Can my DVR (Digital Video Recorder) be repaired?
The correct answer is maybe? In the Surveillance Industry there are two types of DVR’s. PC based DVR’s are module units built like a normal PC, but with a DVR Capture Card and possibly a few other small accessories. A Linux based DVR (also referred to as a Standalone DVR) can’t be repaired. How do you know if your Video Surveillance System is a Standalone or a PC based DVR? Most Standalone DVR’s are very small (see the below picture), they resemble your home entertainment DVD player. A Standalone DVR has its’ own operating system and can’t be repaired. Once this system fails, you can through it in the trash.
A PC based DVR, looks just like most PC’s (see below pictures).
The only difference is that some of these units come in a tower case (typical home computer), rackmount case (something you would find in your IT department), or a smaller “maxtop” case.
Any of the PC based Surveillance Systems can be repaired because of their modular construction. If the motherboard, video card, HDD, CPU, fan, or other parts go bad, they can easily be replaced. The average cost of repairing a DVR is $400-$600. All repairs come with a 1 year warranty on parts and labor. However in some cases, it does not make sense to repair your system. If your system is 3-5 years old, it probably needs to be upgraded. Also when the DVR Capture Card fails, it is usually a better value to spend a few extra dollars and upgrade to a new system. For more information on repairing PC based DVR’s or Surveillance Equipment, please contact us @ sales@pcsurveillance.net
Ryan Temple, www.pcsurveillance.net
