How to Choose a Security Camera Recorder - AVM

Once you have decided that you want to install security cameras it can be difficult to decide just what system will be best for your needs. So lets take a look at some of the features and technology that will either make your life easier...or make you regret your purchase in the first place.

A Little History

VHS and DVRs

With technology, things change pretty rapidly, but it is usually best to take a look at where it started, to understand where we are going and what makes the most sense. Security cameras came on the scene with traditional analog technology - cameras conformed to the NTSC or PAL (european) standard for television broadcast. These cameras sent the video over a coaxial cable to a recorder (originally VHS but then Digital recorders). Many of these systems are still employed today, and can be used successfully, but generally are difficult to use with many of the recorders.

Difficult to playback - This is the LARGEST complaint for VHS and most DVRs. VHS would involve long hours of fast forwarding through video (usually time-lapse) to find the event. With DVRs, unfortunately, this problem wasn't exactly solved. It allowed people now to jump to a specific time...but how often do you know the exact time that something occurred if you weren't there? So problem still exists...still fast forwarding video and trying not to blink.

With these types of systems, home or business owners will only use their video recorder if something major happens, like a burglary or theft. It could take hours of staring at the screen to fast forward through the video and determine exactly what has occurred. In the case the the video has been found, they may or may not provide the video that you require, as the cameras may be too low resolution. DVRs should have solved this problem, but really it only helped if you knew the exact time of an incident.

Problem that NEEDS Solving

The largest problem that holds the security camera industry back, is access to the video. You need to be able to find the video quickly, without even knowing when it happened. This is something that should be (yes and is) available by cataloging the video digitally and applying the correct user interface.

How AVM Solves the Problem

This is one of the major advantages of our AVM (Advanced Video Management) systems. The video is digitally recorded, but it doesn't stop there...the video is visually accessible, without having to fast forward and stare. Simply drag your mouse on the screen, forward or backwards to scan through hours or days of video watching for any event that happens. This makes access to your video easy, and fast.

Now you CAN

Scan through days or hours of video to watch for anything. This turns a Security Camera System into an Information System instead. Clients with our AVM system use their camera systems for much more.

• Watching Kids at play in the yard
• Monitoring Employees at work
• Observing the flow of customers for peak traffic times
• Evaluating staffing needs
• Watching traffic flow past business
• Finding something that was moved or lost
• Determining who damaged property
• Settling arguments or disputes
• Use your imagination

Don't Just Take Our Word For It

See what our Clients say about our AVM System

The next time a company tries to push a DVR solution on you, have them show you playback...then ask them to find a specific event. You will see the quality of the technology, and whether or not it is even worth your time. At Platinum CCTV we engineer solutions to make your life easier, not just push what's on the shelf. This is why we recommend our AVM System to all of our clients...then show them how easy it is to use.

The AVM recorder platform supports all different camera technologies, analog, HD-SDI and HD-IP cameras, and can even be used to replace ineffective or troubling DVRs.

Replace an existing DVR with one of our AVM DVRs, NVRs, or HDVRs or if you are searching for a new camera system, then our Home AVM Systems or Business AVM Systems are a great place to start.