BWS Standfast provides a range of digital video recorders (DVRs) for CCTV systems. A DVR records all CCTV images caught on cameras around your home or business onto a digital hard disc. These images can be stored for up to 31 days, depending on hard drive capacity, during which time they can be backed up to a USB stick, DVD or another hard disc where required.

Recording quality

DVRs record images at different qualities. If you need high resolution, good quality images (to share with police for instance) then you need not only good quality cameras, but also a DVR which records at D1 quality. Our DVRs use H.264 compression technology to squash the images into a smaller size which means you can store more high quality images than would otherwise be the case. Where the ability to identify faces or number plates for example is not needed then a lesser quality DVR that records at half D1 or CIF may be acceptable. BWS Standfast will discuss your CCTV system requirements with you and then make a recommendation.

Recording mode

From our range of DVRs, you have the choice of when recording takes place:

• manual recording
• continuous recording
• digital motion detection recording
• event triggered recording (by sensor, motion or audio)
• and programmed recording (only after hours or continuously during opening hours for example)

Each of these methods of recording has its advantages and disadvantages. We take you through what you need to see and when and then make a suggestion as to the best DVR for you and your home or business.

How many functions can be completed at any one time?

A DVR has many jobs to do; from recording, displaying images on a monitor, to playing back recorded footage and accessing the DVR via a network or backing up footage to a storage device. Some DVRs only do two or three of these things at once. They would be termed duplex of triplex DVRs.  At BWS Standfast we offer a range that can manage up to five or six of these (pentaplex and hexplex). You can ask our CCTV systems experts for advice.

PTZ camera control

Modern DVRs come with the ability to remotely control PTZ (pan-tilt-zoom) cameras, either from your mobile phone, an iPad or your computer. This allows you to view what’s happening back at home or at the business even when you are away, and move the cameras around if necessary.

Archiving of images for Police etc

The digital video recorders include a DVD writer and USB port or just USB to enable download of image events for police purposes or more permanent storage.

Remote viewing of CCTV footage via phone, iPad or computer

The digital video recorder can be connected via a router to a broadband line to enable remote viewing and control of the system from a PC anywhere in the world. There are several options available for viewing CCTV footage via your mobile phone or iPad.

The DVR can also be connected to a local computer network via an Ethernet connection to enable remote viewing and control of the system from any PC on the network.