LTS LTD08HTDK 8-Camera H.264 Realtime DVR Security System

The LTS 8-Camera H.264 500GB DVR Security System makes advanced technologies simple. Realtime display/record professional grade equipment designed for the do-it-yourselfer. New H.264 technology will enable smoother video stream over the Internet and with the 500GB hard drive installed will provide extra long recording time. You can monitor your properties from anywhere over the Internet or 3G mobile phone (with Windows Media or Symbian). Other features like email alert, daylight saving time function and VGA output will provide extra security and convenience. Use the LTS 8-Camera digital video recording security system to reduce the risk of theft in your home or office; know what your care-taker is doing while you are away; or monitor your business effectively from anywhere.

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LTS LTD08HTDK 8-Camera H.264 Realtime DVR Security System with 500GB, Mobile Phone Live View, VGA output

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Features

* H.264 compression, audio I/O/USB2.0 for back-up, remote view - IE based network monitoring
* 8 cameras simultaneously digitally display and record at realtime (240FPS), 3G Mobile Phone Live View (with Windows Media or Symbian)
* Connects to any TV/Monitor with convenient VGA output, High quality video images
* Capable of unattended operation over long period of time; remote control and mouse control
* Motion detection, alarm and email alert available; fast and easy installation - plug and play

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Reviews

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Good inexpensive system

I bought and installed this system about three months ago to watch over our retail store, and have been happy with it. My biggest complaint is the instruction manual - the Chinese manufacturer must have skimped on how much they were paying their Chinese to English translator. It's not a hard system to set up until you get to the internet and iphone functionality - here the instructions often left me scratching my head, but with some time, trial & error, I figured everything out. I suppose someone well versed in networking protocols would breeze through this setup in a snap, but it took me quite a few hours to figure it out and dial everything in.

That said, it's really super awesome to be able to dial up my store on my iphone any time day or night, or watch it in better resolution on my partner's laptop (the iphone resolution is on the low side from the compression used). The cameras are not very sharp, but they are adequate. The night vision works well and the motion detection seems good. I think I've been getting about a month's worth of video stored on the hard drive before it starts to re-write over itself, with the dvr set to record on motion only. I haven't tried the audio recording yet, but i just bought a mic so we'll see. The interface in the dvr itself is pretty clunky - looks almost like a pre-windows dos sort of deal, though it does use a mouse. It's best to access everything through the windows explorer plug-in (once you figure out how to install the damn thing). The plug-in works well, allowing you to access all of the dvr's functionality over the internet, from adjusting settings to downloading and saving video files.

One other mark against this unit is the format it stores its video files in: ".264" I wasn't able to find any kind of application for a mac that could play this file - quicktime didn't like it, and neither did anything else I tried it on. ".264" is the file extension on files you get when you put a thumb drive directly into the unit and tell it to offload files. Luckily, if you use the explorer plug-in over the internet, it will download these files and you can watch them immediately through the plug-in, and it gives you the option to output them as .avi files. One more reason to only access this unit through the internet interface. Oh, and the usb port on the unit only likes thumb drives, not hard drives. Also, it seems that the internet explorer plug-in only works on a pc (i have to use my girlfriend's computer). There might be a workaround for this, but I haven't figured that out yet.

Overall, it's a great unit for the price. In October of 2009, 8 camera dvr systems were running around $1200 everywhere I looked, so this unit was a real bargain at nearly half the price. I'd probably give it 3 stars for the instruction manual language headaches, weird video format, and clunky dvr interface. Since it's so cheap, gets the job done, and has the cool iphone and internet explorer plug-ins, i give it 4 stars.

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Cameras good - Motion Detector Bad

I've owned this system for about 2 months.

The quality of picture is very good in day light and OK at night using infrared, it looks like a very grainy black and white picture. (I have the eight camera system which does not allow for HD recording which the four camera system says can.)

The motion detection feature is close to useless. Shadows of my trees blowing in the wind, bugs flying in front of the camera lens, and the across the street neighbor's patio light at night will turn the recorder on but people walking up my driveway, down my walk, and ringing my front door bell won't and I have four different cameras covering these views (and it's a tiny area compared to most).

The recording and playback system is a problem too because it saves recorded files in half hour increments for you to access. So, if the camera motion detector picks up a bug flying in front of your camera and turns the camera on for two minutes at say 4:03 - 4:05 and then a real event happens at say 4:15 it won't record it because there is already a file in the 4:00 - 4:30 slot.

It will play back recordings at normal speed or 2, 4, or 8 times speed. You must manually select every half hour recording slot for every camera. I haven't found a "play back all" feature. This wouldn't be a problem if the motion detector worked correctly and you only had a half a dozen recordings to review a day but many false recordings means a lot a work reviewing what's been recorded.

I haven't tried the live view over the internet options.

So what are my options? Uninstall all the wiring run through the attic and un-mount the cameras (at considerable cost) and return it? Run it in continuous record and not bother reviewing recordings until I think something happens? I haven't decided.

FYI, as usual, Amazon delivered this system in less than five days even though I used the free delivery option.

Posted in: LTS