wireless ip camera advice and recording options

[600rob]

I'd like to get an ip wireless camera.
I'm after something that doesn't cost hundreds of £'s. Just after something reasonably priced to monitor my place while I'm not around.


I'm new to the whole area but I understand that the camera will simply take pictures and that in order to store that footage/pictures I need some sort of recording device.

Can anyone advise me on the different types or recording devices available, how hard they are to set up/maintain and something that is reasonably prices

Also there are literally hundreds of wireless cameras on ebay around the £20-£35 which look reasonable however are these the cheap Chinese products that are best avoided?[/b]

 

[secureiam]

well I wouldn't expect much from units so cheap, what are the specs?

 

[EightyTwo]

The recording device is usually called an NVR (Network Video Recorder). Often, it is just a PC running special software. You'll want a big disk (terabytes) and, if you want to view the video on the same machine, a decent graphics card. The processor speed doesn't need to be outstanding 'cos it doesn't have to do many sums. If you're going to have several cameras, you might like to consider running a separate network for the cameras so that you can still use your laptop and iPad on the interweb. This would mean that your NVR should have two network cards, one for the cameras' wifi and the other for your home network and internet access. Wireless cameras still need wires for power. Why not use wired IP cameras and a PoE switch?

Personally, I wouldn't pay only £20 on cables, let alone a camera! It you only want the cameras for show and are not interested in the pictures, £20 will be fine. Then again, I'm a professional... Cheap cameras have low resolution (VGA?) and are for internal use. As always, the important question is 'what do you want to look at?'. Once you know, choose a camera that will do it. Wide lenses show you a big scene but with no detail. Narrow (zoom) lenses give you detail in a small area. Megapixel cameras give you lots of detail over a wide area but cost loads.

If your camera doesn't show you what you want to see, it's useless. Daytime viewing of someone at your front door is one thing, number plates at night is quite another (budget 10x to 50x as much for this!!).

You could always buy and try a twenty quid camera - it's not much money to waste - but be prepered to be disappointed.

 

[JohnD]

I got a cheap webcam that has motion detection, and records when it sees movement. It connects with a USB cable and stores on the hard drive. Mine monitors activity on the front drive/cars. It would not be much good for burglars inside the house who might attack the PC unless it was hidden or protected.

You can also get motion-sensitive cameras which record onto a memory card inside. Again if the camera was visible and accessible someone could smash or remove the memory.

I reckon you need something that stores files on the web. Then you would monitor it remotely. You would have to connect it to your wifi or router.

p.s.
I did notice these in the catalogue, which looked quite inexpensive, but it is not a subject I am very interested in.
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Security_Menu_Index/CCTV_New_Index/Witness_Dvr/index.html
they also do packages which include several cameras
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Security_Menu_Index/CCTV_New_Index/ESP_Digi4/index.html
and more

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Index/Security_Menu_Index/CCTV_New_Index/index.html

you could ask on the alarms forum. no doubt there are other companies who specialise in such products. I have seen them on Maplin as well.

 

[600rob]

A typical example of the budget cameras widely available on ebay:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DBPOWER-W...sion-P2P-/281336948217?_trksid=p2054897.l4275

 

[EightyTwo]

That'll be a cheap, indoor, VGA camera then... Expect the video quality to be similar to an old mobile phone.