Dedicated Digital Data Recording Solutions

In about 1997, digital recording solutions were developed that used everything from blackboxes with embedded microprocessors to multichannel input cards that were inserted into computers – all to record video in a digital manner.

The blackboxes often had hard drives built into them and could record up to 16 cameras based on their architecture.

Their playback was extremely good, with high quality resolution of 320 x 252 and the ability to pan/tilt/zoom anywhere in the recorded in the picture – post recording.

This was an absolutely wonderful tool which was both unique/simple to operate and provided an immense amount of capabilities including alarms, setup, and data saving methods that were heretofore unavailable for a price of only $5,000 – only twice that of a normal time lapse recorder with no frustration built into a tape – (one that might not even be recording due to mechanical malfunctions or just dirty heads.)

Manufacturers’ experience in using inexpensive computers with video input cards to record on hard drives were becoming just as successful and provided owners with incredible capabilities by the year 2000.

While time lapse recorders would often become maintenance eye sores after a year and needed replacement after two (since the magnetic head was constantly revolving 24/7), the digital unit would require almost no maintenance just air circulation.

The biggest liability to the digital recording age was in storing and archiving the image for as long as many clients wished, which could be either excessive or within reason, depending on need.

We’re going to discuss some of the electronic archiving methods in a later category and describe how technology leapfrogged in one decade for storage and storage methods.