Thinking about going desktop

RecordingU

n3wb
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I have a GW Security IP CCTV system. In the past I've had other brands, and IMO all the DVR and NVR boxes suck. They have terrible playback, motion detection, setup and UI. I've read a few threads on the desktop vs NVR box subject, but I'm hoping to get some direct answers.

I have a dedicated desktop (Win10, i7, 16GB, HD7850, Corsair 900w), POE switch, and 4 cameras (1080p, onvif, IP). So I think those can all work together and I don't mind leaving the computer on all the time. It's ultra reliable and has a battery backup.

Now the down side. I am not an IT person, networking is not high in my skills list but I do know a handful of terms and I've already run lines to the locations and put ends on them. Also, since this is my first attempt (or even request for information) with desktop NVR I know I will miss a lot of obvious points.

So questions:
1) What is the software called that I would need? I know there are brands out there but I don't even know how to search properly for the software.
2) I was planning to use one HDD per camera. Is that difficult to setup? WD purple the way to go?
3) If they come out with good 4K video cameras would those be possible to add?
4) Is there anything I'm overlooking?

Of course there is price to all this vs the cost of an NVR box system. But I'm very skeptical of the package systems; it just seems like they do a little R&D for the components then have someone spend minutes writing the software and setup procedure. These things are unlike any other consumer product I own. They just look and feel so cheap and generic, from having very little branding on items to software that looks like it could be 12 years old. So if I can move on from them I'd be good with that.
 

fenderman

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Remove video card...
Milestone is free up to 8 cams...
Blue iris is 60..Plus 10 for mobile app...
Both can use Intel HD with quicksync for hardware acceleration
 

essjay

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Speaking from experience I'd not run your PC dual purpose. I have something similar - i7 4790, 32GB RAM. The short is yes it works but i find that it hogs (or I think it does) the Ethernet connection - something is hogging the Ethernet, the cameras/Blue Iris, VirtualBox with a single Windows 7 VM for torrents & VPN or it's Windows 10 itself, not sure.

Anyway, I find after a little while that if I need to use the PC to do any work, I seem to have something ridiculous like a 1MB connection to the network and Internet (have a 100MB fibre line). Downloading is really painful, loading website etc. So even though the machine can handle it, I'm looking for an alternative dedicated device for the cameras (6), either a PC or NVR.
 

fenderman

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Speaking from experience I'd not run your PC dual purpose. I have something similar - i7 4790, 32GB RAM. The short is yes it works but i find that it hogs (or I think it does) the Ethernet connection - something is hogging the Ethernet, the cameras/Blue Iris, VirtualBox with a single Windows 7 VM for torrents & VPN or it's Windows 10 itself, not sure.

Anyway, I find after a little while that if I need to use the PC to do any work, I seem to have something ridiculous like a 1MB connection to the network and Internet (have a 100MB fibre line). Downloading is really painful, loading website etc. So even though the machine can handle it, I'm looking for an alternative dedicated device for the cameras (6), either a PC or NVR.
No way cams saturate gigabit Ethernet..You are doing something wrong
 

essjay

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No way cams saturate gigabit Ethernet..You are doing something wrong
I agree, they shouldn't be. Something is and slowing down over time. No idea what it is but I'd prefer to move BI to another machine (or an NVR as it's smaller). Forgot I also have Plex server on that machine so there's another contender (and all my rips are lossless Blu-ray and not transcoding if possible.....).
 

RecordingU

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Remove video card...
Milestone is free up to 8 cams...
Blue iris is 60..Plus 10 for mobile app...
Both can use Intel HD with quicksync for hardware acceleration
Well that's handy.

So if I have the computer, software, POE, router, and cameras, what's next? I suppose there would be tutorials on the software designers website. Which one is the best for setup, record, playback (not remote access/playback)?

I'm hoping to achieve better playback. Can each camera be setup to record to a designated HDD? Or am I better off using 1 HDD and copying the files to another HDD for playback? Purple drives?

Can the motion detection be triggered by a sensor other than the motion detection in the software? Like on my NVR box there are inputs and outputs for alarm triggers.

Thank you guys for the advice.
 

looney2ns

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Download the trial version of Blue Iris, free for 15 days. There is a detailed help file included in the program.
BI will do everything you are asking. But, it's not a 15 minute learning curve, it takes time. Read the help file, then read it again.
Read the posts in the Blue Iris subject area of this forum.
No reason to be copying files back and forth to different HD's. Or HD's for each cam.
Don't over complicate it until you get your feet wet.
Get the biggest WD Purple drive you can afford.
 
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