Video surveillance system questions

All the PC-based systems I normally work with - VideoInsight, Vigil and Capture - will do this. VideoInsight has both a LAN client (which can be made to work over the Internet, but not readily), and supports remote viewing via web browser; Vigil has a remote client but no web viewing (at least not at GA release yet); Capture has both remote client and web viewing as well.

Any DVR should do this, it's just a question of storage space. 500GB drives are so cheap these days, it should be no problem.

Here's where it gets tricky: getting a video signal from those cameras somehow. If there's an unused phone line running to the building, you can always piggyback video over a couple pairs of that wire using video baluns. There may also be adapters that will let you run video over the power lines, but I've not seen them (then again, I've never looked). Other than that, you'd either have to go wireless, which can get expensive, or have a line run to the building, which can also be expensive. WiFi network cameras MAY work with the aid of a signal booster and/or directional antenna, but that starts to get expensive as well, and won't be as reliable as dedicated technology or a hard-wired feed.

See above - any DVR that has remote- or web-viewing capability should let you select any one camera, or any number of cameras in standard grid layouts.

I've had a couple people ask for this. Both had my disable it within the first day. They got sick of the phone ringing every time a shadow of a tree moved with the wind, or a dog ran across the yard.

On the other hand, we did recently set a client up with a VideoInsight system that he could view on the web browser on his Motorola Q. He was quite pleased with that (in fact, that was the main selling point for the VI system).

Reference links:

(for Vigil) These are by no means the only games in town, just the ones I'm familiar with. All have their strengths and weaknesses.

There are many ways to do that. One approach is to use a conventional DVR set up or for more flexibility a hybrid setup like the GE SymDec 16 plus 4

or Bosch. I like to use the DiBos version 8 DVR over any other regular or hybrid DVR. the black box type of DVR is probably going the way of the dinosaur (or of tape VCR units and mux units anyway) in another 3 to 5 years. If you want to get an up to date system that will live and grow beyond that time frame you can use IP network cameras or conventional cameras with edge encoders. Edge encoders are made by many companies including Verint, Dynamics you want to go further you can add edge recording. True edge encoding, analytics and recording is currently only offered by Bosch (after purchasing all the patents from VCS) You can learn all you may need to know at you mention the word company you may wish to integrate video into access control or use the video for management or manufacturing processes in the future. For that reason as well as others in my opinion you would do well to stay away from garage built type grabber card DVR units like GeoVision or Video Insight and the rest of the low end of the market. Those units focus on video to the exclusion of any interface with other security product lines.

"Tom" wrote in message news:cuOri.7737$8u1.1903@trnddc07...