DVR Security System Review

The GeoVision GV1240 is a 16 channel DVR card that is able to handle both audio and video, the card connects directly to a free PCI slot within your PC’s casing and you can view cameras attached to it through your systems monitor.  The GeoVision DVR card is compatible with security cameras that use either a PAL or NTSC signal and it is capable of recording camera footage at up to 240 frames per second.

There are a variety of video compression methods that can be used with the DVR card including MPEG-4, H.264 and Wavelet compression.  At maximum the card is capable of capturing images at a pixel resolution of 720*480 in NTSC mode, PAL mode offers images of slightly higher quality, the maximum resolution here being 720*576.  An extensive password protection system can be set up for the card, the software included allows you to create up to 1000 user accounts, the password protection system ensure only you and those you select have access to the cards functions.

A variety of network protocols are compatible with the DVR card, its notification system gives you peace of mind as it can keep you up to date about events recorded by your security cameras.  You can use the notification system to keep you appraised about events via email, telephone or with a text message to your mobile.  The DVR card can be used in conjunction with your PC to record surveillance camera footage 24 hours a day, alternatively you can use its motion detection capabilities to determine when recording starts and stops.

Recording can also be scheduled or you can attach external alarms to the card, when an attached alarm is activated it will activate recording.  The DVR card is also compatible with security cameras that have pan, tilt and zoom functions, these types of camera can be used in conjunction with the card for automatically tracking objects.

The software included with the GeoVision card allows you to view multiple cameras attached to the card simultaneously from one monitor, you can also connect the DVR card to a large screen TV if you want a bigger picture.  The GeoVision card also supports audio so you can hear the activities on your cameras vicinity, as the card has both audio inputs and outputs it can be used to set up a two way communication system.

Check the latest price on the GeoVision GV1240 16 Channel DVR Card Review

The AverDigi Hybrid NV6240 is designed to fit into a free PCI Express slot within your PC and it is suitable for both analog and digital security cameras. NTSC video signals are supported by the card and it can accommodate a maximum of 8 surveillance cameras, if you have more than one PCI Express slot in your PC you may have the option to attach more than one card.

You can view the feed from attached surveillance cameras on your PC’s monitor or on a television as the NV6240 has an RCA output, if you have a high megapixel security camera and have been looking for a DVR card that is up to the job of processing its video feed the AverDigi Hybrid may very well serve the purpose.

The DVR card supports resolutions as low as 352*240 and as high as 1920*1200, there are also a number of 2.3 megapixel security cameras supported by the card. Static, de-interlaced and dynamic interlaced video modes are also supported by the card with the dynamic interlaced modes producing the best image quality. You can route the video output from the DVR card to two monitors simultaneously and it also has a built in noise reduction feature that helps to improve image quality. The DVR card not only processes video signals but also audio signals, You can record the audio feed from up to eight cameras with the card.

Security cameras with pan, tilt and zoom functions are supported by the NV6240 and you can control the position of these cameras through a dedicated joystick attached to your PC, Avermedia have created a dedicated script for PTZ cameras for adding new protocols. The DVR card uses both MPEG-4 and H.264 video compression and it has a built in night vision feature designed to improve the clarity of images picked up by attached surveillance cameras in dark conditions.

Video recording can be activated by various means, you can use the DVR card for recording surveillance camera footage continuously or you can use its motion detection features to activate and de-activate recording. You also have the option to attach external alarms to the DVR card, the card will detect when an attached alarm has been activated and trigger your PC to begin recording surveillance camera footage. A single NV6240 card can accommodate four alarm inputs and four alarm outputs however Avermedia state that up to 96 relays can be attached to the card with the use of third party hardware.

The software included with the video capture card has a significant number of functions, it allows you to view the feed of multiple surveillance cameras attached the DVR card simultaneously on one monitor and you can configure it to send you an email when specific system events occur. Remote monitoring is also supported through Internet Explorer and multiple users can monitor cameras attached to the card through the web browser at the same time. The NV6240 is fairly new at the time of writing and requires a PC with fairly high specifications in order to operate at its best. Avermedia recommend you attach the DVR card to a PC that has either a 3.2 GHz Pentium processor or an Intel dual core 2.4GHz processor in order to achieve the highest frame rates.

