The difference between the embedded DVR and the video capture card

When it comes to the difference between the embedded DVR and the video capture card, we will elaborate on the four aspects. First, let's talk about their respective concepts.

There are a lot of articles on the network about video capture cards (videocapturecards) or embedded DVRs (standaloneDVRs). Everyone is benevolent and wise, but most of them are more professional. For non-technical personnel, reading may be a little difficult; Time, I have been working on embedded DVR in Shenzhen, and I have been learning about video capture cards. I want to talk about my own views from the perspective of my own understanding and the characteristics of the two. Make a comparison and try to express it in a language that is easy to understand, so that the market and engineering staff can easily understand the truth and hope to help their work.

The earliest video surveillance equipment used tape to store video and store analog signals, so it belongs to analog video surveillance equipment. Embedded DVR and PC-type DVR belong to digital video surveillance equipment (PC-type surveillance with video capture card). The system is often called PC digital DVR, PC DVR. They can all be collectively referred to as DVR (DigitalVideoRecorder). Here, "Digital" means digital, which is stored by digital devices such as hard disk or USB flash drive. Compared with the early analog video surveillance equipment, DVR has the characteristics of fast speed, good stability and easy storage of video data. Now the video surveillance system on the market is digital, because now we have entered a digital China era, huh, huh . Ok, let's move on to the topic and compare the features of video capture cards and embedded DVRs.

We compare the difference between embedded DVR and video capture card from the following four aspects:

Comparison between embedded DVR and video capture card

As we mentioned earlier, the PC-type monitoring system with video capture card is often called PC-type digital hard disk recorder. The visible video capture card is used with PC (ie computer). There is no single video capture card. The meaning, like the graphics card we use, must be plugged into the computer motherboard to work properly. If you open the front-end camera and transmission part, we use the video capture card monitoring system configuration: video card + PC machine + display (can also add an additional monitor); for embedded DVR, the hardware is mainly reflected in its The internal boards are integrated on one motherboard, so only one embedded host is needed (no wonder the embedded name of the embedded DVR is standaloneDVR, huh, here is the "separate" meaning), plus the display part is configured as: DVR host + monitor or monitor. Therefore, for a single monitoring system, the embedded DVR is simpler to configure than a PC-based monitoring system with a video capture card.

Comparison between embedded DVR and video capture card Second, system performance

The video capture card monitoring system runs video surveillance software on the PC and Linux operating system for video surveillance. The video surveillance software is only one of many application software on the PC operating system. The PC operating system can only take out some resources. The monitoring software is supported. The embedded DVR is a combination of its system and the operating system of the DVR. It can be said that the embedded DVR operating system is a tailor-made operating system for video surveillance, which reduces many unnecessary extras. Function operation, in contrast, the embedded DVR system has faster startup time, shorter response time during operation, and reduced user waiting time. The video capture card monitoring system based on Linux and Windows operating system is absolutely Not enough.

However, because the processing power of most embedded DVR processors is too far away from the CPU of the PC (mostly several orders of magnitude), the video processing capability of the embedded DVR is far lower than that of the PC. The former system memory is also far away. It is much smaller than the latter; usually we see that the smooth video of the embedded DVR is its preview image, because the preview does not have to go through too much processing, almost the original image; and the real test of the CPU ability is the encoding compression and decoding ability of the image. This can be seen from the video and playback. Generally, when the resolution is D1, the total frame rate of the embedded DVR is only tens of frames, and the PC-type monitoring system can reach several hundred frames, so the embedded DVR is used for simultaneous playback of multiple channels of video. You can see that the image has frame loss or delay, that is, the image we are talking about is non-real-time, and multiple video capture cards are used on the PC. The image can be tens of times and the video and playback can still be real-time. Or near real time. Therefore, the embedded DVR has a faster startup speed than the PC-type monitoring system with a video capture card, but it is far less in video processing than the PC-based monitoring system with a video capture card.

Comparison between embedded DVR and video capture card III. Software function and system operability

Similarly, because the processing power of the embedded DVR processor is limited, and it requires most of the resources for video image processing, only a small part of the resources are used to run monitoring software and software interface processing, so the monitoring software design of the embedded DVR It is relatively simple. The PC-type monitoring system with video capture card, because it is based on powerful WINDOWS or LINUX operating system, and the CPU processing power is very strong, the motherboard also has a dedicated graphics card for processing graphics images, as well as large-capacity memory. Support, so the monitoring software operation screen design is far more beautiful than the embedded DVR monitoring software, the software additional functions are also more abundant, often can do large-scale (tens of channels) video surveillance at the same time, other such as network functions, sound effects, etc. Stronger.

However, the flexible appearance and structural design of the embedded DVR largely compensates for the lack of software. The general embedded DVR has control buttons on the front panel of the casing, and some also have an infrared remote control panel and a USB mouse. All three can control the entire monitoring software, basically satisfying the operating habits of different people. In particular, its fool-like button operation and infrared remote control, which is very close to VCD/DVD, are very popular, which makes people feel that they have a special intimacy, so that people who use it are very easy to use and very convenient to use. Imagine a security comrade who is not very familiar with the computer holding a remote control and operating the embedded DVR. He smiles heartily: "It's like a VCD machine, easy to use, easy to use, huh, huh" In addition, with a video capture card PC-type monitoring system needs to face the problem of manually running software and installing video capture card driver after booting, which not only makes the software start slow, but also has complicated operation, which is not conducive to comrades who are not familiar with the computer. Embedded DVR does not have these problems, running the monitoring system at boot, convenient and fast, huh, huh.

Therefore, the PC-type monitoring system with video capture card is more powerful and richer than the embedded DVR. The former is more user-friendly and simpler.

Comparison between embedded DVR and video capture card IV. System stability

In terms of hardware, the PC-type monitoring system with video capture card, because the video capture card is inserted in the slot of the PC/PCI-E, sometimes the interface is loose, and the other part of the video capture card is the golden finger (PCI/PCIE). The interface part) also has the problem of oxidation causing contact, while the embedded DVR is that all the chips are soldered and fixed on one board, and there is no problem of looseness and oxidation of the interface, so the vibration resistance and dustproof are better.

In terms of software, it is mainly reflected in the complete integration of the embedded operating system and the DVR monitoring system, which is not easily affected by some additional factors. The WINDOWS operating system has its own instability and redundant side effects caused by undesirable features, such as virus intrusion, compatibility and stability caused by pirated software.

Therefore, compared with the PC-based monitoring system with video capture card, the embedded DVR has more stable software and hardware, and the possibility of crash is small.

Through the above analysis, everyone has a certain understanding of the embedded DVR and the PC-based monitoring system with video capture card. Personally, PC-based monitoring system for video capture card is generally used for monitoring points and is relatively concentrated. For occasions, such as home-based applications or small supermarkets, small Internet cafes and other small areas of monitoring, especially where there is already a PC, you only need to buy a video capture card, you can use the software after installation, because now ordinary video The price of the capture card is relatively cheap. For occasions where there are many monitoring points and need long-term uninterrupted monitoring (such as "safe city" projects and other important projects) or when the relevant personnel are not familiar with the computer, the embedded DVR should be used because of embedding. The DVR is small in size and simple to operate, and can be directly upgraded remotely. The most important thing is that it has superior stability and basically does not crash.