Costar CR1600ET User manual

Digital Video Recorder
i
WARNING
RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK
DO NOT OPEN
WARNING: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK,
DO NOT REMOVE COVER (OR BACK).
NO USER-SERVICEABLE PARTS INSIDE.
REFER SERVICING TO QUALIFIED
SERVICE PERSONNEL.
Thelightningflashwitharrowhead symbol, withinan equilateraltriangle, isintended to alert
the user tothe presence of uninsulated "dangerousvoltage" within the product’s enclosure
that may be of sufficient magnitude to constitute a risk of electric shock.
Theexclamationpointwithinanequilateraltriangleisintended toalerttheusertothepresence
of important operating and maintenance (servicing) instructions in theliteratureaccompanying
the appliance.
Symbol
Publication
Description
IEC60417, No.5032
Alternating current
COMPLIANCE NOTICE OF FCC:
THIS EQUIPMENT HAS BEEN TESTED AND FOUND TO COMPLY WITH THE LIMITS FOR A CLASS A DIGITAL
DEVICE, PURSUANT TO PART 15 OF THE FCC RULES. THESE LIMITS ARE DESIGNED TO PROVIDE
REASONABLE PROTECTION AGAINST HARMFUL INTERFERENCEWHEN THE EQUIPMENT IS OPERATED IN
A COMMERCIAL ENVIRONMENT. THIS EQUIPMENT GENERATES, USES, AND CAN RADIATE RADIO
FREQUENCY ENERGY AND IF NOT INSTALLED AND USED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INSTRUCTION
MANUAL, MAY CAUSE HARMFUL INTERFERENCE TO RADIO COMMUNICATIONS. OPERATION OF THIS
EQUIPMENT IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA IS LIKELY TO CAUSE HARMFUL INTERFERENCE, IN WHICH CASE
USERS WILL BE REQUIRED TO CORRECT THE INTERFERENCE AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE.
WARNING: CHANGES OR MODIFICATIONS NOT EXPRESSLY APPROVED BYTHE PARTY RESPONSIBLE FOR
COMPLIANCE COULD VOID THE USER’S AUTHORITY TO OPERATE THE EQUIPMENT.
THIS CLASS OF DIGITAL APPARATUS MEETS ALL REQUIREMENTS OF THE CANADIAN INTERFERENCE-
CAUSING EQUIPMENT REGULATIONS.
The information in this manual is believed to be accurate as of the date of publication even though explanation about
some functions may not be incorporated. We are not responsible for any problems resulting from the use thereof. The
information contained herein is subject to change without notice. Revisions or new editions to this publication may be
issued to incorporate such changes.
Thesoftware included in this productcontains someOpen Sources. Youmay obtain thecomplete corresponding source
codefrom us. SeetheOpen SourceGuideon thesoftwareCD (OpenSourceGuide\OpenSourceGuide.pdf) or as a printed
document included along with the User's Manual.

