SmartPSS and PCNVR questions

[taprackbang]

Currently running frigate on my unraid server. I like it ok, but am always open to alternatives. I’m starting to lean towards doing just dahua cams exclusively thus making me want to look into having the cameras start doing the detection and other smart items.

So, that said I’ve found the SmartPSS and PCNVR software. Is this the most current software to have a PC based NVR? If so, do I have to use both pieces or is the SmartPSS all that’s needed? I currently have them both setup and the PCNVR connected to the SmartPSS and can see my cameras. I don’t seem to be able to have recording go to a network share. Any guidance is appreciated… just trying to make heads/tails of what all I need to setup.

 

[TonyR]

Have you considered using Blue Iris VMS?

Lots of support on IPCT, very versatile and great price. You can even try a demo for 15 days.

 

[taprackbang]

Have you considered using Blue Iris VMS?

Lots of support on IPCT, very versatile and great price. You can even try a demo for 15 days.

I own a copy of bi5. It’s ok to me and I may use it. Just looking for something light weight and easy to deal with. Whilst bi isn’t bad, the little bit of messing around with the dahua software has me liking it so far.

 

[wittaj]

You will not find PCNVR to be very light and easy to deal with LOL.

If you want PC-based, BI is the way to go.

 

[Starglow]

SmartPSS software is not a PC based NVR. It is the same as the rebranded Lorex Cloud NVR software and is meant to interface directly with the NVR for live view and playback. It does work but it's very finicky to use and often times will lose connection to the NVR during a session, especially if you let it sit idle for a bit. SmartPSS is very limited compared to Blue Iris, and you too will become frustrated with it if you use SmartPSS long enough. Unfortunately with NVR's you're stuck using whatever software the NVR manufacturer supports unlike a PC based system running Blue Iris.

 

[taprackbang]

I wish that BI had a docker container. I hate spinning up a VM just to run certain apps, but I suppose it is what it is. If I decide to go back to BI I wish I could use my google coral with BI/codeprojectAI….the last I looked I don’t believe it was functional.

 

[wittaj]

Or just consider the BI computer to be an NVR and run nothing else on it...

 

[taprackbang]

Or just consider the BI computer to be an NVR and run nothing else on it...

Don’t have any dedicated hardware for BI. But I can run it in a VM. It did fine for me a few weeks ago when I set it up.

 

[wittaj]

Sure you can, but I also find it comical to see people that are ok with an NVR as a stand alone system but not ok with a computer/BI as a stand alone system and then get all mad they can't run in a docker or VM LOL.

But yeah people have run BI in a docker or VM.

But also at the end of the day, the computer/BI combo is an NVR and can be purchased for less than an NVR, but people get all weirded out about a computer LOL. Turn off windows updates and BI updates and it is more powerful than any NVR box.

 

[Starglow]

Sure you can, but I also find it comical to see people that are ok with an NVR as a stand alone system but not ok with a computer/BI as a stand alone system and then get all mad they can't run in a docker or VM LOL.

But yeah people have run BI in a docker or VM.

But also at the end of the day, the computer/BI combo is an NVR and can be purchased for less than an NVR, but people get all weirded out about a computer LOL. Turn off windows updates and BI updates and it is more powerful than any NVR box.

I think many people start off with a combined NVR & camera package purchase just to get them started and some will progress further into purchasing better cameras and PC based NVR systems running Blue Iris, but most probably won't. My wife gets a lot of entertainment out of watching our security cameras and never in a million years would I have expected that.

 

[wittaj]

I think many people start off with a combined NVR & camera package purchase just to get them started and some will progress further into purchasing better cameras and PC based NVR systems running Blue Iris, but most probably won't. My wife gets a lot of entertainment out of watching our security cameras and never in a million years would I have expected that.

True I started out that way as well, but my comment was more of the way some people seem to think:

NVR as a stand alone device = good

Computer with BI as a stand alone device = bad

LOL

We don't check our email and surf the web on our NVR and are fine with it being a little black box sitting on a shelf somewhere, but many are hesitant about doing the same thing with a BI/computer NVR!

 

[bigredfish]

SmartPSS software is not a PC based NVR. It is the same as the rebranded Lorex Cloud NVR software and is meant to interface directly with the NVR for live view and playback. It does work but it's very finicky to use and often times will lose connection to the NVR during a session, especially if you let it sit idle for a bit. SmartPSS is very limited compared to Blue Iris, and you too will become frustrated with it if you use SmartPSS long enough. Unfortunately with NVR's you're stuck using whatever software the NVR manufacturer supports unlike a PC based system running Blue Iris.

SmartPSS has 2 components.
1- SMartPSS which is as described, a great live view/playback/download software to use with Dahua NVRs and cameras. Better at those things than the native NVR functions. I run it 12+ hours a day with little or no problems. It should not be compared to BI as its not intended as a VMS
2- PC-NVR- a lightweight VMS- Ive not used it in years, but did find it lacking in many ways.

 

[taprackbang]

SmartPSS has 2 components.
1- SMartPSS which is as described, a great live view/playback/download software to use with Dahua NVRs and cameras. Better at those things than the native NVR functions
2- PC-NVR- a lightweight VMS- Ive not used it in years, but did find it lacking in many ways.

But the SmartPSS doesn’t have any recording ability without a stand alone NVR or PCNVR, correct?

 

[bigredfish]

The PC-NVR component (not sure about newest versions but used to show as a separate option download) was supposed to act as a stand alone VMS using a PC yes.

SnmartPSS by itself does not have true record/VMS capability

 

[bigredfish]

DahuaWiki

 

[taprackbang]

DahuaWiki

Yeah, I tried pilfering through that.

 

[bigredfish]

This one may be more up to date
DahuaWiki

 

[taprackbang]

This one may be more up to date
DahuaWiki

The SmartPSS had some local storage options. That I set to my network share. But when I tried triggering a recording manual to see if it would record it gave an error.

 

[bigredfish]

I think that may be because it needs the PC-NVR component to interface with..?

Of course it can record live from a stream thats playing on SmartPSS but thats more for short clips and not meant as a true VMS function by itself

 

[taprackbang]

I think that may be because it needs the PC-NVR component to interface with..?

Of course it can record live from a stream thats playing on SmartPSS but thats more for short clips and not meant as a true VMS function by itself

Perhaps. I thought that maybe it pulled clips from the nvr for viewing or something rather than actually recording there. Or maybe I needed to setup something on the cameras themselves as well for it to work. Couldn’t find anything in the documents that gave me any hints. Not a biggie. Just thought some folks here might have some ideas. I only fooled with it all for a few minutes. It was easy to get cameras running and seemed simple and intuitive. I’m getting to where I appreciate simplicity more and more. Part of why like frigate….it just still needs a bit more development to do a few more needed things.