CCTV what to do with current system

[AJB88]

So I have a Swann 8 channel 1400 DVR set up installed, the camera quality is poor but it does its job (or so I thought), can access it from mobile, I've recently had one of the cameras replaced by another make which looks worse during the day but a lot better at night. While the company were here who replaced camera they said the set up is poor, cabling poor etc and basically wanted to sell me a new £850 system.

I had an incident at home the other day so went into the DVR to replay footage and it turns out even though its set to continuously record and says its recording none of the 4 camera's were recording. its filmed random footage on one of the cameras at like 3am but bugger all else.

So its next to useless, so I can see a few options;

1- Upgrade the box but keep cameras and cabling
2 - upgrade it all (don't really want to do this)
3 - rip it all out and go with 2x nest outdoor cameras (most appealing as get the phone alerts etc and works with my google home stuff)


cheapest option is 1 any suggestions for a box that will work with old Swann cameras, the cable are the type you twist on to lock.

[megaphone]

Is the cabling proper RG59 coax or is it the skinny twin figure of 8 type cable?

Changing the box is easy, I'd look at a Hikvision DVR. It can plug into the internet and send alerts, you can access online and via an app etc.

[AJB88]

This is the cabling I've got, think its skinny all the way round the house, its what was supplied by Swann.





I've reset all the settings to default again last night and reset it all back up, it seems to have recorded every minute from when I set it up at about 2100 till now so looks like its working again but the box interface is awful and app just as awful to be honest.

[magpie215]

Id junk the lot and start again...i.p cameras are a world apart.

[AJB88]

its working for no, but was thinking 2x Nest cameras would replace the whole lot, would work well with my other Google/Nest hardware.

[2 sMoKiN bArReLs]

megaphone said:

Is the cabling proper RG59 coax or is it the skinny twin figure of 8 type cable?

Changing the box is easy, I'd look at a Hikvision DVR. It can plug into the internet and send alerts, you can access online and via an app etc.

We've got Hikvision. Picture quality is good. This image was downloaded via the app

[megaphone]

Yes that's the skinny cable, still capable of running 'HD' images with the correct cameras, say 2MP.

How easy is it to re-cable? If you do you'd be better off going CAT5 and IP based system.

[AJB88]

megaphone said:

Yes that's the skinny cable, still capable of running 'HD' images with the correct cameras, say 2MP.

How easy is it to re-cable? If you do you'd be better off going CAT5 and IP based system.

For me to do it, not easy haha I don't do ladders for a start!

I think the cameras I have are "HD" maybe its the box thats limiting them then? the pictures look ok on the TV that the box is attached to but mobile app the pictures are terrible.