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

Lorex have created a complete surveillance system that can be used for surveillance in multiple locations on your premises. The Lorex L20WD804321 consists of a 20 inch monitor with a built in digital video recorder and four surveillance cameras. Despite the fact that four surveillance cameras are included with the system it can accommodate up to eight, If you have an Internet connection on your premises you can monitor cameras attached to the system by connecting it directly to your broadband router.

To monitor cameras attached to the system remotely you will need Internet Explorer, the browser can be used to monitor your cameras while away from your home or business through a secure web page. The Lorex system also has the capability to record audio from your attached surveillance cameras, the drawback here is the system only has 4 channel audio so you can only record the audio feed from up to four cameras at once.

The flat panel monitor has a modern look and it contains the systems SATA hard drive used to store video eliminating the need for you to purchase or store tape cassettes. The systems hard drive has a large 320 gigabyte capacity, you can upgrade this is you wish or you can attach external storage devices to the system should the need arise. External storage devices such as flash drives and hard drives can be attached to the system through its built in USB port.

Compared to other security systems of this design the Lorex DVR has a high recording rate, it can record at a maximum speed of 240 frames per second, the system uses MPEG-4 video compression. Each camera attached to the system can record at a maximum image resolution of 704*480, pan tilt and zoom cameras can be attached and controlled through the surveillance system, these are connected to it through its RS-485 interface. The cameras included with the system don’t have pan tilt and zoom functions but they do have a built in microphone for recording sound.

At night the cameras included with the Lorex system have an effective range of up to 50 feet, they can pick up images over greater distances during the day and they have a maximum resolution of 480 TV lines. The systems cameras are weatherproof so they are suitable for either indoor or outdoor use. Video recording can be activated through motion detection or when the system detects attached alarms have been activated. Lorex also include software that is compatible with Windows so you can use computers situated on your premises to monitor cameras attached to the surveillance system.
Check the latest price on the Lorex DVR L20WD804321 8 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

Essentially the Guardian Angel has been designed so that you can keep an eye on a baby, the device can be used to monitor a baby whether he or she is at play or sleeping in their cot. The Swann SW-G-WMK25 baby monitor allows you to have peace of mind, you will be able to keep an eye on a baby without having to disturb them by opening up their bedroom door to take a peek. The monitoring portion of the device has a 2.5 inch color LCD screen, this is far from large but is sufficient enough to allow you to monitor a baby or anything else you wish to watch over, alternatively you can hook the device up to external monitoring devices such as a TV.

The monitoring system works wirelessly and operates on the 2.4 GHz bandwidth range, it is best used outside of the proximity of other wireless devices such as wireless telephones, microwave signals can also interfere with its operation. Both PAL and NTSC video signals are supported by the camera included and it also supports audio so you can hear any activities in the immediate vicinity of the camera. The camera has night vision capabilities and contains 11 LED’s to enhance images in low level lighting conditions.

The camera has a 1/3 inch color CMOS image sensor and it has a maximum pixel range of 510*492 in NTSC mode, the maximum pixel resolution in PAL mode is slightly better this being 628*562. There is a mains power pack included with the monitoring system so you can plug it into a wall when using it at home or alternatively you can power the device by inserting batteries. When it comes to positioning the camera you can place it on a table top or alternatively mount the device to a wall as a permanent fixture.

Operating the device is fairly straightforward, the camera has an LED indicator to notify you about its remaining battery power, the front of the monitor has a built in speaker. There are also switches on the monitor and the camera that allow you to select a number of different frequencies to ensure its operation does not interfere with any other wireless equipment in the same area. Once the baby monitor is set up it takes a lot of stress out of the job of keeping an eye on babies or small children.

