DVR Security System Review

Here we have the Clover CDR1610 which is a digital security recorder that uses wavelet video compression.  Cameras are attached to the system through its 16 BNC ports and it is compatible with both PAL and NTSC video signals.  The recording device has Triplex functionality so it can record and playback surveillance camera footage simultaneously.  At maximum the DVR is capable of displaying video footage at a maximum speed of 480 frames per second, its maximum recording speed is 120 frames per second.

You can program the DVR to record video at varying speeds, if an attached security camera covers a reception area you may find reviewing the recorded footage simpler by using low frame rates.  Video is stored on the systems built in hard drive and this has a 160 gigabyte capacity, the DVR has four hard drive bays so you can add or change out the existing hard drive if required.

While monitoring cameras attached to the system you can view multiple cameras simultaneously with the use of a single monitor or television.  You can connect the DVR to external monitoring devices through its VGA output or S-Video output.  You can record surveillance camera footage continuously with the system or you can make use of its motion detection capabilities to control recording.

There are 16 alarm inputs built in to the DVR and it will begin recording camera footage when it detects an attached alarm has been activated.  The device has 16 alarm inputs and 4 alarm outputs, you can program the DVR to trigger an alarm if it detects motion.  In NTSC mode the DVR can record surveillance camera footage at a maximum image resolution of 720*240, in PAL mode the maximum resolution is slightly higher at 720*288.

The Clover DVR does have built in PTZ controls but it lacks an RS-485 port, the DVR does have an Ethernet port so you can connect to a LAN or to the Internet for remote monitoring.  You can attach up to one terabyte of storage to the system, it has a USB port and it comes with a mouse that can be used to control its functions.

Check the latest price on the Clover DVR CDR1610 16 Channel Surveillance System

Here is the Swann SW243 DVR9 and in terms of capability the system is worth taking a look at, the DVR accommodates up to 9 surveillance cameras.  The DVR is suitable for both home and business owners looking for a means of setting up a surveillance system.  Security camera footage is stored on the recorders internal SATA hard drive, the hard drive included has a 250 gigabyte capacity.

A USB port is built in to the Swann system and it can be used to connect external hard drives to the system, you can also use this to transfer video footage to a memory stick.  There are 9 BNC ports that are used for connecting surveillance cameras to the DVR, the system also has an RS-485 port for attaching surveillance cameras with pan tilt and zoom functions.

The DVR uses MPEG4 video compression and is compatible with both PAL and NTSC video signals.  In NTSC mode the DVR is capable of recording video at a maximum resolution of 720*240, in PAL mode its maximum recording resolution is 720*576.  When it comes to recording speed the system can record video at frame rates up to 60 frames per second, the functions of the DVR are controlled through its embedded Linux operating system.

There should be no problem recording high quality video and images with the DVR, the drawback here is that all cameras attached to the device will not be able to record audio as the system has one audio input and one audio output.  You can view the output of cameras attached to the DVR with either a television or standard PC monitor as the system is fitted with both BNC and VGA video outputs.

There are four preset image quality settings and you can set the DVR to record continuously if required.  Alternatively you can use its motion detection functions or connect external alarms to the system to control recording.  There are 8 alarm inputs built in to the DVR, its single alarm output can be used to raise an alarm if the system detects a camera outage.  An Ethernet port is built in to the system so you can monitor surveillance camera footage remotely by connecting it to a LAN or your broadband router.

Check the latest price on the Swann SW243 DVR9-Net-4000 9 Channel Surveillance System

Here is the Lorex l154 81 security DVR and although it is not the most technologically advanced system Lorex has to offer it appears to be a popular choice.  The functions of the DVR are straightforward to operate and it can be used to protect either your home or a small business.  The DVR has been on the market for a few years now, it accommodates four security cameras and these are attached to it through its four BNC connectors.

Lorex provide a quick step guide for setting up the DVR that consists of a handful of steps you can follow to get it up and running, the steps are easy enough, the hardest part may be setting your security cameras into position.  Video recorded by the DVR is stored on its internal hard drive, this is interchangeable and the system includes keys for securing it in place within its cartridge.

An 80 gigabyte hard drives is included as standard and you have the option of attaching up to two 250 gigabyte hard drives to the DVR.  At maximum the DVR is capable of recording video at a pixel resolution of 640*224, the DVR uses MJPEG compression and has a maximum recording speed of 30 frames per second.  You can control the functions of the DVR through the buttons on its front panel or use the remote control.

