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Do most DVR's hand both IP & Analog cameras?

N

Ned

Jan 1, 1970
0
I'm just wondering if when a DVR says it has 4 ports, if that means
RJ45 for IP and BNC for analog cameras.

thanks
 
B

Bob La Londe

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ned said:
I'm just wondering if when a DVR says it has 4 ports, if that means
RJ45 for IP and BNC for analog cameras.

thanks

Most DVRs only have inputs for analog cameras. Then if equiped they provide
one RJ45 for IP networking to connect to them.
 
N

Ned

Jan 1, 1970
0
Most DVRs only have inputs for analog cameras.  Then if equiped they provide
one RJ45 for IP networking to connect to them.

I see. The DVR doesn't have 4 or 8 RJ45's since that is what a switch
is for.
Makes a lot of sense and I guess it keeps the cost down. Does anyone
have peference? IP or Analog?

thanks
 
D

Doug

Jan 1, 1970
0
If you have a four port DVR with a single RJ-45 then it will have four
analogue camera inputs and no IP camera inputs, the RJ-45 is to connect the
DVR to the network to allow remote viewing of the system, not to accept
inputs from IP cameras.

Doug
--

Most DVRs only have inputs for analog cameras. Then if equiped they
provide
one RJ45 for IP networking to connect to them.

I see. The DVR doesn't have 4 or 8 RJ45's since that is what a switch
is for.
Makes a lot of sense and I guess it keeps the cost down. Does anyone
have peference? IP or Analog?

thanks
 
N

Ned

Jan 1, 1970
0
Thanks for clarifying that. I guess I will to tell the seller what I
want to be sure I don't make a mistake.
 
B

Beachcomber

Jan 1, 1970
0
If you have a four port DVR with a single RJ-45 then it will have four
analogue camera inputs and no IP camera inputs, the RJ-45 is to connect the
DVR to the network to allow remote viewing of the system, not to accept
inputs from IP cameras.

In most cases, the point of using IP cameras is to simplify your
cabling requirements (category 5e is inexpensive and simple to run) at
the expense of adding some network complexity. You may need to assign
IP addresses, avoid conflicts with other devices on the network, etc.

Beachcomber
 
M

Matt Ion

Jan 1, 1970
0
Doug said:
If you have a four port DVR with a single RJ-45 then it will have four
analogue camera inputs and no IP camera inputs, the RJ-45 is to connect the
DVR to the network to allow remote viewing of the system, not to accept
inputs from IP cameras.

Erm, not entirely correct. IP cameras operate using your network, so
they use the same single RJ45 ethernet port as you'd use for remote
access. Multiple ethernet ports on the DVR are not required to connect
as many IP cameras as your software will support.

Depending on the software, any DVR with four analog inputs MAY be
capable of recording IP cameras.
 
M

Matt Ion

Jan 1, 1970
0
Roland said:
For the most part a 4 port DVR means 4 BNC type analog camera inputs. Some
really low end units might have use RJ-45 or RJ-11 connections instead of
BNC for "kit" units with their own cameras.

This is correct - IP cameras *by definition* communicate over a network
and *do not* require multiple ports on a DVR, or any camera-specific
ports, for that matter. Plug the cameras and DVR into the same network
switch, hub or router, and you're good to go. When ad copy and specs
refer to "ports" on a DVR, you can be 99.999% certain they're referring
to analog video ports, whether they be standard BNC or RCA connectors,
or quasi-proprietary RJ-11 or RJ-45 connections that also provide power
and/or audio connections to the cameras.
However traditional DVRs in general and especially the kit types are
rapidly becoming as old school as a VCR.

I'd say they're more becoming the "lowest common denominator" that
VCR-based systems used to be. IP cameras still tend to be substantially
more expensive than their analog counterparts, all other specs being
equal, and as such aren't as common just yet.
Most all IP cameras support PoE. You do have to double check the power
availability on the switch you select to match the camera load.

In theory, if camera and switch both comply with PoE spec, there
shouldn't be loading issues, as the camera spec should not allowed it to
draw more current than the power provision spec tells the switch it
should be able to supply.

More to the point, however, is that most existing switches simply do not
support PoE - it does add a fair bit to the cost, and unless one was
planning a network specifically for PoE capacity, one would likely not
spec and install switches that support it.

In this case, there are "injector" boxes available that can be plugged
inline with a network connection to put PoE on the line.
In the mega pixel camera market most all cameras are IP based.

Megapixel cameras just about HAVE to be IP-based, as composite video
doesn't provide the resolution for it. You could have a camera with a
megapixel sensor that scales down to composite video, I suppose, but
that would kinda defeat the point of using a MP sensor. (And yes, I
know some MP cameras do have a composite output on them, but they're
primarily IP camears, and that port is intended to be used for setup only).
Most DVR units, even hybrids, aren't made with enough IP through put
or retention capacity for more than one or two IP mega pixel cameras.

Depends somewhat on the camera resolution, framerate, etc. The one
manufacturer I'm most familiar with, IQ Invision, make cameras covering
the full 1.3MP to 5MP range. Most of these can be configured output
video at a pre-set maximum framerate, to minimize network traffic and
storage requirements, and as with analog capture systems, compression
levels can also be adjusted for appropriate size-vs.-quality concerns.
 
M

Matt Ion

Jan 1, 1970
0
Just said:
Plug the cameras and DVR into the same network
switch, [!!!***hub***!!!] or router, and you're good to go.

Most encoders like Verint, Bosch etc. NEVER want you to use a hub. One of
the first checks I make is to see if there is a hub in use. If there is, it
is a show stopper until it is replaced.

Ethernet hubs are nearly non-existent anymore... still, there are a few
out there. If that's your existing setup, it'll work. Your network is
pretty much obsolete anyway, but it'll work.
 
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