Review on XVIM 8CH 1080P Wired Security Camera System Outdoor with 1TB HDD: 8 HD 1920TVL Cameras, Night Vision, Motion Alert, Easy Remote Access - Complete Home Surveillance Solution by Michael Crossman

Having worked with security systems for a number of jobs, I knew what to expect from a cheap system. I expected: grainy picture, broken camera: clunky and hot hardware. Night Vision of a Blind Man. What I got is: super-clear license plate readings from passing cars, cameras that all worked out of the box, hardware that doesn't get hotter than a Playstation 2, and reasonable night vision that allows me to get clear to about 100 feet see. For the price, I expected a product that would allow me to try out the video surveillance concept outside of my home. Then, when our family felt there was promise, we gradually replaced the system with higher quality devices. This gear is way better than we expected and better than I hoped. This is far superior to any professional system I've ever worked with. Great tip: if there's a blind spot, it's my camera and I can adjust it. When it comes to working cameras, I've only looked at the blind spot. It's nice to be able to see what's around your home in front of a TV and know it's safe. My 8 year old loves the ease of use of the software - it can switch cameras and (digitally) zoom in on cats (tap and drag box, click box). I can view UPS and FedEx without getting up from my chair. I used the app with it on my tablet and it works great too - you can use standard or high resolution and view all cameras or just one at a time. It looks like the app also supports multiple systems which will be nice because we decided to buy a second system with 8 cameras and install more to keep an eye on our area so we can see the entire to keep an eye on the surroundings. The setup was great too - the only thing that could have been better was a couple of zip ties and a couple of cable clips. I had both and it made it easy for me. The installation of the cameras consists of 3 holes with a drill and 3 screws to hold them in place. I took a piece of paper, marked 3 holes on the paper and took the paper with me up the stairs. I glued it to the siding, drilled holes and now screwing the camera on is a breeze. There are only 2 lines to connect - the power cord and the camera cable. If you can connect a cell phone to charge, you can connect the cameras with a cable. This is not a problem. I had a small issue with the quality of one of the cameras so I contacted the support team. In fact, this was the second time I've contacted customer service - the first time to get a copy of the manual for planning purposes before my system arrived - which by the way was quick and amazing. They were also quick and amazing, fixing poor camera quality issues - much higher than I expected for the cost of the system. Conclusion: If you are thinking about buying your first system, you can't go wrong with this system. If you have a high-end system, make sure it's not a downgrade, or do it with reasonable expectations. (I plan to add photos and possibly a video on a day when it doesn't rain - rain just looks gloomy.)