Security Video Recording - Stand Alone Or PC-Based?
Security Video Recording Now and In the Future
There are different reasons to choose a surveillance system to protect your family and property. Choosing the right system is like choosing the fitting wedding theme to reflect your personalities or pay homage to your love story.
Choosing a home security system is a serious matter to consider after the honeymoon. You have the security of your future family to think of.
When choosing the security video recording for your home, you'll have to decide if you need a stand alone or a PC-based system. The cameras that record the activities in the different parts of the house, indoors and outdoors, are wired to a mother system that spells the big difference in budget, functionality, and flexibility.
When you are shopping for a video security system, have a general idea of what will work for you at present and how you envision to work when the kids start coming. With kids around, that would be a different matter and you and your spouse can brainstorm about the present and future requirements for your home video security system.
Stand Alone vs. PC-based System
You have seen those surveillance cameras everywhere, and got used to the idea that you are on camera at the malls, in the office, on the street, and even in the restroom (though this is outlawed). So deciding on a security video recording system should not be much of a puzzler. You know what you want, but you do not know how to get around the multiple products offered.
As a newlywed couple and living in a small apartment, you'll need a simple but effective surveillance system. You want to know who is buzzing the doorbell, or what the cleaning woman is doing when she does her Monday chores. You will be thinking in terms of two to three cameras and the idea of a stand alone model.
A stand alone model sounds a good idea for the set-up but when the babies start coming or getting a bigger house, you cannot easily upgrade your surveillance network. You are tied to the number of cameras indicated in the DVR box. Here are more snags with the stand alone option; you cannot store the images directly in the hard disk of your PC, which makes it difficult to manage your files.
A PC-based system allows for the transition from a four-camera system to 11 to 46 without giving you much technical headaches. All you need is a corresponding video capture card to meet your surveillance needs. It sounds easy, and it sure is easy to upgrade your system when you're using a PC-based system.
Going Digital
Using the PC-based system for your digital security video recording will enable you to easily view all images from the different working cameras. The advantage a DVR PC-based system does away with unnecessary recording. It only records when it detects detection so this frees up a large chunk from your hard disk drive.
So between the stand alone or PC-based system for your security video recording, which would you choose?
