Security Cameras - A Newbie's Observations

DELInstallations said:
The Husky does not have the GO software installed on it.
 
I can't comment too much about the GO and how my coworkers are working around the archiving. I'd say the user functionality has to do with how many are logged in as clients at a time, that's the only logical way I could see it working. I believe that the 3 individual ways you can hit the server don't account for the single client restriction. I don't have it running on a machine to play with, I'm dealing with larger applications and don't have time to tinker like some of my coworkers.
 
$1500 for a server based NVR is cheap, especially if you're considering the software involved.
 
You have to keep in mind, analytics are not what you believe them to be when considering NVR's and functionality. Generally when you're looking at NVR's and software like this, analytics refer to motion detection and how that's configured. Analytics usually end up as a part of another software package.
 
I don't know that I'd call it cheap. It seems to be about the average price per the NVRs that I've looked at.
 
I'd much prefer the Linux based appliance (a la Husky), but can't justify the price to myself. Not when A) I've got hardware that exceeds their specifications and I could roll my own and B ) when the analog counterparts can be had for a fraction of that price. This is exactly the reason that I haven't bothered to switch to IP cameras yet...
 
In the scheme of things compared to other NVR with embedded OS, it's right in line with expense. What you may be discounting is the labor and expense involved with rolling your own server. A 1TB NVR is $1500 all day long. A hybrid is even more.
 
As you stated, the price difference between an NVR and a DVR is worth considering....until you start pricing space.
 
Put it this way, the NVR's that I'm picking up that are capable of 32 cameras are usually running above $30K and usually higher when you start tacking storage and licenses to them.
 
Yup; here did a commercial installation with 6 cams and NVR for a bit under 100K some 4 years ago (gas and oil company).  Personally I thought I though it was a bit overpriced.  That said it was all Axis cams and cabled at the time.
 
DELInstallations said:
In the scheme of things compared to other NVR with embedded OS, it's right in line with expense. What you may be discounting is the labor and expense involved with rolling your own server. A 1TB NVR is $1500 all day long. A hybrid is even more.
 
As you stated, the price difference between an NVR and a DVR is worth considering....until you start pricing space.
 
Put it this way, the NVR's that I'm picking up that are capable of 32 cameras are usually running above $30K and usually higher when you start tacking storage and licenses to them.
 
You're probably right, but it's hardware that I already have today. If I'm following their pricing correctly, a $100 server license and $49/camera ($500 for an 8-ch system) I can have the same Milestone system. Which means, I'd be paying $1,000 more for a small-form factor (+), a lesser processor (-), and less storage space (-).
 
I'm definitely not trying to argue pricing of larger systems. I've been part of projects that run upward of 125 cameras and fully understand that's what just what it costs; and most of these customers don't have much of a choice when it comes to paying for it because there is some higher level requirement for the system. I just think a well-designed software product (preferably Linux based) would do very well (for integrators) for residential and small business applications if priced around $200-$250 for a 8-ch license (bring your own hardware).... or a 8-ch, 1TB NVR in the $600 range.
 
Linux is no picnic either. We have a Casi system that has all sorts of issues that runs Linux. Sure, it's reasonably stabile, but I'm not going into the OS argument.
 
Milestone does give you that option...buy the hardware and build your own server that meets or exceeds their minimum specs and buy the appropriate licenses. Not too many others out there do that (I know of one other, but I can't remember their name off the top of my head).
 
I doubt you'll ever see licensing for a camera priced that low. Usually there's a boatload of testing and the addition of a couple of handlers to get them on the NVR. Then it becomes a testing process and as later drivers/FW come out, updates etc. the cameras need to maintain the same functionality. I did a whole site FW upgrade to about 600 Axis cameras recently because the FW in the NVR had to be ramped up to fix bugs in the video server.....fun times.
 
A friend of mine just linked me to this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16881523055
 
Understandably, this is no enterprise level system, but that's not what home owners are generally looking for. It also probably only supports Zmodo cameras, but it's in the ballpark of what most home owners that I've talked to are looking to spend for a system. Sure, I have no problems upselling better cameras; ones that are simply built better and are going to last longer. But it's a lot harder to sell that $1,500 DVR, when you can get a package as linked for <$500.
 
That's why I said above, I think a Linux-based product in the $200-$250 range would do well in this market.
 
You can get an all-in-one plug-n-play NVR reasonably cheap with the variable being storage. They don't even require network hardware (normally) and would be ideal for a residential application (under 300' runs)....Speco, Digimerge, and FLIR all come to mind.
 
Once you deal with remote access and software on the cheapies you'll have no problem selling a better quality unit. Usually it's when the end user asks about viewing or controlling X or Y from their I-droid tabpad.....that's the biggie.
 
The next item is support...what happens if the HDD smokes on the consumer units? Reformat and get back up? Nope.
 
I'd almost suggest buying an older pro model and rebuilding it before going consumer grade....hell the AD Intellex units are great for that. Embedded Win on a 2 gig flash, server machines with built in RAID. Smoke a HDD, you can ghost the replacement and be up and running in an hour.
 
DELInstallations said:
You can get an all-in-one plug-n-play NVR reasonably cheap with the variable being storage. They don't even require network hardware (normally) and would be ideal for a residential application (under 300' runs)....Speco, Digimerge, and FLIR all come to mind.
The NVR above comes with no HDD installed, so one must be purchased separately and installed. A 2TB HDD would store >30days of 720p H.264 video on 4 cameras.
 
DELInstallations said:
Once you deal with remote access and software on the cheapies you'll have no problem selling a better quality unit. Usually it's when the end user asks about viewing or controlling X or Y from their I-droid tabpad.....that's the biggie.
 
The Zmodo has no issue with remote access, from a browser or via app. Their app is free on both Android and iOS.
 
DELInstallations said:
The next item is support...what happens if the HDD smokes on the consumer units? Reformat and get back up? Nope.
 
As above, the unit doesn't come with a HDD installed, so if it smokes it's a matter of getting a replacement and reformatting. Sure, you'd lose all of the video stored up to that point, but nothing else.
 
The guy who linked me to the one above has had (2) 4-ch analog Zmodo DVRs installed at his home for 2+yrs now with no issues. The main thing lacking is the quality of the cameras that came with the DVRs. However, he paid ~$150 for each of them (again, HDD purchased separately). It's hard to beat $150 for a DVR and (4) cameras.

 
 
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