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Recommend me a security system

T

teg916

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Those are super cheapo... but may work okay for you - id say go mess with the display at frys electronics and if you are content with that, then youd be okay to get the amazon ones. However, i am a fan of dependability and high user friendly platforms. Are you goin to review the video pretty frequently? Or only around the times that something has occurred... do you need motion detection? -- primarily to save space. What does the time line look like on the playback look like? Those cameras can be easily manipulated, both from the wire and position.. issue for you? Its like any other purchse.. jus gotta define your needs. Like everything else, you pay for what youre gettin.

I stand by a decent linux dvr and some encased weather proof infrared cameras.. about a $1.2g gets you quality.
 
AfricanPitBull.jpg
 
sicks said:
Those are super cheapo... but may work okay for you - id say go mess with the display at frys electronics and if you are content with that, then youd be okay to get the amazon ones. However, i am a fan of dependability and high user friendly platforms. Are you goin to review the video pretty frequently? Or only around the times that something has occurred... do you need motion detection? -- primarily to save space. What does the time line look like on the playback look like? Those cameras can be easily manipulated, both from the wire and position.. issue for you? Its like any other purchse.. jus gotta define your needs. Like everything else, you pay for what youre gettin.

I stand by a decent linux dvr and some encased weather proof infrared cameras.. about a $1.2g gets you quality.
Click to expand...

There have been some break ins in my neighborhood, and I know a camera system will be a deterrent, but also could help catch a bad guy, so I would hope to be able to make out a face from a decent distance. I'll probably only review the recordings if something happens. Motion detection is not a biggie for me. I have a 2 story house, so I can set them up high enough to where they are difficult to disturb. I may want to set up a monitor somewhere, because I don't have many front facing windows in my house, and I like to keep an eye on the neighborhood.

My main concern with the whole system is going to be being able to make out features of people if something happens. So resolution. Are the more expensive systems going to give me a lot better resolution, or clarity?
 
I got the cheapest system available. The neighbor installed a killer system with infrared cameras. One of them covers our carport and driveway along with his backyard.

Lots of quality systems available today for under a grand.
 
If your house is getting robbed. they're taking everything. Whatever they can't take they trash.

So this system better be able to send data across the internet, say, to a DropBox server. Also, redundancy is key. A camera system alone is a horrible way to prevent a theft, and equally as bad at catching the intruder(s). Hoodies, bad resolution, and anonymity generally thwart any efforts to catch the guys.

To follow sicks suggestion, a couple of wireless network cameras and iCamSource.
 
teg916 said:
There have been some break ins in my neighborhood, and I know a camera system will be a deterrent, but also could help catch a bad guy, so I would hope to be able to make out a face from a decent distance. I'll probably only review the recordings if something happens. Motion detection is not a biggie for me. I have a 2 story house, so I can set them up high enough to where they are difficult to disturb. I may want to set up a monitor somewhere, because I don't have many front facing windows in my house, and I like to keep an eye on the neighborhood.

My main concern with the whole system is going to be being able to make out features of people if something happens. So resolution. Are the more expensive systems going to give me a lot better resolution, or clarity?
Click to expand...

Blue brought good points I forgot to mention - Connectivity can be web-based or direct-to-ip, depending on what the software offers.

Resolution to make out faces has to meet a few different criteria.. if you're going to put them on the second story and you want to make out faces, then yes you will have to have a camera and system that will offer that resolution. I'm fairly certain that the budget systems will not give it to you. Remember there are other factors.. How far does the infrared for that camera work for? This will limit visibility heavily at night - also keep in mind that when you decrease distance of viewability, you will need to point the camera more down (if from second story) to maximize coverage area... this will mean you may only pick up the top of people's heads breaking in. If they're wearing hats or a hood, you're probably not picking up anything useful.

My advice - you can put a second story camera (of decent quality) on the top of the second story, but that one should be used to detect movement from the major entrances to a property from outside - example, driveway - where you may be able to catch the make/model of car. License plates will be difficult to obtain, certainly with budget cameras.. mostly because you'll be covering a large area. For the actual entrances of the home (or just sides of the home) cameras with a heavy duty enclosure with sufficient infrared coverage needs to be put at most a foot or two above the top of the door frame (first floor). Of course, systems need to be able to support the quality you're looking for. The alternative, if you're okay with it, is putting a solid infrared indoor camera facing all the areas where you think someone will break in - in the inside of your home - the cameras here would be cheaper (due to no housing) and works very well (like you would see at any fast food restaurant).

buncha blah blah there.. but camera placement is as important as the camera and dvr, themselves.
 
Have a system I just uninstalled from my present house for re-installation in my new place. After having the camera system with 4 cameras, I bought 4 more for the new house.

I am also going to instal IR flood lights around my compound and disable the onboard IR LEDs and see if I get better night recordings.

The answer to your question is Costco.com

Check them frequently. A good example is a system like mine with 4 high resolution (480?) with a 1TB dvr that will accept 8 cameras. It was regularly $599 and I paid $299.
Plus, if it shits the bed I can take it back to costco.

There are some deals out there if you want to spend the time but the Costco.com deals are quick and dirty.
The port forwarding thing is very important unless the DVR is locked in a safe.
I have both.
 
http://www.asapcctv.com/index1.asp
Whatever you do, don't buy a system that has the NVR/DVR included in the Display. If they see a nice flat-panel display with them on it, they'll steal that too leaving you with no video. Mount the NVR/DVR in the attic or up high in a closet then run the display to your network or TV.
 
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zphreak said:
http://www.asapcctv.com/index1.asp
Whatever you do, don't buy a system that has the NVR/DVR included in the Display. If they see a nice flat-panel display with them on it, they'll steal that too leaving you with no video. Mount the NVR/DVR in the attic or up high in a closet then run the display to your network or TV.
Click to expand...

+1 - No need to have monitors anymore... attic is best - just make sure it doesn't get too hot where it's at and it's far away enough from the major dust/insulation (fan on dvr).
 
Good point about the camera mounting. I could probably mount them under the eaves of my house so I could be closer to face level.

I was thinking of hiding the DVR. Maybe the attic, but I have a few other places in mind as well. Either way I know the best part of the system is that it is a deterrent. It will not stop you from getting robbed, and the chances of catching the guy even with footage are small.

Are there any brands that are better than others? Seems like the systems in my price range I have seen are Swann, Night Owl, and Lorex.

Also, it looks like most of the DVRs have to be hard wired into my router. Anyone know of a WIFI DVR? WIFI as in internet connectivity, I am going to hard wire the cameras.
 
attack dogs !
arm those dogs with guns.
starve them a little so they'll just eat the criminals.
 
zphreak said:
http://www.asapcctv.com/index1.asp
Whatever you do, don't buy a system that has the NVR/DVR included in the Display. If they see a nice flat-panel display with them on it, they'll steal that too leaving you with no video. Mount the NVR/DVR in the attic or up high in a closet then run the display to your network or TV.
Click to expand...

Forget the attic- thieves look there too (speaking from experience here).
 
So what are the best (well at least decent) wireless security cameras. I am looking at the Lorex LW2175R, which seems to have farther night vision capabilities than their others. I only need 2-4 so I am looking to get good ones.
 
bluenoser said:
Forget the attic- thieves look there too (speaking from experience here).
Click to expand...

Gotta put it somewhere.. and cheap dvr lockboxes don't do much protection... and having a heavy duty locker for it would get expensive.

I think attic is good, just make sure to put it in a very inconspicuous part and make sure your camera wire runs are fairly hidden, so they're hard to trace to location.
 
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