Good Deals on a DVR

[pitzerwm]

My DVR died, so I'm looking for a replacement. I'm not interested in a computer card. I also don't want a cheap china one.

What I have so far: 16 channels, 500GB HHD min. Internet, smartphone, CMS software.

Rugged-CCTV, $725 + shipping
IC Realtime Max16, $900 no HD
Zmodo, DVR-H9106UVD-SV $355

 

[washnvac]

I like Rugged. I have 5 units; hopefully ordering 2 more after some Winter income shows up. The Rugged team is great on customer service, and units are easy to use. I would go with the 1Tb hard-drive, though.

 

[Earl Weiss]

I would also go with a built in DVD burner. Nice to drop in DVD and burn what you want. Cheaper than a flash drive and easy to store and mail. Otherwise I need to copy to a flash drive, then transfer to a computer and then burn the DVD.

 

[washnvac]

I will ditto what Earl said. I ordered 2 units without the dvd burner; bad idea. I think I saved all of $175 each. It is most annoying using the flash drive, or downloading to a pc, then burning the disk. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but hind sight is usually 20/20.

 

[Indiana Wash]

I do not know why you need a DVD burner. So far, I have needed to get data off my dvr once. It was easy to use a flash drive then burn a dvd. I only pull video off my dvr when there is a crime committed.

 

[MEP001]

When I've needed video off the DVR (which is rare) I've transferred it via internet to my PC. It takes a while but it's much easier than trying to select times and cameras at the DVR. Of course the one we're using doesn't accept keyboard/mouse input.

 

[bighead]

I bought a Qsee and Lorex DVR from Costco.com about 6months ago when we built our second wash, and between the two I like the Qsee interface much better. You can PLAYBACK remotely, just through their interface on internet explorer. You can get 80% of plates through the high resolution cameras that came with the package. And if you wait right (like was the case earlier this month through the website) you can get a 16 camera package with 1 TB HDD for $5-600.

So yeah, I would recommend that route in regards to bang/buck.

 

[2Biz]

I also bought the 16 camera Qsee from Costco with 520TVL High Resolution cameras. I paid $799 which I thought was a decent deal considering the same model was going on Ebay and other sites for $1250 or more. Infared is 100 feet. Its amazing how well the cameras work in the ER when its pitch black. License plates are easy to read as long as they are not obstructed. One other thing I like about the Qsee cameras, the power cords are concealed inside the tubing of the swivel mounts. The wires can't get cut like other cameras with exposed wires. So far I can't see the reason to get a more expensive unit. I installed it over a month ago and still have 250g left on the 1 TB hard drive before it starts over-writing. I have my cameras set for motion activation and the highest resolution....

+1 on the best bang/buck......

 

[Earl Weiss]

Have purchased 6 of the Q See 16 camera systems from Costco. The older model had the ability to basicaly drop in a DVD burner and a second hard drive. For tunnels it comes in real handy for nimrods who claim they had it in neutral and you see it speeding thru the tunnel, or the guy who apparently went to put it in drive and threw it in reverse breaking his mirror. I burn the DVD and thro it in a file with the incident report. Makes it handy if their insurance carrier or attorney contacts me weeks later.

 

[bigleo48]

My 2 cents...

First, at $700 is about the same price for PC or non, now that the cards have dropped in price so much.

DVD burners at $20...so who cares.

 

[pitzerwm]

Thanks to Don K, I decided on a Zmodo DVR-H9216UVDH. The only problem is that is that they are so far behind the curve that they can't accept a credit card without you filling out a credit card application and send them pictures of your drivers license.

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[bighead]

I have older versions of Geovision, and I have a Zmodo as well. The Zmodo appears to run off of the same operating system as my Lorex does.

 

[Earl Weiss]

Just ran across this

http://moofi.woot.com/moofi/betterthanthehistorychannel

I know 480FPS isn't great. It will back up top a USB DVD Writer.

 

[pitzerwm]

Well, CCTVHOTDEALS apparently is run by amateurs, They took my order and charged my credit card, then demanded a credit card application and photo id, saying that PayPal, (which I didn't use, I called in to make the order) said that I couldn't be verified. I checked my PP account and all is current and confirmed there. I suggested that they call AmX to verify the charge, but NO, send in the app or we cancel the order.

The link Earl provided is a good deal, and I also found a saving of $40 on the original order at ProVantage. Sometimes when people mess with you, it turns out to be better for you.

 

[bigleo48]

I know 480FPS isn't great.

480 FPS is excellent!

 

[Earl Weiss]

480 FPS is excellent!

I think I was confused between FPS and Lines of resolution.

Not sure what the specs difference was for the 9116 and 9216 except that the 9216 seems to have HDMI cable hookup.

 

[bigleo48]

So FPS is the total frames per second the system can theoretically do. So if you had a 16 camera system and you are ok with 5 FPS each, then a FPS of (16x5) or 80 FPS is what you need. Mind you that TV is 30 FPS (actually 60, but interlaced) and a movie at the theater is 24FPS.

HDMI is just a convenient connection that can handle up to full HD. But its still analog video.

Lines of resolution is exactly that...resolution...the higher the better Anything above 500 is starting to get good. I was looking at some 700s yesterday. But for example, my plate cam is 580.

Having said all this, you do need a PC (embedded or regular) that can handle the load. The higher the Res and FPS, the higher the workload on the PC.

 

[cleaning up mud]

My DVR died, so I'm looking for a replacement. I'm not interested in a computer card. I also don't want a cheap china one.

What I have so far: 16 channels, 500GB HHD min. Internet, smartphone, CMS software.

Rugged-CCTV, $725 + shipping
IC Realtime Max16, $900 no HD
Zmodo, DVR-H9106UVD-SV $355

I just bough a Zmodo with 16 cameras, for less then $900. Smartphone, internet its easy to use and works great so far. We have a blackbox at another location which is too old for smartphones. but for the price the zmodo is good, and it works with a pzt camera. good luck, let us know what you get.

 

[cleaning up mud]

Well, CCTVHOTDEALS apparently is run by amateurs, They took my order and charged my credit card, then demanded a credit card application and photo id, saying that PayPal, (which I didn't use, I called in to make the order) said that I couldn't be verified. I checked my PP account and all is current and confirmed there. I suggested that they call AmX to verify the charge, but NO, send in the app or we cancel the order.

The link Earl provided is a good deal, and I also found a saving of $40 on the original order at ProVantage. Sometimes when people mess with you, it turns out to be better for you.

where did you end up buying it? I bought a 16 camera from someone in Colorado and paid a little less them $900. Seems like I paid too much.

 

[pitzerwm]

I got the one from Woot, link that Earl gave above. Reading the forum, it says that the cameras are pretty poor, but the price was so that the cameras were free. I'll dump them on Ebay.