Security DVR Final Thoughts

Security cameras are a strong yet inexpensive deterrent for would-be criminals. Unfortunately, crimes will occur even when armed guards or law enforcement are present, so a good camera system can aid law enforcement in the prosecution of criminals caught on video. This applies to your business as much as your home, where an extra set of eyes can let you be in two places at once or have the ability to identify suspects in hindsight.

Rosewill RSVA-12001 Security Camera DVR Kit

Rosewill RSVA-11001/12001 Conclusion

IMPORTANT: Although the rating and final score mentioned in this conclusion are made to be as objective as possible, be advised that every author perceives these factors differently. While we each do our best to ensure that all aspects of the product are considered, there are often times unforeseen market conditions and manufacturer revisions that occur after publication which could render our rating obsolete. Please do not base any purchase solely on this conclusion, as it represents our rating specifically for the product tested which may differ from future versions. Benchmark Reviews begins our conclusion with a short summary for each of the areas that we rate.

The first rating is performance, which considers how well the Rosewill RSVA-12001 / RSVA-11001 Digital Video Recorder Security Camera Kit operates according to specification. Rosewill’s H.264 8-channel digital video recorder (model RSVR-H08) comes included with both versions of the kit, and performs extremely well. System initialization was quick, and movement between screens was fast. Translated English terms are rough in a few spots, but still easily understandable. The user interface is easy to navigate and intuitive, even for some of the most advanced settings. The included remote works well at a reasonable range, but the included USB mouse is the easiest way to travel menus.

While the DVR was impressive, the cameras were less so. Four RCMR-14CMOSIR cameras came included with the RSVA-12001 kit, and offered better quality with a 4mm lens and 1/4″ Sony CMOS sensor that produced 640×480 resolution. RSVA-11001 includes four RCMR-14CCDIR cameras with 2.9mm lens and 1/4″ CCD sensor good for 510×492 pixels but lacks a mechanical IR cut filter. While either kit will perform well for general purpose surveillance, neither of these cameras are good for sharp detail at distance. Since four additional channels are supported, Rosewill’s RSCM-12003 Outdoor Security Camera delivers 768×484 pixels and is worth considering for add-on or substitution.

In terms of appearance, the DVR and cameras all look the part of modern equipment. The DVR looks both cutting-edge, and yet elegant. The cameras feature a textured silver finish that gives them a durable look.

Construction is an easy win for the Rosewill cameras, since they all feature IP66 weather-proof protective enclosures. The DVR is built to last, with passive heatsink cooling and no moving parts to fail. The mounting points for the storage drives aren’t the best, but everything else is well made.

The DVR delivers solid functionality: it can record and play back video with ease, has remote network access for monitoring by phone. The Rosewill DVR offers custom configurations for pan, tilt, zoom, motion sensor, and audio recording settings, but the four included cameras lack these features so it’s a rather moot point to support them.

As of June 2013 the Rosewill RSVA-12001 kit  with CMOS cameras is available online for $230 (Newegg|Amazon), and  kit RSVA-11001 with CCD cameras is available for $250 (Newegg|Amazon).

Both versions of the Rosewill DVR system are good, but between the two kits my recommendation goes for the RSVA-12001 because it includes slightly better cameras with larger lens and mechanical IR cut filter. These kits offer a great value, but are best suited for general-purpose surveillance tasks. For anything requiring fine detail and precision, better cameras will be necessary. Considering the price, the Rosewill RSVA-12001 packs plenty of value into a ready-to-run kit.

Pros:

+ 8-Channel digital video recorder
+ DVR features PTZ, motion, and audio support
+ Network accessible over 10/100 Ethernet
+ Remote management via smartphone
+ Includes four RCMR-14CMOSIR cameras
+ Night-vision camera functionality
+ Encodes with H.264 compression algorithm

Cons:

– Does not include storage drive
– Limited to 2TB capacity drives
– Cameras offer entry-level resolution

Ratings:

• Performance: 8.00
• Appearance: 9.50
• Construction: 9.25
• Functionality: 8.75
• Value: 8.25

Final Score: 8.75 out of 10.

Quality Recognition: Benchmark Reviews Silver Tachometer Award.

COMMENT QUESTION: What is the most important feature in a security camera system?