The Q-See QS558-493-1 8-Channel Full D1 DVR is an example of how far technology has advanced in the past 10 years. Video surveillance systems used to be the exclusive toys of the mega rich and military for use in monitoring property for signs of intrusion. Now consumers like me can use these systems and get much better image quality than anyone had just 10 years ago!Please note that this is a kit which requires you to mount and connect cables to various pieces of electronics.
The key factor for me in choosing this system was the claim it could record 30FPS @ 704x480 for each of its eight video channels. Before installing this system, my home used a GeoVision GV-650B in a full size desktop computer to record 4 channels of video. The problem with the GeoVision cards is that they will not record at full 30FPS even with high performance SSD SATA hard drives! As a result, the camera video was always choppy and would often miss fast moving objects. The Q-See QS558-493-1 records all this detail and in my opinion adds a whole other dimension to my security recording because I can now choose from 30 frames every second to pinpoint a license plate or face.
Installing this system was rather simple for me because I already have four video surveillance cameras and the wiring installed in my home. I simply disconnected my large computer and plugged in the cables to the back of the DVR box and each of the video channels came up right away on my 24" monitor in 1080P. Each of the cameras come with plenty of cable to run through your wall into the ceiling and outside for outdoor surveillance needs. Most importantly, the Pan-Tilt camera also comes with the special control cables as well.
The Pan-Tilt camera is really the ultimate way to use a video surveillance system. For years at my home, I have wished for the ability to control the viewing angles on my fixed cameras because it takes at least 15 minutes of running in an out of my home to fine tune them. You will want to put this special camera in a high traffic observation area at your home or office to get the most potential out of it.
The 3 bullet video cameras that come with this system are 600TVL and good enough to show facial features from 30ft away at night. The Pan-Tilt camera offers 650TVL and the video really does seem to be more in focus at night but still 30ft is your maximum for facial clarity. Over the past ten years, I have also installed several LED Infrared Illuminators in key areas of my yard that the video cameras are recording. You may want to do the same if theft or your personal safety is a concern.
The DVR unit has a 1Tb hard drive in it. After all my cameras were hooked together, there were a total of 5 video streams recording full time. The hard drive filled up quite fast in this mode and seems to have about 20 days of storage ability. Like other video surveillance systems, it will recycle the recorded video by deleting the oldest first to make room. Please note that I was able to place a 120Gb Intel 520 series SSD inside this DVR and it worked. You should be able to place larger hard drives in this DVR if you ever have the need.
In conclusion, I highly recommend this video surveillance kit from Q-See. You get everything you need to begin recording video in almost any accessible location up to 50ft away in your home or office. For those of you who already have a video surveillance system, I still believe this is a worthwhile purchase for the Pan-Tilt Camera and impressive DVR unit which gives you remote access options for the iPhone.
Setup was relatively easy. The instructions are well written and easy to follow. My biggest complaint with the setup is the screen. I set it up using my TV (42" plasma) and found that I could not see the "Start" button (or any of the other buttons). Also, during the setup if I walked away for more than 2 minutes, the screen closed and disappeared--I could only get it back by restarting the system (which includes are loud annoying beep on startup). Once I was finally able to speed through setup, I had no issues. I did find that the PTZ camera is defaulted to be in the camera 1 position, so if you try to put it on one of the other camera ports, it will not work.
My biggest complaint is the iPad app. I use an iPad mini and the app is a mess. It has to be in portrait mode to start or it doesn't seem to work. And if you try to turn it to landscape and then back, it freezes again. I kept trying to touch the "buttons," but nothing registered. It was beyond frustrating.
Overall, this is a great system with nice clear pictures in both day and night. The PTZ is a huge bonus to cover large areas. As usual, the most frustrating part of installation is the mounting of cameras since they are wired and need power, but it is no more complicated than any other hardware mounting with power. A great way to have comfort knowing what is going on at your home or business while away. This is my first foray into higher-end home security systems. I'm used to single cameras costing less than a Benjamin which try to let you view remotely via an iPhone app, but they're night and day in terms of capability and quality.
I was curious how I'd like a more robust (and expensive) system such as this and I now understand that this system is actually a pretty strong value. The pan/tilt camera in particular may not look like much in the photo, but is a grapefruit-sized, metal-constructed, hefty unit that has a box almost as big as the others combined. I was expecting a cheap, plastic-encased number (like my other cheapo cameras), but instead you could practically use the thing as a kettlebell. SOLID construction.
Installation isn't quite as bad as I feared (some cameras can use AC adapters instead of having to fiddle with bare wires) and there's a wealth of modular Q-See parts online if, for example, the included cable isn't long enough to reach your DVR from where you placed the camera.
The feature set of this is pretty fantastic, too. The ability to view multiple cameras remotely is something definitely lacking from lesser systems, and weatherproof cameras make the setup much more than the nanny-cams I'm accustomed to. I'm not overly enthusiastic about the DVR (it would almost certainly be stolen itself in case of a break in), but I suppose motion-tripped email alerts with photos help preserve an intruder's face even without a DVR.
Overall a well-constructed, remarkably modular system that's a step above what I've experienced in the past. I used my Q-See Security Camera kit for my local business. It was set up by a professional because no, I am not handy and would not trust myself with mounting it myself. It was quickly tested when I was called away on an emergency and needed to access my store. Everything you have read, is true. It's an incredible system and a breeze to use. I think the feature I enjoy the most is panning in even when it is DVR'd. Whoever thought technology would be here at this price? It's an incredible value! Solid 5 stars no second thoughts at all. I have a small business and this system is perfect. I installed the system myselft, not recommended for anyone. The hard part was the physical part of it; mounting the cameras and the wiring. The system itself worked like a charm once all the part were installed. I didn't really have any high expectation of this system, so I was quite impressed with the video quality and the DVR features. The only bad, i guess would be, is that there's only 1 tilt camera. I wish all were tilt cameras. But, the quality of video is good enough to recognize the face. I like how i can monitor my business from outside the office. I like that i can monitor my employees while out. I really like the recording feature. During working hours, i have it recroding the whole time, at night, i put it on motion detection.
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