I bought a Q-See DVR setup with seven wired cameras back in 2012 or so, and was never able to get it to connect online; so it’s just been a local DVR this whole time, with a clunky and counterintuitive DOS-based interface (and which needs me to keep a separate monitor on my desk that I only use for that purpose). Setup and configuration is a nightmare, the software is no longer supported, and it’s just past its usefulness. I recently had a theft from my carport, and I was reminded again that every time I need to actually review the footage, it’s an exercise in frustration, and outputting the footage to a thumb drive fails every time.

But the cameras themselves do work pretty well for their age; the picture is great. The only real gripe I have is with the interface.

Is it possible to replace that old DVR with a newer NVR with a modern interface that will accept BNC inputs and read the signal from those cameras?

Going wireless feels like a downgrade in the sense that these cameras are individually hardwired both for power and video.

So before I do much shopping for a system upgrade (I already use Alarm.com gear for doors and windows, motion detection, and monitoring, so I’d probably start there), I thought I’d ask first about swapping that DVR for a new NVR – or even a modern local-storage DVR.

Any input is appreciated!