You can set the DVR to start and stop recording through scheduling, alternatively you can set the device to record when it detects motion through an attached surveillance camera.  An alarm terminal block is fitted to the DVR so you can connect external alarms to the device, the system will detect if one of these are activated and will begin recording.  You can also set the DVR to record surveillance camera footage constantly however this uses up a lot of storage space and finding specific footage may be more difficult.

A password protection system is built in to the DVR to ensure only specific individuals can access and operate its features.  You can search for recorded surveillance camera footage by entering the date or time of an event into the DVR.  That pretty much rounds of the major features of the Lorex l154 81 security recorder, as mentioned it is not the most advanced DVR by Lorex, based on its cost the system is a good buy.

Check the latest price on the Lorex l154 81 4 Channel Digital Security Recorder

This particular Pelco DVR is the DX8132-250 the DVR is very similar to their DX8132-250A that was reviewed here.  The major difference between the two digital video recorders is their audio capability.  The one you see here accommodates 32 security cameras and these are attached to the device through its BNC connectors.  Compared to other security recorders the DX8100 range is not cheap but they are directed at large commercial businesses, the devices have features such as high frame rate recording and digital watermarking that is automatically applied to recorded images.

At maximum the DVR records video at a speed of 480 frames per second, this means you can set multiple cameras attached to the DVR to record simultaneously without cutting frames out of recorded images.  You can network the recorders in the Pelco DX8100 range together if necessary, they all have the Windows operating system embedded.  Surveillance camera footage is stored on the systems internal hard drive, this has a 250 gigabyte capacity, through its various slots and connectors you can attach up to 3 terabytes of storage to the system.

The DVR shares many of the same functions of today’s PC’s, it has the connectors necessary that enable you to attach external hardware devices such as keyboard and mice, these can be used to move surveillance cameras with precision.  Alternatively you can attach joysticks manufactured by Pelco designed for the purpose of moving surveillance cameras.  The DVR uses its own unique video compression system as opposed to MPEG-4, it can record video in either PAL or NTSC mode.

At maximum the DVR is capable of recording surveillance camera footage at a pixel resolution of 704*480 in NTSC, the maximum image resolution when using a PAL video signal is 705*576.  There are at least two channels that can be used to record audio with the DVR, there are also several alarm inputs and outputs, these can be used to trigger the system to record.  To monitor surveillance cameras attached to the DVR it can be connected to either a monitor or a TV as it has both VGA and BNC connectors.

Pelco include software with the DVR that enables you to connect it to a PC, this means you can set up multiple monitoring stations.  You can also attach the DVR to a network or connect it to the Internet, this gives you the ability to monitor the system and control its attached cameras remotely.  You can export video footage to PC’s connected to the DVR and change the format of the recorded media into varying file types, this ensures media recorded by the DVR can be accessed or modified by a variety of software programs.

Check the latest price on the Pelco DX8132-250 32 Channel Security DVR

Here is another recorder that is part of the Pelco DVR5100 range, this particular model is the Pelco DVR5108DVD-250. The DVR is fitted with 8 BNC inputs for attaching your surveillance cameras and has a 250 gigabyte hard drive for storing video footage. The DVR is capable of recording video footage in both PAL and NTSC modes, in NTSC mode it can record video at a maximum pixel resolution of 704*480, the maximum image resolution in PAL mode is 704*576.

The DVR uses MPEG-4 video compression and can recorded video in CIF, 2CIF and 4CIF, at maximum it can display video footage at a resolution of 1024*768 through its VGA video output. The device is also fitted with an S-Video and BNC video outputs so it can be connected to either a monitor or television. The maximum playback rate of the DVR is 30 frames per second and at it has a maximum recording speed of 480 frames per second in NTSC mode and 400 frames per second in PAL mode.

Video recording can be activated with the use of the built in motion detection features of the DVR, alternatively you can attach an external alarm to the DVR to control recording, the system is fitted with 8 alarm inputs. As well as alarm inputs the system has a number of alarm outputs, these can be used to act as a signal to personnel when the DVR detects motion or another system event occurs.

An Ethernet pots is built in to the system so you can control its functions over a LAN or over the Internet. Once the DVR is connected to a network multiple users can securely operate it and its attached cameras through a secure VPN session. Pan tilt and zoom cameras can be attached to the DVR and you can control them with a keyboard and mouse, you can use the ones included with the system or attach your own.

The Linux operating system is embedded in the DVR and it has three USB ports and one RS-422 port. There is one audio output fitted to the system that you can use to set up a two way audio system. The DVR also has four audio inputs and it uses G.711 audio compression, to keep storage space usage to a minimum the systems in the DVR5100 range use a feature known as Endurastor. The DVR is also fitted with a DVD writer that you can use to quickly transfer surveillance camera footage to DVD.

