CCTV System Advise please

[BlueGrass]

Hi,

I live in a mid-terrace house, we have a 45feet rear garden with a side passage leading to the rear garden from the back door of the living room. The side passage is around 20feet long, where after the garden opens up leading upto the shed, which is around 45feet.

The front garden is 15feet wide and from the front wall (not including the front bay) is around 10feet.

I would like to install a Camera to watch over the front garden, especially my Car. In the past couple of months, my car has been scratched alot. I don't have no problems with anybody, I am suspecting kids, but to be honest, I cannot be 100% sure, it might even be my neighbour or somebody random, I am not one to point fingers, whats done is done.

I would like a system which works at night too, I think motion detection would save hard drive space.

Eventually I would like to install a few more cameras to watch over the back garden.

I don't want to go for a cheapy system, this will be a long term investment for me, so I want a system, camera which lasts more than 5 to 7 years before I have to replace it.

I would also like advice on wireless cameras too, the only advantage I can see is less cabling, i.e. only power cable.

Although I have seen some wireless police cameras, but they must be really expensive cameras for the picture to be good enough to use for them.

I think thats it, please ask any questions and I shall answer.

Thanks

 

[chaindaisy]

POST DELETED

 

[BlueGrass]

Hi,

Although you want the best, and quite rightly too, you may want to consider something mid range, probably around three hundred or so all in. Some of the wireless cameras are giving excellent results these days. A trade installer on this forum recently tried one out and he reckons the quality is excellent and the recording.

Can you recommend any?

To be honest, I don't want to spend thousands, but I don't want a crappy system either. It should do the job.

 

[alumni]

Can you recommend any?

To be honest, I don't want to spend thousands, but I don't want a crappy system either. It should do the job.

Have a look here
http://www.cctvdirect.co.uk/
Good kit and good prices.

I'd stay clear of the wireless stuff, no point venturing from the tried and tested for your requirements.
As for cable, just use shotgun , that way you're still only running one cable.

Give them a ring and tell them your requirements and budget. Usually very helpful.

Regarding motion detect. Don't bother. When done via the image, any motion (if detected) will trigger. For external use that's leaves, bushes, all sorts.

 

[EightyTwo]

You may also like to consider PoE IP cameras. That is Power Over Ethernet Internet Protocol cameras. These are digital camera that get power from the cat5 cable. You'll want a PoE switch (hub) to connect your cameras to and then add this to your home network. You'll need an NVR (Network Video Recorder) which is often just a stripped down PC with a huge disk or two and running special software.

The advantages of going IP include that all the cables are cat5 with RJ45 plugs on the end (no need to buy a bnc crimp tool), the choice of cameras includes megapixel models that can be of staggering quality, you'll not need a composite video monitor (which cost too much) because you'll use a PC monitor and you'll be able to look at the pictures on your own network devices.

There are loads of different types available so I suggest that you get professional advice about the specific kit - some don't mix and match, some have strange software licences, some don't have iPad apps...

 

[ImayKnow]

May I add, re motion detection, it is ok, but you get many false alarms through rain, insects, reflection of lights from other vehicles passing yours at night time.

You can lower the sensitivity settings but you can set it too low to trigger at all.

May I also add that I have only installed my own system, and nothing else, so I am certainly NOT the voice of experience, professional installers may be able to reduce some of the issues I have stated.

 

[BlueGrass]

You may also like to consider PoE IP cameras. That is Power Over Ethernet Internet Protocol cameras. These are digital camera that get power from the cat5 cable. You'll want a PoE switch (hub) to connect your cameras to and then add this to your home network. You'll need an NVR (Network Video Recorder) which is often just a stripped down PC with a huge disk or two and running special software.

The advantages of going IP include that all the cables are cat5 with RJ45 plugs on the end (no need to buy a bnc crimp tool), the choice of cameras includes megapixel models that can be of staggering quality, you'll not need a composite video monitor (which cost too much) because you'll use a PC monitor and you'll be able to look at the pictures on your own network devices.

There are loads of different types available so I suggest that you get professional advice about the specific kit - some don't mix and match, some have strange software licences, some don't have iPad apps...

Thanks for that. I'll check them out.

One problem I am facing is cabling and how to route it. Also drilling holes too. I don't want to make 5p holes in the wall, the smaller the better, but with these devices, I don't think you can unwire it and then wire it back in again.

The kit isn't so much a hurdle as is cabling, routing of cabling.

For the time being, the recorder will be in my front bedroom upstairs, until I find a suitable place for it in the loft.

 

[BlueGrass]

May I add, re motion detection, it is ok, but you get many false alarms through rain, insects, reflection of lights from other vehicles passing yours at night time.

You can lower the sensitivity settings but you can set it too low to trigger at all.

May I also add that I have only installed my own system, and nothing else, so I am certainly NOT the voice of experience, professional installers may be able to reduce some of the issues I have stated.

