DVR Security System Review

The Q-See QT17DVR4C is an all in one surveillance system, it includes a 17 inch monitor and ports for connecting up to four surveillance cameras. Everything that is needed to set up a basic surveillance system. The Q-See DVR handles the job of monitoring and recording activities picked up in the areas that you install the cameras for the system. The monitor included with the system is a 17” TFT, you can activate quad mode on the system and this enables you to view the output from all your cameras on the monitor.

Each camera attached to the DVR records video smoothly, it has the ability to record video at 30 frames per second for each camera. Video is stored on the internal hard drive for the DVR and this is upgradeable, the DVR is also fitted with a USB port so you connect it directly to a Windows PC. The surveillance system includes a USB cable that connects between the DVR and your PC making playback and sharing of video straightforward. Once you connect the Q-See security system to your PC Windows will detect it as an additional drive, accessing the drive gives you access to the content recorded by the DVR.

The software included with the Q-See DVR makes it possible to monitor camera activities when your nowhere near the system. This means you can set the system up to protect your home or business and then go to any other location that has internet access to monitor your cameras. To do this you will need to forward your IP port to the computer you wish to use to monitor activities recorded by the DVR. Alternatively you can view the cameras attached to the Q-See DVR at a remote location through Internet Explorer.

Another point to mention about this Q-See DVR is that to view its transmissions remotely you need to install a remote client program on the remote computer. There are DVR security systems that can be networked a little more easily than the QT17DVR4C. If you don’t plan to network the DVR its other operations are fairly straightforward and can be accessed with the remote control included with the system.

Check the latest price on the Q-See QT17DVR 4C With Night Vision Cameras.

The SVAT CVQ1000 may be worth looking at if you are on a budget and want to install a surveillance system in your home or business. The first thing to point out is that you need a separate digital video recorder or VCR in order to record with the system. At the back of the controlling station included with CVQ1000 is a DIN output and this is used to connect the device either your DVR or VCR. It would have been simpler for SVAT to add a recording device to the CVQ1000 but when you look at the price you can’t argue. What matters are the cameras that are included with the surveillance system, the package includes four.

The four cameras included with the system are night vision cameras and they can pick up images at a 30-foot range in the dark. More specifically the cameras are weather proof and consist of a 1/3” CMOS sensor that works effectively when illumination is at 0 lux. The E shutter speed range of the camera is 1/60 to 1/15,000 and it has a 6.0mm fixed focus lens. The cameras included with the system also have DIN connectors that go straight into the DIN inputs at the back of the controlling station. In NTSC you can record images through the cameras at a resolution of 860*525 and 860*625 in PAL.

As you would expect for the price the CVQ1000 doesn’t operate wirelessly or have cameras with PTZ functions. What the package does include are 4 very long cables for the cameras, each one is 60-foot long and a 12V DC adapter is provided for power. Once the system is up and running you can set it to display the output from a specific camera or to display the output from each camera in sequence. Alternatively you can set the monitoring system to display the output from all four cameras attached to it at once by switching to quad mode.

Controlling the CVQ1000 is done either through remote control or through the buttons at the front of the controlling station. The controls allow you to zoom in on images and to freeze them so you can look at specific events in detail. An alarm system has also been integrated into the controlling station that is triggered by either motion detection or camera outage.

That pretty much covers the major features of the SVAT CVQ1000, it’s a good choice for technophobes. Setting up the controlling station is very easy, the hardest part will be deciding where to attach the cameras that come with the system.

Check the latest price on the SVAT CVQ1000 4 Channel Monitoring System.

Defender has created a compact surveillance system that may prove useful for anyone who needs to install a CCTV system where space is limited. The core component of the Defender Sentinel 1 is an all in one DVR that consists of a monitor and hard drive rolled into one. Despite the size of the Defender Sentinel 1 it has many of the same functions found on other DVR systems twice its size. The Defender Sentinel 1 is a Triplex DVR so you have the ability to view and record video simultaneously. If you have an Internet connection on the premises where you intend to install the surveillance system you can connect the two together.

If you connect the defender Sentinel 1 to your broadband router you can control the system from any other location that has an Internet connection. This means you can set the DVR to record and you can view what’s going on at home or in your business while you’re away. Pan tilt and zoom functions are integrated into the Defender Sentinel 1, the drawback here is that the cameras included don’t have PTZ functions. Your not stuck with the cameras included with the system, if you really want to make use of the PTZ controls on the Sentinel 1 you can change the cameras. The cameras included with the DVR security system are designed for indoor and outdoor use and they have night vision capabilities.

