Re: PC Based DVR

["Bob La Londe" <nospam@xxxxxxxxx>]

"river" <riverpc100@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:eb1a4bf5-9ffd-4090-9ae7-ee640d7d13da@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> On Aug 19, 8:59 pm, "Just Looking" <S...@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> I have found units with Windows XP Embedded work well as PC based units
>> go.
>> I think once a certain number of cameras are reached it is easier to use
>> a
>> total Windows based PC solution. Genetec and Verint use a Windows
>> approach
>> where Intransa and AD Video Edge use a Linux Kernel. It is easier to use
>> PC
>> units with certain types of systems where integration with access control
>> and such is necessary.
>>
>> DM makes a cheap DVR line too. The EcoSense units start at less than a
>> grand
>> for a dealer. The thing I like about certain PC based units over units
>> like
>> DM is that WHEN the hard drive fails ( AND IT ALWAYS DOES) you can
>> install a
>> new hard drive and recover the units with having to send it in for
>> repair.
>>
>> "Bob La Londe" <nos...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote in
>> messagenews:h5sk54$mg0$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>
>> > I've not sold any. I've been sticking with DM, but I lose a lot of
>> > business to the PC based systems. I have installed a few for clients
>> > who
>> > purchased units themselves, but had no clue how to set them up. My
>> > experience has been that they are not that stable. Atleast not Windows
>> > based units. If you put in a seven day auto reboot they work better,
>> > and
>> > some like Pelco's units have it as part of their setup. (I guess I have
>> > sold a windows PC based DVR afterall. Forgot about those.)
>>
>> > Still. It seems to me that unless the customer can be trained to check
>> > the unit regularly they run a very high risk of finding their recorder
>> > locked up when they really need to review some video. What do you do to
>> > prevent this?
>>
>> > Are Linux based machines any better?
>>
>> > How about building your own. I'm sure some of you guys do that. What do
>> > you use for a PC so that you have a really good machine to stick your
>> > card(s) in?
>>
>> > I've only played with a couple cards stuck in my own PC type
>> > applications,
>> > and I was not totally thrilled with the performance.
>>
>> > With cheap PC based recorders it seems like the logical thing to do
>> > would
>> > be to install two units for redundant recording, but when people see
>> > "cheap" its awfully hard to get them to step back up and spend a little
>> > more money to make up for the "cheap" part.
>
> hi all,
>  Stumbled on this post today.
> I have some input on this subject since I've always
> wondered which would be better.  I have experience with both stand
> alone and
> PC based DVR's.  Since I also do repair on windows PCs I don't have
> much
> faith in the security of windows so although I've worked with them,
> I'd never sell a DVR
> with a windows OS,  it seems that someone @ the DVR location always
> ends up trying
> to use it as a desktop.
>
>  A couple of years ago i did a search on PC based DVRs and Zoneminder
> came up.
> If you haven't heard of it it's linux based and very stable.  You can
> build the hardware
> with or without raid,  and once it's up and going it pretty much just
> does it's thing.
> I built 3 of them 1 - 6 cam,  1- 8 cam,  and 1- 3 cam @ my home.  All
> are doing fine,
> and the owners love them.
>
>  When you look @ them cost vers features of stand alone DVRs,
> Zoneminder comes out ahead,
> an 8 camera DVR with 25 fps per cam and 1 TB hard drive would cost you
> about 700.00.
> Build,  test,  install, and  hook it to a UPS back-up and spend 30
> min's showing the user
> how to use it.
>
> For those wanting to give it a try,  I use Ubuntu 8.04.2 LTS desktop,
> Apache basic auth,
> fail2ban,  and apcupsd for the "auto power down & power up".  once
> built and tested i turn off
> the desktop and the PC runs as a headless server only booting to a
> login prompt.
>
>   For remote access i usually use a open source router with built in
> ddns update.

I have installed Ubuntu a couple times for CNC & it is very stable.  I might
want to pick your brain a bit more.