Dash Cam as a home security cam?

[Vaughn Elliott]

I am a DUMMY so please send me down the correct path. I would like to use a dash cam as an outside security cam mounted inside my house windows close to an electrical outlet for instance.
How long will it record on a 24 GB card? I read on the net less than 5 hours but on the card 4600 minutes of video?
I would like a motion activated camera but what is the activation range?
If the range is not around a 100 feet then I probably need to record all the time. What is cheap and can be connected to store the video for several days at a time?
Any way to setup a dash cam with a remote power source so I can video tape the thieves that steal parts off my 70 model junk muscle cars 500 feet from my house?
Will these dash cams work for security at night?
And last,if there is any equipment that will do this and what is it? Or do I need John Ford with John Wayne and the Navaho nation to just stand guard?

 

[jokiin]

get a proper home security system, a dashcam is not the right fit for what you want to do

 

[Street Guardian USA]

What Jokiin said. DashCam's are designed for short/long bursts of driving not recording 24/7. Flash Memory wears about at some point as well. So if you have any computer on 24/7 just get a PC based solution.

The best DIY Home Securty sytem is http://blueirissoftware.com/
(excellent mobile phone app push system/control as well)

 

[GJHS]

Here's a great IP camera you can check anywhere over the internet, with a PIR motion detect and a 3mp sensor for $179.

http://www.networkcameracritic.com/?p=2236

http://wrightwoodsurveillance.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_91&products_id=364

 

[jokiin]

never tried one myself but have heard good feedback on on the HIKVISION product

 

[GJHS]

Here's an outdoor model for $169

http://www.networkcameracritic.com/?p=2135

http://wrightwoodsurveillance.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_91&products_id=295

 

[GJHS]

never tried one myself but have heard good feedback on on the HIKVISION product

Next on my list after reading great reviews and excellent video quality

 

[RockThinking]

never tried one myself but have heard good feedback on on the HIKVISION product

IP camera goes to be very popular at home security camera.
As I once mentioned to you the spy IP camera.
You can see what your staff are doing when you are in Australia now.

 

[GJHS]

I have heard they are much cheaper direct from China. I'm just not sure where there is a quality source selling real Hikvision cameras

 

[Dashmellow]

I agree that dash cams are completely inadequate as home security cams. (except maybe for occasional short term use for a few hours at a time, indoors)

The OP expressed a need for outdoor use and night vision so I was going to say that the first type of IP camera GJHS recommended was not a good suggestion. The 3MP dome camera suggested afterwards is a much better choice (The HIKVISIONs are excellent), but it is far more complicated than just buying a camera. The camera is only a small part of the system as it needs a stand alone DVR/NVR or network support to a desktop computer to function. Usually, one camera is not adequate for most set-ups and the user soon finds that they want or need to expand to more cameras. The Blue Iris system is also excellent but there are drawbacks to using something like that especially for someone just starting with their first security system. The problem with software based camera systems is that they use a lot of resources on your computer and really need to be run on a dedicated machine for optimal performance and data security. They can be more complicated to use and the average user trying to turn their home computer into a surveillance system will run into many hassles and will also need to have the ability and willingness to run their computer 24/7. A constantly running security camera or set of cameras puts a lot a wear and tear on a hard drive and the last thing anyone should do is risk their important data on their primary computer to something like that. Of course, the other main concern is that a constantly running CCTV camera is going to need a lot of hard drive space to store the data and this is not practical unless you can mount another hard drive in your box. From longtime experience I've found that a dedicated stand alone DVR/NVR with it's own hard drive is a far better way to go and is far more reliable and safe. In fact, just this evening I needed to shut down my computer and network because of a thunder and lightning storm but I left the protected and isolated CCTV system running.

I highly recommend that the OP spend some time reading and perhaps even joining the CCTV forum to learn about the world of CCTV before jumping into the technology just the way people do the same here at DCT.

 

[Street Guardian USA]

Thanks for the CCTV Forum link, I was asked by a friend to help install a video security system for his business. I need to do more research so I'll check it out.

 

[Dashmellow]

Thanks for the CCTV Forum link, I was asked by a friend to help install a video security system for his business. I need to do more research so I'll check it out.

You're welcome!

 

[RockThinking]

You're welcome!

I have question, what makes you know CCTVV well?

 

[Dashmellow]

I have question, what makes you know CCTVV well?

Well, it's a bit of a long story but I had a particular ongoing security issue a number of years ago (still do actually) and needed to educate myself about it. In fact, it was also related to how I developed an interest in dash cams. When I get interested in something I tend to immerse myself in the subject and learn everything there is to know. (Well, almost )

 

[spytec]

Just in case you want a different kind of recommendation (though if you wanted an IP camera Hikvision is great) check out this the Brinno Mac200. It's unique for its extremely long battery life due to the way it uses time lapse video. A good system for long term battery based surveillance.