How DVR’s Work with Security Systems

If you’re thinking about installing CCTV in your home or office, or you’ve already got a system, but are looking to add recording capabilities to a system that currently allows viewing only, your best option would be to invest in a DVR.

What Is A DVR?

A DVR is a digital video recorder, a valuable addition to any security system, which allows much longer, usually clearer, recording than an old fashioned VCR / tape system.

Because they can record hours, or even day’s worth of footage, which can easily be transferred to optical media, whether flash disk, CD or DVD for storage, they are perfect for security systems requiring constant monitoring and record keeping!

There are two basic options when choosing a DVR:

Stand Alone

A stand alone digital video recorder is a unit, similar to a DVD player or other electronic component, which has the capacity to record video surveillance footage.

Watching the footage is as simple as connecting the unit to a television set, and you can write information to disk when the unit nears recording capacity, freeing up space for more recording.

Embedded

An embedded digital video recorder is installed into a computer, either existing or a new, dedicated unit.

Typically, a separate hard disk drive will be used to store the information from the DVR, and the capacity of the unit will depend on the size of the hard disk drive chosen.

Computer based DVR’s such as this have their advantages – they can be accessed remotely, via an internet connection, so viewing of the footage you’ve captured is possible no matter where they are, and their disadvantages – computers do crash, so backing up often is imperative!

Adding a DVR

Adding a DVR to a closed circuit television system is usually a simple proposition, whether a new or existing system is involved, and in some cases, it can be a DIY project.

Of course, having closed circuit television without the capacity to record, or with old, out dated recording equipment does defeat the purpose, since there could be no footage available should you experience a robbery, or be the victim of another form of crime!

DVR’s are also relatively inexpensive, with some models available for as little as a few hundred dollars, and there are minimal, if any, changes required to even an existing security camera system to make them compatible.

In short, a great investment for the security conscious, and a necessity for a good closed circuit television system!

So, if you’re planning a new or upgraded security system for your home or office, make sure you ask your security supplier for a few DVR options, and get the best recording system for your CCTV!