Caught an Intruder

[PineRidge]

If they can read this one should do the job nicely

 

[birddog0304]

ROFL

Still laughing
That's good

 

[TripleR]

I know all of us who consider an assault on us in or outside our homes are considered paranoid and alarmists etc., but: Bollinger County death investigation - KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar Bluff

 

[MasseyWV]

IP Vs analog cameras. There are differences, but the #1 difference is resolution. IP cameras have the ability to have much higher pixel count than analog cameras do. That is not always necessary. If you are covering a small choke point, an analog camera may have plenty of resolution to show faces clearly. Analog cameras tend to be better in low light and often (though not always) at night. Analogs are generally much smaller too, so can be concealed in tight spaces. But you pay for resolution, bigtime. IP cameras are always more expensive, and often several times more, due to the resolution and other features.

You can mix camera types, though it seems to make sense to go IP for the system backbone. There are converters that make analog camera signals into network signals so you can feed those into your network, if you want or need them.

After further research, I've came to the same conclusions regarding cameras.

My requirements dictate that I have the highest resolution possible with night vision capabilities. Good resolution is far more important to me so it would seem that IP based cameras would be the better choice.

Having night vision capabilities is almost as important, but any shortcomings in this area can be compensated for by using motion sensing flood lights. It would be sort of a gotcha situation, when the lights are triggered it would be too late, assuming the camera can adjust to the lighting conditions quickly enough. Alternatively, using lighting which is always on would also be a consideration.

Ideally, each camera would have remote motion sensors or be capable of being linked to a series of them but I've never seen any using the latter configuration. Basically, what I'd like to have is a line of motion sensors to detect the presence of an intruder which would then trigger a perimeter alert (indoor audible) and cause the camera(s) to start recording. Ideally, the system would also allow other trigger mechanisms to set everything into motion.

Since passive infared motion detectors aren't always reliable, I'm also looking at active infared sensors as well as other remote sensing systems both high and low tech. For example, a tripwire could trigger a switch, etc...

Recording. Systems in a box that include cameras and a DVR/NVR are almost always crap and should be avoided. Dedicated DVR/NVRs seem like a poor choice to me as many require proprietary hardware. I believe the better choice is NVR software on a dedicated PC. You basically need to create a separate network in your house for IP cameras, as they can consume huge amounts of bandwidth. You get a few cameras going, and it will bury a home network and you will lose frames, drop connections, etc. You very quickly get into the need for gigabit ethernet switches, which are not too crazy expensive anymore. There are some decent software packages out there, but Luxriot seems to be the best bang for the buck. A commercial grade system with reasonable costs. Get a decent PC (used or not) and XP Pro for an OS as your server. Win 7 uses too much memory and resources for this application. With software like Luxriot, you can log into the server remotely even from your smart phone and watch cameras. It can send alerts to you. Track motion. Scheduled recordings. Things like that.

Unless, you're constantly recording video from all the cameras at the same time the network traffic is very minimal. Meaning if you have the cameras set to alert mode or aren't viewing them all at the same time there isn't much to worry about.

After reading numerous reviews, it quickly became apparant that "systems in a box" were mostly crap so my plan is to purchase components individually as money permits. However, network storage still has me a bit perplexed, not so much from a technical standpoint as from a requirements standpoint.

Recording video 24/7 seems like overkill so I'd like to either record still images at a given time interval or only record video when the camera senses movement. That said, I've begun to wonder if a simple network storage drive (1-3 TB) on a dedicated gigabit network would be adequate. An NVR sounds great in theory but it seems like overkill, and having a PC running 24/4 doesn't appeal to me either. If it's possible, I'd like to only use a PC as a means of accessing the stored images/video or for viewing each camera's video feed.

 

[MasseyWV]

It is generally recommended never to electrify barbed wire.

You can electrify either smooth or barb wire. Personally, I run alternately smooth and barb. smooth is electric primarily because it is cheaper than barb and MUCH easier to handle and electrify. Barb is grounded.

After further consideration, I've decided that I'm going to run 1-2 strands of barbed wire (grounded) and a single strand of smooth electrified wire. Barbed wire generally has to be stretched to make it tight and most insulators I've seen probably wouldn't allow me to stretch the barbed wire tight enough. Having a strand of tight barbed wire over a strand of smooth electrified wire would also provide some protection for the electrified wire in the event of falling tree branches.

