Home security video camera (s)

Ralph2

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Edmonton AB
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Dash Cam
BlackVue DR900x-Plus in 2022 Palisade replaced the 650
This Dash Cam forum has been a great help in sharing information on what works / doesn't, what is new and issues regarding support. Is there a similar forum to discuss home security video cameras?

Having just had my bike removed (and found abandoned 20 houses down the street) from my attached garage while the door was open (I was in the back yard) I am considering putting in a surveillance video camera.

Something pretty basic but having been misled recently by BlackVue want to define my desires better.
  • Motion detection that works (not the type that BlackVue offers)
  • Ability to record video to a memory card or USB stick
  • WiFi that is accessible with my Windows computers. (again, not the limited capability BlackVue offers)
  • Be able to watch live on my Windows PC
  • Night vision would be nice
 
I run 1080p IP cameras, and with the NVR connected to a router with wifi in it i can allso monitor the 3 cameras on my tablet.
Beside that i have the same footage on my 42" LCD tv and my computer if i want to.

I dont use motion detect as i record all the time on all 3 cameras, so if i have a event i can be in a situation where i have to go thru a lot of footage at 16X speed to find the event.
This is in a pitch black back yard.


For some reason a guy need to take a leak behind my car, but thats okay i know where he live, and at least it wasent on my car.
 
He live a stone trow from me, in the apartment block connected to the one i live in.
Seen him running around before and on his balcony, its beyond me what get a grown man to dress up in spandex and run around in town.
 
He live a stone trow from me, in the apartment block connected to the one i live in.
Seen him running around before and on his balcony, its beyond me what get a grown man to dress up in spandex and run around in town.
That would make you wonder for sure.
 
Isn't it funny how a camera seems to attract bad behavior? I had a gas meter installer take a leak in one of my bushes. I swear he knew where the camera was, and stood dead center of the frame. Of all the houses he could have used, he chose the only one on the street with a camera. What are the odds...


This was recorded with an old analog system in 2006, so quality is lacking. Nothing compared to today's quality:

2015-08-30_9-31-55.jpg

To the OP, what kind of a budget do you have in mind?

I would look no further than Hikvision cameras. The one above has been downscaled to 1280x720, but has a max resolution of 3MP. Since I have 30 cameras, I my i7 PC (running Blue Iris) can't handle the highest resolution on all the cameras simultaneously. For outdoor, look at the DS-2CD3332-I. Indoor, the DS-2CD2432F. The former can be had for about USD85, with the latter being about USD115.

They have fantastic night vision.

The indoor version has a µSD which can record locally. Of course, both can be set up to record on a PC or NAS/NVR.

I run Blue Iris v4, which runs about USD60.

2015-08-30_9-37-37.jpg
 
30 cams :eek: :D

Potential robbers and burglars better wear a mask or hood if they come to visit you :cool:

I do think i have heard if you take a leak in the garden once in a while it will keep foxes out of it, but that may just be old Danish folklore.
 
I've had a comprehensive CCTV camera system on my home, property and business for years but I don't think I'd want to live in an environment that looks and feels like the set of Big Brother. I guess people should do what makes them feel comfortable but the expanding ubiquitous surveillance society we are living in seems bad enough without any help. At least when I go to the shopping mall they don't yet have CCTV cams in the bathroom.

Is there a similar forum to discuss home security video cameras?

CCTV Forum.
 
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To the OP, what kind of a budget do you have in mind?

I would look no further than Hikvision cameras. The one above has been downscaled to 1280x720, but has a max resolution of 3MP. Since I have 30 cameras, I my i7 PC (running Blue Iris) can't handle the highest resolution on all the cameras simultaneously. For outdoor, look at the DS-2CD3332-I. Indoor, the DS-2CD2432F. The former can be had for about USD85, with the latter being about USD115.

They have fantastic night vision.
Thank you for the brand name / model references. I will check them out. I was "hoping" to get a working system for ~$200 USD.
There are so many acronyms used to describe the various features.. that alone, is going to require a huge learning curve as this project develops. I am trying to avoid having to run a cat5 cable connection and hope to find something that records internally and will transmit via WiFi live or access the stored video with a Windows 7 based PC. Seems a lot of cameras have smartphone features.. which I do not want to depend on.
 
Thank you for the brand name / model references. I will check them out. I was "hoping" to get a working system for ~$200 USD.
There are so many acronyms used to describe the various features.. that alone, is going to require a huge learning curve as this project develops. I am trying to avoid having to run a cat5 cable connection and hope to find something that records internally and will transmit via WiFi live or access the stored video with a Windows 7 based PC. Seems a lot of cameras have smartphone features.. which I do not want to depend on.

Is the location shielded from weather? I.e. under an eve or other shelter that will prevent it from getting rained on? If so, then the indoor one sounds like it would fit the bill. Record onto the µSD, and have it hooked up to your WIFI. You'll need 12VDC at the camera location, and it should be within 100' or so of your router/AP. Nearly all of my cameras are PoE/Cat5. The few that I do have on WIFI (too lazy to run the cat5) have occasional slowdowns and signal losses (to the network recorder), but they recover without any operator interaction. If you're recording locally on the card, then that's not critical.

As for viewing/recording on a PC, you can do that from the camera's internal webpage. It's not ideal, and would require that you keep a browser/pc on at all times, but it's free - and effective.

I have no association with Blue Iris or Hikvision - but I have a lot of experience with the growing pains of the technology, and for a consumer-level, biggest-bang-for-the-buck, you cannot go wrong with either.

Edited to add:

BTW, my two favorite IP-camera forums are ipcamtalk.com and cam-it.org. Both have a huge user base of experience with virtually all brands of IP security cameras.
 
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