Home security digital video recording has become one of the most important components to home surveillance in both private and do it yourself home security.  The amount of individuals who are using this type of technology is constantly growing and will continue to as the price for such systems drop as competition continues.  Typically these systems can run from the $200 mark to the $20,000 range depending on the quality of the components used and the installation specifications.

Each system is designed to fit a specific type of clients needs.  For example, many systems offer either a 4-8-16 video channel selection, along with a set of audio channels.  These channels are setup in order to record either the video or sound which occur in different locations and are kept on the hard drive of the system.  Once it is recorded, it can transmit the video (or images) and sound either throughout the network it is attached to, or if it allows remote connections, then it can transmit to various smartphones (ex. Iphone, blackberry), or even over the internet (through ftp, email, etc).

Home Security DVR

Generally the software which the home security dvr uses will allow for free upgrades, which helps to ensure that the product is functioning at its maximum potential and therefore does not become obsolete.  Also, the cameras which come with the package may also have the capability to pan from side to side, or even become manually controlled.  Not all systems have such this capability due to the hardware which comes with it (see wired vs. wireless home alarm system), but if used correctly you may not even need it.  Again, not all cameras are created equal as some are not weatherproof and therefore you are limited to keeping it away from the elements, which may hinder capturing a certain section of your house or business as well as you would want to.

The cameras which are used generally vary on video mode resolution, which helps to define clarity and amount of color used.  Generally, if a system is using a black and white camera, it can be difficult to ascertain what color someone’s shirt or jacket is.  Therefore, it is advised that when buying a home security dvr system that you read the specs carefully.  Most of the video software which comes with the unit is adjustable, allowing you to control brightness, hue, saturation, and contrast.  You may also be able to control frame rate (recording speed) but be advised that the higher you set it, the more room that it will take up on the systems hard drive.