Monitor up to 4 cameras simultaneously through your PC. Set & forget operation with programmable motion detection or schedule recording. Variable compression recording for high quality playback or increased disk storage capacity.
Monitor your home or business with digital surveillance through your PC. Just add cameras!
Q: What happens if my computer runs out of hard drive space?
A: The PCDVR4-NET software has a hard drive space facility called "Disk Shortage Alarm" which will alert you if you are low on hard drive space. If can be configured to trigger at 100, 200,500 or 1000MB. Additional hard drives can be nominated for extended recording space if needed. The Swann PCDVR4-NET can also be configured to incrementally overwrite the oldest recordings so you'll never miss the most recent incidents.
Q: Can I record only when motion is detected?
A: Yes, the Swann PCDVR4-NET allows custom motion zones to be set for each camera with individual sensitivity levels.
Q: Can I view my home cameras while I'm at work?
A: Using your existing high speed internet connection, with just a few configuration changes you can view your property from work, from a relatives house and across the globe - anywhere with a good internet connection that you have admin access to!
Q: When I try to view my PC Security Guardian system from a remote location on another PC Internet Explorer won't install the plugin as it is "unsigned"
A: While the PC Security Guardian plugin is unsigned, it is only enabled to download the remote viewing software. To set the security so you can download the remote viewing software follow these steps.
First, open Internet Explorer. Now select the Tools menu, then click on Internet Options. Click on the Security tab up the top, then select either Internet or Local Intranet (Select Internet if you are going to be viewing the system from across the internet, or select Local Intranet if you are planning on viewing the system in your local network). Now simply click on the Custom Level button at the bottom of the window.
This is the section where you can control how Internet Explorer handles ActiveX controls (essential to the software operation). Please be sure to check that the following options are set.
Automatic Prompting for ActiveX controls: Enable
Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Prompt
Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe: Prompt
Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Enable
Run ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting: Enable
Automatic prompting for file downloads: Enable
Allow Web pages to use restricted protocols for active content: Prompt
Don't prompt for client certificate section when no certificates or only one certificate exists: Enable
Setting those options should solve any security issues you might be encountering with Internet Explorer.
Q: The manual for the PC Security Guardian says I need to be an adminsistrator to install and run the program, what does this mean?
A: The security in Windows allows many different users to have a different set of permissions and privileges accross the system. This is designed so that the Administrator has the highest level of access to all system resources and programs, but allows other users to be limited in what resources and progams they can access.
With most home systems the default login is an Administrator and will have access to all resources and programs.
Q: Can the PC Security Guardian software record audio as well as video?
A: The PC Security Guardian software does have audio integration although the DVR-4-Net card is only designed for video input.
To get audio working, connect your camera’s microphone up to your computers soundcard microphone input. All soundcards have Microphone inputs (usually a 3.5mm pink mono connection), so simply connect the microphone here.
Once this is done, you’ll need to configure the software so it knows to capture audio too. In the basic configuration panel, you’ll see an option for “Audio Inâ€. Simply select your soundcard’s microphone input from the list, then you should get audio with your images!
Please note that only one audio channel can be enabled at a time.
Q: I can see my cameras but they only show in Black & White although I have confirmed they are color cameras, how do I fix this?
A: This can be caused by incorrect selection of television standard settings. Re-install the software and make sure you select the appropriate video format (PAL or NTSC) when prompted. NTSC is used in the US, Canada and most US territories.
PAL is used in Australia, UK and many countries in Europe.
Click this link to see a page showing the TV standards of most countries in the world.
http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Contrib/WorldTV/broadcast.html#country
Q: When I try to install the PCDVR4-NET software, I get the following error "A hardware only directdraw object creation was attempted but the driver did not support any hardware. Can't create primary surface". Why is this?
A: This message suggests the PC's graphics driver is not correctly installed or that it does not contain a supported graphics card. Drivers for NVida based cards are available for download from www.nvidia.com whilst ATI drivers are available from www.ati.com. Ensure you are running the latest version of directx available from www.microsoft.com/directx
Note that the PCDVR4-NET software will not install in systems with on-board graphics controllers; a dedicated AGP or PCI-Express card is recommended.
Q: When I try to install the PCDVR4-NET software , I get the following error "Cannot find Codec". I click OK and the application closes. Why is this?
A: A missing codec may indicate either a missing or faulty installation of a necessary codec required by the system to display the pictures. Try installing the latest version of the software (available from this support page) and also look at updating your video card drivers.
The codec is also available for download on this support page, download the file called PC-DVR-4 NET MPEG4 Codec. Please download this file and extract all the files to a particular location (e.g. c:\pcdvr) and then right mouse click on "Mpg4vki.inf" and select "Install". This will install the codec.
