cctv

pjproby

neighbour has a ccty with hd recorder set up in his house. it is connected to his pc via an ether net cable. it is possible to view the contents of the hard disk either through the software or through the browser using the ip address of the recorder.
he would like to view the hard drive contents independently of the supplied software, however the networked hard drive recorder is not visible either in my computer or in the network.
any suggestions would be very welcome.

ST

It should be possible to view the recorded images using software supplied by the DVR Manufacturer, most have this facility, but not all. As the DVR is a security device and the images could potentially be used as evidence in a court, it is unlikely that they can access them without the proprietary software.

Do you know the make and model of the DVR?

His best option would be to contact whoever installed the DVR. They should be able to answer his questions.

pjproby

its a swann 350dvr if memory serves me right. the software supplied is woeful and difficult to use. it was bought in maplin, installed by a friend of a friend and neither maplin nor friend have a clue about the software.
it is possible to use other software with some cctv equipment but it seems that other software cannot get through the swann dvr.
i find it hard to understand why his pc cannot see the dvr.

ST

Can he connect to the DVR using the software that was supplied with it?

Have you tried the Swann website to see if there is a more recent version of the software, it's useability might have improved?

A lot of DVR's have their own embedded OS, and as such are designed to be accessed using the manufacturers own software only as it is more secure.

What you may discover is that the main PCB in the DVR is manufactured by one company and it is then built into a DVR by a number of other manufacturers, and as a result the software will work with different "brands" of DVR.

Snaga

Depending on how it streams the video in a webbrowser - have you tried using Real Player and its 'download this video' feature straight from the browser?

FusionNet

Hi there,

I install low def and high def CCTV systems. From my experience you can not view files independent of the software. Believe you me I have tried due to hardware failure and even using very expensive video editing software I was unable.

Most professional DVRs and Swan would be kinda in this catagory have their own codecs developed for them. This is for many reasons

1) So the video footage cant be altered
2)so it can be verified as untampered
3)so you cant use third party software
4)so they can use cheaper or more expensive motherboards, Os's etc.

If you want to view it outside the DVR you will need an IDE?SATA usb cable caddy. This will allow the SWAN software to see and read the HDD but a standard microft PC will see nothing. Dont forget most of these DVR's use Linux, and not the red hat version.

Hope this helps, if you need any more advise please PM or re-post and I will check later

pjproby

Thanks for all the replies, very much appreciated. Its my neighbours so I have not had a chance to look at it since i originally posted.
I know zilch about cctv but i can tell you that the swann software is rubbish and i find it extraordinary that maplin would even stock it.
I suppose one option would be to connect the cameras directly to a pc via a pci card. This would involve leaving the pc on all the time though and neighbour is not too keen. Also means the dvr unit would be redundant.

FusionNet

This does prove the old point though, use a preofessional for certain things in life. I sell three brands of Traditional DVR and two IP/HD systems, Samsung Techwin, Concept Pro,Artnix, Axis and Avigilon. Each one is aimed at a specific market and user due to things like the search features, the quality, the price and the software and network options.

CCTV is an important and expensive investment. I actually had another call from someone else regarding a Swan system yesterday..!! Anyways Off Topic sorry.

I'd avoid a pc, PCI setup. If you are not familiar with it stay away as it will break your ba...s. Then your neighbour will blame you and it'll be a whole lot of time money and stress wasted..

If he is seriously considering ditching that one, I can advise you of cheap better options. But this all depends on what your mate wants to do spend. People think CCTV is a piece of pie but it really isnt, to do it right takes a lot of training, on site experience and then the knowledge of knowing which kit is good or not from a glance. A lot of CCTV gear is really poor quality and I feel bad for people when they get caught by shops or installers, but I guess thats the same in every industry.

Can you tell me for starters, what he wants to do with the software. Is it quick searching? Time date searches? Motion searches? Is it for live view with pan and tilt?

If you can let me know that I may be able to find you a cheap way out of it..

pjproby

basically he wants to be able to view the recorded events without too much grief. the swann software would require a trained monkey or better still a robot to actually find the event, and then to examine it.
The issue really is that the software is not user friendly and he is not technically minded. he has downloaded trial cctv software which looks amazingly simple to operate but it will not find the dvr. I enjoy using computers but this software looks like it was developed ten years ago.
he plans to bring the dvr back to maplin(this is the second return) and they may well give him a credit note. maplin appear to have dropped swann from their new catalogue.
His plan is to replace the dvr- i don't know what it cost him in the first place.
thanks, again, for your help

FusionNet

I'd recommend a Concept pro for ease of use. They have great GUI's and have nice network software. As I say let me know if you need any pricing or further help..