Spec me a CCTV System

Associate
Joined
28 Nov 2015
Posts
1,425
Location
Tewkesbury, UK
Anyone used any wireless systems?

I have seen the follo9wing brands

Blink
Arlo

Any opinions on them? Its for my parents so I need it easy to use etc and house has been refurbed and missed the chance to run all the cables.
 
Soldato
Joined
4 Feb 2007
Posts
9,767
Location
Nuneaton, UK
I've ordered the following

1 x Hikvision DS-7608NI-K2/8P
1 x Hikvision DS-2CD2385FWD-I 4 mm
2 x Hikvision DS-2CD2342WD-I 2.8 mm
1 x Hikvision DS-2CD2342WD-I 4 mm
1 x Hikvision DS-2DE4A220IW-DE

May need some help setting it up when they arrive. In fact I have a question already. Will the cameras need to be in the same IP range as the rest of my home network? What should my first steps be?

Thanks

So, all of this arrived some weeks ago, I initially plugged it in and checked it all worked, I remember settings a random password for testing, like 123456789 or something. Finally installed 2 of the cameras today, plugged them in and aligned them, all good. Then I tried to login from a browser, forgot what password I set last month, so I did a factory reset. Now the cameras aren't showing, when you activate the camera, does it apply the NVR admin password? If so then I'm in trouble now as I can't remember exactly what I set it to initially.

Any advice?
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
4,438
Location
Sheffield, UK
Yes, it uses the admin password if it's the NVR that activates the camera? Didn't it give you the option to backup the GUID to USB when you went through the setup wizard on the NVR? You can use that to reset the admin password if you did it.

If not, then you need to get in touch with tech support. They'll need the serial number and can give you a recovery code that will work on a certain day / time IIRC.
 
Associate
Joined
16 Jan 2003
Posts
1,913
So I need to sort out my CCTV set-up as at the moment I just have an old Y-CAM camera.

From recent updates on here I take it that Dahua are probably a safer option for a new set-up rather than Hikvision.

I was originally going to go down the synology NAS route but not it looks like a NVR is sensible.

So few queuries, if anyone can help

NVR
1. Can you remote desktop into this or via a webbrowser on a different PC on the network to view the cameras etc.
2. Can you get file access directly over the network - i.e. could I copy files automatically from here to another networked NAS
3. I assume I could go NVR->Patch panel->camera with network cable without issue - might make my network rack I'll get neater.

Other than that I will probably be looking at 3-4 domes and 1-2 turrets to completely cover garden/drive and also a few seperate LED security lights with PIR so I assume its just a case
of getting the best low level light cams that are reasonable and look at a few videos to try and get a sensible focal length.

Any non competitors recommended to purchase the dahua from as well would be great.

Thanks,
 
Soldato
Joined
29 Jul 2011
Posts
15,603
Location
Near Northants / MK
So I need to sort out my CCTV set-up as at the moment I just have an old Y-CAM camera.

From recent updates on here I take it that Dahua are probably a safer option for a new set-up rather than Hikvision.

I was originally going to go down the synology NAS route but not it looks like a NVR is sensible.

So few queuries, if anyone can help

NVR
1. Can you remote desktop into this or via a webbrowser on a different PC on the network to view the cameras etc.
There is a web service running on the NVR, access this via the devices IP address and login to see the cameras.
2. Can you get file access directly over the network - i.e. could I copy files automatically from here to another networked NAS
Hikvision you can record to a NAS, but usually I would just save the files and then save them to the NAS.
3. I assume I could go NVR->Patch panel->camera with network cable without issue - might make my network rack I'll get neater.
Yep, we quite often run harness links from active hardware cabinets through to a cabling cabinet and patch there.

Other than that I will probably be looking at 3-4 domes and 1-2 turrets to completely cover garden/drive and also a few seperate LED security lights with PIR so I assume its just a case
of getting the best low level light cams that are reasonable and look at a few videos to try and get a sensible focal length.

The issue with using PIR LED lights is you're going to screw your cameras exposure up if you let it auto expose for the image. This is where infrared lights may be a better choice but obviously they're not as much of a visual deterrent.

Any non competitors recommended to purchase the dahua from as well would be great.

Not a clue, but I wouldn't completely discount Hik if you can get your hands on them, awesome bits of kit.

Thanks,
 
Associate
Joined
16 Jan 2003
Posts
1,913
Thanks Hyburnate very useful info.

I've had a look and Hikvision does still seem to be available at a few places so might just go with that then.


I'll look at PIR infrared in some places and maybe the odd one with a PIR LED (depending on area and try and get the camera functioning well enough with the light on or off).

