Eagle Eye DVR Products are Custom Built!

Today's computer industry is founded on constant change, development, and technological advances. With that fact in mind, we still use baseline specifications that adhere to rigorous standards when building our DVR systems. Every system is customized to our customers' needs, with the final result being a top quality product that is a combination of professional expertise and the lastest and greatest technology.

Here is a brief breakdown of what goes into a DVR system:

Processor / CPU :  The CPU is the foundation for all computer systems, so at Eagle Eye DVR, we make the selection of CPU one of our top priorities. We select a CPU based not only on performace and price, but also on reliability and future usage. We build all our DVR systems to handle the basic processing requirements (mainly video capture and storage) but we also ensure that the CPU has more than enough power to handle possible future upgrades. For example, Celeron CPUs are sufficient for small DVR systems (six or fewer cameras, one video data storage drive, modem connection), while a high-end Pentium III or Athlon CPU may be necessary to power a sixteen camera system with multiple video data storage drives and network serving capabilities.

RAM :  Like CPUs, the amount of RAM in a DVR system is based upon performance and equipment requirements. All DVR systems have a minimum of 64 Megabytes (MB) of RAM, but we have designed large multi-camera, multi-hard drive systems that required 128 MB or more.

Mainboard :  At Eagle Eye DVR, we review various styles of mainboards for compatibility, features, and stability, and select only those that meet our demanding standards. Basic attributes include AGP 2x or better, Ultra ATA/66/100 Hard Drive support, and a minimum of 4 PCI slots. We currently build most of our systems with mainboards from SOYO, ASUS, AOPEN, and TYAN.

Housing / Case :  Despite what some pundits think, a computer housing can mean the difference between a stable machine with great heat dissipation and a clunker that could possibly be a fire hazard. We review cases that provide superior air flow, room for additional fans, and a stable CSA approved power supply. We also select cases based upon system requirements (bigger systems usually require bigger cases), and, for some clients, appearence. Some housings that have met our standards include those produced by Antec, Chenbro, and AOpen.

Floppy Drive :  An old reliable standard, this vernerable piece of equipment still has useful features, despite what some computer companies think...

CD-ROM Drive :  Another standard piece of equipment that is quickly being replaced by DVD drives with CD-ROM compatibility. Although we use basic versions for most systems, we can include CD-R or CD-RW drives if a client wishes to have additional backup capability

System Hard Drive :  As the DVR system is designed to store data on secondary drives, the operating system and programs drive requires stability and reliability, not huge amounts of storage space in other words, quality, not quantity. Whether a system is based on IDE or SCSI, we feel that Hard Drives from Maxtor, IBM, or Seagate provide the best solutions.

Video Data Storage Hard Drives :  We apply the same standards as those of the operating system Hard Drive to the video storage drives, except for the aspect that bigger is truly better. Under most circumstances, a drive of 20 to 27 Gigabytes (GB) is usually sufficient to provide five to ten days worth of video data storage, depending on frame rates and image quality. Smaller DVR systems (six cameras or less) are equipped with one or two 20+ GB Hard Drives, while larger systems can have from two to six Hard Drives, ranging from 20 to 75+ GB each.

Video Card :  An essential component of any computer system. As the current DVR software uses certain compression routines to optimize images, the video cards selected for the DVR system must meet rigorous hardware and driver standards to ensure optimum video fidelity and stability. Most video cards selected for DVR systems have a minimum of 16 MB of RAM, and undergo a battery of tests to ensure complete compatibility. Currently, most DVRs are shipped with video cards from ATI.

Modem / Network Card :  The presence of one or both of these items is dependant on the remote connection medium selected by the client (modem based or LAN/WAN/Internet based). All DVR approved modems transmit data at a rated speed of 56k, while all ethernet cards have 10/100 Base-T capability.

Mouse :  A fairly standard item, connected via PS/2 interface. DVR systems do not make use of the wheel feature found on many modern mice, therefore mice having this feature are not utilized.

Keyboard :  Again, a standard item connected via a PS/2 connection. Internet keyboards and those that support hotkeys are not approved for DVR usage, although most will work fine if no extra drivers are installed.

Monitor :  Most standard 15" monitors are sufficient for four to six camera DVR uasge. However, with larger, multi-camera systems, a larger monitor can be of great benefit - for systems with twelve or more cameras, the inclusion of a 19" or 21" monitor is not an unusual option. We select monitors from different companies based upon price, reliability, resolution, refresh rates, and warranties.

Colour Printer :  While most colour printers are sufficient for the printing of quick snap shots from the DVR system, and we select printers that feature high resolutions and the ability to print on photo-quality paper, in order to ensure the best possible image from the DVR system.

DVR Capture Board :  At the heart of every Eagle Eye system is a proprietary digital video capture card. Developed in Korea, this 32-bit PCI card process the complex video signals and regulates the flow of image data back into the system. Designed for upgradeability, add-on connectors can range the total number of video inputs from four to sixteen, giving the comsumer maximum longevity and flexibility.

DVR Software :  The Graphical User Interface (GUI) of the Eagle Eye DVR system is the layer of software that exists between the surface world of the human user and the underworld of the complex computer hardware. The current edition of the GUI, the third one so far, was designed primarily with usability in mind. Unlike some software packages, the appearence was also created to be pleasing to the eye, featuring rich red highlights contrasted by gray base colours, with black gradients and shadows for accents. Composed of three main sections - control, setup and search - the GUI succeeds in making the complex workings and numerous options of the DVR system as user friendly as possible.