Can I ask what type of system you installed, re cameras, make models, recorders, cabling and how you done the cabling...

Regarding the motion detection, is the system recording all the time then if motion detection is not activated? If so, doesn't it take up hard drive space? or am I missing something here???

 

[BlueGrass]

just came across this.

http://www.friedland.co.uk/en-GB/Security/CCTV/Smartphone/Pages/CIP2.aspx

 

[ImayKnow]

May I add, re motion detection, it is ok, but you get many false alarms through rain, insects, reflection of lights from other vehicles passing yours at night time.

You can lower the sensitivity settings but you can set it too low to trigger at all.

May I also add that I have only installed my own system, and nothing else, so I am certainly NOT the voice of experience, professional installers may be able to reduce some of the issues I have stated.

Can I ask what type of system you installed, re cameras, make models, recorders, cabling and how you done the cabling...

Regarding the motion detection, is the system recording all the time then if motion detection is not activated? If so, doesn't it take up hard drive space? or am I missing something here???

Hi

The DVD is a DVR4-1200 Swann 4 channel it came with two Pro 500 600TVL cameras, which are carp after a few weeks use. I changed one of them to a Twilight dome 700TVL which is much better. I will change the other in due course.

It seems the recorder records 24/7 (you go into the software to select the date and time you wish to review and select playback). The motion detection creates a log of when the cameras were activated during the day or night - you can then go into the log and select the specific event that was logged. The log clears at midnight and rests itself (ie if the motion detector triggers at 1325pm, I go into the log and select the event named 1325pm and it immediately playsback. If I want to see that event again on the following day, it will not show in the log (as the log cleared itself at midnight), so to view it again I need to go into the history where I manually input the date and time of the event and then play it back).

I dont know if this is typical of all software on different DVRs.

Hope it helps!

 

[BlueGrass]

You may also like to consider PoE IP cameras. That is Power Over Ethernet Internet Protocol cameras. These are digital camera that get power from the cat5 cable. You'll want a PoE switch (hub) to connect your cameras to and then add this to your home network. You'll need an NVR (Network Video Recorder) which is often just a stripped down PC with a huge disk or two and running special software.

The advantages of going IP include that all the cables are cat5 with RJ45 plugs on the end (no need to buy a bnc crimp tool), the choice of cameras includes megapixel models that can be of staggering quality, you'll not need a composite video monitor (which cost too much) because you'll use a PC monitor and you'll be able to look at the pictures on your own network devices.

There are loads of different types available so I suggest that you get professional advice about the specific kit - some don't mix and match, some have strange software licences, some don't have iPad apps...

I've finally checked some of these cameras out. I am wondering, the RJ45 connector, can we connect this ourselve? I was wondering with the cable being so thin, the holes through the walls will be less of a headache for me.

Oh and they are very expensive.

 

[OwainDIYer]

I've finally checked some of these cameras out. I am wondering, the RJ45 connector, can we connect this ourselve? I was wondering with the cable being so thin, the holes through the walls will be less of a headache for me.

Oh and they are very expensive.

Many (not all) IP cameras can have on-board storage, using an SD card, so you don't need a DVR or NVR. The higher resolution (on the megapixel cameras) may mean you only need 1 camera whereas on analogue you'd need 2, 3 or more to cover the area with sufficient resolution. So although the cameras can be more expensive the total cost can be within the same region as a high quality analogue system.

RJ45 connectors can be assembled using an inexpensive crimp tool - the sort of plug you need depends whether you are using solid installation cable or stranded patch cable. Or you can get adapters like
http://www.tradecctvdirect.co.uk/pr...2d-Twisted-Pair-to-RJ45-%2d-No-crimping!.html

 

[thompo]

Just got my IP cameras delivered last night.

I went for these because of the PoE capability so i wouldnt need massive holes and superior resolution.
However, the camera has a fly lead with all the connections on it meaning that i still have to drill a 10p sized hole to fit the fly lead through (cameras are domes to be flush mounted). Check if your camera take the Cat5 directly otherwise you will still need the large holes to get the fly lead through.

Apart from that, the cameras seem great quality with good features, only issue i had with setting them up was that window 7 X64 wouldnt detect them through the installation software. Once i got the IP address set through an old laptop running XP everything works as it should.

Hopefully get them installed next week

 

[BlueGrass]

Just got my IP cameras delivered last night.

I went for these because of the PoE capability so i wouldnt need massive holes and superior resolution.
However, the camera has a fly lead with all the connections on it meaning that i still have to drill a 10p sized hole to fit the fly lead through (cameras are domes to be flush mounted). Check if your camera take the Cat5 directly otherwise you will still need the large holes to get the fly lead through.

Apart from that, the cameras seem great quality with good features, only issue i had with setting them up was that window 7 X64 wouldnt detect them through the installation software. Once i got the IP address set through an old laptop running XP everything works as it should.

Hopefully get them installed next week

Hi,

Can I ask which system you bought?