Even if you have a fancy camera that only operates when the sensors go off, you still need storage to record as much as you can when the cameras turn on. That way, even if the camera and the whole system is stolen, the recording will still be online.
Ultimately, the decision comes down to what you are planning to use the security system for. Krista Bruton is a DFW based writer who covers smart home security and consumer protection.
Receive a call from one of our experienced security consultants at a convenient time for you. Utilize your DVR in your security system. Pros and cons The great thing about DVR surveillance camera systems is that your footage is secure as long as the physical DVR is secure , and they can record high quality videos. Schedule a Call DVRs advertise anywhere from hour to over hour recording capabilities. It's worth noting that these units can record programs at varying levels of quality -- and the advertised capacity usually refers to the number of hours it can hold at the lowest quality setting.
A hour TiVo unit can hold 40 hours at the basic quality level, but only about 11 hours at the best setting. The hard drive in a hour TiVo is approximately 40 gigabytes in size; on the basic setting, one hour translates to 1 gigabyte, while at the highest setting one hour uses 4 gigabytes. So what's the difference? If you've ever seen full-motion video on the Web, you know how images can get blocky and distorted.
This happens on DVR recordings made at low quality levels, particularly if there is a lot of movement in the image. As a result, different quality settings are good for different types of programs: while an old black-and-white movie or a talk show will look just fine at the basic level, a fast-moving sports program or action movie will be almost unwatchable.
So bear this in mind if you're thinking of buying a DVR primarily to support your sports habit -- better to go for the higher capacity unit. In Sony's Giga Pocket system, the files for each recorded program are stored on the computer's normal hard disk.
If you have a drive with 60 free gigabytes of space, then Giga Pocket can use those 60 gigabytes to store TV programs. The amount of space that a program consumes on the hard disk depends on both the length of the program and the recording quality. Giga Pocket offers three quality modes:.
In other words, you can store about hours of video on 60 gigabytes of space in LP mode. In SP mode, you can store about 36 hours. In HQ mode, you can store about 18 hours. In terms of quality , LP mode has a noticeable grain to it, but it's watchable.
SP mode looks good. HQ mode seems like overkill -- there's not a noticeable difference between SP and HQ when you are watching a program recorded from cable. Perhaps if you were recording an s-video signal coming in from a DVD player or camcorder and you wanted to preserve all the detail, HQ mode would be useful.
Just like on a computer hard drive, deleting a program from a DVR doesn't actually delete the program itself -- it simply erases the file system's reference to where it's stored and how long it is, making it effectively gone. The raw program data remains on the drive until it is overwritten by a new recording. There are variations, but most companies offer choices, including extra units for TVs in multiple rooms, different amounts of storage space, and other add-on features that enhance your DVR adventure.
You can even create a Season Pass. Setting up a Season Pass for a show means every episode will be recorded from now on. Recording to a VHS tape was limited to available space on the inserted tape. When space ran out, you had to switch tapes or record over programs that were previously recorded.
The beauty of DVRs is they come with hard drives. And many of them are capable of having expanded storage. For example, a user can use the remote to search through the guide's program listings for the current week and select the shows he would like to record. Since TiVo is a standalone box, it does not require cable or satellite TV. While TiVo users who buy their own TiVo boxes may avoid the monthly rental fees, they must pay a monthly fee for program listings if they want to schedule recordings.
DVRs conveniently save shows in an list that the user can access at any time. Since the shows are stored on DVR's hard drive, there is no need to rewind or fast forward to play a certain show, like a VCR requires.
While DVRs make it even easier to record your favorite shows every week or even every day, it also makes it easier to watch more TV.
And an excuse to watch more TV is something most of us don't need.
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