Update: 6/24/13 poor customer service. Only communication is with online chat which takes them literally minutes to respond. RMA requires a copy of receipt which I don't have and you pay shipping. Emails are unanswered. 2 to 4 weeks expected return. And, from my experience, who knows how they will test it and if they don't find anything wrong they just send it back. A security system with no support isn't worth the risk.Update: I've spent a day trying to solve issues. Unfortunately they require you to use an online chat window which would be fine but it can take several minuts for them to even check it. While it's obvious there is a board issue with the DVR they keep having me try things like Internet providers and refusing to accept that it's broken. I have a feeling once they get their act together I will have to send it in which means no security setup for probably weeks.
Update: 6/18/13 while I could still view the cams from anywhere there was no indication that the unit wasn't recording. However, wanting to do some checking I found it hadn't recorded for several days and when I needed it! Contacting support (online chat only) they had me reformat the hard drive. I don't know what is going on and they couldn't guarantee it wouldn't happen again and now my warranty is just about over. 8 cameras and no DVR will suck. They did tell me if it failed again in the next week I could send it in. Great, so no unit at all for several weeks if that happens. I should note my Q-See and Panasonic have never had a problem.
Update: I needed support recently after trying their online form, which bombed (error message came up) and phone, which the message said to use online form, I finally got someone on their online chat, after about a half hour. But I did get my answer!
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I actually installed and used this system: cables, cameras, DVR, and software.
This is my fourth system. The first is a wireless Panasonic Network Cam which has been running 24/7 for about 4 years with absolutely no problems but it's an indoor cam pointing out a window and the DVR is a Windows server it is my favorite. My second system included 2 cameras, great length of cable for each but it did not include a DVR and could only be used by using an online service I dumped that one. My third system has been a QSee four camera system which included a 320gb DVR. The system has worked for a few years as well capturing video based on motion detection. I had a couple of blind spots and needed an extra camera or two; the Defender 21029 comes with 8 outdoor cameras and a 500gb DVR.
Defender Hardware
Out of the box there is no documentation except a little piece of paper showing all of the parts. It comes with one of those little CDs but without auto run. You will find a PDF manual but nothing that talks about installing software or using the software or web version (they are similar yet different) only about the software that is in the DVR itself which is similar to the other two yet different and does not use a keyboard mouse only which can be a pain in the butt to use prefer not. No online knowledge base as of this writing.
Installation is a real pain in the butt. You have to string cables all over the house to get the right setup. That's what makes these systems less desirable. Even though their example shows a cable running through the wall I prefer to hide my cables so I ran all of them through the attic and most hang under the eve. The included cables weren't long enough for 3 of my locations.
The cameras that came with my unit are the worse out of all of my systems. While you can tell what is going on they are washed out and the colors don't come close green leaves come out purple. Adjustment does not help a great deal.
The DVR does provide motion detection for any camera which is the best way to go; it makes it easier to find things because that is all that is recorded.
Take note: if someone does break in they could steal the DVR so it too needs to be hidden or locked up.
Software
Hardware manufactures rarely make great software and they don't realize that is what really makes hardware great or what's the use? The Defender software comes in 3 flavors: internal, an app, and web browser web browser being the best but not great.
While better then the QSee, Defender software does malfunction and would sometimes just crash for no reason.
It only allows playback up to 8x fast forward where QSee was up to 16x which was nice to have.
Playback only allows you to search/view 4 at a time and the only view is a timeline with a slider which is not easy to control and select a specific time or starting point.
One other annoyance, which was also with the QSee, PTZ controls are always displayed and take up room on the screen even though you don't get cameras that can be controlled and you probably won't add them to an inexpensive system like this.
The software doesn't use the name you gave each camera instead uses CH1 for channel 1, etc so when you need to select the cameras for playback you have to remember which channel has the camera you want to view since you can only view 4 at a time out of the 8. But you can playback all 4 cameras at once.
Sometimes I would make changes to the settings and it would save while other times a message pops up and says Failed.
Try to set the password for a user and it maxes out at 6 characters but then you try to save it it says you must have MORE than 6 characters. Then sometimes it does work but you must have 6 characters exactly.
While it says you can assign different types of users I haven't found that. I prefer to be able to differentiate between a local user and a remote user but you can't.
Interesting note
I have to wonder if the Defender and the QSee (and probably other brands) aren't made by the same manufacture and companies buy them up and add software because the hardware is nearly identical (model differences) including mice, remote controls, ports, cabling etc.