Check the latest price on the Swann Guardian Angel SW-G-WMK25 Monitoring 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

Here we have another DVR manufactured by Swann called the SW245-SMD, it is also referred to as the DVR4-Pro-Net and is essentially a 4-channel security recorder. You can set up the cameras included with the DVR either indoors or outdoors, their outer casing is composed of an aluminium alloy. Inside each camera is a ¼ inch SuperHAD CCD image sensor and they have the capability to capture images in low level lighting.

The cameras automatically activate their built in LED’s to enhance images when lighting conditions fall below a certain level. The cameras use both NTSC and PAL video signals and they have a horizontal resolution of 420 TV lines. In NTSC mode they can capture images at a pixel resolution of 510*492, in PAL mode the maximum pixel resolution is 500*582. The cameras use a BNC video output and they are known as Maxi Day Night cameras, Swann ship these with a number of their DVR’s (such as the one in the previous review), their specific model reference being SW-C-MDNC.

Moving on to the DVR the SW245-SMD uses CIF, MPEG-4 and JPEG compression and it has four BNC inputs for camera attachment. The DVR can record video using either a PAL or NTSC signal and has a variable recording speed, it can record video at speeds of anywhere between 3 and 120 frames per second. High frame rates equal smooth video and typically when you set a security DVR to record video using its high quality image settings the frame rate dives, in this respect the SW245-SMD is no different to the majority of DVR’s.

Even so the system has all of the functions you would expect to find in today’s security recorders, it can start and stop recording by means of motion detection and/or alarm activation. You can set the DVR to start and stop recording by programming in a schedule and it has an 8 megabyte pre alarm recording function. The DVR also supports Pelco-D pan tilt and zoom dome cameras and you can connect the DVR to the Internet or to other types of computer network so you can control its functions remotely.

The DVR has one audio input and one audio output so you can set up a two way audio system but it only records audio in mono. There are four alarm inputs, one alarm output and the DVR can detect camera outages, the back of the device is fitted with a BNC video output and it has a fast hard drive cleaning facility.

Other Swann DVR4 Pro Net Reviews

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Check the latest price on the Swann DVR SW245-SMD 4 Channel Security System With Cameras

Here is another security system solution from Swann, the DVR8-8500AI includes eight security cameras and video footage is stored digitally on its internal hard drive.  The internal hard drive for the DVR is manufactured by Seagate and it has a 250 gigabyte capacity, you can change this out if you wish, the system can accommodate up to 3 500 gigabyte hard drives.

The cameras included with the DVR are reasonably compact, they are suitable for both indoor and outdoor use and can record video in both light and dark conditions.  Within each security camera is a ¼ inch color CCD sensor and they have a resolution of 420 TV lines, the cameras use both PAL and NTSC video signals.  The cameras have a pixel range of 500*582 in PAL mode, in NTSC mode the pixel range is 510*492.  You can record video at night with the cameras and each has 24 LED’s and have an effective range of 20 metres (or 66 feet) when used in the dark.

In light conditions the cameras have an effective range of 100 metres, their outer casing is durable and composed of aluminium.  It would have been great if wireless capabilities were built in to the cameras but even though they are wired they carry out their job effectively.  Moving back to the DVR8-8500AI the system uses H.264 video compression (what Swann refer to as professional MPEG-4 DMX-V3) and it has a moderately high recording speed, the DVR can record video at a rate of 120 frames per second in NTSC mode and 100 frames per second in PAL mode.

The DVR is capable of CIF recording and can display video footage at a maximum resolution of 1024*768, the DVR can also record audio and it uses G.726 (ADPCM) audio compression.  The DVR has an in house operating system that is quite unique as it has a three dimensional graphical interface used to access the functions of the system.  Through the operating system you can schedule recording, adjust the DVR’s motion sensor feature and search for recorded surveillance camera footage.

That pretty much covers the functions of the Swann DVR8-8500AI, its not a bad system but it would have been nice to see more audio inputs on the DVR, there are two audio inputs and 1 audio output.  The DVR also supports external USB storage devices that you can use to back up surveillance camera footage, it also supports USB mice but these are not included with the DVR.

