CCTV on my pc : nearly there!?

whiteshadow

Need help with my graphics card:

Ive just got this digital home cctv system
http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=-158&DOY=20m7&criteria=swann

and i want to connect it to my home pc so i can view whats going on
on my monitor, and possibly burn disks if i ever need to on the pc.

My pc has this graphics card:
XFX GeForce 6200 TurboCache, PCI-Express,supports 256MB, Tv-Out/DVI
http://www.komplett.ie/k/ki.asp?sku=308132

Now bear with me cos im not the most technical or gadgetty fella but

im was stumped so i asked the people who made the DVR cctv system and they said:

Connect the DVR to your computers Capture port. If you dont have a capture port you can add a PCI card or an external USB device

I dont really understand if I have a capture port. Do I need anything including cables to attach it or will i have to go for an external USB device..? and what USB sort of device are they talking about?


anyone able to shed any light on this?

8T8

It's not too difficult- basically the CCTV system has a standard video output (like s-video or composite I assume) this feeds into the input on a graphics card. These cards are called VIVO models which stands for video in video out.

Unfortunately for you your graphics card is not VIVO capable so you have two choices;

1) Purchase a VIVO capable graphics card - cheapest on Komplett is this X1600XT for €153.

2) Purchase a video capture card essentially the same thing minus the graphics card bits this plugs into a standard PCI slot. AverMedia capture card with s-video and composite inputs for €92, a cheaper model for €40 is also present though I suspect it has worse image quality. They also have some external USB capture cards as well if you feel like not opening up the PC.

As for which to go for it doesn't really matter the graphics card if you play games would offer a boost in performance if you don't play games then getting a capture card either internal or external would be a cheaper and easier option.

whiteshadow

Hi 8t8,
thanks for the reply.

So I think i'll go for the second option and get the video capture card.
Is it similar to watching tv on your pc then, I presume these cards come
with some sort of software where I can then view the CCTV and possibly burn a disk of what is being played?

8T8

They will come with some basic video capture software though I could not say exactly what.

I would have thought your CCTV product would have come with it's own specialised software ?

s8n

interesting thread folks.

JohnnieM

8T8 wrote:

They will come with some basic video capture software though I could not say exactly what.

I would have thought your CCTV product would have come with it's own specialised software ?

The dvr shoul have come with its own software all rght for whats called remote view over lan... any pc can loom at whats happenbing then once you have a static ip and broadband..(can also use dyn dns)..check the cd you would have gotten with it for remote view etc etc.. and .get back on to them and se what software can they give you if its not there..
ps some systems can only look at real time not the archives when viewed remotly...

whiteshadow

The DVR is a standalone system that
uses it's own specific compression and video format
its like a black box in many ways (except colour!)

while some DVR's and DVR cards allow for networking,
and so you can view in realtime over the internet
unfortunately this one doesnt!!

I regret not getting the PCI option instead that
comes with 4 s-video inputs and would contain all the
software i need. the only problem would be that I may have
needed to create 80gig of space on my hard drive, or even
get a new one & then also maybe get more RAM. Still would
have been cheaper and more flexible i reckon.

I could get a basic tv and hook up an old VCR to record
to but if i went Digital with the DVR it seems a shame to go backwards.

Might get my VIVO card today on komplett.