TIGERSECU Super HD 1080P 16 Channel DVR Security Recorder Without Hard Drive, Hybrid 6-in-1 CCTV DVR Recorder Compatible with 2MP and 5MP TVI, AHD, CVI, Analog, RS485 PTZ and IP Cameras

This is an update to my previous review (1 star), wherein I complained about the CMS program constantly crashing. See the screenshot. This would happen anywhere between a minute and a day of running the program. It would also happen when closing the program, almost every time. It happened across several Windows 7 PC's I was using it on. I went around and around with Tigersecu and they couldn't solve it. They had me do things like update the firmware twice, and lower the camera data rates. Nothing helped a bit. Well, I stumbled on the solution. See the second screen shot image attached. If you right click on the Tigersecu_cms shortcut and go to "properties", you can check that box for Windows XP SP3 compatibility. This minor change completely resolved the issue. No more crashing. OK, so now that this issue is resolved, let me rewrite the review. The thing I like most about this unit is the user interface. Whether you're accessing it via a monitor and mouse attached directly to the unit, or you're accessing it over the network using the Tigersecu_cms program, it's intuitive and easy to use. You have to use other DVR's that aren't done nearly so well to really appreciate what a good job Tigersecu did on the user interface. In particular, DVR's that are accessed remotely via a web browser tend to be really bad. Most require some ancient version of Windows Explorer, because all modern browsers block the functionality required, for security reasons. And then when you do get into the unit, well, the browser interface tends to make it more cumbersome to find and access all the settings. In fact, many of them don't even provide full setup capabilities via remote access. So doing something like adding an IP camera must be done on the unit itself. And just viewing and monitoring the cameras themselves tends to be buggy when using a browser interface. Even the ones that provide a real CMS program, the program tends to be hard to use and leaves out some capabilities. They're generic type programs that work over a cross section of different products and require you to jump through hoops to connect and view. The Tigersecu's remote access, on the other hand, is done via a dedicated program designed specifically for their products, which really cleans it up and makes it simpler and more intuitive to use. It's called Tigersecu_cms. It gives you just as much access as if you were using the unit itself with an attached monitor and mouse, and through an essentially identical looking interface. So that's really really nice, particularly if your DVR isn't in an easily accessible location. Anything you can do at the box, you can also do remotely. What's more, it can access over your LAN, without going over the internet, and even has a built in scan function at the logon prompt ("Discover") to help find your DVR on your LAN. Or you can enter your DVR's secret code and it can access it via Tigersecu's server, if you're trying to access it from outside your LAN. No monthly fees or any of that other nonsense. And the CMS program remembers all your logon credentials, so that next time you go to access it, you don't have to enter anything. Nice. It's just really, really well done, compared to it's competitors. Very user friendly. They put a lot of thought into it. Likewise, the mobile app is designed specifically for Tigersecu, it's not a generic like xmeye or one of the others, and it has a clean interface. I do wish though that it would support two way audio with IP cameras. It has a microphone enable, but it doesn't work, and tech support confirmed for me that it's non-functional. Tigersecu should work on this. Also in my previous version of this review, I griped about the slowness of accessing event records. When I go to the playback screen and tell it I want to play back events, it can take minutes after playing one event before it starts playing the next. I found this really frustrating. Well, the Tigersecu staff saw my complaint and emailed me and let me know of an alternate way to view events. If you go to the maintenance menu and then click "Log", you'll see that you can build a log of events, over whatever time period you want and for whichever cameras you're interested in. Building that log only takes seconds. Once the log is built, it displays it, and each entry has a play button. You click that play button and almost instantly you're viewing your event. Exit that playback and you're back at the log and free to select and play another event, without rebuilding the log. Nice! Once again, they did a good job on the user interface. You really have to use other DVR's to appreciate how much thought and effort they put into the whole user interface. Really my only gripe at this point is the lack of support for 2-way audio with the phone app. Fortunately I have a good workaround, in that the app that came with my cameras supports it and it works fine. Still, it'd be nicer to have it built right into the Tigersecu app. I haven't been able to find perfection in any of the DVR's I've tried, but now that I've got the app crashing fixed and am able to play events without a long delay, the Tigersecu comes the closest to perfection of any DVR I've used. It's not the cheapest, not by a long shot, but worth the extra money in my opinion to have something robust, reliable, and easy to use.

