Recommendation for security cameras

[shed9]

We have had a couple of successes in our village in recent years. Interestingly in both cases the footage from the house attacked was essentially useless. They clearly knew there were cameras and covered up. What screwed them was in each case someone else's camera picked up the registration of their car. On the second occasion they were arrested and the stolen property recovered within a couple of hours. So maybe useful to make sure you install a camera with a view of the road outside, although you might have to get agreement from the neighbours if it views their properties.

This would be my worry, it's clearly not a deterrent but if obvious they will likely be immobilised or removed. Perhaps have some cheap dummy LED cameras in view and have less obvious units doing the real recording. Chances are if someone see the more visible units and does something to them there is more chance of the actual cameras being of use in possibly not being detected.

I still think trail cameras are the way forward, appreciate you have tried them in the past but like CCTV, they are vastly different from vendor to vendor and there are some good units out there now. I'd still explore that option, maybe join a US/Canadian hunting forum as a guest and ask the question?

Sorry to hear you have crappy neighbours, no fun in that at all. It rarely ends well but hope you do get a resolve.

 

[woodieallen]

How do you get to see the video ?

 

[Phil Pascoe]

We're on the turning circle of a cul de sac. I shall get my cameras when installed to cover that - no neighbour will object. I suspect the best plan would be for the whole road to chip in and pay for top class cameras on each side at the end, though. There isn't a crime here that doesn't involve a vehicle.

 

[shed9]

How do you get to see the video ?

If you mean trail cams, some have live view now.

 

[woodieallen]

If you mean trail cams, some have live view now.

No, I was thinking about those with 4G

 

[Fergie 307]

We're on the turning circle of a cul de sac. I shall get my cameras when installed to cover that - no neighbour will object. I suspect the best plan would be for the whole road to chip in and pay for top class cameras on each side at the end, though. There isn't a crime here that doesn't involve a vehicle.

Our village is laid out as essentially a large crescent, only two ways in and out. Latest from the residents association is to fund our own cameras at both ends. Still a WIP.

 

[Crazy Dave]

Regarding the glow of the infrared lights, that will depend on the frequency of the light, if I remember correctly (Don't take my word for this) 840nm is the light that cannot be seen but check before buying.
Regarding protection of the camera it needs to be high up but also need to have a zoom lense or a fixed lense with the correct power to reach the area you want to monitor.
You will then need additional infrared lighting nearer to the target area in order to increase the detail of the image.
Your next consideration is do you invest in colour night vision if so forget about infrared lighting as it won't mix very well.
Points to consider are cameras with colour night vision often just slow the shutter speed to allow more light in, now this works well for a stationary image but as soon as there's movement the object that's moving will blur and can even disappear completely between frames.
If you really need submittable evidence my advice is get the professionals to survey your area and start collecting quotes.
Or dig some pit traps, cover with a tarp, branches and leaves and see what/who you catch.
Good luck.

 

[niemeyjt]

This is another really useful thread - but in "General Chat" - where it will drop down the lists and get ignored.

Maybe we need a "Security" forum where this and other really useful threads can be moved so they are all together?

 

[Robbo3]

Since I installed 3 cheapish IP cameras the instances of vehicles cruising slowly surveying the neighbourhood has decreased dramatically.
I prefer fully wired cameras rather than wi-fi because they are more secure & because the siting of the cameras allowed it.
Although the cameras were originally powered from 13 amp sockets they were changed to POE (Power Over Ethernet) which powers each camera via its ethernet lead from a 4 port POE switch.

 

[RedSpooky]

I think Shed9 is pointing you toward Swann.

I have 3 Ring cams at the minute. One is the doorbell - ultra useful to avoid missed parcel deliveries. Battery lasts about 2-3 months with limited LIVE views (that burns the battery much quicker).

One is wired internally pointing out of a windows and one is high mounted and powered by a solar panel. Never drops below 80% charge from the solar panel.

All wifi , all record back to Ring. Accessible from PC or phone / tablet. Have a live view and motion activated recording.

Works great for me. Cost is £8 per month for the Ring recording.

One downside is that there is no easy way to view all cameras simultaneously.

it is possible to wire in Ring doorbells ( few You Tube videos about) so no need to remove / recharge the battery. Had mine taken off Took mine off the consumer unit on a breaker to a transformer. Works fine saves the hassle if swapping out batteries and as much live viewing as you want.

