NVR that doesn't suck compared to BI

[Nathan]

I'm not sure if this should be in the NVR sub or the BI sub but I figured I'd try here since we all know the benchmark. Has anyone found any NVR that is "ok enough" vs. Blue Iris? I need to new a deployment and I won't be able to deploy a windows box easily so I'm looking for an NVR that sucks the least. Ideally it would have complete IP/web setup, access and control. I don't want to have to use the local HDMI connection for anything.

I'm basically looking for something close to Blue Iris but in appliance form....Anyone have any pointers?

 

[fenderman]

I'm not sure if this should be in the NVR sub or the BI sub but I figured I'd try here since we all know the benchmark. Has anyone found any NVR that is "ok enough" vs. Blue Iris? I need to new a deployment and I won't be able to deploy a windows box easily so I'm looking for an NVR that sucks the least. Ideally it would have complete IP/web setup, access and control. I don't want to have to use the local HDMI connection for anything.

I'm basically looking for something close to Blue Iris but in appliance form....Anyone have any pointers?

it does not exist, some vms manufactures sell their software already installed on a box, but that is essentially an expensive pc...a windows box is easier to deploy in every way than an NVR.

 

[Nathan]

Yea, all of them seem rather disappointing compared to BI. That being said, I'm going to give the Synology NVR1218 a go as it looks like it may be closest to what I am looking for.

 

[Nathan Strong]

I help a local contractor setup and install LT Security NVRs. As far as I can tell, they just relabel Hikvision NVRs -- but they do work, they have a mobile app (iVMS-4500) that works pretty well. I prefer Blue Iris for sure, but if I didn't know Blue Iris existed, the Hikvision NVRs would be a candidate. I've tried the Synology NVR approach, but you have to pay a per camera license, so it gets pricey going that route, and the setup isn't quite as seamless and easy as the Hikvision with Hikvision cameras.

 

[Philip Gonzales]

Yea, all of them seem rather disappointing compared to BI. That being said, I'm going to give the Synology NVR1218 a go as it looks like it may be closest to what I am looking for.

Why not just go the PC route? What's the reason that a pc cannot be used? I wouldn't want to use anything else except Blue Iris myself.

 

[Nathan]

Back to confirm that you were all correct. Synology was a terrible NVR. Very slow interfaces, extremely limited with its abilities. It has been ripped out and replaced with BlueIris.

 

[slodat]

I’m new to this stuff. I bought the new 4k Hikvision NVR. If I weren’t a guy that gets deep in details and wants things as dialed in as possible, I’d love the Hikvision. I don’t love it. I can’t do a few things that absolutely should be options - disable events on indoor cameras when occupied for example. So, I believe the NVR is going back to amazon. That said BI will cost me quite a bit, dare I say double, what the NVR cost ($450 w/o drives).

 

[fenderman]

I’m new to this stuff. I bought the new 4k Hikvision NVR. If I weren’t a guy that gets deep in details and wants things as dialed in as possible, I’d love the Hikvision. I don’t love it. I can’t do a few things that absolutely should be options - disable events on indoor cameras when occupied for example. So, I believe the NVR is going back to amazon. That said BI will cost me quite a bit, dare I say double, what the NVR cost ($450 w/o drives).

no..depending on your setup, it will cost 200-600 or so...often it costs virtually the same to setup a bi system.

 

[Philip Gonzales]

@CJ555

 

[CJ555]

After paying $265 for the NVR and $240 for 2 HDD's I'd have to agree it is more cost effective to go BI. I am sure I will eventually regret going the NVR route,...but for now I think I can live without all the extra benefits of BI. More optionsisn't really an option for me with my limited (lack of) skills!

 

[fenderman]

After paying $265 for the NVR and $240 for 2 HDD's I'd have to agree it is more cost effective to go BI. I am sure I will eventually regret going the NVR route,...but for now I think I can live without all the extra benefits of BI. More optionsisn't really an option for me with my limited (lack of) skills!

that is my point, its EASIER with BI not harder..the notion that its harder is completely false...

 

[Nathan]

For anyone technical or that already knows the taste of BI...I think they will be disappointed by any NVR appliance. If anyone cares to point us at an NVR that counters this, I’d love to hear it.

 

[CJ555]

Man you guys got me thinking twice again!!!!