Q: Why can't I drag the PCDVR4-NET software onto my extended desktop?
A: Windows extended desktop and Video for Windows is currently not supported although it is being looked at for a future release.
Q: What's the correct procedure for adding another PCDVR4-NET card to an existing working PCDVR4-NET system?
A: The correct procedure for installing an additional card is described on page 4 of the quick start guide available for download on the support page for this product.
Q: I get "Incorrect Version" error when trying to install the software/driver package. What is causing this?
A: This error can be caused by a conflict with a TV Tuner or Multimedia card. If you remove the TV tuner software and card and retry the installation with the latest software/driver package, this should resolve the issue. You can then reinstall your other card after the Swann card has been correctly installed.
Q: I don't seem to be able to record sound - why might the problem be?
A: Firstly Check that your sound input device e.g. microphone is plugged into the correct microphone port on your PC.
Secondly check that you can record audio from your sound input device (usually a microphone or 'audio in' from a camera) by testing using the Windows Sound Recorder found under Start>All Programs>Accessories>Entertainment. If this does not work then the problem is not with the SuperDVR software - focus on Windows sound configuration. Check your Windows sound properties and driver are correctly set up for microphone recording. Go into Control Panel, then Sounds and Audio Properties and click the first 'Advanced' Button. Then click Options, Properties, Recording and check that the microphone is ticked and that the slider is set correctly by moving it upwards.
If the Windows Sound Recorder does work, then focus on the SuperDVR software. In SuperDVR, go into 'Basic Configuration' and ensure that you have selected 'PC Audio' for the relevant camera. Then go into Playback mode, click the "Four Channel Mode" button and make sure you have selected the relevant camera and audio playback options in the "Channel Config" window.
Just plug in this card to turn your PC into a sophisticated, versatile security monitoring system. It allows you to connect up to four security cameras, record and monitor footage.
Monitor and even access your security system wherever you are via the internet or network. You can even configure your system to instantly send you an email with video footage whenever the cameras detect motion.
Q: What happens if my computer runs out of hard drive space?
A: The PCDVR4-NET software has a hard drive space facility called "Disk Shortage Alarm" which will alert you if you are low on hard drive space. If can be configured to trigger at 100, 200,500 or 1000MB. Additional hard drives can be nominated for extended recording space if needed. The Swann PCDVR4-NET can also be configured to incrementally overwrite the oldest recordings so you'll never miss the most recent incidents.
Q: Can I record only when motion is detected?
A: Yes, the Swann PCDVR4-NET allows custom motion zones to be set for each camera with individual sensitivity levels.
Q: Can I view my home cameras while I'm at work?
A: Using your existing high speed internet connection, with just a few configuration changes you can view your property from work, from a relatives house and across the globe - anywhere with a good internet connection that you have admin access to!
Q: When I try to view my PC Security Guardian system from a remote location on another PC Internet Explorer won't install the plugin as it is "unsigned"
A: While the PC Security Guardian plugin is unsigned, it is only enabled to download the remote viewing software. To set the security so you can download the remote viewing software follow these steps.
First, open Internet Explorer. Now select the Tools menu, then click on Internet Options. Click on the Security tab up the top, then select either Internet or Local Intranet (Select Internet if you are going to be viewing the system from across the internet, or select Local Intranet if you are planning on viewing the system in your local network). Now simply click on the Custom Level button at the bottom of the window.
This is the section where you can control how Internet Explorer handles ActiveX controls (essential to the software operation). Please be sure to check that the following options are set.
Automatic Prompting for ActiveX controls: Enable
Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Prompt
Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe: Prompt
Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Enable
Run ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting: Enable
Automatic prompting for file downloads: Enable
Allow Web pages to use restricted protocols for active content: Prompt
Don't prompt for client certificate section when no certificates or only one certificate exists: Enable
Setting those options should solve any security issues you might be encountering with Internet Explorer.
Q: The manual for the PC Security Guardian says I need to be an adminsistrator to install and run the program, what does this mean?
A: The security in Windows allows many different users to have a different set of permissions and privileges accross the system. This is designed so that the Administrator has the highest level of access to all system resources and programs, but allows other users to be limited in what resources and progams they can access.
With most home systems the default login is an Administrator and will have access to all resources and programs.
Q: Can the PC Security Guardian software record audio as well as video?
A: The PC Security Guardian software does have audio integration although the DVR-4-Net card is only designed for video input.
To get audio working, connect your camera’s microphone up to your computers soundcard microphone input. All soundcards have Microphone inputs (usually a 3.5mm pink mono connection), so simply connect the microphone here.
Once this is done, you’ll need to configure the software so it knows to capture audio too. In the basic configuration panel, you’ll see an option for “Audio Inâ€. Simply select your soundcard’s microphone input from the list, then you should get audio with your images!
