| Digital video recorders or DVR's record | | | | Another advantage of having a digital video |
| videos that are in digital format to a | | | | recorder instead of older recording devices |
| medium. A disk drive is a sample of this | | | | is that you can also command it to alert you |
| medium. These digital video recorders come in | | | | when it detects certain security threats. |
| the form of stand-alone set-top boxes that | | | | Because some digital video recorders have |
| are connected to a monitor or television set | | | | built-in sensors that can detect movements as |
| for viewing. By connecting a digital video | | | | well as changes in the environment, you can |
| recorder to your video surveillance system, | | | | program it to send you a notification through |
| you can easily record the images captured by | | | | your e-mail in order to warn you of the |
| your security camera. | | | | event. With the help of a digital video |
| | | | recorder, business owners can watch over |
| DVR vs. VCR | | | | their employees even though they are far |
| | | | away. Even parents who are away on a business |
| Unlike the VCR and other older methods, the | | | | trip can make sure that their kids are safe. |
| digital video recorder can impress you with | | | | And, they don't have to worry about leaving |
| its wide array of functions and benefits. For | | | | their kids to a babysitter because they can |
| one thing, you can store more video footages | | | | monitor her every move. |
| when you use a digital video recorder since | | | | |
| the video is compressed onto a hard drive. | | | | Video Compression Formats |
| | | | |
| Another advantage of using a digital video | | | | Video compression in DVR's is necessary since |
| recorder is having more viewing and recording | | | | raw video takes up gigabytes of space on a |
| options. Recording only when there is motion | | | | hard drive. So in order to make use of |
| is most popular but scheduled and alarm | | | | limited hard drive space the video is |
| recording are also available. Being able to | | | | compressed when recorded and decompressed |
| mark the footages that you store can make it | | | | when viewed. You've probably seen a number of |
| easier for you to find them later on. There's | | | | DVR's stating different compression formats |
| no more need for you to go through piles of | | | | such as MJPEG, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, Wavlet, H.263, |
| video tapes just to find the footage that you | | | | H.264. These are different methods of |
| are looking for. With an IP-based digital | | | | compression called Codec's, Codec is a short |
| video recorder, you also have the option of | | | | name for coder-decoder. When purchasing a DVR |
| sending video feeds over the Internet | | | | what you will mainly find is MJPEG will be |
| allowing you to view them wherever you go. | | | | used in less expensive models intended for |
| This system is usually used by BPO companies | | | | the homeowner or individuals that may not be |
| for monitoring their employees all over the | | | | recording continuously. These models do a |
| world. | | | | good job of compressing and decompressing the |
| | | | video adequately and their playback quality |
| With a digital video recorder, you also have | | | | is good. In many cases MJPEG is all you need. |
| the option of storing the footage taken by | | | | However if you intend to use networking and |
| more than one camera at the same time. You | | | | view or record the video remotely MPEG-4 or |
| can also view more than one camera on your | | | | H.264 are better choices. Their per frame |
| monitor during live or playback mode. You | | | | size is smaller resulting in more frames per |
| just need to choose a digital video recorder | | | | second that you can receive when viewing over |
| that has the number of channels that you | | | | the internet and they also take up less space |
| need. This benefit is not available in | | | | on your hard drive. The MPEG-4 and H.264 |
| conventional recording devices like VCR's. | | | | digital video recorders will cost more but |
| | | | may be worth the investment in the long run. |