 

[kidr]

I will have to vote for dog improvement. Some breeds and individuals within a breed are high energy and confident, some are not. Two dogs are better than one, they give each other support and pack confidence. A trained dog will actively protect you or your wife in a physical intrusion or assault situation, no camera or motion sensor will do that. That protection is portable if need be.

Dogs may not be the total answer, but I wouldn't discount their advantages--if well trained and cared for.

Most people can't manage a trained protection dog. They are not easy or inexpensive to come by. They are also a great liability. A big untrained dog may or may not protect you. An alert terrier will bark and warn of anything abnormal.That's my vote.

 

[Lebneh]

After further research, I've came to the same conclusions regarding cameras.

My requirements dictate that I have the highest resolution possible with night vision capabilities. Good resolution is far more important to me so it would seem that IP based cameras would be the better choice.

Having night vision capabilities is almost as important, but any shortcomings in this area can be compensated for by using motion sensing flood lights. It would be sort of a gotcha situation, when the lights are triggered it would be too late, assuming the camera can adjust to the lighting conditions quickly enough. Alternatively, using lighting which is always on would also be a consideration.

Ideally, each camera would have remote motion sensors or be capable of being linked to a series of them but I've never seen any using the latter configuration. Basically, what I'd like to have is a line of motion sensors to detect the presence of an intruder which would then trigger a perimeter alert (indoor audible) and cause the camera(s) to start recording. Ideally, the system would also allow other trigger mechanisms to set everything into motion.

Since passive infared motion detectors aren't always reliable, I'm also looking at active infared sensors as well as other remote sensing systems both high and low tech. For example, a tripwire could trigger a switch, etc...





After reading numerous reviews, it quickly became apparant that "systems in a box" were mostly crap so my plan is to purchase components individually as money permits. However, network storage still has me a bit perplexed, not so much from a technical standpoint as from a requirements standpoint.

Recording video 24/7 seems like overkill so I'd like to either record still images at a given time interval or only record video when the camera senses movement. That said, I've begun to wonder if a simple network storage drive (1-3 TB) on a dedicated gigabit network would be adequate. An NVR sounds great in theory but it seems like overkill, and having a PC running 24/4 doesn't appeal to me either. If it's possible, I'd like to only use a PC as a means of accessing the stored images/video or for viewing each camera's video feed.

Foscam's cameras can do a lot of the stuff you listed. Motion triggered video recording(when a computer is monitoring), audible alarm (when a computer is monitoring them), night vision, (most models) turn off the recording light, newer models have HD resolution.

You haven;t mentioned it but I like the FTP/or email on alert. They can upload/email a photo (1 per second) once motion is detected. You can setup a free gmail account or something and have 10GB of security in the cloud. That way if you ever lost the storage at your place you still have the footage. (IE: someone breaks in when you;re not there and they trash all the equipment)

I just did a test and my camera adjusted from night vision to light very fast (I would say about 2 seconds, max).

And, just for the record I don;t sell these cams They are just my favorite (I have only used a hand full of brands).



As for the NAS (Network attached storage) I would hold off. I would either spend the money on a dedicated (used) laptop or use your current computer until you have an idea of how much storage you will be needing.

 

[texasjohn]

Massey, you will want to use this kind of fence strainer on both barb and smooth wires. Type of low impedance fence charger you need also pictured. I get these from Tractor Supply but they are available elsewhere.

 

[riptides]

Most people can't manage a trained protection dog. They are not easy or inexpensive to come by. They are also a great liability. A big untrained dog may or may not protect you. An alert terrier will bark and warn of anything abnormal.That's my vote.

Turkey and Guinea hens work well too. Mother nature has all sorts of alarms.

 

[GPintheMitten]

This afternoon, I began clearing the undergrowth along the tree line which made a huge difference. I'd like to see someone try to hide there now.



Signs are part of my plan, but these are more my style. :laughing:

These type of signs, while humorous and might deter someone, could also be a problem for the owner. If you ever did have to shoot someone in self-defense, the signs could be used as evidence as to your intent in a prosecution against you. I would not use any of these type of signs.

In Michigan, you must be in fear for your life from an imminent threat of death or great bodily harm to yourself or another.