Installation Manual
ii
Important Safeguards
1. Read Instructions
All the safety and operating instructions should be read before the
appliance is operated.
2. Retain Instructions
The safety and operating instructions should be retained for future
reference.
3. Cleaning
Unplug this equipment from the wall outlet before cleaning it. Do
not use liquid aerosol cleaners. Use a damp soft cloth for cleaning.
4. Attachments
Never add any attachments and/or equipment without the approval
of the manufacturer as such additions may result in the risk of fire,
electric shock or other personal injury.
5. Water and/or Moisture
Do not use this equipment near water or in contact with water.
6. Placement and Accessories
Do not place this equipment on an unstable cart,
stand or table. The equipment may fall, causing
serious injury to a child or adult, and serious
damage to the equipment.
This equipment and cart combination should be
moved with care. Quick stops, excessive force,
and uneven surfaces may cause the equipment and cart
combination to overturn.
Do not place this equipment on a closed space. Sufficient amount of
ventilation air is necessary to avoid increase of ambient temperature
which can cause improper operation or the risk of fire.
7. Power Sources
This equipment should be operated only fromthe type ofpower source
indicated onthe markinglabel. If youare not sure ofthe type of power,
please consult your equipment dealer or local power company.
You may want to install a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply)
system for safe operation in order to prevent damage caused by an
unexpected power stoppage. Any questions concerning UPS,
consult your UPS retailer.
This equipment should be remain readily operable.
8. Power Cords
Operator or installer must remove power and TNT connections before
handling the equipment.
9. Lightning
For added protection for this equipment during a lightning storm, or
when itis left unattended and unused forlong periods oftime, unplug
itfromthe walloutlet and disconnect the antenna orcable system. This
will prevent damage to the equipment due to lightning and
power-line surges.
10. Overloading
Do not overload wall outlets and extension cords as this can result
in the risk of fire or electric shock.
11. Objects and Liquids
Never push objects of any kind through openings of this equipment
as they may touch dangerous voltage points or short out parts that
could result in a fire or electric shock. Never spill liquid of any kind
on the equipment.
12. Servicing
Do not attempt to service this equipment yourself. Refer all servicing
to qualified service personnel.
13. Damage requiring Service
Unplug this equipment from the wall outlet and refer servicing to
qualified service personnel under the following conditions:
A.When the power-supply cord or the plug has been damaged.
B. If liquid is spilled, or objects have fallen into the equipment.
C. If the equipment has been exposed to rain or water.
D.Ifthe equipment doesnot operate normally by followingthe operating
instructions, adjust only those controls that are covered by the
operating instructions as an improper adjustment of other controls
may result in damage and will often require extensive work by a
qualified technician torestorethe equipmenttoits normal operation.
E. If the equipment has been dropped, or the cabinet damaged.
F. When the equipment exhibits a distinct change in performance –
this indicates a need for service.
14. Replacement Parts
When replacement parts are required, be sure the service technician
has used replacement parts specified by the manufacturer or that have
the same characteristicsasthe original part. Unauthorized substitutions
may result in fire, electric shock or other hazards.
15. Safety Check
Upon completion of any service or repairs to this equipment, ask the
service technician to perform safety checks to determine that the
equipment is in proper operating condition.
16. Field Installation
This installation should be made by a qualified service person and
should conform to all local codes.
17. Correct Batteries
Warning: Risk of explosionif battery is replaced by an incorrect type.
Replace only with the same or equivalent type.
Dispose of used batteries according to the instructions.
The battery shall not be exposed to excessive heat such as sunshine, fire
or the like.
18. Tmra
A manufacturer’s maximum recommended ambient temperature (Tmra)
for the equipment must be specified so that the customer and installer
may determine a suitable maximum operating environment for the
equipment.
WEEE (Waste Electrical & Electronic Equipment)
Correct Disposal of This Product
(Applicable in the European Union and other European countries with separate collection systems)
This marking shown on the product or its literature, indicates that it should not be disposed with other household wastes at
the end of its working life. To prevent possible harm to the environment or human health from uncontrolled waste disposal,
please separate this from other types of wastes and recycle it responsibly to promote the sustainable reuse of material
resources.
Household users should contact either the retailer where they purchased this product, or their local government office, for
details of where and how they can take this item for environmentally safe recycling.
Business users should contact their supplier and check the terms and conditions of the purchase contract. This product
should not be mixed with other commercial wastes for disposal.

