Swann - Home 8 Channel, 4 Camera Indoor/Outdoor, Wired 1080p 1TB HD DVR Security System with 1-Way Audio over Coax - Black

Video and audio quality are both good. Not hard to set up. Does everything that i needed them to do. Works well when no lights are on also

Let me start by saying that I have a very diverse background of installing residential/commercial security and video systems. So when I ended up getting this Swann Enforcer, I was excited to give it a try. It is a wired system that uses BNC's to secure video, and pigtail power connectors, combined into one wire for each cam. The wire included isn't special, it's very low grade, but that's ok, it gets the job done and works well if going to be ran through soffit and attic spaces, as it should. Though, I'm not a fan of them only offering 60' wires in this package, that's insufficient for any larger home, I would prefer at least a couple 100' in the package. I also wouldn't use it for long-run exterior wiring needs without covering it from the elements, of which you'd want to do anyways for security purposes from being cut. In today's world, prevalent with NVRs and WiFi related cams, everyone is trying to go wireless. Personally, I detest that for this purpose, mainly because relying on your router or a proprietary hub that is prone to interference, etc, isn't as secure as having a closed circuit system like this that supplies power and records locally. Add a small power backup, and you're covered, even when the lights go out. As for the quality of this system's cams, which claim 1080p, and it's 8ch DVR/NVR, it's as to be expected for the price...meaning plastic and cheap feeling. The DVR feels decently put together and secure enough, with a small form factor, so it will be easy to hide in a closet, basement ceiling, or otherwise. It supports HDMI out, which is nice given today's current standards, and even says it will switch it's resolution to 4k if you have a display that supports it, which most of us do nowadays. There's also a VGA out for analog monitor connection. It should be noted, this does not support wifi, so a hardwired Ethernet connection will be needed for network capabilities, such as remote viewing on phone or PC. On the DVR, which I highly recommend setting up first and then running your cams so you can use your phone to adjust them and see how they look on your phone while doing so, there are a fair amount of options. Though, it is definitely limited and setup for residential use, which I can appreciate, as it helps simplify it for those who aren't professionals or installing these regularly. The initial setup is extremely simple, and connecting it to the internet and then subsequently on the app is very easy and it walks you through the process. In the system, you can set per channel motion detection zones, so you can preclud a street if you don't want notifications each time a car goes by. You can add privacy zones, set schedules to record motion only or continuous, as well as a few other features relating to the camera recording quality, fps, dither time, and adjusting hue/saturation/brightness on each channel. Now, on to the camera quality. Well, it claims 1080p, which it looks like it gives you, but the quality is only so-so. Pictures frequently look washed out and lack any real detail, likely due to a poor aperture and lens combo, this is again, a low priced, all-in-one solution, so you won't see the best quality in these, but they get the job done with decent detail. You will NOT, be reading license plates or seeing fine detail if the target object is more than 30' from the cam, so this is overall a poor system choice if you plan on utilizing it for long views that require such detail. The cams themselves are simple enough, a few screws hold it together for "turret" style movements with teeth and grooves to hold it where you want it once placed. These are indeed bullet cams, so have a 3 holed base ring that can be undone and attached to whatever surface you plan to mount it to. The overall viewing angles are poor imo. It leaves much to be desired and doesn't cover as large of a swath as other systems and cameras that you might pay a bit more for. Though, I do enjoy the lighting feature, that is very intuitive and purposeful as an automatic deterrent. Meaning, you can set it so when movement is detected in the cameras range, it can turn on a built-in light that is quite bright to act as a flood light and illuminate the area. I appreciate they allow you to set a schedule for this operation as well. I should also note night vision is not bad. And there is, of course, the enforcer moniker, which means the flashing red/blue lights. You can set this similar to the flood light option, to go off if it detects movement in a certain range at a certain time. Not extremely useful in my situation, but it could be for others. The mobile app use of this system is very basic, moreso than I would prefer, as you can't set many settings through it, but it has been very good for push notifications on movement, as well as quickly and easily getting to saved recordings, as well as live. The initial phone setup is pretty easy as well, as used to not be the case just a few short years ago, so I'm pleased the companies have been listening to their customers and their requests for easier remote viewing ability. Though, it should be noted, without going down a rabbit hole, that using P2P does open you up more for hacking and exposure. Meaning it's all routed through Swann servers to tie your device ID and the IP it's on to easily accommodate for those who don't know how or who don't want to set static IPs and forward ports manually. You do have the option here though, if you want to do that. Overall, this setup, for the cost, is all inclusive, is easy to setup, and works great as a deterrent and for basic viewing needs and oversight of a property. It isn't vandal-proof, so the cams will be easy to break, but you get what you pay for in most cases, this being no exception. I would even venture to say you get a great value for the multitude of options. Only time will tell how long these cams last, as they tend to wear down over time, especially if exposed to the elements in any way, so we'll see how longevity works out.

I have had a wireless security system for years but it was blurry and required being rebooted far too often. I decided to try the wired Swann Enforcer Audio/Video 8 camera Security System. It took a couple days to get it installed because we have a brick home and didn’t want to drill into the brick. We decided to run the cable up through the attic and outside. It was easy to install once the holes were all drilled. We have a large back and front yard and did not want any blind spots. The 8 cameras were perfect to accomplish our goals. The cameras are designed for indoor and outdoor use but used all 8 outdoors. We needed a longer cable than was included to hook the DVR to our TV. So we had to run out and buy one. I love the ability to see all the camera views from one screen or each view individually. Being able to hear as well as see makes me feel much more secure. I love being able to view the cameras on the TV or by viewing on the FREE APP when away from home. It took awhile to get the hang of using the mouse for settings and such for the DVR. I do NOT like having to put in my password each time I want to change views. The cameras were great but did not swivel in the direction we required so we had to adapt just a bit. We needed to attach a piece of wood to the carport. We still need to paint it. There is a learning curve with this security system after using my previous one. It took me 4-5 days to get all the camera settings the way I wanted them to act. The wired Swann Enforcer Audio/Video Security System exceeded my expectations and I feel much more secure using all the features it has.