Conclusion
I could probably write a book on these things but that should give you an idea. It would cost a considerable amount to set up 8 wireless cameras and a DVR or server; cable type systems like this are much more affordable. On the Defender website this system lists for $800 but on sale for $550 way over priced. Amazon sells it for $400 which is about right for an 8 camera system like this. It does work and will record activity going on giving you some peace of mind.
Note: We already own a Zmodo Surveillance System (PKD-DK0865-500GB) used to monitor our small business, so it was easy for me to switch out the main DVR unit and cameras to do a side-by-side comparison. The Defender and Zmodo systems have roughly the same specs and features, but the Defender is a little more expensive (at the time of this review), so is it worth it? The answer for us would be "yes" since the cameras on this system are clearer and have much better night vision clarity and range. I will be making comparisons as appropriate.
Our Use We recently bought an old but very large building for my wife's business and needed a way to monitor the six exits and the retail shop space.
Included:
* Main Control Unit this is a fairly small unit (smaller than most DVD players)
* 8-Cameras these are also fairly small, good physical quality and include mounting hardware
* USB Mouse connects to Control Unit
* Remote Control gives access to all menu functions (batteries included)
* Required Cables 65' Video/Power cables
* Power Supplies one for the Control Unit and two for the cameras (uses splitters to distribute the power between the cameras)
* Window Warning Stickers
* Software CD
Features:
+ Camera; IR Illumination for night vision
+ User configurable Options; Privacy Zones (blackout areas in the display), Motion Zones (areas where motion triggers an alarm)
+ Network Access; Can be viewed by a PC on the local network
+ Alarm Notification; Audible alert and E-Mail capability (which works very well)
+ Display Options; Includes a VGA monitor connection and BNC/video out for TV viewing
+ Remote Control; Really makes it easy to quickly access features
+ Remote User Access; Can be viewed remotely on PC/MAC, iPhone, and Android
Pros:
+ Setup; Basic configuration is very easy
+ Image Quality; Good for basic security needs in both bright and dark settings, better than the Zmodo cameras
+ Night Vision; Surprisingly good clarity and range, also much better than the Zmodo system
+ Value; Lots of cameras and features at a reasonable cost
+ Options; Can be made to do everything we need it to do
+ No Exposed Camera Wires; Wires can pass though the mounting hardware so are hidden and protected, an advantage over the Zmodo mounts, or you can choose to have the wires run outside the mounts if you don't want to put holes through the wall
Cons:
Slightly Washed Out Colors; Colors are somewhat muted, but can be individually adjusted in the controls to get the best possible picture for the lighting condition
Hints/Notes:
* Alarmed Events can be recorded and searched on later
* A 500GB Hard Drive can record up to two years of video on this system
* Placing a camera too close to a window will cause the IR to reflect and blind the camera when it shifts into night vision mode
* Supports PTZ Cameras (not included); we use Zmodo Home Indoor Pan Tilt Surveillance Camera with IR Night Vision for 80 feet
This system covers my needs very well and provides a lot of advanced features that are nice to find on a budget system.
Highly Recommended!
CFHI purchased this item because of the claim of "DVD quality resolution". Once installed did I realize that car license plates still could not be read.
I already owned the Defender SN502-4CH-001 model and the image quality is almost exactly the same! I also had an issue with one of the cameras and called customer support about getting the defective camera replaced .They required that you send the defective camera back before getting a replacement even though I provided a receipt and was under the warranty.
Defender USA also claims that you can record 6 months of footage with the 500 GB hard drive. This claim is a lie. The most you can store is about 4 weeks!
I have always been a loyal Amazon customer and feel disappointed that Defender USA was able to sell its items on this website. From past experience, Amazon customer service has been great but it sometimes falls short when third party companies are involved.
Buyers beware when looking to buy one of these systems. Don't make them same mistake I made. Operating a home recording studio these days makes owning a home surveillance system a must. Along with an alarm this is a necessity now. One major theft and I am out of business. While this system can not prevent a theft, it can record it and has all the capabilities to ALERT me that it is happening.
f you are at all familiar with surveillance/recording system you will soon be right at home with the Defender. The Defender system has everything you need to keep an eye on things, whether you are on premises or off. Very easy communication with your system via the web makes this ideal for checking your home or business while away. Once you set things up on software, you can easily review your recordings or watch in real time from remote locations. The email alert feature is really a smart idea and although I have had no breach in security YET, I am sure to appreciate an electronic "heads up" if the need arises.