Please note that only one audio channel can be enabled at a time.
Q: I can see my cameras but they only show in Black & White although I have confirmed they are color cameras, how do I fix this?
A: This can be caused by incorrect selection of television standard settings. Re-install the software and make sure you select the appropriate video format (PAL or NTSC) when prompted. NTSC is used in the US, Canada and most US territories.
PAL is used in Australia, UK and many countries in Europe.
Click this link to see a page showing the TV standards of most countries in the world.
http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Contrib/WorldTV/broadcast.html#country
Q: When I try to install the PCDVR4-NET software, I get the following error "A hardware only directdraw object creation was attempted but the driver did not support any hardware. Can't create primary surface". Why is this?
A: This message suggests the PC's graphics driver is not correctly installed or that it does not contain a supported graphics card. Drivers for NVida based cards are available for download from www.nvidia.com whilst ATI drivers are available from www.ati.com. Ensure you are running the latest version of directx available from www.microsoft.com/directx
Note that the PCDVR4-NET software will not install in systems with on-board graphics controllers; a dedicated AGP or PCI-Express card is recommended.
Q: When I try to install the PCDVR4-NET software , I get the following error "Cannot find Codec". I click OK and the application closes. Why is this?
A: A missing codec may indicate either a missing or faulty installation of a necessary codec required by the system to display the pictures. Try installing the latest version of the software (available from this support page) and also look at updating your video card drivers.
The codec is also available for download on this support page, download the file called PC-DVR-4 NET MPEG4 Codec. Please download this file and extract all the files to a particular location (e.g. c:\pcdvr) and then right mouse click on "Mpg4vki.inf" and select "Install". This will install the codec.
Q: Why can't I drag the PCDVR4-NET software onto my extended desktop?
A: Windows extended desktop and Video for Windows is currently not supported although it is being looked at for a future release.
Q: What's the correct procedure for adding another PCDVR4-NET card to an existing working PCDVR4-NET system?
A: The correct procedure for installing an additional card is described on page 4 of the quick start guide available for download on the support page for this product.
Q: I get "Incorrect Version" error when trying to install the software/driver package. What is causing this?
A: This error can be caused by a conflict with a TV Tuner or Multimedia card. If you remove the TV tuner software and card and retry the installation with the latest software/driver package, this should resolve the issue. You can then reinstall your other card after the Swann card has been correctly installed.
Q: I don't seem to be able to record sound - why might the problem be?
A: Firstly Check that your sound input device e.g. microphone is plugged into the correct microphone port on your PC.
Secondly check that you can record audio from your sound input device (usually a microphone or 'audio in' from a camera) by testing using the Windows Sound Recorder found under Start>All Programs>Accessories>Entertainment. If this does not work then the problem is not with the SuperDVR software - focus on Windows sound configuration. Check your Windows sound properties and driver are correctly set up for microphone recording. Go into Control Panel, then Sounds and Audio Properties and click the first 'Advanced' Button. Then click Options, Properties, Recording and check that the microphone is ticked and that the slider is set correctly by moving it upwards.
If the Windows Sound Recorder does work, then focus on the SuperDVR software. In SuperDVR, go into 'Basic Configuration' and ensure that you have selected 'PC Audio' for the relevant camera. Then go into Playback mode, click the "Four Channel Mode" button and make sure you have selected the relevant camera and audio playback options in the "Channel Config" window.
Q: What happens if my computer runs out of hard drive space?
A: The PCDVR4-NET software has a hard drive space facility called "Disk Shortage Alarm" which will alert you if you are low on hard drive space. If can be configured to trigger at 100, 200,500 or 1000MB. Additional hard drives can be nominated for extended recording space if needed. The Swann PCDVR4-NET can also be configured to incrementally overwrite the oldest recordings so you'll never miss the most recent incidents.
Q: Can I record only when motion is detected?
A: Yes, the Swann PCDVR4-NET allows custom motion zones to be set for each camera with individual sensitivity levels.
Q: Can I view my home cameras while I'm at work?
A: Using your existing high speed internet connection, with just a few configuration changes you can view your property from work, from a relatives house and across the globe - anywhere with a good internet connection that you have admin access to!
Q: When I try to view my PC Security Guardian system from a remote location on another PC Internet Explorer won't install the plugin as it is "unsigned"
A: While the PC Security Guardian plugin is unsigned, it is only enabled to download the remote viewing software. To set the security so you can download the remote viewing software follow these steps.
First, open Internet Explorer. Now select the Tools menu, then click on Internet Options. Click on the Security tab up the top, then select either Internet or Local Intranet (Select Internet if you are going to be viewing the system from across the internet, or select Local Intranet if you are planning on viewing the system in your local network). Now simply click on the Custom Level button at the bottom of the window.