Digital Video Recorder
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Table of Contents
Chapter 1 —Introduction...................................................................................................................1
Feature..........................................................................................................................................1
Technical Overview.......................................................................................................................1
Chapter 2 —Installation....................................................................................................................3
Package Contents.........................................................................................................................3
Required Installation Tools............................................................................................................3
Video Input ...............................................................................................................................3
Alarm Input/Output ...................................................................................................................4
RS485 Port...............................................................................................................................4
RS232 Port...............................................................................................................................4
eSATA Port...............................................................................................................................5
Factory Reset Switch................................................................................................................5
Video Out..................................................................................................................................5
Network Port.............................................................................................................................5
Audio In/Out..............................................................................................................................6
Power Cord Connector.............................................................................................................6
Chapter 3 —Configuration................................................................................................................7
Front Panel Controls.....................................................................................................................7
Power LED ...............................................................................................................................8
HDD LED..................................................................................................................................8
Alarm Out LED .........................................................................................................................8
Network LED ............................................................................................................................8
Clip Copy LED..........................................................................................................................8
Camera Buttons........................................................................................................................8
PLAY/PAUSE Button................................................................................................................9
Arrow Buttons...........................................................................................................................9
MENU/CAMEO Button .............................................................................................................9
PLAYBACK Button...................................................................................................................9
ZOOM/PTZ Button....................................................................................................................9
DISPLAY/SPOT Button..........................................................................................................10
GROUP/SEQUENCE Button..................................................................................................10
CLIP COPY Button.................................................................................................................10
ALARM Button........................................................................................................................10
PANIC Button.........................................................................................................................10
USB Port.................................................................................................................................10
ID Button on Remote Control .................................................................................................10
Bookmark Button on Remote Control.....................................................................................10
Appendix..........................................................................................................................................11
Error Code Notices......................................................................................................................11
System Log Notices....................................................................................................................12
Map of Screens...........................................................................................................................13
Troubleshooting ..........................................................................................................................14
Specifications..............................................................................................................................14

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Digital Video Recorder
1
Chapter 1 —Introduction
Feature
Your color digital video recorder (DVR) provides recording capabilities for eight or 16 camera inputs. It provides
exceptional picture quality in both live and playback modes, and offers the following features:
Live Monitoring for Each Channel
Compatible with Color (NTSC or PAL) and B&W (CCIR and EIA-170) Video Sources
Auto Detection for HD-TVI Input
Auto Detection for NTSC and PAL
H.264 Codec
Multiple Monitor Connectors: 1 HDMI, 1 VGA, 1 SPOT
UTC for Camera Menu Control via Coax Cable
Multiple Search Engines (Date/Time, Calendar, Record Table, Event)
Real-time Recording (480 Images per Second with High (HD) Resolution)
Continuous Recording in Disk Overwrite Mode
Video Recording via eSATA Interface
2 USB 2.0 Ports
Continues Recording while Transmitting to Remote Site and during Playback
User-friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI) Menu System
Multiple Recording Modes (Time-lapse, Pre-event, Alarm, Motion and Panic)
Two-way Audio Communication
4-Channel Audio Recording and 1-Channel Audio Playback
Text Input for ATM and POS
Alarm Connections Include: Input, Output
Built-in Alarm Buzzer
Live or Recorded Video Access via Ethernet
Time Synchronization using industry standard protocol
IR Remote Control
Self-diagnostics with automatic notification including hard disk drive S.M.A.R.T. protocol
Technical Overview
In addition to replacing both a time-lapse VCR and a multiplexer in a security installation, your DVR has many features
that make it much more powerful and easier to use than even the most advanced VCR.
The DVR converts analog NTSC or PAL video to digital images and records them on a hard disk drive. Using a hard
disk drive allows you to access recorded video almost instantaneously; there is no need to rewind tape. The technology
also allows you to view recorded video while the DVR continues recording video.
Digitallyrecorded videohas several advantages over analog video recorded on tape. There is no need toadjust tracking.
You can freeze frames, fast forward, fast reverse, slow forward and slow reverse without image streaking or tearing.
Digital video can be indexed by time or events, and you can instantly view video after selecting the time or event.
Your DVR can be set up for event or time-lapse recording. You can define times torecord, and the schedule can change
for different days of the week and user defined holidays.
The DVR can be set up to alert you when the hard disk drive is full, or it can be set to record over the oldest video once
the disk is full.
Your DVR uses a proprietary encryption scheme making it nearly impossible to alter video.

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You can view video and control your DVR remotelyby connecting via Ethernet. There is an eSATA port that canbe
used to record video to external hard disk drives, and there are two USB ports that can be used to upgrade the system
or copy video clips to external hard disk and flash drives.
Figure 1: Typical DVR installation.
NOTE:
This manual covers the 8- and 16-channel digital video recorders. The DVRs are identical except for the
number of cameras and alarms that can be connected and the number of cameras that can be displayed.
For simplicity, the illustrations and descriptions in this manual refer to the 16-camera model.