Check the latest price on the Pelco DVR5108DVD-250 8 Channel Endura Enabled Surveillance System

The Cinturon DVR1610 security DVR uses MPEG-4 Video compression and ADPCM audio compression, at maximum the DVR is able to record security camera footage at a speed of 480 frames per second.  You can attach up to 16 surveillance cameras to the DVR and these are attached to the system through its BNC connectors.  Both PAL and NTSC video signals are supported by the system and it provides numerous options for storing your surveillance camera footage.

The device has a built in CD re-writer that you can use to copy video footage to CD, install up to 1 terabyte of internal storage to the system with PC hard drives.  It would be more convenient if the DVR included a hard drive however the system should not be overlooked due to this factor.  Hard drives are relatively inexpensive today and easy to install but this may concern anyone who has never fitted one.

An easy option for adding extra storage to the DVR is to get hold of an external hard drive, you can plug one of these straight into one the systems USB ports or through Firewire.  The DVR has three USB ports and you can receive audio from all cameras attached to the system as it also has 16 audio inputs.  The recorders single audio output makes it possible for you to set up at least one two way audio system on your premises.

Using an NTSC video signal the device can record at a maximum image resolution of 720*480, using a PAL signal this can be increased to 720*576.  Video recording can be set to run continuously or you can use the DVR’s motion detection features to activate and deactivate recording.  You can also set a schedule that determines when the DVR records or you can attach external alarms to the system to control recording, you can attach up to 16 of these to the device and it also has 8 alarm outputs.

There is an S-Video output and a BNC output so you can attach the DVR to either a monitor or television.  An Ethernet port is built in to the DVR so you can control its attached cameras and control and monitor the system remotely, this can be done through the Internet through a broadband router or you can connect the system to a LAN.  IP cameras with pan, tilt and zoom functions can be attached to the Cinturon DVR through its RS-485 connector.

Check the latest price on the Cinturon DVR1610 16 Channel Surveillance System

The Pelco DX1004 is a four channel digital video recorder, the system has been on the market for some time now, video is stored on its 30-gigabyte internal hard drive.  The DVR has quad functionality allowing you to monitor all cameras attached to the system simultaneously on one monitor.   The DX1004 is compatible with NTSC video signals and has BNC ports used for attaching your security cameras to the system.

At maximum the DVR has the ability to record surveillance camera footage at a speed of 30 frames per second, the system can display video at a maximum resolution of 352*240.  The DVR uses MPEG video compression and it has two video outputs, one of these is for connecting the device to a monitor while the other can be used for connecting a video printer to the system.

It’s possible to set the DVR to record surveillance camera footage continuously or you can set a schedule that determines when it will start and stop recording.  External alarms can be connected to the DVR and the system will begin recording when it detects an alarm has been activated.  To accommodate external alarms the DVR is fitted with four alarm inputs, there is also one alarm output that can be used to activate an alarm when the system experiences specific events.

As mentioned the DX1004 has been around now for some time, because of this it lacks some of the features found on today’s systems such as an Ethernet port connecting the device to a network.  On top of this you don’t have the option to play back surveillance camera footage and recording with the DVR simultaneously.  The system does have a password protection system and is a fairly low cost option for adding a surveillance system to your premises but today Pelco offer much better security recorders.

Check the latest price on the Pelco DX1004-30 4 Channel Security DVR

The Pelco DVR DX4000 series are designed to record footage from security cameras, you can attach up to four of these to the DX4004CD-500 through its BNC inputs.  Surveillance camera footage is stored on the internal hard drive built in to the DVR, this particular model has a 500 gigabyte capacity.  Further to the internal hard drive you also have the option to burn video recorded by the DVR straight to disc, this Pelco DVR comes with a CD writer, it can be swapped out for a DVD writer if required.

You also have the option to transfer stored video to memory cards or other external storage devices (such as hard drives), the DX4004 is fitted with a USB port you can use to attach the devices to the DVR.  The system uses MPEG-4 video compression and it is capable of recording surveillance camera footage in numerous CIF modes.  At maximum the DVR can record surveillance camera footage at a maximum image resolution of 704*480 in NTSC mode, when using a PAL video signal image quality increases slightly and it offers a maximum resolution of 704*576.

Its possible to record video that has a smooth frame rate while all cameras attached to the system are set to record, at maximum the DVR is capable of recording video at speed of 120 frames per second.  To record video at this speed with four cameras attached to the system simultaneously you will have to compromise by lowering the image quality, alternatively you can set specific cameras attached to the system to record only at certain times.