This is the section where you can control how Internet Explorer handles ActiveX controls (essential to the software operation). Please be sure to check that the following options are set.
Automatic Prompting for ActiveX controls: Enable
Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Prompt
Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe: Prompt
Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Enable
Run ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting: Enable
Automatic prompting for file downloads: Enable
Allow Web pages to use restricted protocols for active content: Prompt
Don't prompt for client certificate section when no certificates or only one certificate exists: Enable
Setting those options should solve any security issues you might be encountering with Internet Explorer.
Q: The manual for the PC Security Guardian says I need to be an adminsistrator to install and run the program, what does this mean?
A: The security in Windows allows many different users to have a different set of permissions and privileges accross the system. This is designed so that the Administrator has the highest level of access to all system resources and programs, but allows other users to be limited in what resources and progams they can access.
With most home systems the default login is an Administrator and will have access to all resources and programs.
Q: Can the PC Security Guardian software record audio as well as video?
A: The PC Security Guardian software does have audio integration although the DVR-4-Net card is only designed for video input.
To get audio working, connect your camera’s microphone up to your computers soundcard microphone input. All soundcards have Microphone inputs (usually a 3.5mm pink mono connection), so simply connect the microphone here.
Once this is done, you’ll need to configure the software so it knows to capture audio too. In the basic configuration panel, you’ll see an option for “Audio Inâ€. Simply select your soundcard’s microphone input from the list, then you should get audio with your images!
Please note that only one audio channel can be enabled at a time.
Q: I can see my cameras but they only show in Black & White although I have confirmed they are color cameras, how do I fix this?
A: This can be caused by incorrect selection of television standard settings. Re-install the software and make sure you select the appropriate video format (PAL or NTSC) when prompted. NTSC is used in the US, Canada and most US territories.
PAL is used in Australia, UK and many countries in Europe.
Click this link to see a page showing the TV standards of most countries in the world.
http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Contrib/WorldTV/broadcast.html#country
Q: When I try to install the PCDVR4-NET software, I get the following error "A hardware only directdraw object creation was attempted but the driver did not support any hardware. Can't create primary surface". Why is this?
A: This message suggests the PC's graphics driver is not correctly installed or that it does not contain a supported graphics card. Drivers for NVida based cards are available for download from www.nvidia.com whilst ATI drivers are available from www.ati.com. Ensure you are running the latest version of directx available from www.microsoft.com/directx
Note that the PCDVR4-NET software will not install in systems with on-board graphics controllers; a dedicated AGP or PCI-Express card is recommended.
Q: When I try to install the PCDVR4-NET software , I get the following error "Cannot find Codec". I click OK and the application closes. Why is this?
A: A missing codec may indicate either a missing or faulty installation of a necessary codec required by the system to display the pictures. Try installing the latest version of the software (available from this support page) and also look at updating your video card drivers.
The codec is also available for download on this support page, download the file called PC-DVR-4 NET MPEG4 Codec. Please download this file and extract all the files to a particular location (e.g. c:\pcdvr) and then right mouse click on "Mpg4vki.inf" and select "Install". This will install the codec.
Q: Why can't I drag the PCDVR4-NET software onto my extended desktop?
A: Windows extended desktop and Video for Windows is currently not supported although it is being looked at for a future release.
Q: What's the correct procedure for adding another PCDVR4-NET card to an existing working PCDVR4-NET system?
A: The correct procedure for installing an additional card is described on page 4 of the quick start guide available for download on the support page for this product.
Q: I get "Incorrect Version" error when trying to install the software/driver package. What is causing this?
A: This error can be caused by a conflict with a TV Tuner or Multimedia card. If you remove the TV tuner software and card and retry the installation with the latest software/driver package, this should resolve the issue. You can then reinstall your other card after the Swann card has been correctly installed.
Q: I don't seem to be able to record sound - why might the problem be?
A: Firstly Check that your sound input device e.g. microphone is plugged into the correct microphone port on your PC.
Secondly check that you can record audio from your sound input device (usually a microphone or 'audio in' from a camera) by testing using the Windows Sound Recorder found under Start>All Programs>Accessories>Entertainment. If this does not work then the problem is not with the SuperDVR software - focus on Windows sound configuration. Check your Windows sound properties and driver are correctly set up for microphone recording. Go into Control Panel, then Sounds and Audio Properties and click the first 'Advanced' Button. Then click Options, Properties, Recording and check that the microphone is ticked and that the slider is set correctly by moving it upwards.
If the Windows Sound Recorder does work, then focus on the SuperDVR software. In SuperDVR, go into 'Basic Configuration' and ensure that you have selected 'PC Audio' for the relevant camera. Then go into Playback mode, click the "Four Channel Mode" button and make sure you have selected the relevant camera and audio playback options in the "Channel Config" window.
