Re: DVR for Dummies (aka - me)

["Bob Worthy" <securinc@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

<spamdisintegrator@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1162308276.107425.197760@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Can DVR systems record all cameras at once, or do most still cycle
> through each camera, one by one?

Cycling is called sequencial switching. Still an option on DVR's but not the
best choice to use for normal operations. It can have some use for specific
applications. As many DVR's as there are on the market, through the internet
and what people are actually assemblying out of parts from Circuit City in
their basement, who knows what all of these are or are not capable of doing.
It seemed everyone jumped on the band wagon since the whole Homeland
Security thing. The major brand name manufacturers of DVR's offers equipment
that does record all cameras at once, as well as, allows for customizing
each camera location as to activity recording, sensitivity, etc. It may also
be important to you to have all cameras still recording while you are
reviewing already recorded video. Most do but some don't allow you to do
this. Something you were not able to do with your VCR, unless you took the
tape to another machine. Some machines are going to have on board CDR or DVD
for saving recorded incidents and some don't. Hard drive size will be
probably one of your major decisions. That will depend on how many cameras
you have, how many PPS (pictures per second) are being recorded and how much
stored video you are looking for. A day, week, month etc. Some DVR's can
also allow you to have cameras recording that are not visible to the
person(s) watching the monitors if that is of use. The major ones are
networkable, come with software for remote access to the machine, provide
watermarked video (something that some here don't believe is necessary, but
all of the majors are providing it), can control telemetry devices
(pan-tlt-zoom cameras), even remotely and have digital enhancement. You will
find a large range of product, but warrantys, support and features are all
important. There have already been, here today gone tomarrow, as well as
companys that are on their third and fourth versions trying to get it right,
so do your homework on the product once you find one that is interesting to
you. I am sure you will find consumer reports on most of them if they have
been around for awhile. There is a CCTV forum you may want to check as well.

Good Luck!
>
> If DVRs can record simultaneously, is this a feature that is typical,
> or is it only available on high end equipment.
>
> Thanks in advance for enlightening me!
>