Swann PC DVR 4 Net by Swann
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Our Price: $249.85 Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days Buy Used: from $90.00 (click here) Category: Digital Camera See more digital camera details and other models |
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Digital camera reviews of Swann PC DVR 4 Net
Digital camera Review: Where's the beef?
Summary: 2 Stars
Any computer hardware is useless without the proper drivers to power them and this pice of hardware is incompatible with Vista.
The incoherent manual is well documented by other users, so no further comment is needed.
The card did work well enough intitally, before crashing my system.
Digital camera Review: Works fine with older PC's and Op systems
Summary: 4 Stars
I like this product a lot. I have two, in two different minimalist PC's I set up specifically for this task. It is not a resource hog; it is happy with a slow single core cpu without bells and whistles. I use it in my oldest systems with no other options. I keep mine ON continuously.
It works great with Windows XP. It is not shipped "Vista ready". It is not 64 bit OS compatible, but really that weakness is common to most hardware/software. It also is not Linux compatible. No false claims of broad compatibility are made.
You can put up to 4 of these cards in a single PC, if you have that many old style PCI slots. That would enable 16 cameras to be attached. I found that the wiring to 5 or more cameras to be more trouble than it was worth. Got tired of long wires everywhere. I use one weak, stripped down, PC in my garage hooked up to 4 cameras watching the front of my house. I have another similar setup in a back bedroom to watch the sides and back. This means a lot less wires in the house.
I really do wish Swann would update the product, software, and documentation and release a Linux solution.
However, the core functionality to watch and record my house when I am not there makes this a great product a great value (when on sale). Even at $80 or $90 you can still build your own scalable system, paying only for what you need when you need it, for less than buying a complete DVR package. But if you are not comfortable tinkering, a package may be better for you.
Digital camera Review: as good as they come, no fuss on mulitple systems tried
Summary: 4 Stars
yes any camera system can be much better,and any manual written better, but i think this system is almost better than some on the security used by some offical Authorities,
I have 8 cams running at home, 2 pci boards (4 cams each)on a simple home win xp 1.6g with 1g of ram and 2 x 500gig hd ide100,(my wifes ex pc) on a wireless router through a hardware modem and never had a problem this runs as part of a internal 4 pc hardwire network with 4 floating laptops wireless, i run the server and backup and it is on 24/7 with auto reboot log on, personally i can't understand what all the fuss is, you dont need any level of english explained in any book, if you can fit a pci card and install cameras then understanding config and ip ect is a doddle. i am rare to know a problem, odd time maybe 2 times over few years of using these had a camera clash on access, restart the program ..no probs.
its 1980s basic kids stuff setting up ,it does all the work ,dont need the manual to know your ip and addy <netstat in dos> u know 192 ect.so your up and running.
i now use it on the fore-mentioned pc but have used a few systems just to see if it does make much difference. and answer ..no, unless its got 32 stick in it and 800mhz clock.
my samsung xp netbook and acer 9815 win7 ultimate highend laptop both give good results on network playback and remote viewing from my car and at work.
this is a 50 quid board ,it gives 1000pound systems a run for their money, mine uses both day and night ir from 320 to 540line all colour cams , long 30mtr range to 10 meter.
all work well,naturally each had difference in focus ability, but setting up the capture area is the buyers problem, and choice of cam, mine are and have been used for evidence with good results, the systems is only as good as the camera purchased and the setup thought going behind it.
experts only get good results because they spend hours working out what cam you need and where to put it, expect half a day to set up 4 cameras correctly and at least a week to trial them with day and night setting. motion capture etc. lighting ..u name it
Digital camera Review: good pvr card 4 net
Summary: 4 Stars
got the first pvr card and had some conflics with one of my other cards took out the card that was bothering it after messing around with it for a while and finialy got it to work and went and got the new drivers at the swann site for it and now it works pretty good ,went and bought a second card and got them to match up after a while now im ready for 8 cams,over all pretty good set up but you may have a few problems getting the first one to work ok depending what you have in your computer,the second card i got came with the newer drivers on a disk.the manual could be better in the way they explain things or how to expand with alarms, audio and things.Digital camera Review: not recommended
Summary: 2 Stars
I can not recommend this product, It is easy to connect and install, but impossible to get voice recording, support OK for I think Australia