Q: What happens if my computer runs out of hard drive space?
A: The PCDVR4-NET software has a hard drive space facility called "Disk Shortage Alarm" which will alert you if you are low on hard drive space. If can be configured to trigger at 100, 200,500 or 1000MB. Additional hard drives can be nominated for extended recording space if needed. The Swann PCDVR4-NET can also be configured to incrementally overwrite the oldest recordings so you'll never miss the most recent incidents.
Q: Can I record only when motion is detected?
A: Yes, the Swann PCDVR4-NET allows custom motion zones to be set for each camera with individual sensitivity levels.
Q: Can I view my home cameras while I'm at work?
A: Using your existing high speed internet connection, with just a few configuration changes you can view your property from work, from a relatives house and across the globe - anywhere with a good internet connection that you have admin access to!
Q: When I try to view my PC Security Guardian system from a remote location on another PC Internet Explorer won't install the plugin as it is "unsigned"
A: While the PC Security Guardian plugin is unsigned, it is only enabled to download the remote viewing software. To set the security so you can download the remote viewing software follow these steps.
First, open Internet Explorer. Now select the Tools menu, then click on Internet Options. Click on the Security tab up the top, then select either Internet or Local Intranet (Select Internet if you are going to be viewing the system from across the internet, or select Local Intranet if you are planning on viewing the system in your local network). Now simply click on the Custom Level button at the bottom of the window.
This is the section where you can control how Internet Explorer handles ActiveX controls (essential to the software operation). Please be sure to check that the following options are set.
Automatic Prompting for ActiveX controls: Enable
Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Prompt
Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe: Prompt
Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Enable
Run ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting: Enable
Automatic prompting for file downloads: Enable
Allow Web pages to use restricted protocols for active content: Prompt
Don't prompt for client certificate section when no certificates or only one certificate exists: Enable
Setting those options should solve any security issues you might be encountering with Internet Explorer.
Q: The manual for the PC Security Guardian says I need to be an adminsistrator to install and run the program, what does this mean?
A: The security in Windows allows many different users to have a different set of permissions and privileges accross the system. This is designed so that the Administrator has the highest level of access to all system resources and programs, but allows other users to be limited in what resources and progams they can access.
With most home systems the default login is an Administrator and will have access to all resources and programs.
Q: Can the PC Security Guardian software record audio as well as video?
A: The PC Security Guardian software does have audio integration although the DVR-4-Net card is only designed for video input.
To get audio working, connect your camera’s microphone up to your computers soundcard microphone input. All soundcards have Microphone inputs (usually a 3.5mm pink mono connection), so simply connect the microphone here.
Once this is done, you’ll need to configure the software so it knows to capture audio too. In the basic configuration panel, you’ll see an option for “Audio Inâ€. Simply select your soundcard’s microphone input from the list, then you should get audio with your images!
Please note that only one audio channel can be enabled at a time.
Q: I can see my cameras but they only show in Black & White although I have confirmed they are color cameras, how do I fix this?
A: This can be caused by incorrect selection of television standard settings. Re-install the software and make sure you select the appropriate video format (PAL or NTSC) when prompted. NTSC is used in the US, Canada and most US territories.
PAL is used in Australia, UK and many countries in Europe.
Click this link to see a page showing the TV standards of most countries in the world.
http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Contrib/WorldTV/broadcast.html#country
Q: When I try to install the PCDVR4-NET software, I get the following error "A hardware only directdraw object creation was attempted but the driver did not support any hardware. Can't create primary surface". Why is this?
A: This message suggests the PC's graphics driver is not correctly installed or that it does not contain a supported graphics card. Drivers for NVida based cards are available for download from www.nvidia.com whilst ATI drivers are available from www.ati.com. Ensure you are running the latest version of directx available from www.microsoft.com/directx
Note that the PCDVR4-NET software will not install in systems with on-board graphics controllers; a dedicated AGP or PCI-Express card is recommended.
Q: When I try to install the PCDVR4-NET software , I get the following error "Cannot find Codec". I click OK and the application closes. Why is this?
A: A missing codec may indicate either a missing or faulty installation of a necessary codec required by the system to display the pictures. Try installing the latest version of the software (available from this support page) and also look at updating your video card drivers.
The codec is also available for download on this support page, download the file called PC-DVR-4 NET MPEG4 Codec. Please download this file and extract all the files to a particular location (e.g. c:\pcdvr) and then right mouse click on "Mpg4vki.inf" and select "Install". This will install the codec.
Q: Why can't I drag the PCDVR4-NET software onto my extended desktop?
