Re: Video Surveailance - kind of OT

["Robert Green" <ROBERT_GREEN1963@xxxxxxxxx>]

"obo" <obo@xxxxxxxx> wrote in message news:zFldf.14379$

> personally I would want a multiplex as opposed to a quad processor unless
> you can bring up full recorded screen on any camera with the quad which
you
> usually can't do with a quad.  This is inferior unit without that ability
> and therefore still a stretch in my book.  And not networkable. Thanks for
> the link though.

Youch!  I believe Mr. LoanInfo said, simply, you could get a DVR for under
$500. We were comparing them to simple time lapse VCRs, IIRC.  This unit

http://www.supercircuits.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=3770

is not only is a DVR, it has a *color* quad processor, built-in, too.  Given
the choice, I'd rather have the quad DVR than a single channel time
lapseVCR, which is usually what $500 will get you.  I'm not sure what
operational details are, since the instruction manual link doesn't work but
I think you're asking for a little much for $500.  Most 7-11's could care
less about networkability and I don't recall seeing time lapse VCR's with
network interfaces.

FWIW, they have about 50 other models of DVR including single channel models
for $219 here:

http://www.supercircuits.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Category=299

I'm pretty sure at least ONE of them will satisfy the statement that you can
get a decent DVR for under $500.  They are also fairly pricey - almost
everything they sell can be found for about 20% if you shop around.

A few of us here bought 16 channel multiplexers from Ebay for about $100.
Still plenty of money left over to buy a separate DVR that records whatever
channel was selected via alarm, video motion detection or operator control.
There seems to be a very solid supply of muxes and DVRs for sale on Ebay as
casinos and other big CCTV users upgrade to fancier models.

In terms of superior video quality and ease of searching even a cheap quad
DVR beats a VCR-based system hands down, especially in terms of operators
who record on the same tape for six months straight!  With a 120GB drive
going for $60 on sale capable of holding 2400 hours of video, you can also
keep an incredible archive going for very little money.

I still think Mr. LoanInfo was quite correct when he suggested you can get
(or build) a very nice DVR for under $500.  The unit I cited would be an
*incredible* step up for many places that nowuse a single camera and a time
lapse VCR.  More importantly, you can pick up some incredibly nice models
used on Ebay, and unlike VCRs, you don't have to worry about the video heads
or the transport mechanisms being worn out from excessive use.  There aren't
any in a DVR.

--
Bobby G.