Four night vision bullet cameras are included with the Sentinel 1, they have CCD color sensors and automatic white balancing. The cameras outer casing is composed of anodised aluminium with a black finish and they have a sunscreen to prevent glare. The camera output is viewed on the systems LCD display either in full screen mode or quad mode allowing you to view all attached cameras at once. You can also view video recorded by the Sentinel 1 by connecting it directly to a monitor. You can set the DVR to record continuously or schedule when the system starts and stops recording.

The DVR supports motion sensor cameras and can also activate recording when motion is detected. Again the drawback here is the cameras included with the Sentinel 1 don’t have motion sensors. Video storage on the Sentinel 1 is handled by its 320 gigabyte Seagate hard drive, the DVR can accommodate hard drives up to 750 gigabytes. The 1 gigabyte USB flash memory card included with the DVR is handy for transferring video to a PC. For added security the DVR has a password protection system so only authorised users can operate it.

You can control the DVR with a standard USB mouse, with the controls on the front of the DVR or with the included remote control. It would have been nice if the Defender Sentinel 1 had support for 1 or two way audio, nonetheless it is an effective CCTV system.

Check the latest price of the Defender Sentinel 1 security system.

SVAT delivers a very cost effective surveillance system in the form of the SVAT CV0204 DVR surveillance system. The system consists of a dedicated security DVR that has numerous features and CCTV cameras, so what does the DVR have to offer? The SVAT CV0204 DVR stores recorded video on its 160 gigabyte IDE hard drive hard drive space can be upgraded to a maximum of 750 gigabytes. You can record video up 30 frames per second while four cameras are attached to the SVAT DVR; the maximum is 120 fps when using one camera.

The DVR can be connected to the Internet allowing you to view camera footage from anywhere that has Web access. You can password protect the menu system for the DVR and you can set up a password in order for the system to stop recording. You can also set up numerous user accounts and give each user a unique password. The DVR can activate an alarm if motion is detected in a specific location or if video loss occurs. The cameras that come with the SVAT CV0204 are from the SVAT CV65 range, they don’t have PTZ functions but they are suitable for indoor and outdoor use.

The CV65 cameras have a 1/3” colour CMOS sensor and the camera has a focal length of 6mm. The cameras has night vision capabilities, minimum illumination required is 0 lux and it includes an automatic CDS sensor for infra red LED control. A microphone is built in to the camera enabling you to hear what is going on within your areas of surveillance. To protect the camera from the elements its body is composed of anodized aluminium that has a silver coloured finish. The CV65 cameras that come with the surveillance system do not have motion detection capabilities.

No monitor is included with the system but you can connect it to a standard television or a PC monitor through s-video output or BNC. You can also view the output from all the cameras connected to the DVR on one monitor without connecting a quad. You can search for events recorded by the DVR by entering the time or you can select an event (such as alarm activation) to view specific footage. The SVAT CV0204 DVR has many of the features you would expect on a modern security DVR for a reasonable price.

Get the latest price on the SVAT CV0204 DVR surveillance system

One of the biggest issues people think about when they consider installing a surveillance system are how to get the job done. Not everyone has the technical ‘know how’ to set up cameras, install drivers and attach DVR cards to their PC. If the idea of doing everything mentioned puts you off installing CCTV, the Samsung SMM-15 FDQ may be of interest. The Samsung SMM-15 FDQ is an all in one DVR security system that includes cameras, cabling and everything else needed to set up a surveillance system.

This Samsung CCTV system has the capacity for 8 surveillance cameras, the cameras images are displayed on the systems 15 inch monitor. The Samsung SMM-15 FDQ will cycle through the images picked up by each camera one at a time. Alternatively you can use The Samsung CCTV system in quad mode enabling you to view four cameras at once. It’s surprising to see this Samsung CCTV system has features such as motion detection recording and an alarm system considering its low price. The Samsung SMM-15FQ package consists of two weatherproof cameras and a PIR camera.

The PIR camera included with the system detects motion and is also equipped with an alarm input. The PIR camera detects motion with the use of infra red, to get the unit to emit an alarm sound when motion is detected you need a separate attachment. You can also use the Samsung SMM-15 FDQ to communicate with people in your areas of surveillance. You can communicate with the Samsung CCTV system through its fully functional two-way audio system, its monitor has an audio output. The weather resistant cameras included with the system are the Samsung SOD-14C cameras and these have two way audio and an RJ-11 connector.

Images picked up by the Samsung CCTV system can also be viewed by ‘picture in picture’ and the system also has a digital freeze function. As mentioned the Samsung CCTV is ideal for the layman, it includes wall brackets, cabling and set up instructions. It would have been nice if the system included eight cameras of varying types but this would have meant an increase in its price. The advantage here is that you have a choice in what additional cameras to attach to the Samsung SMM-15 FDQ.

Get the latest price on the Samsung SMM-15 FDQ