Advantages of a NVR Vs. Blue Iris and a PC?

[looney2ns]

Bumping and old thread. Other than the cost of the NVR (which seems almost free with some of the bundled systems when compared to buying everything separately) is there any disadvantage to running BI and an NVR. There are a few reasons I'm considering this.

1. I think my pc is lacking for the cameras I want to use. I'm running 3 4k cameras and BI is running about 60% cpu usage (after optimization)
I don't want the expense of building another PC right now, and I am planning on adding more cameras. I'm running an HP I5 4570 with 16gb ram. and 1TB SSD. My thoughts are not to plan on monitoring all my cameras with BI until I can upgrade my PC

2. I have not found a good solution for viewing my cameras on the television. I think an NVR might work well for this.

3. An NVR would be another backup of my recordings, and would be easier to hide. It would also reside in a completely different part of the house,
therefore increasing the odds of still having my recordings should someone steal my BI computer.

4. Assuming I could use the NVR as a POE switch it would simplify some of my wiring back to my main router / poe switch (not sure it works this way.
would the rest of the network see what's connected to the POE ports on the NVR?. I would think so)

TIA

Study here. Wiki

 

[Optimus Prime]

Does anyone run an NVR for headache feee 24/7 recording, and use Blue Iris as a way to play with their toys? Any reason two devices on the network cannot record the same streams?

Do the cameras broadcast a single stream over the network that can be seen by multiple devices? Or does each viewing device access its own stream, hence initiating 3 streams if 3 devices view the same camera?

 

[fenderman]

Does anyone run an NVR for headache feee 24/7 recording, and use Blue Iris as a way to play with their toys? Any reason two devices on the network cannot record the same streams?

Do the cameras broadcast a single stream over the network that can be seen by multiple devices? Or does each viewing device access its own stream, hence initiating 3 streams if 3 devices view the same camera?

Blue iris is just as "headache free" as any NVR. I have over 20 instances of BI that just work. There are folks that have issues with BI (99 percent of it us user error or installing updates the second the get released) just as there are folks that have issues with NVR's - just see the many posts with NVR related problems.
You can record to an NVR and Blue iris at once. BI can pull for the camera or from the NVR. Its always best to get the stream from the camera. As far as sending a single stream, see the muticast feature in your camera.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Thanks. I wasn’t knocking BI nor DVRs, I use both. But was asking about people’s behaviors and how the streams were delivered.

Thank you for your feedback. I’ll look at multi-cast item.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Actually, now that I’ve thought about this for a little bit...I have BI at home, but have installed 6 NVRs for my businesses, I have found that leaving behind an NVR in situations I do not intend to manage to be better solutions. BI is better from an experienced user POV, but NVRs are easier when my constituents need to mess with them later without me.

 

[fenderman]

Actually, now that I’ve thought about this for a little bit...I have BI at home, but have installed 6 NVRs for my businesses, I have found that leaving behind an NVR in situations I do not intend to manage to be better solutions. BI is better from an experienced user POV, but NVRs are easier when my constituents need to mess with them later without me.

Just as with NVR's the inexperienced end users does not need to touch blue iris. Blue iris is set it and forget it, just like an nvr. It further allows easy remote management using something like teamviewer without needing/having direct access to the network. Video review is much quicker and smoother on the blue iris mobile app than any nvr. Someone who never touch an NVR will be just as clueless as someone who never touched blue iris.

 

[Optimus Prime]

It would be a great world if the end user didn’t need to access it...but HR disagrees

 

[fenderman]

It would be a great world if the end user didn’t need to access it...but HR disagrees

Then they will be just as confused in front of an NVR as they would be in front of BI. In fact, less confused because of the built in help file.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Nope. They are able to sit in front of it and review/pull files as needed.

 

[fenderman]

Nope. They are able to sit in front of it and review/pull files as needed.

You cant just sit in front of an NVR and review clips. You have to know what to click on first. This must be tought. You can teach that same person to click on a clip in the timeline on the server or Ui3. Using the more items view you can more easily find clips you are looking for. The timeline can be scrubbed quickly and easily.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Yes. But the NVR typically is less daunting and needs less teaching.

 

[fenderman]

Yes. But the NVR typically is less daunting and needs less teaching.

There are actually more steps required on the NVR. NVR is also more clumsy if you want to export a particular portion of a clip.

 

[Optimus Prime]

Maybe...but they seem to intuitively figure it out...

 

[fenderman]

Maybe...but they seem to intuitively figure it out...

lol anyone who can "intuitively figure out" an nvr can do the same with blue iris. The most computer illiterates have no issues exporting a clip.