Swann - Home 8 Channel, 8 Bullet Camera with One-Way Audio, Indoor/Outdoor 1080P HD, 1TB HDD Wired DVR Security System - White

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

These cameras are great. Great picture quality and the price is amazing!

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.

As someone who values security I was excited to try out the Swann Enforcer Security System (I got the 8 camera model which is the same functionally to the 4 camera one). However, I did find that setting it up was a bit of a challenge and inside the box was intimidating due to the fact that it requires running wires though knowing that going in its okay because they are all color coded and the instructions are good it just makes things a bit more difficult to get the cameras where you want them to go. It's definitely still overall a plug-and-play system, but just be prepared to spend some time setting it up though it is worth it to do so. One thing that surprised me about the system was the user interface. While it wasn't advertised on the box, the user interface can actually be run in 4K and it asks you this if you plug the HDMI into a 4k display which is super nice that it auto detects it. You can navigate the user interface using the computer mouse that comes with the base station, your own mouse if its USB (even wireless mouse works here if it uses USB standard) or you can use the app on your phone as long as you have the base station connected to the internet via the included ethernet cable. Speaking of the app, it's a really useful feature that allows you to access the footage remotely. This is a big plus if you're away from home and want to check in on your property. Just be aware that you'll need to have the base station connected to the internet as I said before with an ethernet cable as there is no wifi with it in order to use the app. As for the cameras themselves, they're full HD 1080p and really impressive. The night mode is particularly good, and they're great at actually detecting human movement even in the most recent snow storm we had which I know can be a problem with these. The wide angle of the lens covers enough ground that you expect to see without distorting the image and being 1080p its perfectly good enough to be usable in the case you have a reason to need the footage legally speaking. The fact you can flash red and blue lights on the camera even manually while reviewing is a great and funny scare tactic on this systems side and also a good way to scare your significant other when they get home from work (dont ask me how I know). Overall, I would highly recommend the Swann Enforcer Security System to anyone who wants to improve their home security and isn’t afraid of the hard wiring that ends up getting you a good quality feed that can’t be knocked out by thief’s that try using wifi jammers. Just be prepared for the fact that setting it up can be a bit of a challenge due to the wires. The 4K user interface is a nice surprise, and the app is really useful for accessing footage remotely, the base station having a 1TB hard drive is more than enough to store and review anything that needs reviewing and the fact you can set it up to also email you and use the app notifications is just how you want it. The cameras themselves are top-notch and provide great coverage of your property while also allowing you to be able to see colored night vision which is a step up in tech from some other brands.

Hardware - 1 x DVR unit with 1TB storage. This is a LOT of storage, especially at the 1080p resolution. This is helpful because you don’t have to subscribe to some monthly/annual plan to be able to access recordings from a cloud service since these videos are recorded locally onto your device! - 8 x 1080p cameras equipped with audio recording, microphones, heat sensing capabilities (to differentiate between, for example, your neighbor vs. a plant swaying in the wind), spot lights, flashing red/blue lights. Running cables is not ideal but it’s the only way to really ensure proper connection to the DVR unit and proper recording. Wifi-based cameras suffer from needing to be recharged, sacrificing video quality to maintain battery life, on-off issues for battery preservation, and reliance on internet being always available. - Cables to connect cameras to the DVR unit, HDMI cable to connect unit to a TV/monitor, wired mouse to control the main system, power cables. - NOT INCLUDED: a monitor/TV. I have mine set up with a 36” 4K computer monitor, which is plenty sufficient. The image quality on a 4K monitor is not grainy and provides sufficient resolution from the 1080p cameras. Set-Up - Overall set up is very intuitive; however, running the wires to the main DVR unit throughout the house will take time/effort. - I would highly recommending going through and making sure all the cameras are functioning (audio/video/microphone) before running cables throughout the house. I spent a few hours going through each camera and making sure that they all worked appropriately so that I don’t waste time doing it after it’s been installed. All components worked appropriately. - Ethernet – I would recommend placing the main unit by your router to give the unit access to the internet for system updates and to provide streaming capabilities to your mobile device. - The kit comes with all the screws necessary for mounting the cameras; though, depending on the location, you may require additional hardware to properly mount it. Software - The operating system is very straight forward- initial set up of the system requires you to set a password and email (primarily for resetting the password if you’re locked out and for alerts). I believe the system requires a GMAIL or OUTLOOK email account. - The Startup Wizard guide walks you through setting the language, password/email, time zones, date formats, video formats/resolution, time formats, naming the DVR system, etc. - Swann Enforcer has dedicated YouTube videos to help walk you through the set up process, which I would highly recommend going through as you may need to make some adjustments to your email settings to receive the appropriate alerts. - Make sure you download the Swann security app for your mobile device. - You can set zones with each camera to set regions that the camera is viewing that would trigger alerts. As mentioned earlier the cameras are equipped with heat sensing technology to differentiate humans/animals and inanimate objects so you aren’t being bombarded with alerts. - I would recommend spending time fine-tuning your notifications and zones to make the most of this system. Otherwise, you’ll be receiving constant notifications for nonessential alerts and essentially training yourself to dismiss them. Overall - Given that you have access to local storage, 8 high definition cameras, and no need for a subscription, this is a GREAT system at a very reasonable cost. The system reliability and access to customer support is incredibly valuable as well.

Replaced my old 10 year old cctv camera system, this Swann has fieatures that's way better, including heat sensor pickup on a real person, deterrent light features that'll scare away anyone tresspassing, it is timed controlled with easy settings on alarm sound thru the DVR, other upgrade models has alarm that'll sound thru the camera speaker, this one has one way audio crips clear sound. HD quality is fantastic, just need to make time and patience when running the wires thru the attic or whatever your preference. The app is ok and not at times but it gets me thru from my cell. The real time video has a slight delay, again depending on your internet speed or modem setup, but it is a fantastic item for the price, and for what I need it for

I have recently bought Enforcer Audio and Video Security System by Swann. My particular set came with 8 Channel Video Recorder with 1TB Hard Drive, 8 Bullet Cameras that can be used either Indoors or Outdoors. I was pretty impressed by its sophisticated features. I have used smart cameras before and I don't think I have used anything so comprehensive as this set. Here are a few I would like to mention: to prevent and suspicious activity around your home, you can use the controllable flashing lights and spotlights which will deter the intruders. You also get Full color at night through these cameras! Free recording with your secure 1TB hard drive and or cloud storage, that means no more monthly fees! With Heat-sensing feature you also get less false alarms as it recognizes motion as well. You get 1080P Full HD video which I believe more than enough to see faces, close ups and more. The DVR can record continuously from all 4 or 8 channels for eight days at a time, and stores the recorded footage onto a pre-installed 1TB hard drive. Footage can also be transferred to external storage using the USB port or RJ45 Ethernet connection. If you mount the cameras outdoors with their weatherproof design, they are IP66 rated, meaning they are built to withstand rain, snow & heat, all year round. Since these cameras are all wired, it will definitely take some time to get all your runs installed, however they offer greater reliability than wireless cameras, that can be quickly stolen. I would definitely recommend installing an app on your phone so you can easily access the live streaming and check on your home. I believe this is a very reliable camera set, with many options and features and without any monthly fees. It was absolutely worth installing at our home.