Just another newbie

Thirdson

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Understood - you are worried about the security risks associated with new technology. It's actually ironic because most of us here are in a similar boat - we don't trust our cameras, don't trust port forwarding, etc etc. We find safe harbor in the configuration and control that we have over our systems and take many precautions to isolate the outside world from our servers & cameras. Some of us take even further steps to prohibit our servers from talking to the internet, other subnets, or vlans. I hope you are able to find a solution that fits your technological comfort though :)
Yes, but, there is SO much I don't understand. It's like a person who rides a bicycle, doesn't necessarily know how to ride a motorcycle. A person who can drive car, doesn't necessarily know how to drive a semi. While I have driven all those things, when it comes to technology, I'm still on a tricycle. Therefore, my technology security is limited to the very basic.
 

TonyR

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Yes, but, there is SO much I don't understand. It's like a person who rides a bicycle, doesn't necessarily know how to ride a motorcycle. A person who can drive car, doesn't necessarily know how to drive a semi. While I have driven all those things, when it comes to technology, I'm still on a tricycle. Therefore, my technology security is limited to the very basic.
But you're here, you're reading, absorbing and doing. Personally, I read some but I learn best by doing, sometimes stumping my toe sometimes but it still teaches me. YMMV :cool:
 

Thirdson

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Question:
From what I've been able to grasp, doesn't Blue Iris run on a computer? Or phone? Or could it replace the program that came with the Camius recorder? The only way I can access the cameras is via the recorder, watched on the tv.
 

Thirdson

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But you're here, you're reading, absorbing and doing. Personally, I read some but I learn best by doing, sometimes stumping my toe sometimes but it still teaches me. YMMV :cool:
Same. I've had cameras for years. Only came here when I stubbed my toe, but, eventually figured it out via youtube videos and tech support. I'm sure they are tired of me. ;)
What's YMMV?
 

TonyR

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Question:
From what I've been able to grasp, doesn't Blue Iris run on a computer? Or phone? Or could it replace the program that came with the Camius recorder? The only way I can access the cameras is via the recorder, watched on the tv.
Blue Iris ("BI") runs on a Windows PC and can handle up to 64 cameras. It will work with hundreds of different makes and models, stream in so many ways, is VERY configurable and flexible. The most value you can get for $60, IMO. It can send alerts via e-mail or text, include snapshot, send push notification to the BI app on your smartphone.

It has a built-in webserver, you do not have to have the BI app on your phone to view, just a browser.
 
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Thirdson

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Blue Iris ("BI") runs on a Windows PC and can handle up to 64 cameras. It will work with hundreds of different makes and models, stream in so many ways, is VERY configurable and flexible. The most value you can get for $60, IMO. It can send alerts via e-mail or text, include snapshot, send push notification to the BI app on your smartphone.

It has a built-in webserver, you do not have to have the BI app on your phone to view, just a browser.
Then I was correct, a program irrelevant to the way I do things, as well as incompatible with my equipment.
 

wittaj

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Then I was correct, a program irrelevant to the way I do things, as well as incompatible with my equipment.
You do realize an NVR will be a closed box system that you will have no control over making programming changes LOL. Sure it may be linux based and your preferred system, but you can't do anything with it. At least with a BI computer you can actually do things with it.

I fail to see why a BI computer would be incompatible with your equipment but an NVR would be.... they will each have an HDMI port to display your cameras since you chose to not connect either to the internet.

But hey we each have our idiosyncrasies and this is yours LOL.
 

Thirdson

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You do realize an NVR will be a closed box system that you will have no control over making programming changes LOL. Sure it may be linux based and your preferred system, but you can't do anything with it. At least with a BI computer you can actually do things with it.

I fail to see why a BI computer would be incompatible with your equipment but an NVR would be.... they will each have an HDMI port to display your cameras since you chose to not connect either to the internet.

But hey we each have our idiosyncrasies and this is yours LOL.
After several years, I've never found a need to make any changes I can't already make.

Blue Iris runs on windows, which means I not only have to pay for it, I have to buy a windows based computer, maintain and power it. Sounds like a lot of expense for something that I've historically had no need for. That is, an expensive toy for someone on disability with a very limited income. Most of the "cheap" cameras mentioned here, cost more than twice what I can afford to spend.

Most of the people here, if not all, are for more technology inclined than I am, so probably can't relate. Most of my system is analog, and it's served me well, the only reason I bought a network camera was price to zoom ratio at a specific quality of picture. The weeks I spent just trying to get that one camera to work, is why I wound up here looking for information.

So yeah, I'm the oddball of the group. ;)
 

wittaj

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After several years, I've never found a need to make any changes I can't already make.

Blue Iris runs on windows, which means I not only have to pay for it, I have to buy a windows based computer, maintain and power it. Sounds like a lot of expense for something that I've historically had no need for. That is, an expensive toy for someone on disability with a very limited income.

Most of the people here, if not all, are for more technology inclined than I am, so probably can't relate. Most of my system is analog, and it's served me well, the only reason I bought a network camera was price to zoom ratio at a specific quality of picture. The weeks I spent just trying to get that one camera to work, is why I wound up here looking for information.

So yeah, I'm the oddball of the group. ;)
That is where you are wrong LOL...

When I was looking at replacing an existing NVR, once I realized that not all NVRs are created equal (the bandwidth it can process is a huge limiting factor), and once I priced out a good one, it was cheaper to buy a refurbished computer, POE switch and BI 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 $150 or so. A real NVR will cost more than that.

And then since you don't have it connected to the internet, there are zero updates and maintaining that has to happen...

BI allows for anonymous update of performance data. People have had it running nonstop for over 1900 days, or 5 years... And I suspect that the last time it rebooted was when they manually did it...that sounds pretty maintenance friendly to me LOL.

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A member here a couple months ago found a refurbished 4th generation for less than $150USD that came with Win10 PRO, 16GB RAM, 240GB SSD and a 1TB HDD. You won't find a capable NVR cheaper than that...

Most of us have seen that the power consumption of a BI computer and switch is less or comparable to an NVR.
 

Thirdson

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I have never bought a used anything that didn't wind up costing me more in the long in the run than buying new. That's how my luck runs. Your luck may differ.

Yup, I'll stick with words, others will use random letters, and continue to be misunderstood by many. That's their prerogative. My email is ***.dr.com, I was in the AMA, what organization is that?
 

Thirdson

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Good guesses. But not yet, it's a real, very large, organization.
 

Thirdson

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I feel as if I should apologize.

While I tried to emphasize technology isn't my thing, it hates me, it never works, etc. What I really need is simple. Even the you tube videos, supposedly for beginners, is over my head for the most part. It takes repeated watches of different videos to sort out the actual basics of installation and operation. People here posting as newbies post things I don't understand.

So when it seems like all recommendations is to get more, unfamiliar, technology, when what I really need is to just figure out the basics of what I have, it leaves me with little. I have picked up a few things, but it's only by reading a LOT, to learn a little. Seems more like a battle, no matter the intentions.
 
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