CCTV security systems

JMER817 · Mar 9, 2014

Looking to install security cameras around the outside of our future home that we are building this spring. Thinking a of a 4-6 camera system with DVR and smartphone access. Want a good quality system. Anyone have a brand suggestion or the best place to shop?

therealmjfox · Mar 9, 2014

The most economical and flexible way to do this is to use IP cameras. There are several brands out there I use Foscam. They are at Foscam.us or on Amazon. Each camera has its own web server built in so you can just point your browser at the camera, log in, and watch. They come either wired or wireless.

For the DVR and recording the best software out there is BlueIris. It's about $30 with the purchase of cameras from Foscam, runs on windows. You set it up to log into your IP cameras and it provides motion detection, recording, etc. Also provides its own web server so you can just log into it remotely and watch and control all your cameras from one interface. Plus there is a BlueIris app for iPhone or Android so you can watch and control it from your mobile device.

One more tip: on your BlueIris machine, set it up so the videos are stored in a directory that is automatically mirrored offsite, like Dropbox. That way if someone breaks in and steals the server computer, you still have the recordings. This part only works with high speed internet though.

JMER817 · Mar 10, 2014

Thanks, after doing some research I agree with the iP camera suggestion. I am looking for quality components without spending an arm and a leg. I'll check out your suggested brands.

Gator6x4 · Mar 10, 2014

If you have a Costco in your area, visit them or their web site. They have camera systems I do not know if they will meet your criteria or not, but worth exploring.

This is one of the systems sold by Costco. http://www.lorextechnology.com/Secu...meras/2081.p?gclid=CKugy9CGiL0CFaVQOgodMk0AVw

mark02tj · Mar 10, 2014

I am by no means an expert on this subject, but... that's never stopped me from giving advice before! :laughing:

Check out Parts-Express. This company is local to me but sells nation/world-wide. I'll stop in there occasionally to buy odds and ends for stuff I'm working on. When I was in there a couple of months ago I got into a somewhat lengthy discussion with one of their techs about surveillance systems and the Sam's/Costco type systems. One thing this guy told me was to make sure that I got at least one HD camera that was pointing at the front door. As he told me, the grainy videos that you see on the news do you very little good to get the guy that's broken into your house. He told me that I could put together a pretty nice system including a couple of HD color cameras, DVR, etc., for about $1000. That's not much more than the low-res system linked to Costco's site above (no offense meant to the person that posted that link!!!!).

zzvyb6 · Mar 10, 2014

The most useful systems are more than 4 cameras because they populate the viewing screen software program most efficiently. I currently have a Swann system with cameras installed in the house and around the property. Some of my cameras are at the end of 500 - 700 ft CAT6 siamese underground waterproof cable (TV + power supply). My cameras are 700 line deals and sufficient to tell me what I need to know: who's at the gate, where are the dogs, what's the weather like out there, whose down at the barn and have the guests showed up. My setup is intended to advertise that there is active real-time surveillance 24 hours per day. At night everyone can see the infra-red leds on the cameras that aid in night vision views. I advertise to everyone that comes here so they can tell as well as anyone else that we see them. My DVR controller is connected to my Netgear N wireless router on my U-Verse AP. I keep a laptop dedicated to camera viewing on all the time and can take it anywhere in the house to see the live streams from all the cameras. I also have it patched via HDMI cable to my TV.
I don't believe that I need the extra detail of a more costly digital Ethernet based system because I don't want to string that much ethernet cable at distance limited wireless ranges. Yes you can get repeaters (slowed down data rate) and special antennas (more cost). But you still have to power them regardless. My system cost $349 at Costco and I bought 1 extra camera for a spare. Yes I can view them on the internet, but that's not MY purpose. Other's may want to know in real time who is breaking in when they are 400 miles away but can't stop the damage. I want to know who is here when I am here and I want them to know it when they realize it. My other driveway and field alarms tone up in the house and barn, so the dogs know something's up, I know someone's here, and they know we are all expecting them. Nothing like greeting a 'lost' stranger with the question 'What do you want?' before they get to step out of their vehicle. Even the meter readers know we are watching them. My security system (fences, gates, sensors, cameras, alarm bells and dogs keeps everyone polite and cautious. There's always the Python if the message doesn't get through, but its hard on the wrists and my ears.

