I love new technology. This idea was really pretty simple and I don't know why someone didn't think of this when they originally started using network cameras. In fact, it would be nice to see built in POE units on every NVR. It would certainly save a lot of hassles with external power supply units. The NVR works great! The video it captures is incredibly high in detail (resolution) and the colors are fine. Having the POE system built into the unit makes using it even that much easier. Basically, all you have to do is plug the cameras in and go now, instead of fiddling with a lot of additional network settings in units without this. The only down side to this idea is the fact that there are only 4 switch ports. Of course, we use the highest resolution possible (1080p or 2 megapixels) so we can only use a maximum of four cameras but if you use lower resolution cameras, you can use up to a total of 16 cameras. So it would be nice to have the potential for 16 POE ports. I've got to hand it to Security Camera King though just the same, this is an excellent idea. The NVR is very responsive and a great performer and it even provides for HDMI and VGA simultaneous displays. Gotta go with a 5 on this one.

Good performance and great idea. This NVR is basically Security Camera King's Elite Mini NVR with a built in power supply for up to four cameras. We installed this NVR using the highest resolution option for all the cameras at a frame rate of 30 frames per second, so we record at 1080p. One of the advantages to using this NVR is that since all the camera network cables plug into the NVR Power Over the Ethernet (POE) ports (the built in network power supply switch) the NVR can also take care of all the network business with the cameras, if you are using IP network cameras locally on your own network (and not scattered across town for example on the Internet). If you are not much of a computer network engineer (like me) that means that you basically install your cameras after you run your CAT5 Ethernet cables and plug the camera cables into the camera then into the NVR. The NVR picks up the camera signal instantly and you immediately have a signal on your system's monitor without the need for searching for network addresses or IPs or whatever. The only real "negative" side to this recorder is the fact that if you decide to use more than 4 cameras, such as 8 cameras at 30 frames per second at 720p resolution, you will still need to connect an additional Power over the Ethernet switch (or use external power) for any cameras that number over a total of four. Enough of all that network stuff. It would be an indignity to review that and not talk about the quality of the video recording of a 1080p resolution security camera. You can't beat it. Well as technology increases you will always be able to find higher and higher resolutions, but as a general use security camera, there is nothing that can compare to the quality of this video picture. The details is so amazing compared to analog type cameras that even when using a 3.6mm wide angle lens, a lot of detail is still captured. And the operating system of the NVR allows for many different features and options to be controlled or adjusted to fit your specific needs. It's interesting because the NVR offers 3 different simultaneous monitors but we don't use any. Instead, we do all of our monitoring over the network and use our own personal computers as monitors (some of us use our smartphones). The unit includes its own USB operated mouse and an infrared remote control plus all the patch cords you need for the NVR and rack mounting. I think I read somewhere in someone else's review that it was addictive. I concur, it is addictive in a good way.

At the risk of sounding like a smart alec, and I really don't mean to be, I was wondering how long it would take for an NVR to pop up with its own power supply for POE. Actually, I don't understand why this hasn't been done for DVRs as well (I understand that DVR analog systems do not use CAT5 E cable all the time, but they could and this would make for a lot neater installation). Anyway, if you aren't familiar with this type of NVR, this is basically the same thing as the Security Camera King Elite Mini NVR only with a power supply built right into the unit. As long as your IP megapixel network cameras can accept Power Over the Ethernet, you can hook them up directly to your NVR using one single Cat5 E cable per camera. There is no need to worry about installing a separate power supply or using adaptors near the cameras and finding outlets in the same general area of the camera, etc. It's all one nice neat installation. Since this unit contains its own power supply for the cameras, there is no need for a network power switch either, unless you want to connect more than 4 cameras. Then you'll have to resort to the standard IP method of power supplies or a network power switch. As far as the NVR side of the unit is concerned it works very well. Good recordings, good displays, and excellent remote access opportunities using the Internet and a smartphone, tablet, or computer. We max our NVR out with 4 2 megapixel (1080p) cameras recording at 30 frames per second. The quality just can't be described, it's truly that good. You've got to see it to believe it. If you don't want to hassle with network power switches if you have a four camera network system, I highly recommend this NVR.

For security reasons (seriously), I can't mention where I work or what kind of business we are in but let me just say that we have many, many security camera surveillance systems. We have purchased them from a variety of vendors over time, but we do have our own staff that can perform the installations. Now, we have been using several of the newer NVRs over the past year or so, and every time we get one, it's now up to me, not the camera guys to set it up in the server room because it has the name "Network" in it. (Actually, I wouldn't want them messing with the network.) Anyway, I've been thinking to myself with each one of the units I install, "Why is there a separate switch?" Now I wished I could have promoted the idea to the security camera industry somehow and I could have made some money off it. Although I'm not a security camera professional, I am a network specialist, and I have seen many of these units in different forms. For me at least, Security Camera King is the first one to come out with its own power supply built right into the NVR and that is neat and convenient. My only question is when you will do this with larger systems? I could rant for a long time about the quality of the NVR (it's good) but I won't. Read the specs, it does everything it says it should do and it does it with ease. We are actually running four 2 megapixel cameras off of this one with 30 frames per second on each and it does a wonderful job. If you're looking for an NVR that has it's own power supply for Power Over the Ethernet (POE) and is still not too expensive, and you don't need a tremendous (more than 6 Terabytes) amount of storage (there is also no eSATA option) this NVR will definitely work for you.

Looks like I'm the first one to "bite" on this unit's review. :) Thanks Security Camera King for coming up with an NVR with it's own power source. We have four IP megapixel cameras (ironically enough, they are used to monitor our server room) and this Security Camera King 16 Channel Elite Mini Series NVR with POE works great! As long as we stick to four cameras (I don't think we plan to expand anytime soon) I don't have to mount another switching device in my rack and mess with plugging cameras into that then plugging it into the network, etc. Now it's just one simple Cat5 Ethernet cable from each camera to the NVR and one network Ethernet connection from the NVR to the network! No "middle man" power switching unit...lol. The NVR does have one video input and one video output although we haven't found any use for them in our situation as of yet. Even though this unit is in essence a "Mini," it still have room for a total of two internal hard drives with a combined total of about 6 terabytes of storage space. If you need more storage than that your on your own unfortunately because there is no eSATA option for external hard drives. The NVR does support motion detection recording and control of a PTZ camera and it can handle up to a total of 20 simultaneous users (That's a lot of people looking. Who's working while they're all watching the cameras? :) ) And finally, this NVR has the signature feature of all of today's security camera and surveillance systems, remote access from a Smartphone! In addition to using the network or Internet you can still snag 3 more simultaneous monitor usages out of this unit by using HDMI, VGA, and BNC. Seriously, this is a nice unit and the POE built in feature is very convenient. Now the only thing you need to so Security Camera King, is make NVRs with 8 or 16 channels with POE!