#Pelco
Entry Level class DVR.
Review of budget digital video recorders is a difficult topic due to the ambiguity of their classification. Thus, in the Russian CCTV market, spoiled by models from Southeast Asia, the term «budget DVR» is consistently associated with recorders costing up to 00. Every year this bar is lowered, but the principle of distributors remains the same: to find the cheapest working model.
In the Western market, not only the price determines the class of the device. Due to the need to conduct a civilized market policy — providing technical support, fulfilling warranty obligations, organizing a warehouse, promoting the brand, etc. — manufacturers incur additional costs. It is almost impossible to compete on price with Chinese companies.
The term «budget DVR» is extremely rare on the Western market. There is a concept of Entry Level DVR. Most manufacturers mean by this term a device whose functionality is limited in order to optimize the price. Optimization, but not reduction to the detriment of quality.
The price of a device from Western manufacturers is more closely related to the functionality of the DVR than to its multimedia characteristics (in particular, the ratio of recording speed and resolution). Systematicity and scalability are much more expensive than increasing the number of digitalization/compression chips. The situation is the opposite for most Asian manufacturers. Devices can be functionally equivalent and differ only in multimedia characteristics, but be positioned in different classes with a large difference in price.
A similar value system has existed in the Russian digital systems market until recently. However, the situation has been changing recently, demonstrating the development of the market similar to the Western one. Manufacturers classify their systems according to the task they must solve, regulating the functionality of the software and hardware. In turn, the consumer chooses reasonable sufficiency and trusts the name of the developer.
Thus, quite specific, characteristic features of a budget video recorder are formed. We are talking about a device oriented towards solving the problems of ensuring the safety of small autonomous objects: shops, cafes, pharmacies, parking lots, etc. An impressive sector is occupied by private residential objects, such as cottages, houses and apartments. Consequently, a budget DVR is a device that provides recording of images from a relatively small number of video cameras (4, 8 or 9, 16 cameras). Indeed, a recorder designed to work in a system of 20 or more cameras must have a number of characteristic system functions, which affects the hardware redundancy and the complexity of the software, and, consequently, the final cost.
In addition to recording video signals, budget models provide recording of 2-4 signals from audio sources. For a small system, this is more than enough, while the manufacturer uses the capabilities of video data digitization/compression processors, which does not fundamentally affect the increase in the cost of the recorder. The most common compression algorithms are M-JPEG and MPEG4. The latter is more effective and allows you to increase the duration of recording on a hard drive, but the cost of a video recorder using the MPEG4 algorithm is slightly higher due to a more expensive element base.
Budget DVRs have a relatively small amount of disk space (compared to older functional and more expensive models), based on one or two hard drives installed inside the device case. On the other hand, the devices also have more modest recording speed characteristics, which allows you to organize an archive several weeks deep.
Considering the high stability of Stand Alone DVRs, their compactness, low power consumption and noise level during operation, budget DVRs are increasingly being developed with this architecture. The price advantage that Stand Alone DVRs have over PC-based DVRs is also fundamental. However, these are not the only reasons that make consumers prefer these devices.
Not only reliability and optimal price, but also simplicity of setup and management of Stand Alone DVR bribe the buyer, accustomed to intuitively understandable in use household video recording devices. Often at such facilities as a gas station, a small store or a pharmacy, there may not be a security guard position. In this case, one of the company's employees works with the security system, and his competence is not very high. In this aspect, a characteristic feature of budget models of digital Stand Alone video recorders is the ability to control and configure using the IR remote control included in the delivery. The control panel and software interface of the budget Stand Alone DVR are laconic and provide maximum convenience in programming and performing basic functions — recording, displaying, playing.
The most common models have two video outputs for connecting a monitor — the main one, for displaying the setup menu and multi-screen modes, and an additional one, for displaying alarms and image sequences from each camera. It is possible to connect external sensors and actuators.
In fact, budget Stand Alone video recorders are multiplexers with recording on a hard disk. Unlike PC-based devices, they do not have wide functionality, and can integrate with other systems only at the hardware level. However, as noted above, this is not their responsibility. There is a set of operations in demand in the area of their application, which they must perform flawlessly. We are talking about the ability to convert records into common multimedia formats for further viewing on a PC; copying data to CD/DVD or USB media; transmitting images over digital networks and organizing viewing using a standard web browser. This is where the differences in the class of devices, in the professionalism of the developer company appear, and the difference in price becomes clear. Unfortunately, the level of products of some manufacturers from Southeast Asia is directly related to the cost. Often the software is so raw that the video recorder does not even provide reliable recording, not to mention applied operations. The cost of such a device can be 0. At the same time, some well-established companies from Korea and Taiwan produce far from cheap models and often develop devices for global brands. The paradox is that these manufacturers cannot enter the Russian market due to the high cost of their products. The consumer prefers either a more expensive brand or a cheap knockoff.
What are the development directions of the budget DVR class? And are there any prospects for this development? Undoubtedly, the spread of IP technologies will lead to the transition to hybrid DVRs and budget DVRs will not be an exception. In general, the reduction in the cost of implementing a number of technologies (typical for high-end models, such as image analysis and intelligent archiving) will be the beginning of their active use in budget devices.
