direction. The video is actually recorded in 10MP and today you can view it on a 4K monitor and get more value out of it but most only have 1080P monitors but remember when those were thousands, now they throw them in for free at Dell when you buy a computer or $99 at the local store.

 

But I believe there will be higher end 6-10MP cameras coming out soon, but actually hopeful they will adopt the 4K (8MP) wide screen format the TV & monitor industry is going with.

 

$50/camera is actually not to bad when you consider most people in homes have maybe only 4 cameras, so $200 isn't that bad for premium software. Consider that it's what Windows 8 costs or less than half of what MS Office costs and there's free alternatives to both but people still pay a premium to get what they want. This is actually fairly new as it wasn't that long ago that the low end for this class of software was $100-200/camera.

[drocer 0]

I agree that their 10MP is not that great, probably not more detail than their 5MP and is limited to 6 fps, but it's a step in the right direction. The video is actually recorded in 10MP and today you can view it on a 4K monitor and get more value out of it but most only have 1080P monitors but remember when those were thousands, now they throw them in for free at Dell when you buy a computer or $99 at the local store.

 

But I believe there will be higher end 6-10MP cameras coming out soon, but actually hopeful they will adopt the 4K (8MP) wide screen format the TV & monitor industry is going with.

 

$50/camera is actually not to bad when you consider most people in homes have maybe only 4 cameras, so $200 isn't that bad for premium software. Consider that it's what Windows 8 costs or less than half of what MS Office costs and there's free alternatives to both but people still pay a premium to get what they want. This is actually fairly new as it wasn't that long ago that the low end for this class of software was $100-200/camera.

 

Where are you sending/storing/viewing all this video? 10MP is great until you have to deal with it on a daily basis. Businesses can afford to handle it but that has to be expensive to deal with.

 

You guys love to latch on to that "$50/cam is crazy" comment. I get that I'm attacking your livelihood, but for home usage it's the truth. That <$100 8 channel NVR ION device that is sold is going to clean up in the home market once hikvision compatible versions come out. $100 for eight camera licenses, software, and hardware to run forever? All that's needed is the HDD and PoE switch. Cheap ARM devices are the future for home usage and most home users aren't going to get their money's worth buying expensive cam licenses over the long run. I would dump my brand new i7 system for a $100 ARM NVR system.

 

For the win8/office prices, just about every single consumer assigns zero value to that software anymore. Windows/microsoft is dieing in the consumer space.