If you already have a PC then with the addition of a video-capture card and surveillance software you have a powerful digital system. Some professionals are critical of such systems as it is difficult to guarantee the compatibility of the card and software to the PC. Conflicts may occur with other programmes. If you are buying a PC purely for camera monitoring and recording then you are probably better off choosing a dedicated digital recorder.
However, the purchase of a video capture card and software is a very cost effective method of providing a high specification system.
Advantages - easy to expand 2 ports to 4, 8, or 16 ports. Simply buy another card
- software allows many configurations for monitoring e.g. quad display
- records in real time, simultaneously from all cameras
- time and date stamping with motion detect
- alert wizard, send email with photo or video clip,
- mobile phone alert with voice,
- SMS alert
- audio alert
- MMS alert
- guard alert - sends live video to a remote recorder or security monitoring company.
- connect to Alarm panel
- low- cost all-in-one solution does away with the need for separate motion detect, splitters, quads or multiplexers.
Disadvantage - PC hard drive must have enough free space to record the camera pictures.
It is easy to see the benefits of the PC-based system providing you satisfy the following criteria:
Competent in installing additional hardware and software programmes
Have good housekeeping to ensure adequate free disk space
Do not intend to use the PC for any other video capture or editing
Do not wish to mix colour and monochrome cameras
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