zzvyb6 · Mar 10, 2014

The most useful systems are more than 4 cameras because they populate the viewing screen software program most efficiently. I currently have a Swann system with cameras installed in the house and around the property. Some of my cameras are at the end of 500 - 700 ft CAT6 siamese underground waterproof cable (TV + power supply). My cameras are 700 line deals and sufficient to tell me what I need to know: who's at the gate, where are the dogs, what's the weather like out there, whose down at the barn and have the guests showed up. My setup is intended to advertise that there is active real-time surveillance 24 hours per day. At night everyone can see the infra-red leds on the cameras that aid in night vision views. I advertise to everyone that comes here so they can tell as well as anyone else that we see them. My DVR controller is connected to my Netgear N wireless router on my U-Verse AP. I keep a laptop dedicated to camera viewing on all the time and can take it anywhere in the house to see the live streams from all the cameras. I also have it patched via HDMI cable to my TV.
I don't believe that I need the extra detail of a more costly digital Ethernet based system because I don't want to string that much ethernet cable at distance limited wireless ranges. Yes you can get repeaters (slowed down data rate) and special antennas (more cost). But you still have to power them regardless. My system cost $349 at Costco and I bought 1 extra camera for a spare. Yes I can view them on the internet, but that's not MY purpose. Other's may want to know in real time who is breaking in when they are 400 miles away but can't stop the damage. I want to know who is here when I am here and I want them to know it when they realize it. My other driveway and field alarms tone up in the house and barn, so the dogs know something's up, I know someone's here, and they know we are all expecting them. Nothing like greeting a 'lost' stranger with the question 'What do you want?' before they get to step out of their vehicle. Even the meter readers know we are watching them. My security system (fences, gates, sensors, cameras, alarm bells and dogs keeps everyone polite and cautious. There's always the Python if the message doesn't get through, but its hard on the wrists and my ears.

woodlandfarms · Mar 10, 2014

We have systems on both our homes. While the IP system is very cool, it is problematic if you are not living there. If you loose power, and it doesn't come back right, there goes your monitoring. Also, wireless is expensive and it gives you false hope that you don't need elecrical in the area. You need to power IP cameras just like regular ones.

I also vote for watching for deals at either Tiger Direct or Costco. The downside of these systems is that they software was written by someone with zero understanding of simple interface. Setup is arduous on all security systems as each camera has to be tweaked. Also the cameras tend to be good, but not great.

Please understand a great system is $$$$$$. Those trick cameras that zoom in and rotate $200 minimum.

As I said, we have two systems, both are Q-See brand which I find horrible in customer support and marginal in use. None of the bottom tier lend themselves to customer service, but hopefully you don't need it (generally you should not). But in the end they send us emails of pictures of people walking by and we have indeed caught someone stealing from our property and were able to identify and have our stuff returned. But unless you spend thousands, you are never going to read a license plate and you will always be wondering what the real color of the car was.

In the end, though, I would recommend Either QSee or Samsung or whatever Costco has in the store.

therealmjfox · Mar 10, 2014

mark02tj said:
. He told me that I could put together a pretty nice system including a couple of HD color cameras, DVR, etc., for about $1000. That's not much more than the low-res system linked to Costco's site above (no offense meant to the person that posted that link!!!!).

Unless you're buying a new computer to use as the server/DVR, $1000 is excessive. Actually that's excessive even if you do buy a computer.

My system is 4 Foscam cameras, 1 of them hi res, plus BlueIris running on a repurposed laptop. I have less than $500 in it all told. Even if all the Foscams were hi res, I still wouldn't come close to $1000.