The system comes well packaged in two small boxes, one holding cameras and cabling and the other holding the DVR and software. Everything arrived in perfect condition, ready for installation and use. (you obviously need a PC and Monitor to operate this system)
Build quality of the cameras, mounts, and DVR is very good. Cabling is not the thickest but more than serviceable and shielded . Almost all your cabling will be hidden and not exposed to the elements. A basic rule of thumb for the DVR portion of this system is to keep the DVR in a COOL place with PLENTY OF ventilation. Since this is the key component of the system, we keep the DVR in our studio computer room which is climate controlled 24/7.
Installation is not for the timid. If you have any doubts or are just not mechanically inclined, get someone to help you or HIRE a professional at least for the install of the cameras and running of cables. There WILL be holes drilled in your exterior/interior walls as this is not a wireless system.
The documentation is spotty and almost appears to be written in pidgin English. Basically all the info you need is there on disc and on Defenders website AND Defender offers real time chat for any problems you encounter or instruction you may need. (both web and phone support) In my case this system replaces a very antiquated VHS based unit so going all digital was a welcome change and something worth the small learning curve to implement.
Besides remote accessing of the software and 4 channel video output, the other favorite feature of mine is the ability to record viewable video during the night.
Maxwell Smart of CONROL never had anything this sophisticated.
Video quality is more than adequate with 480i at 704 x 480 and by using H.264 compression the picture is pretty crisp and artifact free. A MAJOR improvement from my old VHS based system! Of course accessing your video feeds is very similar to home DVR use as far as random access goes and searching by timer/day.
Currently sold for under $400, this system gives you all the tools you need to keep watch on your home or business, an easy way to access the system from a remote location and provides decent usable video quality both during the day and at night. Coupled with the free tech support offered, the Defender Sentinel 4 Channel system will run rings around any older system and should provide years of service as long as you take care of the DVR.
If you need to know what's going on at all times, this system will do the job for you. (since this is a hard disc based system you always need to remember ALL hard discs eventually fail so a redundant backup system is recommended for critical applications) Very cool and I can easily recommend it. My use of this system so far has admittedly been just a little silly. I'm not ready just yet to fully install it (partly because I wanted to have a sense of how well it works before I start drilling holes in walls that can't be un-drilled as part of installing it), but I decided to hook up a couple of cameras so that I could get on with testing it. I've been having fun using it to monitor a robin's nest on the back of the house.
It's been a really good way for me to get a sense of how well I could follow what was happening in front of the camera, how well the night vision works, and to test other features like alarms. I was actually able to go into the system's software and designate the area around the nest itself as being of interest, and had the system beeping to alert me whenever the parents came back to the nest to feed their young without giving me false alarms when things moved elsewhere within the camera's view. (It was way more fun as a way of testing than sending someone else out to walk in front of the cameras for me!)
The clarity of the images has really surprised me with how good it is. The colors can be a little off at times, but the clarity is nicer than I expected. You have the option to set the system to different resolutions. It also has the ability to be hooked to a computer monitor, along with 2 connection points designed to use a television as a display.
Overall, I'm very impressed with it so far and I think that it's definitely worth the amount they're charging here. There are a few things that I took off a star for that are mainly interface issues. For example, in the menus in the system there are options available to be checked and unchecked that are not supported by this particular model. There's also plenty of room on many pages that they could have offered slightly more explanation in place of what options meant, rather than requiring you to switch back and forth between the system's interface and a PDF of the manual to figure out what you're doing (or whether you're even doing anything, in the case of the options that are meaningless for this particular version).
These issues are pretty minor because they don't stop you from actually successfully doing anything with the system that you might want to do. They're just an avoidable annoyance that holds me back a from being entirely comfortable with giving it 5 stars for now.
Some Edits for more detail:
The network cable that comes with the system is Cat5e. If you're in doubt about whether this is good enough for the speed of your local network, you're almost definitely fine. Only networks where all of the components are very high speed will benefit from a Cat6 cable. Plan to order one if you happen to need that, though.
I'm still disappointed in the quality of the documentation. The URL they point you to for networking information sends you to a 'we have reorganized our site, start from our main page' page. It wouldn't have taken much effort for them to move you to at least the support page (where you can easily get to networking information) instead of the main page of the site. There are a lot of little spots like that where things could be more polished.
There's good news and bad news on the using-birds-for-testing front. The bad news is that, after I had been watching the babies frequently for more than a week (I got to like glancing over to see what they were up to on the nearby TV while I worked at the computer), they disappeared from their nest a couple of days before they were due to start learning to fly. The good news is that I was able to find out what happened, because the camera captured the entire thing. They were attacked by what appears to have been a rat snake. While it was distressing to lose them and to see the attack transpire on video (it was in the middle of the night, so it was caught on the night-vision mode), I guess that at least proves that you can use this system to find out who's responsible when something bad happens on your property.
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