Enhancing a Legacy

IP-enabled DVRs offer advanced benefits

• By Bob McCarthy
• Oct 01, 2006

THERE are consistently fantastic capabilities of IP surveillance systems being installed in new facilities. Security managers at older facilities may listen with envy about the labor-saving features of new systems and the enhanced reliability they offer. With a legacy, analog system in place, is it possible to upgrade to a digital system without incurring huge costs and disruptions?

While a current system may seem miles away from a fully digital system, users can easily add significant efficiencies and capabilities to a security system by upgrading to today's plug-and-play DVRs.

The answer is yes. While a current system may seem miles away from a fully digital system, users can easily add significant efficiencies and capabilities to a security system by upgrading to today's plug-and-play DVRs. By connecting a IP-enabled DVR to the network at the time of installation (or later down the road), users can get even more advanced benefits from an upgrade.

Even at the entry level of a standalone, non-networked DVR, there will be significant increased efficiencies by simply replacing an old VCR or DVR with a current DVR.

Looking to Upgrade
The upgrade process should begin by evaluating your existing camera deployment. The odds are the camera resolution, placement, lighting and other choices made for a legacy system will work fine with a new DVR. In fact, the cameras look better on the new DVR than they do on an older, low-resolution DVR or time-lapse VCR. You can selectively upgrade black and white cameras to color, higher resolution or IP cameras at the time of a DVR upgrade, or in the future, as budget permits.

A significant portion of a digital surveillance system investment is in the design and installation of cameras, cables, lighting upgrades and other items that are already in place for a legacy system.

Like PCs, DVRs have experienced annual decreases in price, even as its features and internal storage capacities have increased.

For the case of a simple upgrade to a new DVR that operates in standalone mode, users will reap the typical following benefits:

• Increased video resolution and quality.
  

• Increased product reliability.
  
• No need to rotate tapes or purchase fresh tapes.
  
• DVRs are virtually maintenance-free compared with a VCR.
  
• Embedded time-stamps and event lists provide rapid access to video of interest.
  
• Optional use of schedules, video motion detection and alarm inputs to increase the record rate, resolution and quality of recordings on a camera-by-camera basis.
  

• Create auto-run evidence CDs or DVDs of incident video for use in court.

If users connect state-of-the-art DVRs to a network, additional benefits through network support. If a network connection is not available at the time of the DVR upgrade, it can easily be added later.

With a networked system, users will obtain these additional benefits

• Remote monitoring (password protected) of video.
  

• Remote archiving/backup of critical event video.
  
• Remote alarm notification.
  
• Automatic, remote notification of equipment failure.
  
• Two-way network audio.
  
• Optional use of network alarm inputs from access control, burg, building management, retail, financial and other external systems.
  
• Full integration of DVR with many access control, central station monitoring and other security systems.

These features can be accessed with minimal use of network bandwidth.

An additional tier of investment -- a broadband network -- provides access to even more DVR capabilities with remote archiving of event video for long-term storage and remote archiving for disaster recovery from an off-site location.

Adding On
The work required to gain these benefits is surprisingly small. If migrating from a multiplexer (or quad) and time-lapse VCR, users simply move the camera inputs from the multiplexer to the DVR and retire the VCR. The DVR will automatically detect a video standard (NTSC or PAL) and start recording connected cameras to disk. You also can customize camera names, recording schedules, record rates and other stand-alone parameters.

DVR vendors with a full product line offer single-camera encoders, four-, nine- and 16-input DVRs to give full flexibility to migrate or expand a legacy system.

Networked DVRs can automatically request an IP address from the network using DHCP or manually programmed. DVRs also can be configured to accept IP camera inputs, archive remote video or perform other network functions in systems that take advantage of advanced capabilities.

Users can remotely view the DVR using web browsers for individual DVRs or using PC applications to view multiple DVRs on a single screen. The units can be configured locally at the DVRs or remotely over the network.

DVR vendors also offer centralized management tools that allow users to easily modify permissions, upgrade firmware, copy configurations and monitor the health of DVRs at an enterprise level.

Facing the Challenges
There are a few potential obstacles to a smooth migration from legacy to DVR-based security systems. Some issues that should be considered when migrating to current DVRs are:

• PTZ compatibility: Ensure that a DVR choice can control your existing PTZs and domes.

• CCTV keyboard support: If users currently have a professional CCTV keyboard, and do not want to switch to a PC keyboard, make sure the DVR offers this option.

• Check for references: Many recent entries in the DVR market do not have a solid track record for quality or after-sales support.

• Be prepared: If users buy a PC-based DVR and connect it to the network, be prepared for the extra expense of anti-virus software subscriptions and monthly technician time to apply operating system patches.

• Interface complexity: VCRs are fairly intuitive to use. Ensure that the DVR's local and network operator interface is user friendly.

• Network bandwidth consumption: A DVR that looks good when demonstrated over a 100 Mbps LAN might not look so good over a low-bandwidth link. IT departments may require input about bandwidth consumption. Make sure that the network can support the services that are planned to deploy.

Not all DVRs are alike, nor do they all require these features. Selecting a vendor with a full product line ensures all the features needed without paying for unnecessary add ons.

To get the best ROI, define the capabilities users wish to add to a system (now and in the future), and then perform a careful comparison of DVR options to the list of requirements. With the right DVR, users can leverage the value in a legacy system to create a high-end security system with minimal additional investment.