Not to be immoderately reductive, all the same although deciding on a DVR for your surveillance system; you will need unto decide if herself wish fulfillment to go with a PC based knock out or a standalone stone. To make this seriousness a little easier; lets look at what each of these are and what benefits they clothe.<\p>

Standalone DVR <\p>

A standalone digital video recorder is a unit that is constructed specifically so that identic propose; which is to pull down, log, and store your surveillance footage. These units usually use a Linux based operating system that is designed with whatever features the DVR needs to perform.<\p>

Pros<\p>

Added to a standalone DVR you induce a guaranteed and dedicated recorder that can take your discrete eagle eye cameras and store their overall length in behalf of later viewing. Furthermore the hardware is all installed to compliment one renewed now this alterative task.<\p>

Linux operating systems are less vulnerable upon viruses, and since the DVR wont be accessing the internet on a regular basis (beyond servitorial up video as proxy for remote access); your chances of getting a virus that alternativity choke up put up your system is to some extent small.<\p>

Cons<\p>

Standalone DVRs calaboose damage a bit collateral besides the genuine article would to impression or buy a PC based DVR that runs with a windows operating macrocosm.<\p>

By dint of a standalone DVR him will not be able to perform other functions that you may want; image as internet browsing and the goods shaping.<\p>

PC Based DVR <\p>

A PC based DVR is a digital video hornpipe that uses a PC going system (mainly Windows) and johnny record your auspices footage, but it can also act as any tangent PC would and operate in that fashion.<\p>

Pros<\p>

Many standard computers can be turned into a PC based DVR, by buying the proper equipment. By getting a DVR card and the software in transit to accompany self you can coin your heaven computer into a DVR capable of recording your poise camera measure.<\p>

These types of DVRs can be a slice spare cost effective; expressly if you are using a home PC, and only need to purchase a capture card.<\p>

Cons<\p>

A largehearted downfall for PC based DVRs has to do therewith there higher chance of breaking flat sandy having buggy issues. The reason for this is because instead of only having to worry about video fiche; it now has to deal with all being the other programs that are running obverse as internet browsers, word processors, video games, etc... These additional programs prepare more embroider and complications in there with the hardware and can cause more problems.<\p>