DVR and Home PC Hard Drives

So who can name a few hard drive manufacturers? Hitachi, Seagate, Western Digital…  I remember, 80 GB hard drives, then 120′s and now we toss around words like, 1 Terabyte and 2 Terabytes as if they should be standard already in nearly every piece of electronics we buy.  So are all hard drives made the same?  Why do some companies use one over the other and whats up with a compatibility list?

Let’s start with Enterprise and Desk-top class hard drives.  We have many customers who often have some spare hard drive laying around their home and want to put it to use.  So when they come in to one of our stores to purchase a shiny new  recorder for their home surveillance system, we offer them 3 choices in terms of hard drive capacity.

“But what about that hard drive I have at home, can’t I just use that one?”

So we ask a few simple questions of our own.  Do you have the model number so I can see if the compatibility list has it on there?  What size hard drive is it?  Is it IDE or Sata? What usually follows after we ask is…

“So what hard drive sizes do I get to choose from?”

We use Enterprise class hard drives for our DVR’s they are designed to be running 24/7 and to be written too far more often than a home PC.  They also have a higher heat tolerance and it’s faster to access data from them.  They may be a bit more costly over a PC hard drive but remember, they each serve different purposes.  Having a more sturdy storage disk that is designed to reduce and/or correct its own internal disk errors,  is by far what you’d want in terms of what to store your video on.

A home PC hard drive is designed to run 8hrs a day 5 days a week.  When you keep to these basics you can get  longevity out of it.  However if it is not your recorder for your camera system, there’s not really a big need to rush out and get an Enterprise class drive for it.

When it comes to storage for your Digital Video Recorder, stick to what’s best and been tested for the one you choose.   Avoid just tossing any spare components into a piece of equipment that you intend to rely on for home protection.  The extra coin you spend on something like this may one day be well worth it.

B. Eaton

Passive GPS Trackers are a great an inexpensive solution to keep an eye on your teen.

I have had countless customers purchase Passive GPS trackers to keep an eye on their teens who have the ability to drive. Most of these parents do not use the tracker to micro manage their children’s lives but to spot check and make sure their child is being safe and honest. The trackers will give you routes, address, time and dates, speeds and various reports. You can not beat these devices starting at only $200. Summer is here do you know what your teens are doing while you work?

Mini Single Channel Digital Video Recorder, H.264

Sometime last year we started carrying a mini, palm-sized digital recorder.  Its a small white rectangle thats about 4 inches long and an inch wide and about 1/2 in depth.  The size of it alone is just remarkable and the fact it can record  to an SD card makes it even more attractive.  This little unit can support a single camera with its standard attachments in the box and has a single channel of audio available.  The audio connection is a standard 3.5mm stereo jack versus most DVR’s that have RCA.

The menu’s are relatively simple and even show you how much record time you will get depending on your resolution settings and SD card size.  You can playback video from the unit, limit the size of each record file and even do motion only recording.

With the simplicity of the menu interface and player software, we sell lot’s of these units as do-it-yourself nanny camera systems.  Just choose your camera, add a battery pack and a little bit of creativity and you have your new low cost mini camera and recorder setup.

The unit can support up to an 8GB SD card so you are looking at a math quiz, 100 min to over 2,000 minutes of recording.   Now, the player software is necessary to play back the video on a computer and is Vista compatible.  Hopefully by next week, I’ll be able to report on if it works with Windows 7.  We already have dozens of these units in the field and working extremely well, they have been fitting quite a few situations where getting power to a larger full size system would’ve been a challenge.

Now to top it all off, this handy little recorder has a remote control and uses just a few colored lights on the side, to let you know what mode it is in.  Such as stand-by or recoding or Stopped.  Also on top of that, it has a record default once its not in the menu.  Whatever you set it on, whether motion or continuous, once you exit the menu it will go to record mode automatically.  Forgetting to hit the record button happens more often than people would care to admit, so this unit will do it for you.

So what else could there be that could top, its size, default recording, having a remote control, motion recording, battery pack operated and can support an 8GB SD card? Well, it would be the fact that we have them available once again. Take a look at it here.

SCS4/B. Eaton

CMS Software, DVR’s, Networking

We do installations for many businesses that have multiple locations and have the need to be able to view all of them at once.  We also get a lot of questions about how to do off-site recording.  CMS or Central Monitoring Software comes with our 4, 8 and 16 channel H.264 DVR’s.  We currently have all of our locations networked in order to give our customers a better understanding of what they will see.  The software is pretty simple and you can actually turn a remote PC into your very own off-site recorder.

The software also works independently from the DVR itself.  You can configure settings remotely but they only affect the computer that’s being used to view and record the video and not the DVR itself.  We found this to be very handy and a really nice way of not accidentally changing settings in the DVR.

During our testing of the CMS we also liked the quick record from a live view mode.  Just a simple button of start and stop and you can record a bit of what you see live.   The address book was easy enough to populate with IP addresses and you can log into 2 different locations as once.  They are separated by tabs and all you have to do is tab from one to the next.

Now of course the one thing that is most important to anyone in this business is .. “will it convert to an AVi file?” .. and yes, yes it will.  In the software in one of the video playback menu’s there is a convert to AVI function.  Very handy.

