outdoor security camera
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Freedom56
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
We use Q-See 1080P cameras outside. See the link below:
https://www.costco.com/Q-See-8X8-DVR-1TB-Security-System-W-8-1080P-Cameras.product.100380172.html
This is our 3rd Q-See system since 2002. The only reason we upgrade was for the improved resolution and features. The installation is a bit of work running the cables to the cameras the first time. After that we re-used the cables. We can monitor our home with our smart phones, tablets, or PC. We also use multiple Foscam pan/tilt HD cameras inside all our homes. Those are wireless so all they need is power.
https://www.costco.com/Q-See-8X8-DVR-1TB-Security-System-W-8-1080P-Cameras.product.100380172.html
This is our 3rd Q-See system since 2002. The only reason we upgrade was for the improved resolution and features. The installation is a bit of work running the cables to the cameras the first time. After that we re-used the cables. We can monitor our home with our smart phones, tablets, or PC. We also use multiple Foscam pan/tilt HD cameras inside all our homes. Those are wireless so all they need is power.
Dash man
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
I use Nest cameras. They use your home WiFi, but have to plug them in for power. They were easy to install. I’m happy with the resolution and ability to monitor from my iPhone. They have options to save video for 10 or 30 days. I forget the cost. It’s easy to save video if you want to.
It can get complicated...
First you need to determine what areas you want to see - no single camera can capture the entire outer perimeter of a house. I bought one WiFi camera to experiment with to understand its limitations and what it would see, given its resolution and field of view.
You'll need to work out a way to run power to the camera(s) (unless you go with battery/solar powered units - fairly expensive. Cameras take enough power that batteries may not cut it.) If you find you have to run a power cable from inside it may be worth buying a PoE (Power over Ethernet) camera rather than WiFi - but you'll also need a PoE adapter or a router whose Ethernet sockets are explicitly labeled as supporting PoE.
My second camera was PoE because the WiFi signal at the location I wanted to put the camera was very weak (I walked the first WiFi camera to the desired location and checked the signal and video stream on my iPad.) The two cameras after that were WiFi of the same model as the first because power delivery wouldn't be a problem and WiFi was passable (and it was a known quantity,) but an Ethernet cable would be a tough run, even though I thought the adjustable mount on that model kind of sucked (i.e. alan screws used to secure a desired angle and the WiFi antennas got in each others way in certain directions that I just happened to want to use.)
You can find reviews of cameras on Amazon and several other retail sites, some of which specialize in such things.
You'll also need either a commercial NVR (Network Video Recorder) or a sufficiently powerful PC with appropriate software, such as "ZoneMinder", "iSpy", "Blue Iris", etc. There are a lot of choices (https://www.unifore.net/ip-video-su...video-management-software-for-ip-cameras.html)
Oh yeah - motion detection is a feature that is really nice, since it can limit the recording of only interesting things happening, which makes reviewing long time periods go quickly. But the wind blowing through trees (whether the leaves flutter or their shadows on the ground do,) bugs flying through the IR field at night, and the ever-present spiders that insist on threading a web through the camera's night IR field of view (curse those tiny arachnid devils!) all make for more motion detection than I expected.
First you need to determine what areas you want to see - no single camera can capture the entire outer perimeter of a house. I bought one WiFi camera to experiment with to understand its limitations and what it would see, given its resolution and field of view.
You'll need to work out a way to run power to the camera(s) (unless you go with battery/solar powered units - fairly expensive. Cameras take enough power that batteries may not cut it.) If you find you have to run a power cable from inside it may be worth buying a PoE (Power over Ethernet) camera rather than WiFi - but you'll also need a PoE adapter or a router whose Ethernet sockets are explicitly labeled as supporting PoE.
My second camera was PoE because the WiFi signal at the location I wanted to put the camera was very weak (I walked the first WiFi camera to the desired location and checked the signal and video stream on my iPad.) The two cameras after that were WiFi of the same model as the first because power delivery wouldn't be a problem and WiFi was passable (and it was a known quantity,) but an Ethernet cable would be a tough run, even though I thought the adjustable mount on that model kind of sucked (i.e. alan screws used to secure a desired angle and the WiFi antennas got in each others way in certain directions that I just happened to want to use.)
You can find reviews of cameras on Amazon and several other retail sites, some of which specialize in such things.
You'll also need either a commercial NVR (Network Video Recorder) or a sufficiently powerful PC with appropriate software, such as "ZoneMinder", "iSpy", "Blue Iris", etc. There are a lot of choices (https://www.unifore.net/ip-video-su...video-management-software-for-ip-cameras.html)
Oh yeah - motion detection is a feature that is really nice, since it can limit the recording of only interesting things happening, which makes reviewing long time periods go quickly. But the wind blowing through trees (whether the leaves flutter or their shadows on the ground do,) bugs flying through the IR field at night, and the ever-present spiders that insist on threading a web through the camera's night IR field of view (curse those tiny arachnid devils!) all make for more motion detection than I expected.
Bamaman
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
Look on Amazon for dozens of well priced camera/DVR combos. For very little, you can get a recorder and 8 cameras with 100 foot cords.for the cameras.
We have a local Facebook account for Stolen Items, and cameras throughout our region are identifying criminals of all kinds often within a few minutes of being posted. Few criminals escape being identified via closed circuit tv.
