So, TiVo just not cutting it for you any more? Ya, I know that feeling. But are we ready to step up to a hardware appliance like this in its place? Enter the George Tang Industrial GDV-08 DVR. Built to fulfill the needs of hardcore DVR enthusiasts and folks that just need a little more ‘kick’ to their DVR experience alike. If I had the free funds right now, I would not mind jumping into this puppy myself!

George Tang Industrial (GTI) used embedded Linux to build an 8-channel surveillance DVR (digital video recorder). The GDV-08 runs a 2.4-series Linux kernel on a Via processor, and includes a LAN interface and CD-RW drive. It supports dual hard drives, and features scheduled recording, motion detection, and email/phone alarms.

The GDV-08 provides connections for up to eight cameras through back-panel BNC connectors. It supports “many well-known brands of PTZ cameras,” according to GTI.

Supported video formats include NTSC, PAL, and SECOM, with MPEG-4 used for compression. NTSC operation supports 120 or 240fps (frames per second), while PAL supports 100 or 200fps. The device supports up to VGA resolution (640 x 480), and can record QVGA (320 x 240) images at 60fps, GTI says.

The GDV-08 includes a standard D-type VGA connector, and can be controlled locally using a USB mouse. It also includes a LAN port, and offers a remote interface. Additionally, the unit provides a BNC TV-out connector.

The device can be scheduled to record continuously, or when motion is detected, or not at all, when used in surveillance-on-demand applications. Events such as motion detection can be configured to send email or, with an optional module, voice messages to up to three pre-set telephone numbers.