DVR Security
While most people have a monitor to view the different feeds from their surveillance cameras, some also opt to install a DVR device so that they can record the information transmitted for reference at a later date. The best, and most cost effective way of doing this is to make yet another use of your pc, and that is by installing a DVR capture card.
This device will allow you to archive all the camera footage onto your computer. You may even decide to purchase an external hard drive just to keep the data on. Some owners prefer this method, and don’t worry about a monitor at all – they prefer to use their PC.
If you are thinking of buying a DVR card, make sure you get a good one. This doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the most expensive, but it should provide you with a good recording time, good quality images and be free from other characteristics of lower quality cards such as skipping frames etc. Here are some tips as to what to look for:
Check the frame rate or capture rate of your card – this is an indicator of how smooth the video will play back. Go for at least the standard television rate (30 frames per second), and make sure it is per channel. This will ensure you have the best picture quality.
Have a look at the compression (this might be referred to as the ‘Codec’) – all cards compress the images they receive so that they can store as much information as possible for the available memory. Don’t worry – this doesn’t mean the images will be bad. Your DVD plays movies that are compressed, but you wouldn’t know it, would you? Look for MPEG4 compression – this is as the same as used in conventional DVDs. Be careful it’s not MJPEG – this is an inferior format, and can also take up much more space on your computer.
Look at the software – each card should come with it’s own software, but some might require a further piece to deal with the different feeds. You can get software that allows time lapse, for example (taking 1 frame every second or two, depending on your situation). This allows you to get more footage on your disk than recording everything in real time. There are many solutions available, and a good idea is to check with your alarm supplier first, because they might be able to recommend one for you and often have favourable deals with the software manufacturers.
As I hoe you have seen there are a variety of DVR recorders for most budgets. For most people, the best answer is to buy the one that offers you the most features outlined above for the price you can afford.