GreyMan | Fri, 01 Aug, 2014
The Q-See QT714 has performed above my expectations in the following ways: (1) People at Q-See (sales, support) will actually talk to you, they answer questions, they don't rush you off the phone, they don't hide behind an email-only system, they don���t hire people who can only read a script. They have solid customer service, and that holds true for each of the 3 different people I've talked to at Q-see. (2) Nothing was missing or broken in the box I received, which these days, is remarkable. It all worked. That said, the system does require some additional gear: a surge suppressor with specific ratings, and a monitor, which you can probably borrow from your computer, or your TV. (3) This was the big surprise: the menus and the graphic interface actually make sense. It's not a simple system--it���s actually quite complex. It is like learning a new computer system. But set aside a day for learning, and you'll be able to set the system up as you want. You���ll have to either read the manual on screen or print it out (it's on the included CD) but that���s modern life. The quick start guide is helpful but you really do need to read the manual because it���s a complex system with lots of options. Many defaults are set for you, and once you learn the system, it makes sense to leave many of them as they���re set from the factory. (4) 1080p resolution is sharp. I chose 1080p is because I wanted to be able to read a license plate from 10 yards away from a camera. After a lot of experimenting with resolutions on my computer, I found I could read a license plate with either a 1.3MP system (but marginal) or a 2.1MP system like the 1080p (where it���s very clear). If you want to capture a license plate at 10 yards (with a wide angle lens), forget about any of the lower resolutions like 720p, 960H (which you know is lower than 720p, right?), or any of the lower resolutions which are just a cruel joke (D1, VGA, 2CIF). The HD is plenty big. According to my calculations, if I specify 6 FPS (which is plenty) on all 4 cameras, at highest resolution, running 24 hours a day (which I don���t, because I use motion detection, which runs the HD at a small fraction of full-time), I���d be able to capture over 15 days of video. Now, I can���t speak to longevity of the system or cameras at this point, but if I have issues, and if Sam allows it, I���ll report back.