You can set the DVR to record surveillance camera footage only at times when it detects motion or when an attached alarm is activated, the system is fitted with four inputs you can use for attaching external alarms.  Alternatively you can set the digital video recorder to start and stop recording based on a devised schedule.  There is also an alarm relay output fitted to the DVR, you can use this to signal personnel when the DVR detects specific events.

Cameras with pan tilt and zoom functions are supported by the DX4000, these are connected to the device through its RS485 port.  You can access the functions of the DVR and control its attached cameras remotely by connecting it to a LAN or broadband Internet connection, for networking the DVR is fitted with an Ethernet port.  The DVR is fitted with four RCA sockets for audio recording and it has 1 RCA audio output so you can set up a two way audio system.

Check the latest price on the Pelco DVR DX4004 4 Channel Security System

The Pelco DVR5104 is a digital security recorder and you can attach up to four security cameras to the system, the back of the DVR is fitted with four BNC inputs.  The recording speed of the DVR is 480 frames per second and it uses both CIF and MPEG-4 video compression.  Video recorded by the system is stored on its internal hard drive, the systems hard drive has a 250 gigabyte capacity and you can upgrade this if necessary, at maximum you can add up to 1.5 terabytes of internal storage.

Both NTSC and PAL video signals are supported by the DVR, in NTSC mode it can record video at a resolution of 704*480, in PAL mode the image quality is slightly better at 704*576.  Video recording can be scheduled or activated with its alarm and motion detection features, there is one alarm input per camera on all DVR’s in the Pelco 5100 range and this particular model includes four.  You can also set the DVR to record security camera footage continuously and the system has 2 alarm outputs, these can be used to notify personnel about events the system has recorded.

Like other DVR’s in the Pelco DVR5100 range the DVR5104 uses ‘EnduraStor’ technology that reduces the requirement for hard drive space.  Video recorded by the DVR can be searched for by using the systems event log, you can also search for video by entering a specific date or time.  The functions of the DVR are controlled and managed with its embedded Linux operating system.

Both a USB mouse and keyboard are included with the DVR, these are connected to the device through its USB ports.  Pan, tilt and zoom cameras can be connected to the system and these can be controlled with the included keyboard and mouse.  You can control the functions of the DVR and its attached cameras remotely through a LAN or Internet connection, software is included with the DVR that enables you to control its functions from a PC.

You can attach the DVR to a variety of external monitoring devices, the system is fitted with VGA, BNC and S-Video outputs.  Quad functionality is built in to the DVR so you can monitor each camera attached to the system individually in sequence or view all cameras attached to the system simultaneously.  The DVR also has audio input and output sockets so you can use it to set up a two way audio system between you and people in the vicinity of your surveillance cameras.

Check the latest price on the Pelco DVR5104 Four Channel Surveillance System

The Pelco DX8132250A is a security recorder and you can attach up to 32 digital surveillance cameras to the system, cameras are attached to the device through its 32 BNC connectors. You can also attach a limited number of analog cameras to the DVR, although there are only two analog camera inputs these may prove useful if you have such cameras. Windows XP is the operating embedded in the DVR and both PAL and NTSC video signals are supported.

Pelco have developed their own video compression for the DVR, it can record video at maximum resolution of 704*480 with an NTSC video signal, when using a PAL signal the maximum resolution possible is 705*576. A 250 gigabyte internal hard drive is included with the DVR for storing video, if more storage space is needed you can attach up to 3 terabytes of internal storage to the system.

All of the systems in the Pelco DX8100 range have multi-lingual support, you can set the system to display language in either Portuguese, Spanish, Russian, Italian, Polish, German, French and English. You can playback exported video and images captured by the DVR using a variety of software and hardware playback devices, the DVR has the ability to convert stored video and images into file formats that include BMP, AVI, ASF, TIFF and JPEG.

Video recording can be scheduled or you can set the DVR to record only at times when it detects motion on your attached surveillance cameras, you can also set the DVR to record continuously. You can also attach external alarms to the DVR, it will detect the alarms state and begin recording should one of them be activated. At maximum the DVR is capable of recording video footage at a speed of 480 frames per second and it can record in CIF.

Cameras with PTZ functions can be attached to the DVR, the device is fitted with RS485/RS422 ports. You can connect the DVR to a network or the Internet so you can control it and its attached cameras remotely. The Pelco DVR also has 60 seconds pre and post alarm recording feature, you can increase the capability of this feature by adding more RAM.

Check the latest price on the Pelco DVR DX8132250A 32 Channel Security System