If you have CCTV cameras that are working for you, you have 3 options if you need to expand:

• You can leave it alone and add more CCTV cameras, running more cable, though you can go to a video balun set up to make that easy.
• You can invest in a Hybrid DVR that will allow you to hook up analog and digital cameras.
• You can buy encoders that will convert the feed to digital, making the camera a network camera.

We will cover the Hybrid DVR in this post, and cover the encoder idea in another post. A hybrid DVR is a great way to transition into the digital world, as it’s still a fully functional DVR that you are use to, it will also let you expand with network cameras, which you can’t do with your current DVR.

Speco H.264 16 Camera Hybrid Pentaplex Digital Video Recorder Family with Network DDNS Video Server

You can also add Internet access, and Speco has FREE software you can download to give you the ability to view your video over your Blackberry, Android, iPone, iTouch, iPad, or Windows Media smart phone.

If you want more info, visit the links above, then give us a call to help find the best IP camera for your needs.

Later…

Wendell the Chameleon
Spy & Surveillance Products Expert
EyeSpyPro.com/Speco H.264 16 Camera Hybrid Pentaplex Digital Video Recorder

SleuthGear makes some great hidden cameras with DVR, and they take their most popular one, the SleuthGear HVR Cube Alarm Clock Video Surveillance System and add nighty vision so you can see what’s happening even when the human eye can not.

The SleuthGear Covert NightOwl IR Cube Clock Camera

This self contained, 1 camera video surveillance system records the video to SD cards that are hidden from view. In fact, the only thing showing on the camera to let anyone even know it’s a hidden nanny cam, is one small silver a/v port on the rear.

It takes up to a 32GB SD card, so you can record up to 5.5 days of solid video, weeks in motion activated mode, using 320 x 240 video @ 30fps.

Big clear video, and can see in the dark, what’s not to like about the The SleuthGear Covert NightOwl IR Cube Clock Camera? You set it up easily, like a DVR, by plugging it into a TV or VCR. You can set time/date, motion activation, scheduled recording, masking, and so much more.

If you need watch your babysitter, your children, spouse, elderly parents caregiver, or just want a good Nanny cam, you should check out the Night Owl hidden camera.

Later…

Wendell the Chameleon
Spy & Surveillance Products Expert

EyeSpyPro.com/The SleuthGear Covert NightOwl IR Cube Clock Camera

A new feature is Noise-Suppressor, destined for adjusting the noise-suppressing system of the built-in video camera. We like this mini DVR for many reasons. One is it’s the only pocket DVR that we know of that also has a built-in video camera, has two built in microphones, and takes up to 32GB SD cards. Though for quicker boot up times, you might want to use a 4GB or 8GB. Also use the a quality SD card for the best results.

And, it’s not much bigger than a matchbox, so we call it a matchbox DVR! A FAT version will record up to a whopping 8 hours per charge! The uses for this the mAVR Mini DVR are endless; mount in a model plane or helicoptor for a great way to record the trip. Pick up the winshield adapter, and turn the mAVR into a Car Vandalism Camera that will watch your car to keep punks from keying the paint or damaging your ride. You can get a lighter adapter for all night recording, or you can hook up a body worn camera for mobile surveillance, or hook up an external camera to record inside or outside video surveillance.

mAVR Professional Grade Micro Audio and H.264 Video Digital Recorder

But don’t listen to Wendell, here are comments from one of our customers that rated it 5 Stars!:

Worth the extra money.

Posted by Mitch on 15th Apr 2009

Hey I wanted to tell you that so far I have been thrilled with the micro DVR that I bought from you guys. Its been flawlessly reliable. No dropped frames or audio. Has a respectable battery life. And it is so small.

Also, batteries and external chargers are not too tough to find. That is important.

It was pretty expensive so I was nervous about it. Plus buying this kind of "spy" gear is such a shot in the dark. Some of my cheap gear is my best gear. Lots of cheap gear was garbage (so actually expensive) and some of the expensive things were garbage too…

anyway, this russian made micro DVR is fantastic I am glad I took a chance on it.

My use is always body worn or in a purse or a backpack for my work. and it will almost always hooked up to a external camera of some sort with external power patched directly to the camera.

I think one thing that makes this russian dvr perform better is the proprietary recording format. Initially I thought it was a pain to have to do the conversion thing, but I have noticed on my other dvrs that they drop frames when they start making a new AVI file. but this unit does not drop a frame. seems to keep the audio and time sync very stable. Plus that recording switch seems to make sure it keeps recording no matter what happens with the buttons.

I have only used it three times for "real work" so there may yet be undesirable surprises. But so far I am impressed and I think it is worth the extra expense. And the size is great. I certainly have not seen anything smaller out there.

On the minus side, the built in camera is not suitable for low light use, but in brighter light the image is on par with the average cell phone cam.

Also of note, these guys were super fast on the shipping and have been very helpful.

I couldn’t have made up anything better. Thanks Mitch!

The only downside is when used with a body worn camera while moving, the H.264 format, which compresses the video, leaves some pixelation. It’s not that bad, and if the camera is kept still, there is none. We posted videos on the page for the mAVR Professional Grade Micro Audio and H.264 Video Digital Recorder.

Later…

Wendell the Chameleon
Spy & Surveillance Products Expert
mAVR Professional Grade Micro Audio and H.264 Video Digital Recorder

There are a lot of vacant buildings and factories, and they can be cleaned out of all copper wire, pipe, and anything else not bolted down quicker than a dog that fell into a river full of piranah!

Heck, brazen tweakers will even steal copper wire from buildings that are occupied!

So setting some type of video recording system to monitor over your facility would be a small investment compared to the cost to re-pipe & wire a large factory.

You probably want to have visible weatherproof cameras, though you can always put up a smoke detector hidden camera or sprinkler head camera as well.

Set up your Digital Video Recorder or NVR in a secure room for your control center, and watch all of the cameras from any Internet accessible computer.

We can put together a 4-32 camera system to watch over most any location as well as provide the crew to do it. If you have any questions, give us a call @ 1-877-3-EYESPY (1-877-339-3779).

Later…

Wendell the Chameleon
Spy & Surveillance Products Expert
EyeSpyPro.com/VideoRecording