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Xenon PH4104AV DVR Product Review

Xenon is an emerging star in the field of Video Security hardware.  Xenon makes a full line of high-quality security cameras, digital video recorders (DVR), and accessories.  The PH4104AV is the 4 channel version of their DVR with h.264 encoding, which greatly increases the efficiency of video data storage (h.264 is also used with Blu-Ray DVD).  Models with 8 and 16 channels are also available (PH4108AV, PH4116AV).   The specifications for the 8 and 16 channel models are similar to the 4 channel system, but multiplied.  The DVR includes support for either an internal SATA hard drive (max 1000 GB) and/or a recordable CD drive.

Product Design:

The Xenon DVR design includes an embedded microprocessor (ARM7) running a uClinux (pronounced “you see linux”) operating system.  The firmware is burned into flash memory, making it more stable and reliable than software programs running from a standard hard disk drive.   Software for managing large installations with multiple DVR systems, called “Centralized Management System” (CMS), is part of the package.  Data can be archived either over the network or over a USB (1.1) port.

The technology behind the DVR video processing is sourced from Techwell, a San Jose, California company that designs highly integrated video processing ICs.   The TW2700 is a RISC architecture microcontroller capable of real-time 4-channel video compression for security applications.  It can compress/decompress 4 full-size video data streams simultaneously.  Multiple TW2700 modules are used for the 8 and 16 channel systems.

DVR Features:

These systems can playback 4 channels simultaneously, making review of video much more productive.  For example, if we were reviewing video from a hotel, we could synchronize the 4 playback channels to watch a hallway, an elevator exit, the lobby, and finally the parking lot.  In this way we could monitor the travel of an individual through the facility.

A VGA output for connecting to a local monitor is included.  The speed of record and playback (NTSC) is 120 frames per second (fps).  Many installations will not need a local monitor except during startup and troubleshooting, since most functions can be accessed over a network.

The systems from Xenon are equipped with sophisticated motion detection analysis of the video image.  The software allows you to define active sensing regions of the viewing area, and the control of sensitivity.  Software analysis of video image for the determination of situation is called <i>Video Analytics</i>.  If, for example, a camera is monitoring a room at a time of day when there should not be any activity, if the camera detects changes in the scene, the DVR can automatically send an email and/or close a relay which could be used to activate an alarm.  Motion detected triggered recording is also possible, greatly increasing the efficiency of the storage in some environments.

The DVR family is fully “web enabled”, allowing you to view the data through Internet Explorer (currently Firefox and Safari browsers are not ActiveX capable, preventing compatibility) or a web enabled mobile device.  The Xenon interface allows control of most of the DVR functions, as opposed to some alternative DVR interfaces, which only allow monitoring of data, often not even allowing backup of data over the network.

The Negatives:

The documentation for the Xenon system, which was obviously authored by someone for whom English is a second language, and the graphics for the GUI, seem a bit awkward.  One of the evaluation units arrived setup for Chinese, and required instructions from Xenon’s tech support group to correct.   However, the negatives are easily outweighed by the positives.  Xenon’s tech support proved competent when needed.  This is a high quality system at a reasonable price.

DVR technology has improved significantly in the last few years.  A DVR that only recently was considered hi-tech and “state-of-the-art” looks surprisingly primitive today.  Prices are also much more reasonable.

Xenon PH4104AV 4 Channel DVR Product Description

CPU:  ARM 7

Video CODEC:  Techwell TW2700

OS:  uClinux

Interface:  GUI operation with IR controller, Keypad, and USB Mouse

Video Input:  4X (PAL/NTSC), BNC connector

Video Output:  Composite Video (1V P-P, BNC) and 1 x SVGA

Audio Input:  4X Audio in, BNC type

Audio Output:  1X Audio out, BNC type

Video Display:  1, 4 Spilt Screen

Video Standard:  PAL, NTSC

System Resource:  4 channel record, 4 channel playback, 4 channel simultaneous networking. Real-time Pentaplexer (Current Record, Playback, Live, Network)

Motion Detection:  16 x 12 grids per channel with 5 level sensitivity adjustment

Record Method:  Time scheduled, Motion Detection, Alarm, Manual

CMS:  Supports Central Management System

Compression Type:  Video only or Video combined with Audio

Video CODEC:  H.264 Baseline Profile, L3.1

Video Compression Rate:  2Mbps-4Mbps, Adjustable

Audio CODEC:  OggVorbis, 16 Kbps 

Audio Compression Rate:  64 Kbps

Video Quality:  30 fps

Local storage:  Supports: 1000 GB SATA HDD, CD-R/W

Backup:  Support USB Flash, USB HDD, USB CDRW

Network protocol:  TCP/IP, UDP, PPPoE, RTSP, RTP, SMTP, HTTP

Alarm Input:  4

Alarm output:  2, Email

LAN port:  1 x RJ45 with 10/100M

USB port:  1 x USB1.1

Pan/Tilt control port:  1 x RS485

Power:  110V-240V, 50Hz-60Hz

Power Consumption:  28W

Operation Temperature:  -10C-55C

Humidity: 10-90%

About the Author

Brian Bradshaw is a Video Security System Specialist in North Texas. For more information:
B.V. Technology Video Surveillance Systems

Can I watch movies through my dvr with a usb flash drive?

I have searched fairly thoroughly for an answer to this already, but I seem to only be able to find answers to the similar question of "can I pull moves from my dvr with a flash drive". I would like to know if it is possible to watch movies from a flash drive on my DirecTV dvr.
I thank anyone in advance for responding.

Some you can but others only use the USB for firemware updates.

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