Hello! After spending a few days reading through some threads, it is time that I post about my project. I am in charge of putting together an IP-based surveillance system to replace a low-resolution, 16-camera analog system. We will for sure be doing 18 cameras, but I cannot imagine doing more than, say, 25 (and even so, that would be down the road). It will be to monitor the interior and exterior of a 100,000 SF commercial facility, and we plan on using network switches to localize wiring rather than running, say, twelve 250' lengths of cable.
Should I purchase an all-in-one system from Q-See / Amcrest / Swann / etc., or should I go the custom route using Blue Iris or similar? Would putting together a custom system result in better quality images? Would there be any disadvantage as far as network bandwidth is concerned to doing a custom system over an all-in-one package? My boss is concerned about network bandwidth (I am not so much) and especially the image quality. Furthermore, the Honeywell DVR system we currently have has an app that hardly works at all, a computer program for remote viewing that simply does not work, and it sounds like most all-in-one systems these days have similar problems because they're cheap.
Though I did not build these systems, we have three childcare centers that use Blue Iris on dedicated Windows servers to deliver images (1 sec refresh rate) from Axis cameras to parents so they can see their children, and it works VERY well and NEVER goes down! The only problem is pushing the images out through the internet because an upload pipe over copper is typically only around 3 - 5 MB. So I KNOW Blue Iris works well! But will it work even better over a local network? Will it work well with 20 cameras with HD video? Is it common to have that many threads of HD video, or do most systems do something like, say, 10 fps? From what I have read, it sounds like 1) I will have to spend $800 or more on a computer, and 2) that $800 computer may not even work very well with 20 cameras.
I am also wondering about the direct-to-disk feature. Does using direct-to-disk in Blue Iris mean that we can't downsize the video or change its framerate? Or does using that mode just prevent detection features?
Are there other, similar software packages I should consider other than Blue Iris? I also looked into Synology (we have a brand new 2-bay system), but it sounds like that can get expensive due to licensing. Originally, when I started looking into an IP-based system, I thought Ubiquiti was the coolest thing, but their cameras are expensive, so I axed that idea quickly.
Thanks in advance for the help!
Should I purchase an all-in-one system from Q-See / Amcrest / Swann / etc., or should I go the custom route using Blue Iris or similar? Would putting together a custom system result in better quality images? Would there be any disadvantage as far as network bandwidth is concerned to doing a custom system over an all-in-one package? My boss is concerned about network bandwidth (I am not so much) and especially the image quality. Furthermore, the Honeywell DVR system we currently have has an app that hardly works at all, a computer program for remote viewing that simply does not work, and it sounds like most all-in-one systems these days have similar problems because they're cheap.
Though I did not build these systems, we have three childcare centers that use Blue Iris on dedicated Windows servers to deliver images (1 sec refresh rate) from Axis cameras to parents so they can see their children, and it works VERY well and NEVER goes down! The only problem is pushing the images out through the internet because an upload pipe over copper is typically only around 3 - 5 MB. So I KNOW Blue Iris works well! But will it work even better over a local network? Will it work well with 20 cameras with HD video? Is it common to have that many threads of HD video, or do most systems do something like, say, 10 fps? From what I have read, it sounds like 1) I will have to spend $800 or more on a computer, and 2) that $800 computer may not even work very well with 20 cameras.
I am also wondering about the direct-to-disk feature. Does using direct-to-disk in Blue Iris mean that we can't downsize the video or change its framerate? Or does using that mode just prevent detection features?
Are there other, similar software packages I should consider other than Blue Iris? I also looked into Synology (we have a brand new 2-bay system), but it sounds like that can get expensive due to licensing. Originally, when I started looking into an IP-based system, I thought Ubiquiti was the coolest thing, but their cameras are expensive, so I axed that idea quickly.
Thanks in advance for the help!
