Converting Old Leviathan DVR System

[jamesbrew]

I have an old Leviathan DVR which was good it's day, but I want to upgrade it to IP based cameras I can look at via my HAI App on my iPhone. The existing cameras are good quality but use coaxial cable which is connected to the DVR.
 
Do I need to scrap everything, or can the cameras and coaxial cabling be salvaged and reused in a newer system?
 
Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Del91574]

Depends on what sort of resolution or performance you want. If what you have is OK, then you install an IP encoder and call it a day. Basically these devices would connect/replace the analog DVR and then you would connect the encoder to your network from there.
 
The big thing is to stay towards a brand name manufacturer if you expect it to work with a 3rd party vendor: IE Axis.

 

[tmbrown97]

And if you do decide you want IP Cams, there are converters that will give you POE and Ethernet over Coax.  Here are some cheapies on Amazon.

 

[Del91574]

The only bad thing about going that way is really going to be cost. Assuming a modest house with 4-8 cameras (max 16) X$90/unit + cost of camera and POE infrastructure (needed no matter what the IP solution) will buy a lot of cable, professionally installed even, or a lot of patching painting.
 
For the most part, a residence is going to fall below the 90m total length/run and it's usually not going to make economic sense to install a POE/IP to coax unit in a house....not to mention a location to put those units in the field.
 
A commercial application where you can be at the 90m or greater on the coax and have FOC's, sure it makes sense....a lot of times a customer isn't going to recable some cameras.