Digital Video Recorder
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Chapter 2 —Installation
Package Contents
The package contains the following:
Digital Video Recorder
Power Cord
Quick User Guide/Installation Manual
Software CD (User’s Manual included)
Rack-mount Kit
Assembly Screws for Adding Hard Disk Drives
SATA Cables
Infrared Remote Control
Required Installation Tools
No special tools are required to install the DVR. Refer to the installation manuals for the other items that make up part
of your system.
Figure 2: DVR rear panel.
Video Input
Alarm Input/Output
RS485 Port
RS232 Port
eSATA Port
Factory Reset Switch
Video Out
Network Port
Audio In/Out
Power Cord Connector
Your DVR can be used with either NTSC or PAL equipment.
NOTE:
You cannot mix NTSC and PAL equipment. For example you cannot use a PAL camera and an NTSC
monitor.
Video Input
Connect the coaxial cables from the video sources to the BNC Video In
connectors.

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Alarm Input/Output
GND (Ground): Connect the ground side of the Alarm input and/or alarm output to the GND connector.
NOTE:
All the connectors marked GND are common.
NC/NO (Relay Alarm Outputs): The DVR can activate external devices such as buzzers or lights. Connect the
device to the C (Common) and NC (Normally Closed) or C (Common) and NO (Normally Open) connectors.
NC/NO is a relay output which sinks 2A@125VAC and 1A@30VDC. See Chapter 3 ─ Configuration for
configuring alarm output.
ARI (Alarm Reset In): An external signal to the Alarm Reset In can be used to reset both the Alarm Out signal and
the DVR’s internal buzzer. Mechanical or electrical switches can bewired tothe ARI(AlarmReset In) andGND(Ground)
connectors. The threshold voltage is below 0.3V and should be stable at least 0.5 seconds to be detected. Connect the
wires to the ARI and GND connectors.
Connector Pin Outs:
AI (1 to 16)
Alarm Inputs 1 to 16
GND
Chassis Ground
NC
Relay Alarm Out (Normally Closed)
C
Relay Common
NO
Relay Alarm Out (Normally Open)
ARI
Alarm Reset In
RS485 Port
Connector Pin Outs:
Master Unit
Slave Unit
+
→To →
TX+/RX+
–
→To →
TX–/RX–
RS232 Port
Connector Pin Outs:
Master Unit
Slave Unit
RX
→To →
TXD
TX
→To →
RXD
GND
→To →
GND
NOTE: To make connections on the Alarm Connector Strip, press and hold the button and
insert the wire in the hole below the button. After releasing the button, tug gently on the wire to
make certain it is connected. To disconnect a wire, press and hold the button above the wire
and pull out the wire.
AI 1 to 16 (Alarm-In): You can use external devices to signal the DVR to react to events.
Mechanical or electrical switches can be wired tothe AI (Alarm-In) and GND(Ground) connectors.
The threshold voltage of electrical switches for NC (Normally Closed) is above 2.4V and for NO
(Normally Open) is below 0.3V, and should be stable at least 0.5 seconds to be detected. The
voltage range of alarm input is from 0V to 5V. See Chapter 3 ─ Configuration for configuring
alarm input.
The DVR can be controlled remotelyby an external device or control system, such as a control keyboard,
using RS485 half-duplex serial communications signals. The RS485 connector can also be used to control
PTZ (pan, tilt, zoom) cameras. Connect RX+/TX+and RX–/TX–of the control system to the +and –
(respectively) of the DVR. See Chapter 3 ─ Configuration and the PTZ camera or remote controller
manufacture’s manual for configuring the RS485 connection.
An RS232 port isprovided to connect remote control devices such as a control keyboard. PTZ cameras or
text-in devices can also be connected tothe RS232 port. See Chapter 3 ─ Configuration and the PTZ camera,
text-in device or remote controller manufacturer’s manual for configuring the RS232 connection.