Home security camera.

[AguassissiM]

Looking into setting up a new home camera system for my cottage and after few weeks of searching I'm very confused and overwhelmed with all the advertised specs as well as the brand name's and their claims to be much more capable than their competitors.

At first I was set on a 5 mega pixel Poe system using 8 cameras, than someone said to look for a 8 mega pixel that supoused to be much better choice and just recently I have learned about 12 mega pixel cameras that claim to be the best there is for home security.

I'm not trying to make cinema quality movies just trying to record what goes on our property while we're not there.
With all the different types and brand name's available do you have any recommendations for my new setup;

8 Poe cameras 4k with 4GB Nvr

Appreciate your input.

 

[sc00ter]

My co-worker has a last generation RING setup and it gets great video footage. I just hear about people hacking them and no one reads the Terms and Conditions on any of them. Read them and be shocked! I used to have a older CCTV system that a friend "saved" for me when he upgraded a bank security system. The hard drive eventually crashed and I myself am looking into a new home system as well.

 

[PedalUma]

I recently did home/pet sitting in a 'smart' house for two months. It was the dumbest thing ever. Never again. I felt like I was on a combination of the Truman Show and reality TV. The washing machine was even remotely monitored. All this shite goes on the cloud and then you have no control of it. You will no longer own your own likeness, works, works, and movements. It is the ultimate in insecurity and invasion of personal autonomy. I wouldn't do it if I was paid a million bucks. The next thing is that if there were an actual incident video would not prevent or stop it, only document it after the fact. That is not security. You just get to see a useless replay of the horror show.

 

[Slaphappygamer]

My ideal security system is one that has no subscription or cloud uploading. I want real time access 24/7. I want live footage, recorded footage. The cameras will be hardwired with no wireless access. I’m thinking about having a dedicated pc with PoE cameras hooked to it. The PC will record the footage. I’ll have remote access to the PC to access the camera.

 

[PedalUma]

I know of an employer who installed surveillance cameras to spy on employees. The next week it was used as evidence of Federal Level harassments by the employer. The owner was so stressed out because of his stupidity that he had a stroke.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

My ideal security system is one that has no subscription or cloud uploading. I want real time access 24/7. I want live footage, recorded footage. The cameras will be hardwired with no wireless access. I’m thinking about having a dedicated pc with PoE cameras hooked to it. The PC will record the footage. I’ll have remote access to the PC to access the camera.

You still have wired ethernet? And you have jacks in places where you'd want a camera?

If I were building one from scratch I'd probably build it around Raspberry Pi's (Pi Zero 2 Ws if I could get away with it) with local USB drive storage that could be pulled up to a central server if something interesting was found. A Pi Zero doesn't have quite enough oomph to run a YOLO on it at a decent frame rate but you could plausibly cheat and come up with something useful.

There are also plausible solar+batter power supply builds out there for Raspberry Pis as well: https://www.instructables.com/Raspberry-Pi-4b-UPSSolar-Power/ -- a lot of the things out there aren't great solutions.

 

[JedidiahStolzfus]

Stay away from the Zosi brand.

 

[Slaphappygamer]

You still have wired ethernet? And you have jacks in places where you'd want a camera?

Yes. I run my own wire to where I need it. I’ll save the WiFi for devices that can’t be wired, like my phone. There are many people that I live with and the more things we can get off WiFi, the better. Otherwise, there is lots of congestion.

For the outside camera, I’m going to run a CAT5 through a garden hose and bury it. Since it’ll be PoE, I won’t also have to run a power cable too.

 

[AguassissiM]

Thank you all for taking the time to replay and your suggestions.

The whole idea behind installing the cameras in addition to a monitored alarm system is to have a piece of mind or perhaps evidence when something goes wrong when we're away.
Definitely a wired POE system with local storage without any kind of subscription or monthly fee.

 

[DiggyGun]

We have a hard wired CCTV system which is continuously live and goes to a central hub. This has 8Gb of storage that is being continually overwritten, about 30 days history available.

In the UK, CCTV systems can be installed by a NSI approved companies which are assessed to the NSI Code of Practice NCP 104 for the design, installation and maintenance of video surveillance systems or CCTV.

It also has an app so that you can view the cameras live at any time. And view any recorded material.

DG….

 

[AguassissiM]

Any other suggestions of what works for you that I should definitely consider looking at or staying away from.

 

[dodgeman]

We have a single Alibi camera. It works well and you can look at the current view and the past.

 

[Gionnirocket]

Dahua and Hikvision make pretty solid hardware. IP cameras and PoE is the tech I've always liked and use.
My set up was never planned and it's been a fill the need as it arose over the past 20+ years and it's all been very reliable. I have a mishmash of 14 cameras brands (all ONVIF) connected to a 3TB Dahua NVR capable of 9 weeks of dual recording (HD motion recording + SD continuous) Then a handful of the more important cameras backed up to a hiden ftp drive that holds a little over 12 months of HD recording.
So I find...
4MP enough resolution for security, but your personal circumstances should be considered and the amount of detail required.
H.265 compression capable cameras very helpful at making the most of hard drive space
Prefer NVR over PC/Software for recording... Though BlueIris was descent
Camera with a quality color low light sensor/lens pair over infrared B/W for night. (I don't own this particular camera)
Consider lens and location. A 2.8mm lens will have wide coverage but at the expense of some definition. 4mm is middle of the road.
Consider audio for certain cameras

I made a "Ring" camera before it was a thing...

... out of an old brass door knocker

 

[Gionnirocket]

Yes. I run my own wire to where I need it. I’ll save the WiFi for devices that can’t be wired, like my phone. There are many people that I live with and the more things we can get off WiFi, the better. Otherwise, there is lots of congestion.

For the outside camera, I’m going to run a CAT5 through a garden hose and bury it. Since it’ll be PoE, I won’t also have to run a power cable too.

Your probably better off using some Liquidtight Flexible Non-Metallic Conduit as it's cheaper than a garden hose, won't crush, last longer and can be properly terminated.
Electricians trick for getting the wire through is tie some string to a few inches of a cut off corner of a plastic bag. Then suck it through with a vacuum as a drag line.

 

[Rome]

I have neighborhood crime watch.
My cousin lives next yard over he has Close Cuircuit system and three camera pointed on my driveway, main entrance to house and garage but two months or so ago my weed wacker disappeared.
I asked if anything recorded on his computer but none showed.

 

[Gionnirocket]

I have neighborhood crime watch.
My cousin lives next yard over he has Close Cuircuit system and three camera pointed on my driveway, main entrance to house and garage but two months or so ago my weed wacker disappeared.
I asked if anything recorded on his computer but none showed.

Maybe he smoked it?

 

[Rome]

Non smokeable. It's an Echoe brand something you buy from Home Depot. It's probably in his shed .

 

[Rome]

Anyways I have all these parts on my work table. Renewing my drivetrain, lock the crank lube da chain. I have a new chain that I will pick up tomorrow I purchased it from a Specialized lbs.

 

[Gionnirocket]

Anyways I have all these parts on my work table. Renewing my drivetrain, lock the crank lube da chain. I have a new chain that I will pick up tomorrow I purchased it from a Specialized lbs.

@55° I'd be stewing my olives with thermal anything.
I suggest normal riding wear... something light, possibly layered for easy removal when it warms up but most importantly a light wind blocking top layer.... Much more comfortable.

 

[BikerG]

In addition to our security system, we also have dummy cameras that provide some degree of deterrent.