B. Eaton

iTrail GPS Passive Data Logger Tracker Review

The iTrail is our newest passive GPS tracker. A passive tracker is great for when you want to find out where the vehicle is going, but don’t need to know where it is at any given moment. You can simply place the tracker on a vehicle, pick it back up after the vehicle has been in use, and hook it up to your computer so you can findout where it’s been.

The unit is small, at an inch and a half on each side (the smallest I’ve ever seen). It uses motion activation to conserve the built-in rechargeable battery and can store up to 120 hours of vehicle data. There is only one button on the unit and 2 lights to indicate the battery life and activity signal.

Using the tracker was pretty straightforward; run the software, charge up the unit, put it on the vehicle, and then connect it to your computer and see where the tracker went using Google Earth or Google Maps. You can generate full reports complete with latitude and longitude as well as addresses and idle times.

The iTrail is a simple tracker to use and it has a great battery life considering how small it is. The unit can easily be placed in a vehicle or can even be carried in a pocket and not be noticeable. If monthly fees and live tracking aren’t your thing, I’d highly recommend an iTrail.

Give any of our sales people a call or email if you have any questions. Also, feel free to visit our forums at the following link if you have any questions you would like to ask.

www.spycentresecurityforums.com

Allen at SCS3

The Tradeoffs of CCTV

We’ve all seen it. The grainy footage on the local nightly news of the burglar/robber/vandal asking us to please contact the authorities if we know anything about the individuals involved.  But who could identify anyone from most of the footage they show, right?

Some of the problem is the result of old security systems that needed to be upgraded years ago but are still in use today. If you’re still using a time lapse VCR and a multi-plexor, this means you. But more often the problem would have been avoided if the person buying the security system had just asked a few more questions. The thing is, unless you’re an expert and do a lot of research, it’s hard to know what questions to ask, right?

The thing about buying a security camera system is that much like buying a car, unless you have an unlimited budget, there are a lot of tradeoffs when making a decision about which product will fit your needs best.  What features and benefits are important to you and how much are you willing to pay for them? Are you looking for cameras that you will identify people from, or ones that will give you general coverage so you can see what’s going on across the whole parking lot? Are you looking for the best quality image you can possibly get and have less recording time, or do you want to sacrifice some image quality in order to be able to go back 2 weeks into the recordings and see what happened? Are you willing to spend enough money to be able to have all of the above if those factors are equally important to you?

It’s a lot easier with a car because most people at least know what kind of quality to expect with the different brands available. When you’re car shopping, even a person that’s never done it before knows that when you have a Toyota Camry budget, you’re not going to get a Ferrari. But without the same type of basis for comparison on security cameras, it’s much harder on the average person to go through the process of buying a CCTV system and wind up getting good value for your money as well as a system that meets all your needs.

Instead of telling you about it though, let me show you an example of what I’m talking about. The image below was taken from a live feed from a DVR in our Dallas store.  I set this shot up particularly to illustrate the point that not all cameras are created equally. If you have a camera in a position where the shot is heavily backlit like it is in this shot, which camera would you rather have? (Note: This is a common scenario for cameras in a lobby entryway, warehouse docking areas, multi-windowed rooms, garages or outdoor shots facing the sun). Camera 3 is our entry level infrared camera for $79.99.  Camera #2 is a more advanced infrared camera with varifocal ability for $149.99. Camera #1 is our Wide Dynamic Range camera with a 2.8-12 millimeter lens that would cost you $369 and give you over two times the range as camera #2.  The answer to which you’d want is pretty clear if price is no object. However, it can be quite difficult to prioritize what features are the most important to you when you know your budget won’t allow you the best of all worlds.

Are all cameras created equally?

Ultimately the point of a CCTV security system is in your hands. When you’re buying one, you need to ask yourself important questions like what is most important to me? Catching something after the fact? Deterring it from ever happening? To be able to identify someone from the camera recordings?  To save yourself from legal issues and limit your liability?  These can all be important, but sometimes the tradeoffs I’m talking about will force you to choose which is most important.  If you’re not a CCTV expert, don’t worry.  We are.  Come to us to help us ask the right questions and determine what your needs are, so you can find a system within your budget, but also one that will accomplish your goals.

Camera systems for your vehicle

I had a customer come in a few days ago. He wanted to put cameras in the front and rear of his Ford F250 because he had almost been in an accident three times in one day. There were three main things he made clear he needed to do.  One was to record an accident if he was ever in one.  Two was to prove he wasn’t at fault or record video when his car was parked in a parking lot.  Lastly he wanted use his rear camera as a back up camera.  This gentleman wanted the rear camera to be a hi-res color camera and the front camera to see good at night. So, this is what  I was able to come up with.