GE Security SymDec16Plus4 Digital Video Recorders for Recording Video from 16 Analog and 4 IP Cameras
GE Security's SymDec16Plus4 multi-channel DVRs are hybrid video recording and control devices that work with 16 analog and 4 IP surveillance cameras.
On a built-in disk with a capacity of 230 GB to 3 TB, they record video in MPEG-4 format with a resolution of up to 720×576 pixels and a speed of up to 25 fps for each of the 20 channels. To control PTZ cameras, SymDec16Plus4 are equipped with RS-232/422/485 ports, and 4 USB inputs allow you to connect a mouse and external drives. Along with video, they can record 4 audio channels and output images to monitors via BNC, VGA and DVI video outputs. For remote control, video recorders are connected to an Ethernet network with a bandwidth of up to 3 Mbps, and are equipped with SymNav or SymBrowser software and an IR remote control.
Video recorder DX-NT400E (Mitsubishi Electric, Japan)
The DX-NT400E digital video recorder records video information in the Wavelet frame-by-frame compression format at a speed of up to 25 frames per second and with a resolution of up to 720 x 288 pixels (more than 450 TVL) on two removable hard drives. The DX-NT400E recorder has a built-in motion detector and inputs for connecting security sensors. The fact that the sensors are triggered can be an additional command to turn on recording (with the possibility of pre-recording).
Working with the system settings and video archive is possible via an Ethernet connection using the DX-PC200 software product manufactured by Mitsubishi, or using Internet Explorer with the video recorder's Web server. The DX-NT400E video recorder is integrated with the TellME ATM software. This solution is a security and digital video surveillance system for an ATM with the ability to support the operator interface and control video recording according to the ATM's operating logic.
Pelco DX4000 Series Video Recorders
Pelco DX4000 series video recorders are 4, 8 and 16-channel models, functionally equivalent, but differing in multimedia characteristics and optional features. The recorders use the Linux Embedded operating system, which ensures high stability of the devices. MPEG4 is used as a compression algorithm. The devices support recording in three formats: CIF, 2CIF and 4CIF. All devices operate in triplex mode, additionally providing remote access via LAN and the Internet. Pelco offers 3 free software packages for creating a network system and additional services. Remote Control software provides multi-server access with the ability to simultaneously view images from 16 video recorders over the network. Emergency Agent software allows sending alarm messages to multiple PC clients on the network. The message is displayed over the windows of the downloaded programs. Export Viewer software provides viewing and conversion of images saved on an optical drive or external USB drive. The kit includes an IR remote control, including PTZ. The software for the recorders is in Russian.
16-channel DVR Smartec STR-1687/MPEG-4 with 25 fps per channel
The STR-1687 digital video recorder from Smartec records 16 channels of video in MPEG-4 format with a resolution of up to 704 x 576 pixels and a speed of up to 400 fps. It is equipped with a CD-RW, 8 audio inputs, 4 monitor outputs, three USB ports, alarm inputs and relay outputs, and comes with a 250 GB HDD with the ability to install up to 3 HDDs in the case.
If necessary, you can select 2CIF or D1 resolution individually for each channel. STR-1687 allows you to control PTZ cameras from the front panel and is equipped with free Russified ISNET software for full-featured viewing, video search and control of the STR-1687 over the network. ISNET supports simultaneous video output to three monitors, so you can view video from 75 video cameras at the same time.
TDVR-516Tnet Tedd Electronics (Korea)
16-channel TDVR-516Tnet, belongs to the StandAlone class and runs on Linux OS. Pentaplex, archives fragments to DVD-RW, USB Flash Drive, external hard drive connected to the USB port, or over the network. Archives video to an executable EXE file. Up to 3 HDD (or 4 HDD, if you refuse CD-RW or DWD-RW) of any capacity, and the archive size is up to 4 TB. Mirroring function of the record.
3 connectors for connecting monitors: BNC, VGA, SVHS and through BNC outputs. 8 audio inputs and 1 output. There are 16 alarm inputs and outputs for connecting sensors (NO/NC) and relay output devices. Connection of consoles and control of PTZ cameras is carried out via RS-485, the most common protocols are supported. There is an RJ-45 Ethernet connector and 3 USB ports. Recording by schedule, by motion in the detection zone, by event or alarm with a resolution of up to 4CIF, with three quality levels, a speed of up to 25 frames/sec per channel and a total speed of 400 fps for all channels. Pre-recording time is no more than 1 hour, the compression algorithm is MPEG-4. Control can be carried out using the CMS client.
Video recorder AV Tech AVC760 (Taiwan)
Video recorder AV Tech AVC760 has a device for recording in Real-time mode (25 frames per second) for each channel. This is a network recorder, and the information obtained during recording can be easily viewed on a local network or via the Internet (via a secure protocol). Compression format — MPEG-4. The video recorder has PTZ control, pre-recording function on alarm, intelligent motion detector, Russian-language menu. The possibility of integration into more complex video surveillance systems is provided.
