Thread: School me on modern home security cameras please.

Originally Posted by Homestar

Not out the front no, almost universally in any place built in the last 20 years or so. Wouldn’t help me anyway as most of the fence would need to be a gate to get all my cars in and out - there’s a garden bed between 2 driveways - one is 3 metres wide at the street, the other 5 meters wide at the street. Have 5 cars and a Motorhome parked in them.

Remember ‘The Castle’ - “Steve could you move the Camira? I need to get the Torana out so I can get to the Commodore.”

Sort of like that only with Land Rovers, a Jag, Mercedes Sprinter and the 2 work cars.

Brisbane City Council started cracking down on residential blocks with more than one 3 metre driveway or an oversize driveway. The thinking is that these reduce street parking particularly in older areas with lots of parking demand and you can only use one driveway at a time.

Luckily nothing like that here so far, but our street has maybe 3 or 4 cars actually parked on the street any given day or night, the blocks are a lot larger than newer estates and there’s no demand but the residents so we don’t get the street packed with cars like some places. Most driveways can hold at least 2 cars around here plus a couple in the garage.

No one has mentioned a Swann UHD multi camera 2tb system. I have an 8 camera UHD wired Swann system and I’ve had no problems. I do also have a couple of Ring cameras but I find their wifi too glitchy unless the router is really close and hence I prefer a wired system

I run six HIKVision HD cameras, five of which are POE and the 6th a wireless "cube". They record to a Synology NAS drive, hidden in the house. The HIK camera quality is good. The email alert works well but is very fiddly to set up. The Synology CCTV application works very well but you do have to pay to licence each camera.

The way I use the system is that if someone enters a prescribed area during the schedule (when we are at work and at night) I get an email with 3 pics. I can then remote in using the HIK (basic but it works) or Synology app (may have improved but I found it too hard to use).

We have an android tablet on the wall for the aircon control. It runs a HIK app so if were here something at night it is simply to see what's happening.

I also have a HIK camera above the front gate at my parents house (they are in their late 80s) which is wifi to their NBN modem. If someone comes to the gate I get an email alert. I can remote in to see if its the neighbour, the paramedics or someone dodgy.

Re the HIK cameras; yes the Chinese govt can watch me mow the lawn and the dog take a crap here and there but if they are that keen than good luck to them.
Re the cloud; my NBN upload speed is 6mbs so cloud storage is a no go for me.

Thanks for all the input, I have been looking at the Hik cameras and think that's the way I'll go. I have a spare PC I can use for them so will go that way. Software I haven't decided on yet but will wait until I have the cameras and have a play, there's several suggestions to look at now. Big thanks to BradC who's helped me greatly via PM as well.

Everyones input has been greatly appreciated, some great info has come up here.

Originally Posted by Homestar

Thanks for all the input, I have been looking at the Hik cameras and think that's the way I'll go. I have a spare PC I can use for them so will go that way. Software I haven't decided on yet but will wait until I have the cameras and have a play, there's several suggestions to look at now. Big thanks to BradC who's helped me greatly via PM as well.

Everyones input has been greatly appreciated, some great info has come up here.

I have four outdoor and 5 indoor. Something like this outside ( My work ones cost about $400 each a few years ago- Ouch)

I added a ring at the front door with Covid19. It may be ok at home but I hate it several ways. 1 to much traffic activates it and the battery life suffers ( this may not be an issue at home assuming if no traffic and nothing the moves in the wind near by.

I much prefer wired. P.O.E. makes one cat5/6 cable cheap and reliable. My work ones are not POE and need a very small wire for power to the camera as well as the Cat5 cable.

Off site storage is a requirement I think. I do know a few break ins where the PVR was the first item removed at local business and a home or two. Some of the products such a RING try and get you to use their subscription services. A dropbox or onedrive service you may already have can work.

Your computer or DVR ease of use is the biggest stumbling block. My home POE one is a PITA software is tough to navigate and setting need a LOT of tweaking to get it to work.

I have a new 16 Channel 1080N DVR 5-in-1 Hybrid I am trying to set up to replace my work one. I am struggling while having fun. If you have hair to pull out get one with reliable software and support. Online forums such as whirlpool can be helpful

Ended up ordering some of these - Hikvision DS-2CD2365G1-I 6MP Outdoor Turret CCTV Camera, H.265+, 30m IR ft Darkfighter Technology – Security Wholesalers with a 4mm aperture. 4 should cover the front of the house well and I'll add some more if needed. Wanted to go a step up from the budget home cameras as while they are ok, they are just that - ok. Happy to spend the money and get the next level up, without going nuts.

This new system isn't about just getting something working like the last one was, but improving on it which this will do. Not that I've ever needed anything from the cameras more than a couple of incidents across the road I've helped out with some footage, but there is a lot in my yard so want look after it as best I can. The cheaper cambers with the 12 volt and video cable I've found to be unreliable after a couple of years - I have 3 that currently don't work - either the camera itself or the cable got pulled by a bird in the foor, etc and broken it (they are very thin). I'll use those wires to drag in some CAT6 to run the new cameras.

Have settled on using an old PC for storage for the time being - have ordered a couple of 6TB drives to do this, so will see how that goes. The PC is a BIG, heavy old gaming PC - not ideal, but it's not doing anything else at the moment so will do for now and is much harder to steal than the old DVR I have now. It's also in a part of the house where the dogs are, so very unlikely it will get stolen. If it all works ok, I might build a NAS and store that somewhere out of the way as I may end up using the old PC for my video editing again. Specs are a few years old but it can edit 4K if you're patient and 1080 is a snap so it does me ok.

I have a wired 8 camera Uniden full HD system which works well. The Guardian Live app gives good clear images and can be used to play back all the recordings saved to the internal storage. When working from the office I normally have an iPad set up to display the cameras all the time. Have used when overseas with no issues as well.

If I was upgrading I would consider their latest offerings which now comes with thermal imaging motion detection or the equivalent system from Swann.

Having multiple systems is also a good idea - strategically placed Ring cameras with internal batteries are a good back-up and come with cloud storage.

And consider a back up power supply for the main camera and DVR system. They typically run off 12vDC so easy to set up a back up power supply. Plus a lockable server rack hidden in a discrete location is a good way to secure the hard drive.

Of course in Melbourne CCTV systems are defeated now by our mandatory mask wearing - need to put a sign up asking criminals to remove mask before entering property providing they have spent 14 days in quarantine first. D’oh!