Check the latest price on the AverDigi Hybrid NV6240 Express DVR Card

The Lorex QLR1660 provides a cost effective means of setting up multiple surveillance cameras within your home or business.  The DVR card accommodates a maximum of 16 surveillance cameras and records surveillance camera footage at up to 30 frames per second.  You will need a mid range PC with a free PCI slot in order to get the Lorex QLR1660 up and running, it includes software that allows you to view surveillance camera footage on your PC’s monitor.

The DVR card literally turns your PC into a fully functional recorder and monitoring station, once it is inserted and set up it shares many of the functions of a dedicated digital security recorder.  Installation is straightforward, you simply open your PC’s case and insert the card, when you turn the power on Windows detects the card at which point you insert the CD that includes the software drivers for the card.

The Lorex card provides you with multiple alarm relay inputs and outputs, it will detects the activation of attached external alarms and begins recording surveillance camera footage (by storing it on your hard drive).  The software for the Lorex card has a password protection system so you can ensure unauthorised personnel are locked out of its functions.  The DVR card also has motion detection that can be configured to control when the system starts and stops recording surveillance camera footage.

Like many security DVR’s the Lorex cards software has a scheduling facility so you can specify what times you want the card to start and stop recording surveillance camera footage.  The DVR card is capable of processing audio and you can use it to set up a two way communication system between your PC and an entrance on your premises.  If you have 16 cameras attached to the system you can’t record the audio feed from each one, the DVR card can accommodate up to 4 audio feeds.

Spider cables are included for connecting alarm, video and audio devices to the card, its software is compatible with Windows 2000, XP and Vista.  You will need to attach the Lorex card to a PC with at least a Pentium 1.6 GHz processor, 256 megabytes of RAM and a graphics card with at least 64 megabytes of RAM.  These are the minimum requirements for the Lorex card but you will gain higher frame rates and have overall better performance if your PC has higher specifications.

Check the latest price on the Lorex QLR1660 16 Channel DVR Card

The Q-See QSPDVR16 is a 16-channel DVR card that, it’s a very low cost card that strikes a balance between performance and value. If price is an issue you may want to consider this card, it is capable of recording video at 120 fps when recording in NTSC. The DVR card is also capable of recording video in PAL format and can record video at resolutions up to 320*240 in NTSC and 352*288 in PAL. Although you can attach 16 surveillance cameras to the card you wont want to attach more than 4 if you want your video footage to be smooth.

You have the option to set what cameras attached to the DVR card get priority in relation to video quality. Its possible to have one camera attached to the card record video at 30 frames per second while another attached camera records video at a lower frame rate. The card supports PTZ cameras so you can control their position from your PC, the software included with the card is Super DVR and this allows you to monitor camera footage from an Internet ready location. Super DVR can also be set to notify you via email about recorded activities by your surveillance cameras.

Recording by the DVR card is triggered when motion is detected on the attached surveillance cameras. You can also activate recording manually or set a specific schedule that determines when recording should be activated or stopped. Recorded camera footage can be searched for by entering the time and date of an event and you can view multiple channels simultaneously. The Q-See QSPDVR16 can process the audio from cameras that have microphones but drawback is the card only has one PC audio input.

Included with the DVR card is an RCA to BNC connector enabling you to view the output on varying monitoring devices. System requirements for the QSPDVR16 are reasonable; it’s recommended that you have a Windows based PC with at least 80 gigabytes hard drive space. A Pentium 800 MHz processor is also required to use the DVR card and you need at least 256MB of RAM. The QSPDVR16 is far from the most ground breaking DVR card, providing too many cameras aren’t attached the card serves as an adequate foundation for setting up CCTV.

Check the latest price on the Q-See QSPDVR16 16 Channel DVR Card

The Q-See QSPDVR04 DVR card is an ideal DVR card solution for those who are on a tight budget. Surprisingly the card has quite a lot of features considering its price, you can attach four security cameras to your PC by using this card. You have the option of attaching more than one Q-See DVR card to your system if you want to add more surveillance cameras. If you install this DVR card on its own, it is capable of recording video at 25 FPS (frames per second), the resulting video can prove choppy.