1 x 600TVL Low light B/W Bullet Camera Part #863

1 x 550 TVL Color Bullet Camera #874 (At night the cameras turns to B/W via IR cut filter)

1 x 4ch Mobile DVR with 2 SD Card Slots #5702

2 x 25 foot Plug and play Cables #5541

1 x 7 inch LCD Monitor #4207

He mounted the cameras in the upper corners of his windshields. Then he mounted the DVR and LCD monitor in the middle console of his truck just below his stereo.  He ran the video cable behind his paneling to the DVR and the power cable of the cameras along with the power cable of the DVR back to his battery (His truck used Dual 12-volt; 750-cca/78-amp-hr batteries. So if the DVR and Cameras were running while the car was turned off, it would not use all his power.)  Then the gentleman installed a power switch that he could turn the system on or off regardless if the car was running or not.  After everything was installed he was extremely pleased with his system. I haven’t heard back from him since he told me about the installation, so I hope that means his has not been in an accident or had his truck broken in to.

So if you are thinking about installing a surveillance system in your vehicle I hope this gives you a good idea of some options available.

SC2 Lewisville

Useful Information for Wireless Analog Cameras

I have a lot of customers who ask about wireless cameras. While they do serve their purpose, there are a couple things you need to remember about going wireless.

You still need to get power to the camera by running a cable. All electronics need power to operate, so you will either need an outlet next to where the camera is positioned or run a cable to an available outlet.
For multiple cameras, you’ll need multiple frequencies. If you have cameras on the same frequency, they’re going to be fighting each other over that space. You won’t get a clear picture if you do this,  so it works best if you have cameras on 900MHz, 2.4GHz, and 5.8GHz.

Going through walls/trees/etc will cut down on how far it can transmit. Wireless signals can only go through so many objects before the quality degrades, so keep that in mind.

Anyone can tap into your cameras. Since they are on widely available frequencies, someone just needs a receiver in order to see everything your cameras are watching.

Wireless cameras are great for when conventional applications don’t work. That said, please keep the information listed above in mind when deciding if wireless cameras are right for you.

Allen at SC3

Digital video is the new analog?

In our business we almost sell an equal combination of digital and analog gadgets. So we also get a lot of questions about what really is the difference and why?  Most people have a basic understanding and sometimes it’s really all that’s needed but there are other times when the words IP, megapixel and analog all get dropped in the same sentence.

Analog is a basic form of video we see nearly everyday as we step into a convenience store and see ourselves on the big screen near the register.  So now that cable stations are broadcasting in digital and Blu-Ray players are becoming more popular, our movies and favorite shows are looking a lot better now.  So what about surveillance cameras and their seemingly antiquated analog signals?

Analog is still widely used in CCTV applications and is still the most cost effective when it comes to surveillance.  Analog has been good for us for decades, digital does produce some better video but their is a cost when it comes to a surveillance system.

Digital means more information and therefore requires more space when being recorded.  So that’s where compression comes into play and the newest MPEG-4  format,  H.264.   Digital video has its’ advantages and so does analog and the race between the two is still on.

B.Eaton

One-Touch Voice Recorder Pen Review

Recently we received in the new one-touch voice recorder pen and I had the opportunity to sit down with this device and see how well it performs.

We have always stocked audio pens from this manufacture so I was excited to test this new model out, some of the differences between this model and the older model that we carry are as follows.

• Stores 142 hours of audio
• Direct MP3 download
• Reset button
• USB input built directly into the pen
• LED light on the USB port to indicate lvl of battery life (only seen when plugged into the USB on the PC)

I plugged the unit in around 10:30am and it was charged by noon, (2 hour charge time recommended) . I quickly reasembled the pen since it easily screws back together and put it into record mode by pressing down on the clasp, I recorded about 2 minutes worth of audio and plugged it into the PC.

The pen quickly installed the drivers needed to download the file, after that I had to restart my computer (windows XP) as prompted so that the drivers would work correctly. After rebooting I plugged the pen back in and it worked like a charm and brought up my sub folder to access the media files. It was simple to navigate the folder cause there is only one total folder within the pen. I clicked on my audio file eager to hear how it sounded, like a kid in a candy store I clicked it and what do you know, it got an error……unable to play the file etc, etc, etc…… You’re probably thinking oh god Windows media player fails again! But I actually don’t use windows media player as my default audio/video player I use  VLC because it has a more stable codec ( apparently not that stable) for the video files that we play here on a day to day basis, so I just prompted the file to play in Windows media player and it worked like a charm.

Sometimes with audio pens they can sound muffled depending on where the microphone is placed on the pens body, I was very happy with what I heard a nice crisp sounding audio of me talking on the phone with another store manager for 2 minutes, I had the pen lying on the counter to my right about 5 feet away and was pleased to hear how well it picked me up.

The pen itself is a very snazzy looking pen, black through the body with silver a trim. Its a larger pen kinda similar to this MontBlanc pen.

I don’t have many complaints about the unit except that it only has a 6 hour battery life while the older style audio pen has a 12 hour, I really like that its MP3 , no more downloading software to your pc. Unfortunately it says that it only works with up to Windows Vista and that’s disappointing if true, we will have to test it on one of our window 7 machines and see if their is any truth to what the manual says.

I would have to say overall if your looking for a very easy covert audio pen to use the one-touch voice recorder would get my vote of confidence, with its super simple design to activate recording to its short recharge time and easy download capabilities you will be confident that you will get the recordings you needed that day.

SCS4