Video Surveillance: Why You Should Upgrade from VCR to DVR
Nowadays, video surveillance is quite common as a way to protect your customers and property. Like other technology-driven industries, the CCTV industry has seen significant advancements in technology over the past three decades due to market demands. Today’s businesses want security products that:
Are reliable.
Are simpler to install.
Provide better image quality.
Have a larger storage capacity.
Are easy to integrate with other products/systems.
Enable remote viewing.
Perhaps one of the biggest technology evolutions in video surveillance has been the shift from analogue video cassette recording (VCR) to the digital video recorder (DVR). While both systems have advantages and disadvantages, generally DVR-based surveillance systems are better than VCR-based systems for numerous reasons.
DVR Has a Greater Storage Capacity
One of the major drawbacks to VCR is the limited amount of recording time available on each cassette. This requires frequent manual labor to change and archive the tapes. Additionally, you have to buy large quantities of VHS tapes to record the footage, which means you also need room to store all the tapes. Then if an incident does occur requiring you to retrieve footage, it can be labor intensive to find the right tape. Often these tapes can become lost or easily damaged.
DVR eliminates most of these problems by storing video footage on large hard drives, which can take months or longer to reach maximum capacity. DVR also doesn’t require a lot of manual labor since you’re not switching tapes. If the hard drive does reach its capacity level, the DVR can alert you by beeping, or it can be set to overwrite previous footage.
Video also can be backed up to flash drives, SD memory cards, or DVD, Blu-Ray or CD-RW discs. You no longer need a large storage space since these items take up considerably less space in storage. Also, hard drives are less susceptible to damage from dust or improper care since the hard drive is contained within the DVR.
DVR Provides Clear Digital Pictures
Videotapes, especially from time-lapse VCR, often produce grainy, blurry images in which it is difficult to see the subject. Videotapes also degrade over time, losing detail in the images. In comparison, DVR, which provides a higher frame rate for video, offers high-quality digital pictures. These crisp, sharp images can be played over again without any deterioration or degradation – even after archiving.
Video Retrieval is Easier with DVR
If your business is robbed, with VCR video retrieval, it can be a time-consuming process to find the right tape, and then watch it for several hours or fast-forward it to find the incident in question. DVR data retrieval is faster since footage can be easily catalogued with software packages. Plus, video recordings are stamped to specify the date and time. With DVR, you also can retrieve video based on location, camera, or alarm/motion activation by using data mining technologies.
You Can Monitor Your DVR Security System from Anywhere
Let’s say you’re concerned that your employees may be slacking off when you’re not there, so you want to check up on them. Unfortunately, VCR requires you to be physically at your business to monitor your security system or in a central control room. But with DVR, you can monitor your CCTV system remotely 24/7 from any computer with a secure Internet connection, including cell phones, IP phones, Android™ devices, and iPad® devices. Also, if you have multiple business locations, you can monitor multiple sites remotely. You even have the ability to control your security cameras remotely – allowing you to zoom in on a subject, pan an area, or rotate the camera for better viewing.
DVR Has Several Advantages over VCR
Other advantages that some DVR systems offer include:
Customization to your preferences and needs – making it more user-friendly.
Auto-start recording.
Motion-activated recording.
Built-in option for audio.
Night vision.
Over time, DVRs have become less expensive – making them a more affordable option. And with the cost savings realized in not buying tapes and needing less manpower to monitor the system, it makes sense to switch to DVR. Plus, if you’re robbed, you’ll know you can provide the police with the best quality video to enable them to catch the criminal.
CCTV Dynamics offers several types of DVR systems to meet your needs. Visit our website for more information.
Are reliable.
Are simpler to install.
Provide better image quality.
Have a larger storage capacity.
Are easy to integrate with other products/systems.
Enable remote viewing.
Perhaps one of the biggest technology evolutions in video surveillance has been the shift from analogue video cassette recording (VCR) to the digital video recorder (DVR). While both systems have advantages and disadvantages, generally DVR-based surveillance systems are better than VCR-based systems for numerous reasons.
DVR Has a Greater Storage Capacity
One of the major drawbacks to VCR is the limited amount of recording time available on each cassette. This requires frequent manual labor to change and archive the tapes. Additionally, you have to buy large quantities of VHS tapes to record the footage, which means you also need room to store all the tapes. Then if an incident does occur requiring you to retrieve footage, it can be labor intensive to find the right tape. Often these tapes can become lost or easily damaged.
DVR eliminates most of these problems by storing video footage on large hard drives, which can take months or longer to reach maximum capacity. DVR also doesn’t require a lot of manual labor since you’re not switching tapes. If the hard drive does reach its capacity level, the DVR can alert you by beeping, or it can be set to overwrite previous footage.
Video also can be backed up to flash drives, SD memory cards, or DVD, Blu-Ray or CD-RW discs. You no longer need a large storage space since these items take up considerably less space in storage. Also, hard drives are less susceptible to damage from dust or improper care since the hard drive is contained within the DVR.
DVR Provides Clear Digital Pictures
Videotapes, especially from time-lapse VCR, often produce grainy, blurry images in which it is difficult to see the subject. Videotapes also degrade over time, losing detail in the images. In comparison, DVR, which provides a higher frame rate for video, offers high-quality digital pictures. These crisp, sharp images can be played over again without any deterioration or degradation – even after archiving.
Video Retrieval is Easier with DVR
If your business is robbed, with VCR video retrieval, it can be a time-consuming process to find the right tape, and then watch it for several hours or fast-forward it to find the incident in question. DVR data retrieval is faster since footage can be easily catalogued with software packages. Plus, video recordings are stamped to specify the date and time. With DVR, you also can retrieve video based on location, camera, or alarm/motion activation by using data mining technologies.
You Can Monitor Your DVR Security System from Anywhere
Let’s say you’re concerned that your employees may be slacking off when you’re not there, so you want to check up on them. Unfortunately, VCR requires you to be physically at your business to monitor your security system or in a central control room. But with DVR, you can monitor your CCTV system remotely 24/7 from any computer with a secure Internet connection, including cell phones, IP phones, Android™ devices, and iPad® devices. Also, if you have multiple business locations, you can monitor multiple sites remotely. You even have the ability to control your security cameras remotely – allowing you to zoom in on a subject, pan an area, or rotate the camera for better viewing.
DVR Has Several Advantages over VCR
Other advantages that some DVR systems offer include:
Customization to your preferences and needs – making it more user-friendly.
Auto-start recording.
Motion-activated recording.
Built-in option for audio.
Night vision.
Over time, DVRs have become less expensive – making them a more affordable option. And with the cost savings realized in not buying tapes and needing less manpower to monitor the system, it makes sense to switch to DVR. Plus, if you’re robbed, you’ll know you can provide the police with the best quality video to enable them to catch the criminal.
CCTV Dynamics offers several types of DVR systems to meet your needs. Visit our website for more information.
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