Check the latest price on the Swann SW244-8MP DVR8-8500 Security System

The core component of the Q-See QSW25C is a portable surveillance system has a built in LCD display, the device includes one surveillance camera.  Monitoring systems of this size are quite handy as you can quickly set them up along with the camera without much trouble, in a few minutes you can set it up to watch a parked car, a baby or your front door.  The camera included with the monitoring system can be mounted on a wall within your home and it includes a mini stand so you can set it on a desk.  Once you have made a decision about the cameras location you can adjust its position but only to a limited degree.

The camera included with the Q-See wireless monitoring system has a ¼” CMOS image sensor and it can be used for surveillance in dark areas.  The cameras has LED’s for night vision and it has a 4.3mm fixed focus lens, the camera can be used in both PAL and NTSC video modes.  The manual for the hardware indicates the camera can be used up to 300m away from the monitoring system but for the best picture the two pieces of equipment have to be closer.

To get the best picture you will have to avoid setting the system up near devices such as cordless telephones, anything that uses an RF signal can interfere with the transmission between the camera and monitoring system.  Extremely thick walls can also have an impact on the quality of images transmitted between the camera and the monitoring system.

When motion is detected the monitoring system beeps to notify you, you can connect up to three surveillance cameras to the device.  You can power the monitoring system with either batteries or with the included mains adapter, its LCD screen is 2.5 inches in size and you can also connect the device to a TV to get a bigger picture.  The camera included with the monitoring system has a microphone so you can listen in on anything picked up by your cameras from the monitoring device.

Check the latest price on the Q-See QSW25C Wireless Monitoring System

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

The SVAT GX5400 is a portable monitoring system, the device is small enough to fit into a pocket and can be used to monitor rooms within your home. SVAT have produced numerous potable monitoring devices, some of these enable you to monitor camera footage only but this one uses CF memory cards that are used to store camera footage. Modern PC’s have CF card readers at the front so you can pull the card from the slot of the SVAT GX5400, slot it into a PC and then use the PC to view and store your surveillance camera footage.

You can use the surveillance camera included with the system to monitor a baby, a car or to keep an eye on a visitor left alone in your home. These are just a handful of suggestions, the portability of the device enables you to set it up in a variety of locations. The camera included with the monitoring system has a Sony 1/3 inch interline transfer CCD sensor and is capable of capturing images in low level lighting, the device uses both PAL and NTSC video signals and it has an automatic electronic shutter. Eight infra-red LED’s are built in to the camera to help when you need to capture video in low level light conditions, the camera also has automatic white balancing

A memory card with a 128MB capacity will store up to 60 minutes of surveillance camera footage, this is not a great deal but the GX5400 can accommodate memory cards that have a capacity of up to 4 gigabytes. The monitoring system has 3 preset levels of video quality you can select, the lower quality settings use less memory card space while the higher image quality settings have the opposite effect. The monitoring system uses MPEG-4 video compression and it also processes audio, the device uses G.726 audio compression. The monitoring system is capable of recording video at a speed of 30 frames per second and has a maximum image resolution of 704*240.

The screen built in to the monitoring system is quite small at 2.5 inches but adequate enough for you to see the transmission from the surveillance camera. The handheld portion of the system is also fitted with a built in microphone and speaker, the device has a signal range of up to 300 feet but SVAT recommend there be a distance no greater than 100 feet between the camera and the monitor in order to get the best video signal.

Many of the functions that are present in conventional digital video recorders are built in to the GX5400, it has numerous preset playback speeds and can playback video up to 32 times faster than its normal speed. The monitoring system has motion detection capabilities and you can you can set a schedule that determines when it will start and stop recording. You can power the device with four AA batteries or alternatively connect it to the mains when you are using it indoors. The device can be used to set up a two way communication system as it has one audio input and one audio output.

Check the latest price on the SVAT GX5400 Wireless Portable Monitoring System