Swann NVR-8580 as POE Switch Only

[joneda1]

I have an 8-camera setup with Swann cameras and an NVR-8580. I would like to move over to Blue Iris. I was thinking of just disabling recording in the NVR-8580 and using it basically as a POE switch which would also have the ability to change settings on the Swann cameras if needed. All cameras would then just be RTSP to the Blue Iris PC. It saves me buying a POE switch and keeps the configuration ability for the cameras.

Questions:

• Has anybody actually done this successfully?
• Does the NVR-8580 have the bandwidth internally and out the main network port to support 8 * Swann cameras (2592*1944 pixels mainstream, 3072kbps, and 640*480 substream, 256kbps)? Actually, it's 7 cameras now as one died recently. I'm reasonably confident of this as I can display 7 Mainstream images on my PC via the web interface or Homesafe View.
• Will the NVR-8580 work properly (no recording of course) with the HDD removed? This is just a power-saving thing but I could use the 2TB as extra Blue Iris storage.

 

[wittaj]

The only way to know for sure is to try it. Some people have been successful pulling NVR feeds into BI, while others haven't - even the same brand/model of the consumer grade stuff like Night Owl and Swann. The NVR doesn't need the HDD as the firmware is on the board, but it may beep nonstop unless you can disable that.

BI has a free trial, so download and give it a shot. You can pull the video feeds right from your NVR into it.

In BI, you select add camera and put the IP address of the NVR into the IP address location. Put in username and password and hit find/inspect and let BI do its thing.

Then about halfway down is a pull down for Camera number and pick camera 1 and then hit ok. The camera should show up. Then add camera and the select copy and copy this camera and then change the number 1 to a 2 and repeat for your cameras.

 

[garycrist]

I have (8) Swanns cams and 4 of Andy's cams (1) 5442, (1) 5842 (2) 4K-X on my 8580-16 and I also can see them with Andys 16 channel NVR too.
Plenty of bandwidth left on both.

 

[Mark_M]

I tried getting an RTSP feed out of a Swan recorder I had. Turns out it couldn't output any RTSP feeds. ONVIF manager classed it as Ray Sharp corporation (crap, cheap OEM company).

I have had success with my Dahua NVR getting RTSP out by the NVR as well as plugging a computer into it's switch and logging into the cameras directly.
However, some newer NVR's don't even allow another device on the switch to access one-another.

 

[TonyR]

FWIW, I've streamed from Zmodo, Night Owl and Amcrest (Dahua) NVRs to Blue Iris successfully and reliably.

 

[joneda1]

I have (8) Swanns cams and 4 of Andy's cams (1) 5442, (1) 5842 (2) 4K-X on my 8580-16 and I also can see them with Andys 16 channel NVR too.
Plenty of bandwidth left on both.

Thanks, I have tested RTSP direct to the cameras and via the NVR-8580 before so I know that part works. Bandwidth was probably my main concern and it seems that will be OK for 7 cameras.

I will try it with the HDD removed just to save on power but if it beeps then I can always put it back.

 

[TonyR]

I will try it with the HDD removed just to save on power but if it beeps then I can always put it back.

Most of the DVRs and NVRs I've powered up with no HDD will beep 2 or 3 times then stop. I also opened them up and placed a piece of electrical tape over the hole on the beeping transducer to muffle the beep somewhat.

 

[joneda1]

Thanks for all the advice, I still need to source a PC for a permanent Blue Iris setup but once I do that and get some spare time I will share the results.

 

[RWDM3]

anything results on this ? old thread, but im trying to connect same NVR to blue iris and having no luck

 

[TonyR]

anything results on this ? old thread, but im trying to connect same NVR to blue iris and having no luck

Did you try what @wittaj posted in post # 2 ? If so and no joy, try this URL below with VLC on a PC that is on the same network subnet as the NVR's LAN to help prove the URL before moving to Blue Iris.

Put in the NVR's login username and password plus its LAN IP. Be sure to use 2 "/" after "rtsp:", as the forum software won't display 2 consecutively here.

rtsp:/NVR-username:NVR-password@NVR-IP-address:554/Streaming/channels/101