Hybrid Video Recorders
already made. If it’s not a route you are to follow, then you have to question whether you’re paying for a few too many features that you won’t use.
Genie CCTV EH1116H-4
The EH1116H-4 is a hybrid video recorder manufactured by Aver and distributed and supported in the UK by Genie CCTV. The most obvious difference between the Aver unit and its peers is its size. It is exceedingly diminutive, measuring a mere 245 x 160 x 50mm. It looks more like a router than a video recorder!
The unit supports up to 16 analogue inputs alongside 4 networked inputs. BNC connections are via a DIV connection. A connector with multiple mini-flyleads is included. It’s a bit crowded, as there are 16 BNC connectors as well as 4 phono audio inputs. Video out is via VGA, or composite video outputs can be used. There is also an RS232 connection, an RJ45 port for the network, and a push-fit connector block for alarm inputs and outputs, audio out and RS485. It’s a fair job to get the various connections on such a small unit, but they’ve achieved it.
The fascia is home to two USB ports, a socket for an optional IR remote control extension, and status LEDs. One of the USB sockets will be used for a mouse; there is no WORM media drive, so if you need to back up from the device it will have to be via a USB attached device.
The unit utilises H.264 compression, and analogue input resolutions are D1, Half D1 and CIF. Maximum record rate is 200fps in D1 resolution. Networked inputs can be up to 1.3 megapixels using a combination of H.264, MPEG-4 and M-JPEG inputs. The initial channel can be up to 2.3 megapixels if MJPEG compression is utilised. Obviously this will have an impact on required bandwidth, as MJPEG is less efficient than H.264, but the processing requirements are less for the recorder! It’s a bit of a ‘swings and roundabouts’ scenario.
The unit supports a single drive, although a second drive can be connected via an eSATA link.
Other functions include basic motion detection, integration with POS streams, image enhancement and streaming to mobile devices. Up to 8 maps can be used to simplify the user interface.
The compatibility list for the Aver unit does include some lesser known names, along with some that don’t currently have commercial support in the UK. However, there is also a fairly decent mix of branded suppliers including Panasonic/Sanyo, Vivotek, Axis, Samsung, Sony and Mobotix, as well as Genie and Etrovision (also distributed by Genie CCTV) cameras.
The unit is supplied with a remote control, a
PSU (input is 12V DC), a printed quick start guide and a CD including remote viewing software and the full manual. The latter is 130 pages, so be prepared if you want to print it out!
As stated earlier, the unit has a very small footprint, and to some extent this polarised opinion about the unit. While some felt it would be ideal for standalone sites where the unit might be desktop-mounted, a few of the test team felt it had something of an “IT bolt- on” feel, and were concerned how seriously users seeking a professional solution might feel about it. Hardware installation is straightforward. Once the connections are made it’s a simple job of powering up the unit. We did this, and the LED lit up but the monitor remained blank. We checked the connection, which was fine, and then double checked it: it was still fine. We then ran the CD and loaded up the PDF manual to see if we could discover why nothing was being displayed, by which time the first splash screen appeared! We rebooted the unit and timed it. From power-up to the first sign of on-screen activity of any kind took 1 minute and 45 seconds. We can see a few frustrated engineers as a
result of this, and Genie might even get a few functional units back as DOA products. Avoid the temptation to fiddle, and it will start up! Once the splash screen appears, don’t close the manual as you’ll need a log-in and password to get any further. The Aver interface is a bit like the unit, in that it appears to be more of a consumer product than a security system. Having said that, it’s no bad thing as the look is clean and
16
www.benchmarkmagazine.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68