The reason with regards to copying to a NAS automatically from the NVR was as I am sorting a log cabin and I was going to do all CCTV cabling direct into that. I don't want to disk someone breaking in to the log cabin and nicking the NVR - losing the CCTV so I was going to try and mirror it to a NAS or equivalent in the house. I essentially want to record to the NVR but mirror the files (or maybe just alarm/motion senses files) to another network share. It is much less effort to have the cabling going into the cabin rather than the house (will still have a couple of cat6 runs from the house to the cabin).

Thanks
 
Last edited:
Soldato
Joined
29 Jul 2011
Posts
15,603
Location
Near Northants / MK
Thanks Hyburnate very useful info.

I've had a look and Hikvision does still seem to be available at a few places so might just go with that then.


I'll look at PIR infrared in some places and maybe the odd one with a PIR LED (depending on area and try and get the camera functioning well enough with the light on or off).

The reason with regards to copying to a NAS automatically from the NVR was as I am sorting a log cabin and I was going to do all CCTV cabling direct into that. I don't want to disk someone breaking in to the log cabin and nicking the NVR - losing the CCTV so I was going to try and mirror it to a NAS or equivalent in the house. I essentially want to record to the NVR but mirror the files (or maybe just alarm/motion senses files) to another network share. It is much less effort to have the cabling going into the cabin rather than the house (will still have a couple of cat6 runs from the house to the cabin).

Thanks

Definitely possible. You can have it record in both places removing that risk :)
 
Soldato
Joined
11 Oct 2011
Posts
3,334
Location
UK
So with the somewhat-recent Hik news, Use-IP are pushing customers towards Milesight products now (their new line / hik 'replacement' so to speak).

Anyone used Milesight before and got any thoughts? Or still best to just go with UK Hik from a Chinese site? :)
 
Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
4,655
Location
The Darkside
Too early to say but I will be looking into it with great detail. Problem with Hikvision is flaws and rubbish firmware programming. Too many exploits and Hik are useless at correcting such flaws. It's like they couldn't be bothered.
 
Soldato
Joined
31 Oct 2002
Posts
13,891
Location
Newcastle upon Tyne
I’ve just installed my Hikvision kit and it all seems pretty decent so far. I bought 3 dome cams for inside and a motorised bullet cam for outside but I can’t seem to motorise it. All I can do is zoom, focus and iris (whatever that is). Should I be able to move it left/right and up/down or have I misunderstood what motorised means?
 
Soldato
Joined
29 Jul 2011
Posts
15,603
Location
Near Northants / MK
I’ve just installed my Hikvision kit and it all seems pretty decent so far. I bought 3 dome cams for inside and a motorised bullet cam for outside but I can’t seem to motorise it. All I can do is zoom, focus and iris (whatever that is). Should I be able to move it left/right and up/down or have I misunderstood what motorised means?
Varifocal will be zoom.

PTZ is Pan, Tilt and Zoom
 
Soldato
Joined
11 Oct 2011
Posts
3,334
Location
UK
Too early to say but I will be looking into it with great detail. Problem with Hikvision is flaws and rubbish firmware programming. Too many exploits and Hik are useless at correcting such flaws. It's like they couldn't be bothered.
Yeah I'm keen to see how it goes and decide which brand to invest in.

I tested a couple of Hik cameras a few months ago (then returned them as I wasn't ready to buy the rest) and I must say I thought they were absolutely AMAZING compared to the old analogue random-branded cams I have at the moment.
 
Don
Joined
21 Oct 2002
Posts
46,744
Location
Parts Unknown
So, all of this arrived some weeks ago, I initially plugged it in and checked it all worked, I remember settings a random password for testing, like 123456789 or something. Finally installed 2 of the cameras today, plugged them in and aligned them, all good. Then I tried to login from a browser, forgot what password I set last month, so I did a factory reset. Now the cameras aren't showing, when you activate the camera, does it apply the NVR admin password? If so then I'm in trouble now as I can't remember exactly what I set it to initially.

Any advice?

Install KeePass, set decent passwords!
 
Caporegime
Joined
21 Jun 2006
Posts
38,372
i have a nest thermostat. i'll be getting the nest doorbell (for it's security purposes more than anything) when it's released. however the cameras for the IQ ones are like £300 per camera then it's £80 a year for the cloud storage.

or I could get a full set up for like £500 all in and it's top of the line in terms of consumer units from hiikvision. but then i don't have all the functionality of nest or instant pings to my smartphone, etc.

but if i went hiikvision i could get the full house hardwired with ethernet at the same time and kill 2 birds with 1 stone.
 
Back
Top Bottom