If you mean to attach more than one of these DVR cards to your PC this will improve the overall frame rate of your recorded video. If you add four of these Q-See DVR cards to your system you increase the frame rate to 100 FPS making video much smoother. A variety of cameras are compatible with the card include pan tilt and zoom cameras, IP cameras and night vision cameras to name a few. The FPS values mentioned apply to PAL recording and playback, when recording or playing video in NTSC format the values increase by 20%

Typically Q-See DVR cards include their ‘Super DVR’ software that enables you to view the output from multiple cameras on one monitor. The Q-See QSPDVR04 also includes ‘Super DVR’ and this also enables you to control your cameras from your PC. ‘Super DVR also has an interface enabling you to adjust the motion sensor capabilities of your cameras. One of the most useful features of the DVR cards software is its interface with Internet Explorer, this enables you to view camera activity form a variety of locations.

The Q-See QSPDVR04 DVR card has five different recording quality levels and is capable of scheduling the recording times of your security system. You don’t need a high spec PC but some features may prove problematic if you are using a non Intel based chipset. The DVR card operates under Windows 2000 and XP and you need an 800 mhz processor with 256 MB of RAM as well as an 80 gigabyte hard drive.

Check the latest price on the Q-See QSPDVR04 4 Channel PCI DVR Card

Note: This card is identical one produced by Swann, you can read a review of that here

Technical Specifications
Video Input

4 Cameras

Audio Input

PC Audio 1 Channel

Video Output

1 Ch VGA video output

Video Resolution

320×240 (NTSC) 352×288 (PAL)

Recorder Media

HDD, USB Disk, ZIP, CD-R/W
Record Mode

Schedule/Manual Motion/Sensor/

Recording Rate

25 fps(PAL), 30 fps(NTSC)

Compression format

MPEG4

Network

TCP/IP

I/O Device

4 Ch Input, 1 Ch Relay Output
PTZ

Protocol Configurable, Remote Control Capability

Remote Software

Support Internet Explorer Web Browser

Avermedia have produced a number of PCI DVR cards, the NV3000 is one of their entry level DVR cards. The NV3000 is a reasonably cheap solution for anyone looking for a means to connect surveillance cameras to their PC. Only four security cameras can be attached to the NV3000 but you have the option to install more than one card in your PC providing you have the available PCI slots. When the card was initially released the software provided only supported screen resolutions of 1024*768. Avermedia have upgraded the software for the NV3000 and it now supports a number of screen resolutions, 1680*1050 being the maximum. An RCA jack integrated into the NV3000 enables you to monitor your surveillance system with a TV.

Once you attach the Avermedia NV3000 card into your pc and install the software you have the basics of a dedicated surveillance system. You can set the software to lock the Windows desktop so you can stay focused on activities being recorded. Two way audio is optional with the Avermedia NV3000 allowing you to communicate with people within your surveillance areas. The DVR cards software has playback controls that allow you to zoom in on recorded scenes and also play videos in reverse. The software also has features found on standalone security DVR’s. These features include alarm activation if motion is detected and you can search for video footage by entering a date or time.

You can set the software included with the Avermedia NV3000 to email you about events picked up by your surveillance system. You can also use the software to view video recorded by your surveillance system from any PC connected to the Internet. The settings of your surveillance system can be configured from a remote location allowing you to stay in control even if your miles away. If you have a Symbian Smartphone or PDA you can also use these to receive email alerts from your surveillance system.

System requirements for the Avermedia NV3000 and its software are moderate, you will need a PC with a Pentium 3.0 GHz processor or better. You also need a 64MB video card, 512MB of ram, 80 gigabytes of hard drive space, a sound card and a CD rom drive. If you are considering the card you will need to check that your systems main board does not have a VIA chipset as these are incompatible with the NV3000. There are other DVR cards out there that process the input from megapixel cameras better than the NV3000. If this doesn’t bother you, the cost of the Avermedia NV3000 and the software that comes with it make it a DVR card worth considering.

