Outdoor security camera for home monitoring-based system

Thread Starter

satcom

Joined Apr 1, 2015
65
Can anyone advice the economical home monitoring-based system? I need to choose outdoor security camera for motion-detected & continuous recording, with remote control (IP camera). For continuously monitoring of entryways, etc with the ability to watch the footage again later in the case of issue. To monitor the area surrounding an entrance gate and back yard. 2 cameras, maybe 3 max.
I considering wired connectivity, as wireless cameras probably doesn't fit, due to significant distance between router and camera. Recoring into built-in SD Card or to standalone DVR, not sure about this point.
 

Papabravo

Joined Feb 24, 2006
21,159
Can anyone advice the economical home monitoring-based system? I need to choose outdoor security camera for motion-detected & continuous recording, with remote control (IP camera). For continuously monitoring of entryways, etc with the ability to watch the footage again later in the case of issue. To monitor the area surrounding an entrance gate and back yard. 2 cameras, maybe 3 max.
I considering wired connectivity, as wireless cameras probably doesn't fit, due to significant distance between router and camera. Recoring into built-in SD Card or to standalone DVR, not sure about this point.
Is there some reason you cannot find what you are looking for, or are you just in a big hurry and want to take a shortcut? It does seem as if your requirements are imprecise -- to say the least. In particular, what would you consider to be economical?
 

ericgibbs

Joined Jan 29, 2010
18,767
hi satcom,
I use 3 wired camera's, 20 mtr cable per camera, back to central recorder which houses a 1Tb hard drive.
The recorder also drives via VGA or HDMI a standard TV set.
Shows all 3 camera's, records for last 5 days, video and audio, day and night.

What is your budget and coverage area.??

E
 

Thread Starter

satcom

Joined Apr 1, 2015
65
@Papabravo & @ericgibbs,
well, economical is incorrect term, I agree. Basically, I need 2 cameras. One for entrance gate area (maybe 7x7meters) and 2nd for the back yard. Remote access to the cameras recordings (on SD card or on DVR), about 30 days of storage. For starting, just one camera a for an entryway gate.
Do I need to have static IP for access through the browser? (only IExplorer?)As I know, I don't need static IP if access via the application.

Also, the point is to use system with less energy consumption, to reduce electricity consumption. I was offered a VOHDX173 - Multi-HD typu bulet, 2Mpix, ob. 2.8-12mm, IP66 (Optiva),
1586005890409.png
VOBDVR2204 - 5in1 ,8Mpix, 4x HD/IP + 2x IP / 6IP, 4 audio, 1x8TB,P2P (DVR)
1586006131530.png

and HDD 2TB
 
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Hymie

Joined Mar 30, 2018
1,277
Bear in mind that even wireless cameras require a power source, normally 12Vdc, but the wireless transmission distance should be adequate for most, unless you live in a castle. If going wireless, best to go plug & play rather than having to pair each camera with the system.

Also consider where you plan to locate the DVR, if you want to capture video of any potential burglars – it will do you no good if the steal the recorder.

Normally DVRs providing internet access require the DVR to be hardwired to the router – and of course your router will need to be permanently powered.
 

MrChips

Joined Oct 2, 2009
30,720
I would think that it would be simpler to use a computer based security system for the following reasons:

1) Live view of multiple cameras
2) Automatic motion detection and recording
3) Archived recordings with time and date stamp of any activity
4) Live and recorded views accessible from any location on the planet with your smart phone
 

ronsimpson

Joined Oct 7, 2019
2,989
I am using "record to SD card". Seems like a simple way.
I use WiFi cameras.
I use cameras that can be seen from a web browser, that way any type of computer can be used. Some cameras only work with a smart phone. They only work with one kind of app on the phone.
Watch out most cameras work to your phone/computer for free but if you want to put them on the internet so you can see them from home, that cost money every month.

I have two "V380 cameras" that I do not like. At power up they flash bright lights and a voice announces something very loud. Does not work with a computer. Only a smart phone.
 

Thread Starter

satcom

Joined Apr 1, 2015
65
Bear in mind that even wireless cameras require a power source, normally 12Vdc, but the wireless transmission distance should be adequate for most, unless you live in a castle. If going wireless, best to go plug & play rather than having to pair each camera with the system.

Also consider where you plan to locate the DVR, if you want to capture video of any potential burglars – it will do you no good if the steal the recorder.

Normally DVRs providing internet access require the DVR to be hardwired to the router – and of course your router will need to be permanently powered.
DVD and router will be in the apartment. The camera require a power source cable from apartment, so anyway I have to mount the wires under the roof, both signal and power cable, so benefits of wireless camera aren't so obvious.
 