I’m a retired alarm/CCTV industry professional that upgraded my own home video system to the TIGERSECU 16-channel DVR (Digital Video Recording system) from an older system that was produced by the sister company of the one that I worked for. What an AWESOME system! The DVR is loaded with features that greatly enhances its desirability and usability and at a price that makes it an excellent value for the money. Some of those features include: • In working with TigerSecu technical support on system “how-to’s” and custom details, I’ve found them to be very knowledgeable and promptly responsive to inquiries and tech support contacts. • The TigerSecu DVR is easy to set-up right out of the box. • The DVR has three output connections for HDMI, VGA PC monitor and composite video all of which can be used simultaneously if desired. • There’s a free application you can download that’s easy to setup and use on PCs or laptops to view, operate and control the system on your local home network or remotely via the internet. • There’s also a free application from the app store to view and control the system from your smartphone (IOS or Android) and tablets. • I’ve used all three local monitors as well as the IOS app on my phone and tablet and also the PC-based application and found them easy to use with great video quality and packed with features—a really thoughtful design. • Reasonable internet security features exist to protect the system from unauthorized remote access but, as with most systems, you are STRONGLY advised to change the preset default logon password when you set-up the system. • For smartphones and tablets, you can use your device to snap a picture of your system’s unique QR code as displayed in a menu option on any of the local displays. That process identifies and configures your remote device to your own system making it ready to view and operate without having to type the unique system ID— a really straight-forward set-up. Alternatively, you CAN enter the system’s ID by typing it into the device set-up screen. • On-screen menus can be activated with a mouse click and offer all of the system’s features, settings, playback options and configuration in a logically organized selection menu structure. The smartphone apps provide similar access to features via touchscreen displays. • You may record audio input for 4 of the 8 or 16 cameras (depending on the model you buy). Note that you need to purchase inexpensive MICs and cabling separately from virtually any source including Amazon. • This system supports many different classes of cameras from the oldest black and white minimal quality analog models of the 90’s to the newest high definition cameras formats and resolution qualities. Newer IP (LAN/NETWORKED cameras) are also supported. Check out the system specs for compatible models or check with tech support for further details. • The DVR supports both time-of-day schedules for continuous recordings of selected (or all) cameras as well as time-of-day (or continuous) event recording when motion is detected within a camera’s view. The system allows you to specify the exact areas within the camera’s view for where motion should automatically trigger recording from an overlaid grid across the picture of 20 x 11 areas dividing the view into 220 squares that you can turn ON or OFF with the included mouse to very specifically select motion-sensitive areas. Each camera’s motion detection area also allows for a sensitivity setting from 1% to 100% to determine how much change within those detection areas need occur to trigger recording. • An added option allows motion triggering from one camera to automatically and additionally trigger recording of a second camera even though that secondary camera has not yet been triggered by motion in its own view. This is great for two cameras that overlap the same area or that point in opposite directions in portions of the same location. • The user can configure and select pre-triggering and post-triggering times to have the system include recording a camera’s view of any events shortly BEFORE motion is detected and/or AFTER motion triggering has stopped when recording activity with a camera’s view. • The system supports sounding a built-in buzzer which can be optioned to sound locally at the DVR when motion is triggered in one or more specific cameras. • Playback of recordings is easy from any screen or device. System memory notes which recordings occurred per scheduling and which were triggered by motion. You can select a date from the on-screen calendar for either or both activities types and then from a timeline display and playback recordings in actual time or at speeds of 4x, 8x, 16x and 32x forward or backward or even at a single frame step at a time. The 24-hour timeline has color-coded sections to show when recorded events occurred. During playback, the system will advance through the recorded segments automatically and display the actual time of each recording. • There are options to allow the user to select the exact segments of the video they want to capture for export to a thumb drive including trimming the leading and trailing portion of the recording to grab just the desired result. Users can also take a “snapshot” of any specific frame on the screen to export as a still image. • Camera settings allow you to adjust picture brightness, contrast, color saturation and hue for each camera to maximize that camera to its environmental lighting and the physical content at its location. • Digital zoom feature allows for close inspection and expansion of any portion of a live or recorded camera. • The user may “name” each camera’s view and select whether and where the name and optional time and date is located on the recorded view of each camera. • In addition to a master user’s “Admin” log-on, the system supports up to ten user’s logon names and passwords. Each user’s individual permissions can be set for both local system use and/or remote internet logon insofar and what cameras they may view, which settings (if any) they can modify, and which system features they can access. • The system supports remote pan/tilt/physical zoom capabilities for a number of compatible cameras via a 2-wire RS-485 interface. I haven’t tested this feature as all my cameras are “fixed-view” but the menu options look good. There are provisions to configure a “video tour” for each PTZ camera insofar as pre-set views, the duration of each and so on. • The system supports notifying one or more email accounts when motion triggering of a camera occurs and/or if video from a camera is lost. If your smart phone supports TEXT message via an email address for your phone number (like mine does) you can receive notices as real-time text messaging. • Additionally, the system can be configured to send push-notifications directly to its own smartphone app also for remote notification of events when they occur. • There are a rich host of views that can be used for local or remote viewing which include full-screen mode of a single camera; 2x2 (quad view), 3x3 (nine camera) and 4x4 (sixteen camera if your DVR model supports 16 cameras.) The system also allows for cycling through individual or multi-view modes. Additionally, the system allows for picture-within-picture configurations. • Each screen of multiple views (2x2, 3x3, PIP, etc.) can be customized by selecting which individual cameras are displayed on the multi-screen view. • Once you’ve configured your system settings and options, (or as you adjust and set them up) the configuration can be stored as a back-up configuration image on a local thumb drive or at a specified location of your PC when you’re using the PC application. These settings can then be restored at a later time if needed or desired. • Note that the current USB connections for a mouse and thumb drive are on the back of the DVR so, depending on where & how you locate your system, you might wish to purchase a 3-feet USB extension cable for a thumb drive in front of the unit if you desire to do so. • The system includes a customized IR remote control that places virtually all functions, features and view capabilities right in your hand. I’ve added an inexpensive IR relay unit to be able to control those functions from an adjacent room that has its own monitor screen. • There are a number of other features and options I haven’t mentioned. The instruction manual (which you can also view on-screen of a PC or laptop as a .pdf) is helpful and well-illustrated but not as quite as detailed as I’d like. I understand that it’s currently being updated based on customer feedback and suggestions with newer copies available via free download. Until that’s complete, the tech support team is well-versed in providing user assistance with the details and “how-to’s” of the system. As an alarm industry & CCTV professional, I am highly impressed with all the features of the TigerSecu system and fully recommend it as an excellent product, especially for its price. Dave P, Irvine CA

I had security camera system made by a company called WiseNet that went out of business, and the DVR just stopped working. I rated it 4-stars only because the video color isn't as good as what I had; but it works very well, easy to add to existing compatible cameras, and software effective. It was easy to connect to my home network for PC and cellphone, and to set up remote monitoring using laptop when not using home network. Looks good on countertop and doesn't take up much space. Tech support is awesome!