Technology and Small Business

This product was the impetus for me to start this blog. I was so amazed with this product that I decided to start my blog to write about using technology to streamline small business operations.

As I mentioned in my first post, I'm a full-time working professional who runs a small business on the side. As such, it is critical that I keep tabs on my store at all times. When I first purchased the store, there was a security system already in place. It was a VHS based systems that records, records, and records. In order for you to view video footages, you need to first eject the VHS, put in a spare VHS tape to keep recording, take the old VHS home and watch it. Obviously this process is really old and out of date.

One of first upgrade I made since I purchased the business was to install an internet-enabled DVR based system so I can watch live video from any PC to keep an eye out on the store at all times. The system I purchased was a Swann Security System. While it did serve its purpose, the setup was really cumbersome. The DVR itself can not directly stream live video although Swann claim that it could. I spent numerous hours with Swann Tech Support to get it to work but we failed to get the DVR to live stream video. After some DVR tinkering with the Swann software on my laptop, I was able to get live streaming video to work with the provided software. So to make internet streaming work, I had to purchase a nettop (Intel Atom-based small form-factor PC), install the Swann software, install LogMeIn software. To view live video stream, I had to first log into the nettop using LogMeIn, launch Swann software, then view the video footage via the software. The video was clunky and the resolution was poor. I didn't like it at all. I used this setup for about two years then finally, the DVR died so this was an opportunity for me to get a new DVR system for my store.

Upon some research, I found a REVO DVR based security system at costco.com (one of my favorite store). The REVO system offered multiple way to view live video footage. You can use the included software to watch live video on a PC, or download free viewing software on Mac, iOS, and Android to watch live video. And there is the kicker, REVO also offers free web-based option live steaming with any web browser! This is awesome! More on the this topic later. After some stellar reviews at costco.com, I decided to give it a shot. If I didn't like it, I can always return it to Costco - this is one of the reason why I love shopping at Costco.

The installation of the REVO security system was really simple. I would say the toughest part was the cable management aspect of the DVR. The included 30 ft cable was too long for my store. Anyways, all you need to do is to drill holes, screw the camera housing into the wall, connect RJ-45 connectors from camera to the DVR. The single cable carries combined video, audio, and power signals. Very simple. The DVR system came with 6 cameras: 3 dome-type and 3 bullet-type cameras. I mount the two dome cameras directly above two of my registers, the third one, I mount it above the center of my store. The 3 bullet-type cameras, I mounted them at strategic locations so I can keep an eye out for more sensitive locations, such as money safe. The cable routing consisted of a whole munch of mounting brackets and zip ties. Next, I connected the DVR to the store router with an ethernet cable.

After all the cameras are installed and cables routed and connected, I turned on the REVO DVR to configure the network settings. I called the REVO's North American-based technical support to help me configure network setting of the DVR. Make sure to have the router user name and password information first before you call REVO tech support and there must be a PC connected to the same router as the DVR to configure router settings. The REVO tech support personnel used WebEx or LogMeIn type of on-line VPN software to take control of the PC to configure the router in real time. In this process, REVO will ask you to name your DVR. This is very important, REVO offers free life-time DVR domain name services on REVO's own servers. What this means in laymen's term is that you don't need to worry about the IP addresses of the DVR or what the IP address your ISP provided. The DVR name services will identify the DVR your purchased solely by the name you chosen for the DVR. This is really cool. Instead of typing in the IP address of the DVR you are trying to connect, you simply need to enter in the DVR name that you registered with REVO and use that name to view live video footage. It took about 10 minutes to for the REVO technical personnel to configure the network.

After the network is all setup, then the security system install is mostly complete. The only thing left is for you to log into to the DVR to see live video footage. You can do this a number of ways. The simplest way is the use a web browser. Open up a web browser, go to www.revodvr.com, enter your DVR name and hit ENTER. Be sure to have pop-up window disabled. The user name is admin by default. The password is what ever you setup the password to be on the DVR. If you chose, you can leave it blank but I don't recommend that. After some active-x setup you will be able to see the videos captured by the DVR. The second option is to use your PC or Mac to view the video footage. If you are using a PC, just install the netcon software that came with the DVR. Follow the instructions in the user manuel to enter your DVR name and password. With Macs, just go to the Mac App Store to download REVO viewer and enter your DVR name and password. The setups are really easy. Now, if you have an iPhone or an Android smartphone, then go to the App Store to download the free REVO apps to view video footage on your smartphone. Yes, it works on 3G cellular and/or WiFi. The configuration of the apps are pretty much the same: your DVR name and password. That is it!

For me this REVO security system has been a God send! I can keep tabs on what is going on with the store at all time on my PC, laptop, and my smartphone! I love the fact that I can see the store anywhere and anytime. I highly recommend the REVO DVR Security System to all small business owners out there.

Here are some screen shots: