QSee vs Custom NVR with BlueIris

[happf]

Costco has a recurring deal every few weeks for the 16ch QC826 nvr with 12 4mp cameras. I currently have an old qsee analog system that has served me well for almost 7 years. The most common complaint, noise, was easily solved by taking it apart and unplugging the fans and I replaced with a larger slower moving fan.

So I started researching making my own system with a PC and software like BlueIris. I tried pricing a build my own system and just can't match the qsee price. Seems a custom system will run a few hundred extra, but I'm willing to spend that if the blue iris software is really that much better. I hated the QSee interface, search videos, etc. Another thing is I just don't want a custom build to turn into a "tinkering" project where I have to keep spending time with it every so often to keep it running.

My current camera dvr is tucked away in a remote spot in the house, and my primary interface is an open browser on one of my monitors in my office. I would put the qsee nvr or custom pc in the same spot and continue to use a browser in my office.

The part with a custom build that's got me confused are the PC requirements. It seems like if I want to run 12 cameras, I'm going to need at least an i7 processor and even then, only at 15fps, and I could be averaging 20-70% usage. How is it that the specs for the QSee QC826 advertise 480fps total, 16 cameras at 4mp at 30fps, and the unit only draws 14watts? But then that 25watt poe #? Am I missing something in the specs? Is there something about their motherboards that's more nvr specific and optimized to be more efficient than a normal pc? If I do purchase the qsee, will I be able to use the same fan trick to quiet it down?

 

[fenderman]

You are limited by the lens size and camera format of those costco systems (bullets have spider web issues, turrets much less)..furthermore those cameras will require additional lighting for low light/night situations..
This is the best value camera today Dahua Starlight Varifocal Turret (IPC-HDW5231R-Z)
Blue iris is MUCH more flexible than the standalone NVR...if you run 12x1080p cameras you can use a 300 dollar i5-6500 pc or if you want an i7-6700 they are about 500..
The NVR's use the cameras motion detection and dont display the main camera stream in matrix view, they display the substream..that is how they utilize less resources...it simply dumps the files the cameras send to them...

 

[happf]

I am not so worried about the cameras included with the QSee system. I have good lighting around my house and even though I can't right now, I doubt I would spend much time zooming in/out and don't see the need in spending money for all the cameras to have that ability. I would probably just purchase 2 or 3 add'l better quality cameras for specific areas so that I could zoom them in just right and then I'd leave them. Even maybe I just buy the right camera with the correct focal length.

I realize that 1080p is going to be a huge jump in quality over my current analog system and I've also read the posts from many that say that the 4mp doesn't really improve much (especially at night) and how 2mp is enough, but then I have to wonder how many of them are saying that simply because they are just on 2 or 3mp systems. I've been watching as many 2 vs 3 vs 4mp videos as I can find on YouTube and I can clearly see the 4mp is clearer when there is text or logos. Having been robbed once already and just not having good enough quality analog video to zoom in on his face has me feeling that I really need to make sure for at least 6 of the cameras, I should go 4mp. But then why not all of them if I'm not worried about night lighting. If possible, I'd even mount a camera down by the road if there is any way to start logging license plates.

And so my dilema, it seems (on paper) like a package qsee system can give me 16 4mp 30fps cameras right out of the box without fiddling with it, but I don't see how to build that myself with a pc without possibly ending up cornered troubleshooting settings, etc with a pc stuck at 100% eating up 100watts 24/7 and only for 15fps. My understanding with blueiris is if there is no motion recording activated, the pc will just stream the cameras right to disk and cpu usage should be nill, but that if I want any concept of motion tracking, even recording 24/7 and stamping the long videos where there was motion, that that analysis is what kills cpu usage as blueiris analyzes the stream for motion.

If the NVRs rely on camera motion detection, is that something I can setup via blue iris (or worse each camera directly) so that the cameras stream 24/7 so that my browser to the blueiris pc is always showing me live video, but then somehow the blueiris pc also only saves the motion the camera detected without it needing to analyze the stream again? Is this what you mean by main and sub streams?

Can an i7 6700k handle 16 4mp at 30fps without needing to OC it? Assume movement 20% of the time? And what would the cpu usage be like? If I do buy one of those often mentioned dell optiplex etc, how loud are they? If loud, can I replace the stock cpu cooler with a noctua or similar (I build all my own pcs).

Thanks for the help!

 

[fenderman]

The varifocal is not for zooming in..its a one time setup...this allows you to capture an optimal view allowing each pixel to be effectively used and not wasted. The cameras further offer SD card storage (great as backup) and audio.
Dont use youtube videos as comparison...you dont know the settings used. Best case scenario a 4mp cameras address about 30 percent more pixel density over a 1080p...if say you zoom in to 5mm vs 4 or 9 vs 6 on a fixed camera, the 1080 can actually have a higher pixel density. The night and low light image on these startlight cameras are orders of magnitude above the 4mp in the kit. Dont forget about spiders...the bullets will drive you crazy with false motion alerts as well as an obstructed image. You likely do not have sufficient lighting to make up the difference between the cams.

As far as fps, you dont need 30fps, its a complete waste. Also not that the qsee 4mp CANNOT do 30fps at 4mp, only 20. 15 is way more than you will ever need. This is basic 101 stuff.
A blue iris pc does not consume 100 watts you have your numbers all wrong. Generally 30-50w depending on load. It will not peg at 100 percent if setup properly, most of my sytems are at 20-30 percent.
Blue iris CAN do motion detection using direct to disc recording. All you lose is the overlay (just use the cameras, that is how the NVR gets its overlay)...
Blue iris can use the cameras motion but you wont save much cpu cycles...blue iris analyizes the video even using direct to disk...the blue iris motion detection is MUCH better and much more customizable than the cameras which is practically useless for alerts since you will be getting lots of false alerts from the cams.
An i7-6700 can easily handle that load, but your cameras dont support 30fps...also dont get the 4mp...the sytems are whisper quiet and cannot be heard. Dont by a system with discrete graphics..use intel hd for hardware acceleration.
High frame rates and high megapixel numbers are the two biggest mistakes newbies make.

 

[looney2ns]

Also note, that any spec sheet I've read for an NVR almost always list's the wattage used, with no HD installed, and no camera's attached.

 

[jasauders]

FYI, I run my cameras at 10 FPS full time recording. Even that has its times where I question if it's "too much", but I leave it as such because I like a blend of fluid playback + not annihilating my disk space, as 30 FPS would. It does the job quite well.