Tonyr1084

Joined Sep 24, 2015
7,853
My system is the Lorex DV908. Youtube it and you'll probably find the issues I've posted with regards playback issues as well as some other issues. There are six video's I've made. Or just take my word for it - you don't want Lorex. Up to the point where they probably shut down due to CoVid-19, they were trying to address my issues. They had me return my unit and they sent me another unit with mostly the same issues and a few worse issues. At present they're supposed to be reviewing my case and decide if they're going to give me a BETTER unit than the DV908. I won't accept another DV908 as the two I've owned and operated are problematic.

The first came with a 1TB hard drive. The second came with a 2TB. I've upgraded to a 4TB HD because I was having storage issues. Up till someone at Lorex actually told me I had the system set to record 24/7. Once I understood that setting I am down to where I can detect and record motion detected recordings. Often it's rain or snow. Sometimes it's dust and insects; or a bird or shadow. Sometimes a cloud passes by and the light level changes and triggers a recording. IF the unit worked as it's supposed to it would be a decent unit. However, when I tried to zoom or pause I would get a reset back to the first motion detection the system had that day. In other words if I were viewing 7:00 AM on the front camera and wanted to zoom in on a suspicious person - first, I couldn't. Then I could but couldn't pause. Then I would try to pause but it would jump all the way back to 12:01 AM (or whenever the first recording for that day occurred. Lorex didn't believe me so I shot video's of the machine doing exactly that. During those videos I ran into other issues as well. All in all, they haven't been very good at satisfying the customer. They were good at suggesting that I was at fault for failure to operate the system properly - but I made the videos to show them that wasn't the case.

Here's a link to video 3 of 4 (because I promised Lorex I'd delete parts 1 and 2 if they took care of my problem. I went on to produce 4 of 4, 5 of 4 and 6 of 4 because they've not been helpful.
 
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dendad

Joined Feb 20, 2016
4,452
The system I installed in our church was a cheap 8 analog camera DVR. For most of the cameras I just used the cable that came with the kit, even joining a couple of runs together to extend the reach. But a couple of them are in the hall around 150M away. These I ran on Ethernet cable, and the work quite well. First I did try 2 cameras on the one cable, using one pair for the video of each camera, and the other 2 pairs for the +12V and 0V, but there was cross talk between the cameras, so a separate Ethernet cable is used for each camera now. I was surprised how well the cameras work over this distance.
But I would really recommend you look at the Ubiquity series of cameras and run something like Zoneminder, as mentioned above.
Friends run Raspberry Pis for their system and it seems pretty good. But RasPis tend to wear out the SD cards with repeated writing to them so use a HD for the picture storage I think.
And mount the DVR in a hidden place. A client of ours was the victim oh a ram raid at his store. He had Zoneminder running so it was all recorder. Unfortunately, the Zoneminder PC was just with his others PCs, and the crooks took them all, including the video evidence.
Under the house is a good spot to hide it iff you can get there.
A side note, the cheap DVRs can connect to the internet, but there are security concerns with that, so use Zoneminder and you have full control of what it does.
 

Thread Starter

satcom

Joined Apr 1, 2015
65
I use Linux Zoneminder with analog and POE ipcams.
Open Source with loads of features.
High quality HD POE cameras are the way to go.
ZoneMinder run on PC with any web browser? About IP cameras: do they have own embedded OS and record to the SD card, so DVR/ NVR recorders are not needed? How much recording it can store and how reliable is this way?
 

nsaspook

Joined Aug 27, 2009
13,086
ZoneMinder run on PC with any web browser? About IP cameras: do they have own embedded OS and record to the SD card, so DVR/ NVR recorders are not needed? How much recording it can store and how reliable is this way?
Zoneminder is an Linux OS application that runs on a x86 PC or other linux compatible platform like a RPi but you can access it from just about any modern web browser. Most IP cameras run a embedded version of Linux. Some have SD cards for local storage but all allow for remote recording access in some manner. I don't use camera local storage as the Linux server file system(s) allows for larger, faster and more robust storage of video files.
 

Thread Starter

satcom

Joined Apr 1, 2015
65
Zoneminder is an Linux OS application that runs on a x86 PC or other linux compatible platform like a RPi but you can access it from just about any modern web browser. Most IP cameras run a embedded version of Linux. Some have SD cards for local storage but all allow for remote recording access in some manner. I don't use camera local storage as the Linux server file system(s) allows for larger, faster and more robust storage of video files.
In case I use IP camera with NVR recorder, is it possible access remote recording via Zoneminder?
 
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