I recently sat in on a sex trafficing trial, and cameras in businesses traced the guy to the scene of the crime. Cameras showed him before the crime buying cable ties and duck tape at the hardware store--used to tie up ladies of the night. His company truck was GPS equiped and he was traced to the scene on Mapquest.
Technology is filling our local jails.up to 130% of.capacity.
We have a local Facebook account for Stolen Items, and cameras throughout our region are identifying criminals of all kinds often within a few minutes of being posted. Few criminals escape being identified via closed circuit tv.
I recently sat in on a sex trafficing trial, and cameras in businesses traced the guy to the scene of the crime. Cameras showed him before the crime buying cable ties and duck tape at the hardware store--used to tie up ladies of the night. His company truck was GPS equiped and he was traced to the scene on Mapquest.
Technology is filling our local jails.up to 130% of.capacity.
Freedom56
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Yes. The first time it was difficult to run the cables through crawl spaces (my wife did not want any wires showing). It took a few hours. After that, when we upgraded we just re-used the same cables and plugged in the new DVR and setup the system on our network.
Freedom56
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
The newer systems like the one we bought, have PIR and a single night vision LED to help eliminate those problems. The moths, bugs and spiders use to irritate me. Now it's just cats, squirrels, birds, or anything else with a heat signature.
Freedom56
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Then get something like this:
https://www.costco.com/Q-See-4CH-NVR-4MP-Camera-1TB-Security-System.product.100405450.html
You have to decide how many cameras you want to cover your perimeter then run power to those cameras.
pb4uski
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
We have Blink cameras. The are wireless as long as the camera is within range of the sync module which plugs into 110 ac and links to your home wifi. You can set it up so if it senses motion that it takes a 5-60 second video clip and stores it in the cloud and sends an notification to your smartphone. You can program it so if it continues to sense motion that it starts recording a new video clip 10 seconds after the previous one.
Amazon will have them on sale on Prime Day next week.
Amazon will have them on sale on Prime Day next week.
donheff
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i recently installed a ring battery operated doorbell/camera. My Wi-Fi connection there is marginal but it works. The motion detection is quite sensitive. Even on the lowest setting it records spurious events. The doorbell camera is all I really wanted and is easier on the battery so I will probably stick with that and forget recording all the motion alerts.
I have Nest cameras both inside and outside. Great quality video and haven't had a single problem in the years I've used them.
ShokWaveRider
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
I installed a ReoLink system with 8 cameras, you do not need so many but my controller supported 8 so 8 I installed. Could not be easier. I prefer PowerOverEthernet (POE) Cameras, although they are hardwired they are like plugging in a computer and are a more reliable connection that cannot be jammed like Wifi.
The real reason I installed it was not so much for security but so I could see how high the water comes in a Hurricane...
And the most important one, when I drive off and think I have left the Garage door open, I can now check on my phone... LOL.
The real reason I installed it was not so much for security but so I could see how high the water comes in a Hurricane...
And the most important one, when I drive off and think I have left the Garage door open, I can now check on my phone... LOL.Attachments
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Philliefan33
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We replaced our old-fashioned doorbell with the Ring video doorbell. While the Ring is battery powered, it uses the existing low-voltage wire (if available ) to charge the battery. The Ring install was much easier than what we did at our vacation home, running wires through the attic for four cameras to cover the front and back of the house.
We can see a lot of our front access with that little doorbelll. I have fine-tuned the motion zones so that I only get notified if someone approaches the porch.
Ronstar
Moderator Emeritus
I have Dahua exterior cameras on POE running on security spy software. Cameras are soffit mounted with Ethernet running to a poe hub
CardsFan
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
On a side note: I just replaced our 25 yo garage door opener. Many of the new openers are wifi equipped. We can check the door remotely, and close it if needed! Not something I would go out my way to get, but it was standard on the belt drive model we had installed.
+1 on the Nest cameras (we also have Nest smoke/CO detectors).
We will be installing a Nest doorbell tomorrow.
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Thanks, all, for installing all these video cameras. Now all I need to do is find a broken camera in the trash somewhere, cut the wires, glue it near my front door, and the crooks will leave me alone!
SteveNU
Recycles dryer sheets
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- Feb 19, 2010
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- 416
I use these dummy cameras. They look real and they're 100% effective based on the fact that I have not been broken into since I put them up. Of course we were never broken into before they went up either so....[emoji6]
5-Pack White Wireless Fake Dummy Dome CCTV Security Cameras w/ Flashing Red LED https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HAJUWMK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_rP1sBb5983NCK
ShokWaveRider
Give me a museum and I'll fill it. (Picasso) Give me a forum ...
If you are going through the trouble to install dummies, it is just as easy to install real ones, and more rewarding.
I am leaning strongly toward Ring Doorbell gen1 for its ease of install.
I like the Nest from what I have seen, but I have no idea how to run the cable into the house. It looks like it is a flat cable so I could possibly run it through front door "gap".
I like the Nest from what I have seen, but I have no idea how to run the cable into the house. It looks like it is a flat cable so I could possibly run it through front door "gap".
If you have an outside outlet somewhere near where you want to put the camera, it comes with a very long power cord, at least 20 feet.
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