Matt Garman wrote: > On Fri, Jan 31, 2014 at 11:00 AM, <m.roth at 5-cent.us> wrote: >> I think you misunderstood me. I'm not looking for IP cameras - we'll be >> getting cameras that plug into a surveillance DVR appliance. It's the >> ->DVR's<- firmware software will do the recording and picture taking. >> What we need is to be able to d/l *from* the DVR to a server, where we can >> store it. We don't even need fancy cameras - we're currently using 10 or >> so yr old, USB 1 or 1.1 webcams, and the standard package named motion, >> which works fine... when it works. When the drivers have bugs creep in, >> that's what's pushed my manager to ask me to look this up. > > Your original email said, "my manager's asked me to go looking again > for a video surveillance appliance: basically, a motion-detecting DVR > and cameras". I interpreted that as you need a full on DVR suite, > from the camera(s) to the DVR, to the management interface. > Re-reading your original email, I don't think my interpretation was > wrong. > > Now it sounds like the camera part of your solution is already in > place: you're using USB webcams, right? And that part of the solution > will remain unchanged? Mostly likely it *will*. I think we expect to get a surveillance appliance - a DVR with firmware, and cameras as part of the package. The ancient USB cheapie webcams will go. > > That said, I believe my previous email still has some useful > information for you. As I said, I have a Speco D4RS: this is an > off-the-shelf DVR appliance (that actually advertises the fact that it > runs Linux under-the-hood). In the general sense, it supports the Most of them do. On the other hand, where do you see it using that? I've got to Speco's unpleasant website, and managed to find a spec sheet, which does *not* mention what the firmware is, while Zmodo and R-Tech and others do. I do like the gigabit NIC on it. I don't see it as a package, with four videocams, and the cheapest I see it is $322+; newegg wants over $500 for it, and that's pushing the envelope, esp. when we need several, and there's no cameras in the package. I may just call them to get details - I need to do that for several other OEMs. > features you need: download videos to your server (or cloud or > whatever), and manage the videos on the DVR itself. But it falls > short for you in that it expects analog camera inputs, and is mostly > Windows-centric. But given that ZoneMinder is attempting to "compete" > with these types of DVR appliances, I would be surprised if it didn't > support all the same features as my Speco, but on an open platform, > and with many more input options (USB, IP, DVB/V4L capture card, etc). > In other words, assuming ZoneMinder supports the features you need, > another option for you is to "roll your own" DVR appliance with > commodity PC hardware. Btw, also, motion is not, AFAIK, zoneminder. mark