 

[Rufus]

I run a Reolink Argus 2 with a solar panel for the last 3 years watching an outbuilding that's had a few unwanted visitors. It's a solar system that connects to an external wifi point I have. Generally, it gets enough charge from solar although I have had to mains charge it 2 or 3 times in the 3 years I've been running it. It's PIR activated and has a memory card on board. PIR notifies the app I have running on my phone from where I can watch live or download the captured footage including the sound. It's been very useful at deterring and catching people - the three in the picture below we picked up by police within 24 hours.

 

[llangatwgnedd]

POE is the way to go, no power cable to worry about, just a ethernet cable up to 100m long.
Hard drive recording, view alerts off your phones.

 

[Rufus]

100% agree with POE if you can get cable runs between the camera and the NVR. I run a Dahua system in areas where I can get wired cameras.

In my pic above, there is no power and it's the other side of a country lane so cabling is impossible.

 

[woodieallen]

I run a Reolink Argus 2 with a solar panel for the last 3 years watching an outbuilding that's had a few unwanted visitors. It's a solar system that connects to an external wifi point I have. Generally, it gets enough charge from solar although I have had to mains charge it 2 or 3 times in the 3 years I've been running it. It's PIR activated and has a memory card on board. PIR notifies the app I have running on my phone from where I can watch live or download the captured footage including the sound. It's been very useful at deterring and catching people - the three in the picture below we picked up by police within 24 hours.

View attachment 130569

What external wi-fi point do you have and how far away from your house and/or router is it? Battery or mains ?

If I understand you correctly..

1) the camera detects someone using PIR
2) recording started and recorded on Mini SD card.
3) camera alerts you via your mobile. How does it do this? Does the phone have to have the Reolink app running ? Does the phone have to be close to the camera or could it be with you on holiday in Greece?

In (2) what is the length of time of the recording

Many thanks

My understanding is that this camera won;t work with their NVR RLN8-410. Do you know of any NVRs that play nicely with the camera
?


TIA

 

[Rufus]

What external wi-fi point do you have and how far away from your house and/or router is it? Battery or mains ?

If I understand you correctly..

1) the camera detects someone using PIR
2) recording started and recorded on Mini SD card.
3) camera alerts you via your mobile. How does it do this? Does the phone have to have the Reolink app running ? Does the phone have to be close to the camera or could it be with you on holiday in Greece?

In (2) what is the length of time of the recording

Many thanks

My understanding is that this camera won;t work with their NVR RLN8-410. Do you know of any NVRs that play nicely with the camera
?


TIA

I run a TP-Link Omada EAP 225 as the external access point which sits on a pole on the house. That's hardwired via CAT6 to a hub that's Internet connected and is powered with PoE from the hub (so a single wire to the hub). The camera is about 50m away from that access point. You *might* get away without an access point if you're closer to you home wifi.

Your comments are correct, PIR detection and then recording onto the SD card. I think it records 30 seconds when it's triggered but keeps recording if there is ongoing activity.

Alerts are via the Reolink app that I have installed and I get them anywhere my phone is in range of a data service (so if you had data enabled in Greece, you'd get an alert or if you connected to a hotel wi-fi you'd get an alert).

You're correct on the NVR and I think that's the biggest drawback but the issue is that you'd never have enough battery power to continuously record to an NVR which is why it's motion detect. It would be really neat if they could send recorded footage to one of their NVRs when an alert if triggered. I'm not aware of anything battery/solar like that which works over industry standard protocols to an NVR (apart from some really high-end HikVision stuff with huge solar panels!).

 

[woodieallen]

So it fails then at providing any evidential material since it is all in the camera which if it gets nicked .....

 

[woodieallen]

You can record locally with Arlo.....

When you say 'record locally'. Is that to an NVR or to an SD card on the camera (like the Reolink) ?

 

[woodieallen]

How do you get to see the video ?

Ah...just realised...4G is only used to send text alerts ???

 

[bansobaby]

When you say 'record locally'. Is that to an NVR or to an SD card on the camera (like the Reolink) ?

Its to an SD card in the main unit that sits in your place of choice in the house.
The cameras are very good, the app is glitchy and the customer service is appalling. It's also very expensive, I would have sent it back but was outside my 30 days or whatever it was. I have persevered, and the system now does roughly what I want, but in hindsight, for the money I'm sure you can do better...

 

[woodieallen]

Its to an SD card in the main unit that sits in your place of choice in the house.
The cameras are very good, the app is glitchy and the customer service is appalling. It's also very expensive, I would have sent it back but was outside my 30 days or whatever it was. I have persevered, and the system now does roughly what I want, but in hindsight, for the money I'm sure you can do better...

Many thanks for the clarification. Which Arlo do you have ?