A: Windows extended desktop and Video for Windows is currently not supported although it is being looked at for a future release.
Q: What's the correct procedure for adding another PCDVR4-NET card to an existing working PCDVR4-NET system?
A: The correct procedure for installing an additional card is described on page 4 of the quick start guide available for download on the support page for this product.
Q: I get "Incorrect Version" error when trying to install the software/driver package. What is causing this?
A: This error can be caused by a conflict with a TV Tuner or Multimedia card. If you remove the TV tuner software and card and retry the installation with the latest software/driver package, this should resolve the issue. You can then reinstall your other card after the Swann card has been correctly installed.
Q: I don't seem to be able to record sound - why might the problem be?
A: Firstly Check that your sound input device e.g. microphone is plugged into the correct microphone port on your PC.
Secondly check that you can record audio from your sound input device (usually a microphone or 'audio in' from a camera) by testing using the Windows Sound Recorder found under Start>All Programs>Accessories>Entertainment. If this does not work then the problem is not with the SuperDVR software - focus on Windows sound configuration. Check your Windows sound properties and driver are correctly set up for microphone recording. Go into Control Panel, then Sounds and Audio Properties and click the first 'Advanced' Button. Then click Options, Properties, Recording and check that the microphone is ticked and that the slider is set correctly by moving it upwards.
If the Windows Sound Recorder does work, then focus on the SuperDVR software. In SuperDVR, go into 'Basic Configuration' and ensure that you have selected 'PC Audio' for the relevant camera. Then go into Playback mode, click the "Four Channel Mode" button and make sure you have selected the relevant camera and audio playback options in the "Channel Config" window.
Q: What happens if my computer runs out of hard drive space?
A: The PCDVR4-NET software has a hard drive space facility called "Disk Shortage Alarm" which will alert you if you are low on hard drive space. If can be configured to trigger at 100, 200,500 or 1000MB. Additional hard drives can be nominated for extended recording space if needed. The Swann PCDVR4-NET can also be configured to incrementally overwrite the oldest recordings so you'll never miss the most recent incidents.
Q: Can I record only when motion is detected?
A: Yes, the Swann PCDVR4-NET allows custom motion zones to be set for each camera with individual sensitivity levels.
Q: Can I view my home cameras while I'm at work?
A: Using your existing high speed internet connection, with just a few configuration changes you can view your property from work, from a relatives house and across the globe - anywhere with a good internet connection that you have admin access to!
Q: When I try to view my PC Security Guardian system from a remote location on another PC Internet Explorer won't install the plugin as it is "unsigned"
A: While the PC Security Guardian plugin is unsigned, it is only enabled to download the remote viewing software. To set the security so you can download the remote viewing software follow these steps.
First, open Internet Explorer. Now select the Tools menu, then click on Internet Options. Click on the Security tab up the top, then select either Internet or Local Intranet (Select Internet if you are going to be viewing the system from across the internet, or select Local Intranet if you are planning on viewing the system in your local network). Now simply click on the Custom Level button at the bottom of the window.
This is the section where you can control how Internet Explorer handles ActiveX controls (essential to the software operation). Please be sure to check that the following options are set.
Automatic Prompting for ActiveX controls: Enable
Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Prompt
Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe: Prompt
Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Enable
Run ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting: Enable
Automatic prompting for file downloads: Enable
Allow Web pages to use restricted protocols for active content: Prompt
Don't prompt for client certificate section when no certificates or only one certificate exists: Enable
Setting those options should solve any security issues you might be encountering with Internet Explorer.
Q: The manual for the PC Security Guardian says I need to be an adminsistrator to install and run the program, what does this mean?
A: The security in Windows allows many different users to have a different set of permissions and privileges accross the system. This is designed so that the Administrator has the highest level of access to all system resources and programs, but allows other users to be limited in what resources and progams they can access.
With most home systems the default login is an Administrator and will have access to all resources and programs.
Q: Can the PC Security Guardian software record audio as well as video?
A: The PC Security Guardian software does have audio integration although the DVR-4-Net card is only designed for video input.
To get audio working, connect your camera’s microphone up to your computers soundcard microphone input. All soundcards have Microphone inputs (usually a 3.5mm pink mono connection), so simply connect the microphone here.
Once this is done, you’ll need to configure the software so it knows to capture audio too. In the basic configuration panel, you’ll see an option for “Audio Inâ€. Simply select your soundcard’s microphone input from the list, then you should get audio with your images!
Please note that only one audio channel can be enabled at a time.
Q: I can see my cameras but they only show in Black & White although I have confirmed they are color cameras, how do I fix this?
A: This can be caused by incorrect selection of television standard settings. Re-install the software and make sure you select the appropriate video format (PAL or NTSC) when prompted. NTSC is used in the US, Canada and most US territories.