 

[mat200]

Man you guys got me thinking twice again!!!!

Hi CJ,

Don't worry so much, when you have more time you can search for a good used newer i5/i7 PC which still have a valid windows OS license for a BI install, and set it up so that you record to both the NVR and Blue Iris. This will give you even more opportunities to protect yourself against someone breaking into your place and taking your video evidence.

Remember it does not have to be a question of one or the other, the answer can be both down the road.

 

[CCTVCam]

no..depending on your setup, it will cost 200-600 or so...often it costs virtually the same to setup a bi system.

Is that using an existing pc?

I'm looking at all options atm, but so far as I can see to build a dedicated pc for blue iris, I'm approaching £1.3K using the BI recommended specs:

Cheapest i7: 7800X £250
Cheapest 2066 Motherboard to match i7: Asus Tuf @ £200
Team Group Vulcan DDR4 8gb £80
Lian Li A55B Aluminium Case (to avoid rust in loft / under floor - little point putting it where it can be stolen!) £90
Silverstone SFXL 500W PSU - £81
TP Link Network Adapter £10
Samsung Polaris m.2 pci 120GB SSD as system drive £80
WD Purple 6TB Hard Drive as recording drive £180
Geforce 1050Ti Graphics as low to mid range Nvidia graphics solution £150
Windows 10 Home £90

I make that £1,211 plus shipping assuming I haven't overlooked anything.

Surely the other issue with a PC based build is the several hundred watts of running costs compared to a few watts from a NVR. Not significant for a business but expensive for a home user.

I've no doubt BI is the dogs compared to an NVR, but it seems when I price things, that it's a very expensive way to go.

I too would like to know therefore if there's any decent NVR's out there given the cost of going the pc route. Would love BI, but it seems very difficult to justify unless you have deep pockets.

 

[fenderman]

Is that using an existing pc?

I'm looking at all options atm, but so far as I can see to build a dedicated pc for blue iris, I'm approaching £1.3K using the BI recommended specs:

Cheapest i7: 7800X £250
Cheapest 2066 Motherboard to match i7: Asus Tuf @ £200
Team Group Vulcan DDR4 8gb £80
Lian Li A55B Aluminium Case (to avoid rust in loft / under floor - little point putting it where it can be stolen!) £90
Silverstone SFXL 500W PSU - £81
TP Link Network Adapter £10
Samsung Polaris m.2 pci 120GB SSD as system drive £80
WD Purple 6TB Hard Drive as recording drive £180
Geforce 1050Ti Graphics as low to mid range Nvidia graphics solution £150
Windows 10 Home £90

I make that £1,211 plus shipping assuming I haven't overlooked anything.

Surely the other issue with a PC based build is the several hundred watts of running costs compared to a few watts from a NVR. Not significant for a business but expensive for a home user.

I've no doubt BI is the dogs compared to an NVR, but it seems when I price things, that it's a very expensive way to go.

I too would like to know therefore if there's any decent NVR's out there given the cost of going the pc route. Would love BI, but it seems very difficult to justify unless you have deep pockets.

It's buying a PC via the Dell outlet or eBay...or even Amazon/newegg when on sale. Building a pc is for suckers. you DONT want a graphics card with blue iris...you WANT to use intel HD for hardware acceleration.. you likely dont need an i7...99 percent of systems run on modern i5's with tons of headroom to spare. I am typing this on an hp elitedesk tower, i7-6700, 256gb ssd 8gb memory, that I paid 400 dollars for via ebay...lots of threads discussing this...once you use something like blue iris its hard to justify spending any money on a standalone unit..
PC's DO NOT use "several hundred" watts...there are many power consumption threads...you are looking at 25-60...power supply ratings are NOT consumption ratings...
you DONT want an X series processor that does not have intel hd...
you can start with this on the low end HP EliteDesk 800 G1 500GB Intel Core i5 4th Gen 3.20GHz 8GB Win 10 Pro | eBay

or move up to this on the higher end HP ProDesk 400 G3 SFF PC i7-6700 Quad 3.4GHz 8GB 500GB W10Pro 814173R-999-F74M | eBay
even after adding an ssd its nowhere near 1300....
desktop pc's are never stolen...you can lock them down if you wish...or record to nas has a backup..