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Q: How does a CCTV digital video recorder work? |
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Q: How many cameras can be
connected? |
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Q: Can I have non-stop 24-hour video recording
without any interruption? |
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Q: Can I monitor multiple
cameras simultaneously? |
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Q: How does the automatic motion detect work? |
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Q: Can I set a lot of
detection areas? Do the motion detection settings take up a lot of
disk space? |
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Q: Can the DVR record sound? |
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Q: Is it possible to monitor
cameras from a distant location using the Internet? |
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Q: What type of PC do you recommend for monitoring
and archiving? |
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Q: What should we do when the
hard disk drive becomes full? |
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Q: Does the system includes a video camera? |
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Q: What are some typical
applications for the DVR system? |
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Q: I have an existing CCTV system installed, can I
upgrade it? |
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Q: What are the advantages of
the DVR versus conventional CCTV? |
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Q: How does a CCTV digital video recorder work? |
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A CCTV digital video recorder (or "DVR" for short) is
essentially a computer that saves security video images to a hard
drive. Most security cameras in use today capture an analog
picture. The DVR converts the analog signal to digital and then
compresses it. Digital compression results in a much better
picture than analog compression and its more efficient. Many cameras can be connected to one DVR.
The DVRs generally come with
4, 8, or 16 camera inputs. The DVR will allow you to view all of
these images at once or one at a time, and all of the video is
saved to the hard drive. Additional switches, quads, or
multiplexers are not required. |
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Q: How many cameras can be
connected? |
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Up to 16 cameras can be connected to a single DVR server. Networking
with other DVR servers provides as many camera inputs as required. |
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Q: Can I have non-stop 24-hour video recording
without any interruption? |
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Yes. The DVR provides round the clock non-stop surveillance video/audio
recording. |
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Q: Can I monitor multiple
cameras simultaneously? |
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Yes, our DVR system can display images and record from up to 16 cameras
simultaneously. If more than 16 cameras are required, this can be
accomplished by running more than one instance of the software,
but this requires a fast PC to handle the increased data and video
displays. Alternatively, you can set up multiple PCs with each PC
running one copy of the software and monitoring 16 cameras. The
DVR software on each PC can be set up to display the view from any
1 selected camera, up to 16 cameras on a split screen, or it can
sequence through 16 cameras using a single screen. In fact the DVR
system effectively replaces a 16 screen CCTV video splitter, a
multiplexer, 16 time lapse VCRs, 16 video motion detectors and a
remote access monitoring system. |
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Q: How does the automatic motion detect work? |
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The DVR system can detect motion within the field of view of any
camera and you can set an alarm to sound when motion is detected.
This can be used draw human attention when unauthorized motion is
detected by any camera. This feature may eliminate the necessity
to constantly watch the monitor screen for scenes where no
movement should be occurring. In certain cases it is desirable to
detect motion only within a small region of the scene. For example
you might want to sound an alarm only if someone approaches a
certain doorway or a certain object within the field of view,
while ignoring the movement of people walking nearby. To
accomplish this, the DVR software allows you to draw a rectangular
region onto the displayed image and to select motion detection to
only be triggered within that region. |
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Q: Can I set a lot of
detection areas? Do the motion detection settings take up a lot of
disk space? |
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Yes, you can. motion detection can be enabled for all cameras. Also,
motion detection can be configured to monitor only a portion of
the camera view. The motion detection setting doesn't take a lot
of disk space. We recommend users to use the motion detection instead
of using nonstop recording. |
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Q: Can the DVR record sound? |
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Sound can be recorded through an optional audio support package.
Synchronous playback of video and audio is supported. |
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Q: Is it possible to monitor
cameras from a distant location using the Internet? |
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Yes. You will be able to monitor cameras anywhere on the Internet
although the frame rate is likely to be reduced due to typical
Internet traffic congestion. However, broad band (ADSL/ISDN) is
highly recommended. You will also be able to view images
via a modem connection. Here again the frame rate will be reduced
due to the restricted connection speed of your modem. |
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Q: What type of PC do you recommend for monitoring
and archiving? |
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The recommended hardware configuration for the DVR
Software is: |
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» Pentium 4/Celeron 1.7Ghz and above |
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» Intel/Gigabyte/Asus Motherboard preferred |
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» 32M VGA and above |
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» 256MB RAM |
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» Hard Drive Min 40GB and above preferred |
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» Windows 98S/2000/ME & XP |
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Q: What should we do when the
hard disk drive becomes full? |
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When the hard drive becomes full and there is no more available space
for saving video files, the system will start to overwrite files
as dictated by the user's setup. The oldest files will be the
first to be overwritten. |
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Q: Does the system includes a video camera? |
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No, but it is compatible with just about any type of video camera
anywhere in the world. You can use any existing CCTV camera that
you may have or you can purchase a new camera for use with the
system. As you may expect, camera image quality varies with camera
price and we recommend that you avoid extremely expensive cameras. |
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Q: What are some typical
applications for the DVR system? |
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Typical applications for the DVR system include asset protection, remote
classroom and playground supervision, patient monitoring and
personnel activity observation, production line monitoring,
security, car park and interior surveillance. |
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Q: I have an existing CCTV system installed, can I
upgrade it? |
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Yes! It is easy to upgrade an existing CCTV system. In fact, our DVR
system can be set up to be operational in parallel with your
existing system while you are getting used to using it. There is
no need to disconnect the old system, the camera cables can simply
be split, with one connection going to a DVR system and the other
connection remaining intact. Alternatively if you are using a
multiplexer or video screen splitter at your monitoring station,
you could attach a single DVR system there to provide the benefits
of digital archival and motion detection. In either case you can
then operate both systems (old and new) together. We believe that
once you have seen the power of our DVR system, you will probably
move away from using your old analog system. |
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Q: What are the advantages of
the DVR versus conventional CCTV? |
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For a new installation, DVR system offers a lower overall system cost
because it eliminates the expense of laying dedicated camera
wiring from each camera to the monitoring station. It also
eliminates the need for time lapse VCRs, sequencers and video
multiplexers. |
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The system allows much more flexibility in use because it is
relatively easy to change camera locations after installation, by
simply removing the camera and DVR server and re-connecting them
to the existing computer network in a different location. No new
wiring need be installed. New cameras can be added equally simply.
In constantly changing environments, such as hospitals, monitoring
points can be set up and moved quickly and easily, even on a
short-term basis. |
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In addition, monitoring can be performed at any PC. This means not
only that monitoring stations can easily be moved, but also that
multiple people can monitor simultaneously if desired. Finally,
instead of archiving onto VCR video tape which produces gradual
image deterioration due to tape wear, DVR images
are stored digitally on a standard PC hard disk or any other
digital media. Because the data is stored digitally it does not
degrade over time. Also, for added security, the archival can take
place anywhere on the network opening up the possibility of
archiving directly to remote secure storage devices. The archives
are also continuous whenever motion is detected and do not have
the "gaps" of several seconds typically produced by time
lapse VCRs or sequenced recordings. |
