Any DVRs that don't use ActiveX for web view?

[Clintonrh]

I'm a professional commercial installer but pretty much every DVR I've worked with has had either terrible proprietary software or a web view that needed to install an ActiveX control locking you into Windows and IE. This is always pissed me off.

I'm helping out a friend with a couple of cameras and need to suggest a DVR. It needs to support at least four traditional cameras. Additional IP camera support would be great but isn't a deciding factor.

Since I'm not having to install what my bosses sold I'd like to find one that uses some modern technology and good crossplatform support. He was a mix of macs and pcs at home and work plus an iphone.

[ABLE1]

Hello and welcome to the Forum.

With almost all free standing DVR's it will have an embedded Linix OS.  And as such will have all the features you describe.

To NOT have those features that you don't like you will have to go to a PC based system that will require a video capture card and software running on WinXP Pro or maybe Win7 32bit.  This will require a very fast processor as well as a good video card.  Sound is not an issue.  It would have to have at least 2 gigs of RAM and a HDD the size that will meet your retention time and wallet.  500GB to 1TB or more comes to mind.  If you get into the IP realm you may have to deal with buying a license for each IP camera you want to install. 

The next thing that comes into play with IP cameras is does the software you are using support the camera that you want to use??

You can find people on line that can build the system for you or you can really do it yourself.  It will have an expense in both cost and learning curve. 

The software will be most likely in two parts.  The server version and Remote Client version.  Your desire to have it viewed on the iPhone will narrow the choices somewhat.  (too new)

As for the MAC version the choice become very slim or non existent.

Hope that helps

ABLE1

[DEL Installations]

I'm on board with ABLE.

Unless you roll your own with a card and the like, I can't see a real solution, as you're limiting the choices out of the gate as well as the ActiveX, which is generally a non-issue, par for the course, but you have your reasons, I guess.

Given the size of the install as it sounds, I think you're going to be hard pressed to find hardware to fit your long list of requirements, especially IP based cameras with their licensing requirements and what is the nature of the beast with them.

[Clintonrh]

I have to disagree on ActiveX being a non issue. It's a huge pain in commercial environments where you frequently have IT staff who have limited the user's ability to run the ActiveX controls. Heck newer versions of IE sometimes choke on them unless you start IE as an administrator and put it in compatibility mode.

Surely there is a vendor who makes a DVR with a better solution.

I guess I'll have to look into the homebrew solutions. Hopefully there's a linux geek who got tired of cludgy broken web view interfaces and coded something because that's a bigger project than I really want to tackle for this.

[stoneged88]

what is for you guys best software for video capture? I need some sugestions, and ifnor where to buy it! I don't care about price, i need good software...thanks!