PAL is used in Australia, UK and many countries in Europe.
Click this link to see a page showing the TV standards of most countries in the world.
http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Contrib/WorldTV/broadcast.html#country
Q: When I try to install the PCDVR4-NET software, I get the following error "A hardware only directdraw object creation was attempted but the driver did not support any hardware. Can't create primary surface". Why is this?
A: This message suggests the PC's graphics driver is not correctly installed or that it does not contain a supported graphics card. Drivers for NVida based cards are available for download from www.nvidia.com whilst ATI drivers are available from www.ati.com. Ensure you are running the latest version of directx available from www.microsoft.com/directx
Note that the PCDVR4-NET software will not install in systems with on-board graphics controllers; a dedicated AGP or PCI-Express card is recommended.
Q: When I try to install the PCDVR4-NET software , I get the following error "Cannot find Codec". I click OK and the application closes. Why is this?
A: A missing codec may indicate either a missing or faulty installation of a necessary codec required by the system to display the pictures. Try installing the latest version of the software (available from this support page) and also look at updating your video card drivers.
The codec is also available for download on this support page, download the file called PC-DVR-4 NET MPEG4 Codec. Please download this file and extract all the files to a particular location (e.g. c:\pcdvr) and then right mouse click on "Mpg4vki.inf" and select "Install". This will install the codec.
Q: Why can't I drag the PCDVR4-NET software onto my extended desktop?
A: Windows extended desktop and Video for Windows is currently not supported although it is being looked at for a future release.
Q: What's the correct procedure for adding another PCDVR4-NET card to an existing working PCDVR4-NET system?
A: The correct procedure for installing an additional card is described on page 4 of the quick start guide available for download on the support page for this product.
Q: I get "Incorrect Version" error when trying to install the software/driver package. What is causing this?
A: This error can be caused by a conflict with a TV Tuner or Multimedia card. If you remove the TV tuner software and card and retry the installation with the latest software/driver package, this should resolve the issue. You can then reinstall your other card after the Swann card has been correctly installed.
Q: I don't seem to be able to record sound - why might the problem be?
A: Firstly Check that your sound input device e.g. microphone is plugged into the correct microphone port on your PC.
Secondly check that you can record audio from your sound input device (usually a microphone or 'audio in' from a camera) by testing using the Windows Sound Recorder found under Start>All Programs>Accessories>Entertainment. If this does not work then the problem is not with the SuperDVR software - focus on Windows sound configuration. Check your Windows sound properties and driver are correctly set up for microphone recording. Go into Control Panel, then Sounds and Audio Properties and click the first 'Advanced' Button. Then click Options, Properties, Recording and check that the microphone is ticked and that the slider is set correctly by moving it upwards.
If the Windows Sound Recorder does work, then focus on the SuperDVR software. In SuperDVR, go into 'Basic Configuration' and ensure that you have selected 'PC Audio' for the relevant camera. Then go into Playback mode, click the "Four Channel Mode" button and make sure you have selected the relevant camera and audio playback options in the "Channel Config" window.
Q: What happens if my computer runs out of hard drive space?
A: The PCDVR4-NET software has a hard drive space facility called "Disk Shortage Alarm" which will alert you if you are low on hard drive space. If can be configured to trigger at 100, 200,500 or 1000MB. Additional hard drives can be nominated for extended recording space if needed. The Swann PCDVR4-NET can also be configured to incrementally overwrite the oldest recordings so you'll never miss the most recent incidents.
Q: Can I record only when motion is detected?
A: Yes, the Swann PCDVR4-NET allows custom motion zones to be set for each camera with individual sensitivity levels.
Q: Can I view my home cameras while I'm at work?
A: Using your existing high speed internet connection, with just a few configuration changes you can view your property from work, from a relatives house and across the globe - anywhere with a good internet connection that you have admin access to!
Q: When I try to view my PC Security Guardian system from a remote location on another PC Internet Explorer won't install the plugin as it is "unsigned"
A: While the PC Security Guardian plugin is unsigned, it is only enabled to download the remote viewing software. To set the security so you can download the remote viewing software follow these steps.
First, open Internet Explorer. Now select the Tools menu, then click on Internet Options. Click on the Security tab up the top, then select either Internet or Local Intranet (Select Internet if you are going to be viewing the system from across the internet, or select Local Intranet if you are planning on viewing the system in your local network). Now simply click on the Custom Level button at the bottom of the window.
This is the section where you can control how Internet Explorer handles ActiveX controls (essential to the software operation). Please be sure to check that the following options are set.
