Spec me a CCTV System

mattyg said:
I was considering one.. But not sure they have the teething issues sorted yet.. Plus we have an off centre porch so not sure if the angle would work.
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You can buy angle wedges. I use a wedge to aim mine the right way someone approaches the house. Definitely some foibles with them but it has been immensely helpful despite that. I imagine now they are owned by Amazon there might be faster dev
 
I've seen the Ring Spotlight device, where it's a security light and camera built into one. Anyone have any experience of these?

Wouldn't mind something that can record locally though and allow a wider network to be built without a subscription model (but still send notifications etc). Wifi would be a bonus as there's currently only power to it.

An IOS app would also be great for viewing purposes.

I have a laptop which is used as a home server so i already have a device switched on constantly.

EDIT - For a bit more info, it'll be mounted around 2nd floor height and i could do with a wide viewing angle (unless i split the power and have 2 cameras facing each way)
 
you can do all that bar the Wifi with the HikVision cameras - local recording is supported with microsd cards and their app allows for remote access to the cameras or wider network as you build it up.

if you have power theres no reason you couldn't put it over powerline ethernet i guess, one of my DS-2CD2335FWD-Is is running on powerline and pointing out the window while I wait to get it setup.
 
Is there any point in mounting a camera at 2nd floor height? What are you hoping to record from that height.

If its a general overview or to be used to back up a camera at a better level then ok. But at that height I doubt you'll get footage good enough to identify
 
Well, we've just moved house and there's a private lane down the side of the house which seems to have an unusual amount of traffic. There is an industrial estate down there but i think it also gets used for fly tipping around 1/4 mile down and also for people to get high.

Google Maps pic here

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At the moment there isn't a security light or anything so when i'm not home my wife doesn't always feel safe. I'm sure this'll change over time but as it's all new/unknown she's a little uncomfortable. Also her mum is staying in a few weeks to watch the dogs and is likely to worry quite a bit. So don't need to be able to identify people, just give some security and have motion sensing so if they hear a noise they can check the cameras.

The main reason for looking at the Ring option is that it's both a security light and camera in one. A security light on it's own would probably be sufficient but i've considered cameras recently anyway so this would just be an initial venture into the area and so want to make sure i get something that scales to say 3-4 cameras down the line.

Having thought more, i think wifi is definately my preferred option. I've seen the "Yi" outdoor camera on Amazon for £60 which seems decent and i know the indoor versions were well spoken about in another thread.
 
Kaka said:
Doesn't that depend on the lens size though? Even if the camera is mounted up high, you can still achieve the desired picture quality. Now this won't apply to Ring cameras as I think they all have fixed focal lengths.

Just a quick example of different sized lenses.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lub0MnbpIxI
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Its not about the video quality its about being able to recognise an intruder. Extreme example google earth vs portrait shot.

A camera two floors up will be pointing down at more of an angle... Yes you could "zoom" in but thats not going to change the angle and will decrease the area covered.

2 floors up Vs 10 foot up. One you may get a picture of a face the other you may just get the top of their heads

There are loads of videos on Youtube/facebook of people showing their cars being nicked from CCTV in the eaves. Great it covers the whole of the garden. But it only shows the thieves heads.
 
Video or picture quality wasn't quite the term I was after but I was typing out a quick reply.

If you're restricted with the height you can install the camera then you can only work with what you can. My point in my previous post was that you're not really limited to just a general overview if mounting it from a distance. Rather, by choosing a specific lens size you can get a more localised picture which would probably be more usable.
 
In the end i've ended up with the Netgear Arlo range. I like that i can record locally and i feel it'll be minimal setup fuss. Plus i don't need to run wires at all, although that does unlock some extra features.

I'm sure there are cheaper/more advanced options but as i wanted wifi it felt limited.
 
Kaka said:
Video or picture quality wasn't quite the term I was after but I was typing out a quick reply.

If you're restricted with the height you can install the camera then you can only work with what you can. My point in my previous post was that you're not really limited to just a general overview if mounting it from a distance. Rather, by choosing a specific lens size you can get a more localised picture which would probably be more usable.
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I see.

That the Zooming in effect though. You end up with a very narrow FOV limiting your chances of an identifiable image.

Not an extreme example but have a look at this to get an Idea of what I'm saying. If someone wearing a cap in the 5m image then you'll be lucky to identify but much more likely in the 2.4m shot

https://www.cctvaware.com/blog/correct-installation-height




Ideally you would fit 3 one high one at head height and one on the ground looking up.

On a previous property we had (after we were burgled annoyingly) I removed the tarmac drive and replaced with noisy pebble/stones. I then added a path ( I wanted to direct anyone coming up the drive towards my CCTV) I fitted a visible high up camera. A hidden head height camera and I also added a bullet camera on the ground. That way I would hopefully get a decent facial image. Obviously a £2 balaclava renders most CCTV useless in Identifying.
 
The only reason to install a cam high up is if you want to cover a large area. Not really for identification purpose but so you can watch activity from a spotters pov.

I installed a cam last week using a 2.8mm lens high up covering a large yard which has lots of Articulate Lorry’s coming and going. This one can did the job of several cams.
 
New to this CCTV lark....

Looking at getting 3 cameras (WIFI) - rental property. trouble is I'm in a two floor flat - House on house style.

Need to put two cameras at the front, one on both floors and one looking out the back of the property.

Is it possible to get just cameras and record via a HP Microserver?

Budget is around £300. all in.

Any Ideas ?
 
Do they have to be Wi-fi? You have to run power to the cam anyway so if that is the case, you are better to run cat5/6 instead using poe.
 
Scream said:
Do they have to be Wi-fi? You have to run power to the cam anyway so if that is the case, you are better to run cat5/6 instead using poe.
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needs to be wifi with power cable.

Living in renting property and cannot affix anything to the walls.
 
So your having them sit inside looking out the window then being powered by an extension lead?

Having Wi-fi cams doesn’t always make the job easier or better.
 
Scream said:
So your having them sit inside looking out the window then being powered by an extension lead?

Having Wi-fi cams doesn’t always make the job easier or better.
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unfortunatly due to the restrictions of me lease that's all I can have.

So yes, wifi with plugs. for internal and external viewing, then when I move house I can take them with me without stress.
 
You would have more options in terms of cams if you were to power the cams from a wall socket using an injector along with a homeplug that links the cam to your network. Slightly extra cost though.
 
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