DVR/NVR Strategy for HD & Future IP Cameras

[mikecorr]

I need to update the security camera system at a house I recently purchased. There are two existing coax cameras with cables run in locations were I cannot reasonably run new cat V cable. So I will be stuck with 2 HD cameras, but any future cameras will be IP. I checked the existing coax & power cables and they seem to be in working condition.

I was considering purchasing a Dahau X51B1E2 Pentabrid DVR, but now I'm wondering if I would be better off having conventional DVR, and then a separate NVR with integrated PoE. I do need all cameras to be visible on a common IOS app for family members to view (I assume the Dahau DSS or a third-party App will let me do this?).

Is it a reasonable strategy to have a DVR + NVR for my application, or will this be more trouble that it's worth?

 

[sebastiantombs]

You can also use converters that allow IP over coax. They are a little expensive, but you only have two cameras that would need those to work with a purely IP based NVR.

Amazon.com

Also consider that an NVR is nothing more than a low horsepower PC dedicated to recording video. You are more or less locked in to using the same brand cameras as the NVR. Using Blue Iris on a used, business class, PC does not consume any more power than an NVR and allows you to use just about any brand of camera available if it is configured properly. In either case, NVR or VMS(PC using BI or another software), neither are actually "plug and play" systems. They all need to be configured and tuned to suit your needs and your particular installation. The same is true of each camera involved. Leaving them set on "auto" is the path to failure when you need to really know what happened, especially at night.

 

[wittaj]

+1 on everything @sebastiantombs says. Those little converters work great for that hard to replace cable location.

Yep, I'd recommend you consider a Blue Iris/computer combo as an NVR. Keep in mind an NVR is simply a stripped down computer after all... And this would allow you the flexibility to mix camera brands.

You don't need to buy components and build one, or buy a new computer either.

When I was looking at replacing an existing NVR, once I realized that not all NVRs are created equal, and once I priced out a good one, it was cheaper to buy a refurbished computer than an NVR.

Many of us buy refurbished computers that are business class computers that have come off lease. The one I bought I kid you not I could not tell that it was a refurbished unit - not a speck of dust or dents or scratches on it. It appeared to me like everything was replaced and I would assume just the motherboard with the intel processor is what was from the original unit. I went with the lowest end processor on the WIKI list as it was the cheapest and it runs my system fine. Could probably get going for $200 or so. A real NVR will cost more than that.

A member here just last month found a refurbished 4th generation for less than $150USD that came with Win10 PRO, 16GB RAM, and a 1TB drive. Blue Iris has a demo, so try it out on an existing computer and see if you like it.

Blue Iris has a demo, so try it out on an existing computer and see if you like it. You can pull the cameras from the NVR right into Blue Iris by simply adding in the IP address of the NVR in the camera IP address of Blue Iris and then down about halfway is a camera # and you just select the camera number to bring in.

There is a big Blue Iris or NVR debate here LOL. Some people love Blue Iris and think NVRs are clunky and hard to use and others think Blue Iris is clunky and hard to use. I have done both and prefer Blue Iris. As with everything YMMV...

And you can disable Windows updates and set up the computer to automatically restart in a power failure, and then you have a more powerful NVR with a nice mobile viewing interface.

Blue Iris is great and works with probably more camera brands than most VMS programs, but there are brands that don't work well or not at all - Rings, Arlos, Nest, Some Zmodo cams use proprietary systems and cannot be used with Blue Iris, and for a lot of people Reolink doesn't work well either. But we would recommend staying away from those brands even if you go the NVR route with one of those brands...

 

[mikecorr]

Thanks for the feedback @sebastiantombs & @wittaj. I will look into Blue Iris (probably try out a demo first); I was not sure what hardware was required to connect the coax cameras, but perhaps with the IP over coax converters, that is not an issue.

When using the IP over coax converters, will these enable features like ptz & audio, as available on the specific IP cameras, or do you only have the coax features available?,

 

[sebastiantombs]

It gives you full control of the camera just as if you were connected with CATx cable, even supplies PoE. As close to "plug and play" as it gets in this use case.

 

[mikecorr]

That sounds like a $69 win-win to me. Will definitely give it a try. I was looking at a fixed lens for the coax, so now I can get real cameras.

 

[wittaj]

Complete control with the converter/adapter.

I tested one once with 4 cameras and a computer running off of one converter. It worked, but speed was limited to 100Mbs.

I definitely wouldn't recommend that LOL, but they are capable units.

 

[mikecorr]

Is it true that if I get an ePOE camera like this, I only need the receiver end of the converter (like this)? Sorry for the newbie questions; lots to learn.

 

[wittaj]

Is it true that if I get an ePOE camera like this, I only need the receiver end of the converter (like this)? Sorry for the newbie questions; lots to learn.

Nope the "e" just means it can operate over a longer distance - still need the converter if using BNC wiring.

 

[mikecorr]

The IP over coax converters worked great. Thanks so much the the suggestion. I can control zoom thru the browser, but not yet thru Blue Iris, so I have some configuration work to do, but this is a great start.

 

[mikecorr]

Reporting back on these IP over coax converters. They worked great for about two months - now they drop their signal regularly. I have four cameras set up on Blue Iris - 2 Dahua IP cameras (w/cat6) and 2 Dahua IP's with coax converters. The IP/cat6 cameras work consistently, but the two with converters rarely work any more. If I unplug the converters for a few minutes, then plug them back in - they will sometimes connect for an hour or so. The transmitter LED's flash like they are communicating, but there is no signal. I can no longer see the cameras with converters in the Dahua config tool.

It could be the coax cables, but it would be a coincidence that both coax cables lose connection at the same time. I will say that the converters get pretty hot - the indoor transmitters run at 105F; I don't know how hot the outdoor receivers (which are in weatherproof boxes) run and I don't even know if the signal drop out problem is temperature related.

Unless someone has other ideas, I may have to go back to plan 'A' and come up with a way to run Cat6, eliminating the converters. Before doing that, I will temporarily run some cat6 to the two converter cameras; I'll bet they will work if I do.