Automatic Prompting for ActiveX controls: Enable
Download signed ActiveX controls: Prompt
Download unsigned ActiveX controls: Prompt
Initialize and script ActiveX controls not marked as safe: Prompt
Run ActiveX controls and plug-ins: Enable
Run ActiveX controls marked safe for scripting: Enable
Automatic prompting for file downloads: Enable
Allow Web pages to use restricted protocols for active content: Prompt
Don't prompt for client certificate section when no certificates or only one certificate exists: Enable
Setting those options should solve any security issues you might be encountering with Internet Explorer.
Q: The manual for the PC Security Guardian says I need to be an adminsistrator to install and run the program, what does this mean?
A: The security in Windows allows many different users to have a different set of permissions and privileges accross the system. This is designed so that the Administrator has the highest level of access to all system resources and programs, but allows other users to be limited in what resources and progams they can access.
With most home systems the default login is an Administrator and will have access to all resources and programs.
Q: Can the PC Security Guardian software record audio as well as video?
A: The PC Security Guardian software does have audio integration although the DVR-4-Net card is only designed for video input.
To get audio working, connect your camera’s microphone up to your computers soundcard microphone input. All soundcards have Microphone inputs (usually a 3.5mm pink mono connection), so simply connect the microphone here.
Once this is done, you’ll need to configure the software so it knows to capture audio too. In the basic configuration panel, you’ll see an option for “Audio Inâ€. Simply select your soundcard’s microphone input from the list, then you should get audio with your images!
Please note that only one audio channel can be enabled at a time.
Q: I can see my cameras but they only show in Black & White although I have confirmed they are color cameras, how do I fix this?
A: This can be caused by incorrect selection of television standard settings. Re-install the software and make sure you select the appropriate video format (PAL or NTSC) when prompted. NTSC is used in the US, Canada and most US territories.
PAL is used in Australia, UK and many countries in Europe.
Click this link to see a page showing the TV standards of most countries in the world.
http://www.ee.surrey.ac.uk/Contrib/WorldTV/broadcast.html#country
Q: When I try to install the PCDVR4-NET software, I get the following error "A hardware only directdraw object creation was attempted but the driver did not support any hardware. Can't create primary surface". Why is this?
A: This message suggests the PC's graphics driver is not correctly installed or that it does not contain a supported graphics card. Drivers for NVida based cards are available for download from www.nvidia.com whilst ATI drivers are available from www.ati.com. Ensure you are running the latest version of directx available from www.microsoft.com/directx
Note that the PCDVR4-NET software will not install in systems with on-board graphics controllers; a dedicated AGP or PCI-Express card is recommended.
Q: When I try to install the PCDVR4-NET software , I get the following error "Cannot find Codec". I click OK and the application closes. Why is this?
A: A missing codec may indicate either a missing or faulty installation of a necessary codec required by the system to display the pictures. Try installing the latest version of the software (available from this support page) and also look at updating your video card drivers.
The codec is also available for download on this support page, download the file called PC-DVR-4 NET MPEG4 Codec. Please download this file and extract all the files to a particular location (e.g. c:\pcdvr) and then right mouse click on "Mpg4vki.inf" and select "Install". This will install the codec.
Q: Why can't I drag the PCDVR4-NET software onto my extended desktop?
A: Windows extended desktop and Video for Windows is currently not supported although it is being looked at for a future release.
Q: What's the correct procedure for adding another PCDVR4-NET card to an existing working PCDVR4-NET system?
A: The correct procedure for installing an additional card is described on page 4 of the quick start guide available for download on the support page for this product.
Q: I get "Incorrect Version" error when trying to install the software/driver package. What is causing this?
A: This error can be caused by a conflict with a TV Tuner or Multimedia card. If you remove the TV tuner software and card and retry the installation with the latest software/driver package, this should resolve the issue. You can then reinstall your other card after the Swann card has been correctly installed.
Q: I don't seem to be able to record sound - why might the problem be?
A: Firstly Check that your sound input device e.g. microphone is plugged into the correct microphone port on your PC.
Secondly check that you can record audio from your sound input device (usually a microphone or 'audio in' from a camera) by testing using the Windows Sound Recorder found under Start>All Programs>Accessories>Entertainment. If this does not work then the problem is not with the SuperDVR software - focus on Windows sound configuration. Check your Windows sound properties and driver are correctly set up for microphone recording. Go into Control Panel, then Sounds and Audio Properties and click the first 'Advanced' Button. Then click Options, Properties, Recording and check that the microphone is ticked and that the slider is set correctly by moving it upwards.
If the Windows Sound Recorder does work, then focus on the SuperDVR software. In SuperDVR, go into 'Basic Configuration' and ensure that you have selected 'PC Audio' for the relevant camera. Then go into Playback mode, click the "Four Channel Mode" button and make sure you have selected the relevant camera and audio playback options in the "Channel Config" window.
