Wireless home CCTV questions

[Mr. Clueless]

For the obvious reasons - we were thinking about CCTV installation, front & rear of our house.

I'm sure wired will no doubt be by far the best option but we were thinking about wireless.

1) Is wireless so bad?

2) Since the chances of anyone trying it on during the night is much higher than during the day it'd have to be good during low light / dark (for any recommendation you guys will give).

3) How does the recording feature work on a wireless system? Is it to its own box? Does it have to be to a PC that is constantly on?

4) How much are you looking at for a decent wireless system, front & rear (so 2 cameras), though we also have a side door so maybe 3 cameras come to think of it, one that'll work well during low light / dark - both for the system itself & the installation?

5) Is there anything i should be aware of, look for etc before buying? Just general information, as there's little point in having a system put in if you can't make a single thing out?

 

[bernardgreen]

1) Is wireless so bad?

Yes, Poor quality video that is unlikely to provide images that can be used to identify the criminal.

Can be interefered with by other CCTV cameras transmitting on the same channel.

You can "evesdrop" on other nearby cameras owned by other people. If their view is useful it can save you the cost of buying a camera for that area.

But the bottom line is that you have to provide power to the camera and that has to be by wire so you may as well wire for the video signal as well when you put the power wiring in place.

 

[Mr. Clueless]

Wow are they really so bad? Even 'decent' systems (by decent i mean ones that cost more than the cheapest of the cheap)?


What is involved in installing a wired system?

We've finished all our decorating & carpets were fitted last week. If installation of a wired system is going to make a pigs ear of the decorating & meaning ripping new carpeting up to lay wiring then we'll have to pass & maybe get it done somewhere down the line.

But if it can be installed without too much upheaval then it'd be nice to have it in place. I just wondered what the job entailed.