Get the latest price on the Avermedia NV3000

Other Avermedia NV3000 reviews

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Frame rate is an age-old problem for people who have an abundance of cameras connected to their PC based security system. Standard televisions typical display images at 30 FPS (frames per second), a speed that most of us consider smooth. At 30 FPS images displayed are smooth in that you don’t notice any jumpiness in what you are viewing. The GeoVision GV1480 DVR card enables you to connect multiple surveillance cameras to your security system while delivering a high frame rate.

A DVR cards frame rate is split evenly between each surveillance camera connected to it. When 16 security cameras are attached to a DVR card capable of producing 120 fps each camera records images at 7.5 FPS. At 7 FPS video recorded by your surveillance system will be choppy, The GeoVision GV1480 DVR card can record video at 480 FPS. If you are building a PC based surveillance system from the ground up, the GV1480 is worth considering. Each camera you connect to your system will have the foundation it needs to deliver smooth video as well as audio.

You will need a fairly decent PC to install and use the card effectively, dual core PC’s are quite reasonably priced now but that may be overkill. Your minimum CPU needs to be a 2.8 GHz Pentium and you need at least 512 MB of RAM and a 250 GB hard drive. The GeoVision GV1480 uses Wavelet and MPEG4 video compression; it also has advanced motion detection capabilities. You can set the card to record as soon as your surveillance cameras detect motion or set it to record when objects detected move to specific zones.

You have the option to view the output from the card on either your PC monitor or your television as it has a TV output. You can attach two or more of these DVR cards to your surveillance system to increase its capacity for surveillance cameras. The GeoVision GV1480 has full D1, Half D1 and CIF video resolutions. The card includes the software necessary for accessing your surveillance cameras over the Internet and is fully network compatible. As with many of the DVR cards in the GeoVision range the GV1480 is incompatible with motherboards using the VIA chipset.

Get the latest price on the GeoVision GV1480 16 Channel DVR Card

If you want to lean towards a top of the range DVR card, consider the Geovision GV 800 DVR card. The GV-800 enables you to install up to 16 cameras to your DVR security system or more if you opt to install more than one card. The GeoVision GV-800 is not the most outstanding DVR card on the market but it does handle the job of recording well. Video is recorded at a much higher frame rate than the cheaper DVR cards in the Geovision range but the system requirements don’t increase.

Video can be recorded at up to 120 FPS (frames per second) when recording in NTSC mode. As with other DVR cards the frame rate for the Geovision GV800 is divided equally between each camera you have attached to it, 16 cameras equals 7.5 FPS. This DVR capture card can process audio picked up by your surveillance system and it has four audio inputs. Many models of security camera are suitable to be attached to the GV 800, the majority of IP, night vision and other cameras can be set up easily.

There is a reasonable amount of software available for the GV800 and it is compatible with the ezCCTV surveillance software. You can also use the ‘GV-System’ software that is capable of controlling the cameras attached to your surveillance system. The software also includes a point of sale transaction overlay. It provides an instant playback feature, if you see something suspicious happen you can quickly watch the scene again. GV-System also has a timeline feature that can be used to view video footage recorded at a specific time, you can operate this feature through a graphical tool that represents a timeline.

GV-system also lets you tweak the level of motion detection in specific areas that are under surveillance. You do this through the ‘advanced motion detection’ feature that displays the output of a specified camera. By highlighting areas within the displayed output screen you can choose to ignore motion being picked up or set the system to trigger an alarm.

A quick warning to anyone considering the card that has a motherboard with a VIA chipset, such motherboards are incompatible with the GV-800.

Video Input

4, 8, 12, 16 Cameras

Audio Input

4 Channels

Video Output

none (not designed for televisions)

Video Resolution

Full D1, Half D1, CIF

Recorder Media

HDD, CD-R, DVD, MO, ZIP

Record Mode

Schedule/Manual Motion/Sensor/

Recording Rate

20 FPS (NTSC) 100 FPS (PAL)

Compression format

MPEG4

Network

LAN, TCP/IP, ADSL, PSTN, ISDN

I/O Device

16 Ch Input, 4 Channel Relay Output

PTZ

Protocol Configurable, Remote Control Capability

Remote Software Support

Internet Explorer Web Browser

Get the latest price on the GeoVision GV-800 DVR Card With G Type Input