Also check with your home owner's insurance if they offer a 'Proactive Home Security Discount' for having a security camera system.  My insurance offers a 5% discount.  Not much, but still it's something.

I've had a 'Defender' brand analog 4ch camera system installed for a little over 4 years now.  Wasn't sure how I'd like the cams so I went cheap and cobbled in a temporary install.  Think I paid $250 at Home Depot.  Cameras even survived a brutally cold winter a few years back.  Two of the bullet cams are fully exposed to the weather too.  Only issue is sometimes my dvr randomly changes IP address.  Then I have to see what IP it's now on and forward that port so I can once again see my cameras on my phone.  I'm not network/computer savvy enough to get a static IP address to work.    

Also, I'm wondering if there's something that will make a noise to get a prowler's attention.  Like most cameras on a porch they are mounted high and often can't get a look at the perp's face.  Some of the videos I've seen they will often keep their head down, wear hoodies or caps.  Almost all the time a prowler will ring the front doorbell to see if anyone's home.  I'd like a little device that is tied to the doorbell to make a noise 3 secs after pressing the doorbell.  The noise will sound right next to the camera.  I bet 99.9% of the time anyone would immediately and subconsciously look up at the direction of the sound.  Thus allowing the camera to get a picture perfect mugshot.  Can't imagine the dude would continue his criminal ventures at my house after he realizes he just stared directly into a camera.

Thinking maybe a small DC motor with some sort of flapper on it pulsed on for 2 sec.  Tuck that in the aluminum soffit and it would probably sound non-threatening like a bird flapping/stuck in the soffit.  

They make alarm or  electronic hobby boards that allow you to record your own alarm or voice clips.. Think of it as a ring tone. Trigger or power to it sets it off. Record a Hello, Hey!.. Or Hellooooooo Baby! (VanHalen/VanHagar - Good Enough song) ... And get your candid camera shot.! They also have delay boards that you can hook up to it to trigger it. Do not have time to go find the exact link but MCMELECTRONICS.COM OR HOMESECURITYSTORE.COM i think we're the place I have seen. Or the fallback Amazon. Good luck - post back of it works out. Good idea!

For all those interested in Hikvision - I can't say enough good things. Here is arson that was recently captured on Hikvision cameras in a DC alley.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM6ITSeenOM

Can anyone speak for the quality of reolink products.

They have PoE 4mp bullet cameras for $80/EA. They also have an 8 channel NVR for as low as $250 on eBay. Reviews all appear to be good or great.

I don't have internet at my location, so I was planning to do camera ---> NVR ----> TV (utilizing HDMI).

As best I can tell, I'll be able to utilize the 2tb internal storage, and set my cameras up for motion detect recording.

Am I missing anything obvious? Better alternatives? Cheaper options?

I just did a review of the Reolink RLC-411WS because I was curious and wanted to see one for myself.  It's their 4 MP outdoor camera, with wireless capability and a varifocal lens.  Based on this sample of one I think they deliver a good product for the money, are well made, and their apps seem to work well.  At least as good and probably better than most of the other stuff out there aimed at consumers, and right up there with Hikvision, Dahua, etc. in many areas.  I did find my Reolink to have more noise at night than some of my other current cameras, in some low light conditions, but certainly not the worst I've seen.

ETA:  Edited for clarity

Thank you for the thumbs up, I'm ordering it now from Amazon, so I'll be installing this weekend. I've already run my cat5e from each camera location back to the central point of the NVR so it'll just be plug in, mount to soffit, navigate the UI of the NVR, vióla!

More in depth review in the coming week.

Whats the best option to upgrade an analog system that's already wired ?

I've got an old 16ch / 1TB system I bought around 2009 or so. Currently have 11 cameras running.
The video out is sent upstairs to the bedroom TV... a 47" 1080p Toshiba.

I hate to think of running all new wires to these cameras.

Can I buy a dozen analog cameras and a new DVR unit and still get decent resolution using the old coax wires & BNC's ?

If so... what do you recommend ?  (I've seen some of the Lorex systems at Costco use coax wire.)

You could look into HD-TVI cameras, but the choices for those are pretty slim compared to IP cameras.  How difficult would it actually be to start pulling cat6?  If you can use the coax as a pull wire in some spots, you could possibly avoid crawling into the tightest spots.

Any good cameras that aren't super expensive, and wireless that could connect to a central PC/computer system for recording? I don't need full video (1-4 FPS would be way more than enough). Nightvision would be a plus too, and something in the 1080p range for outdoor usage.

Check out Netgear Arlo.

I'm very happy with the arlo pro kit I picked up recently.

For PoE, CAT6 is pretty expensive overkill since PoE is limited to 10/100.  I'm sure there are some benefits or potential growth though

No, it's not. POE can most certainly be used with gigabit connections.

There are multiple standards. The common passive PoE (802.3af) mode many cctv games have uses 2 power wires and the remaining cables are good for 10/100. Newer PoE+ (802.3at) is fully gigabit capable and iirc puts power on existing data lines without hindering them, your PoE Wireless APs and the newer high res cameras use this mode. Your switch and/or injectors need to support it.

So right now, I'm solely depending on one camera (Nest) on my driveway. While on vacation this past week, my router apparently locked up and caused me to lose signal the last few days we were out of town. This led to a discussion with a friend that owns his own satellite TV/security cam business. He showed me his system that he's been installing at numerous local businesses and homes. He explained that even without internet, the DVR would still capture everything until I got back home. I guess with a Nest your solely relying on your internet uploading to a cloud. Without internet you're done. One snip of a phone cable, no more security.

The system he is installing is Hikvision. He said he's been charging around $1200 for a 4 channel system, installed with a 3yr warranty. Said he would do it for $900 If I wanted one. Just looking around online, it appears it's a 500-600 system. I have no problem giving him business, even if it means paying several hundred for something I possibly could do. He's a good dude that helps me out quite a bit.

Any thoughts on the brand? 1TB hard drive with 4 1080P dome cams. The images he's sent me are extremely clear. Much better than my nest especially under no light conditions. He also mentioned a Siamese cabling that he uses. I've never heard of it but he gave me a quick layman's explanation.

Thoughts?

I have been putting together a system. A couple of weekends ago, I had my gardener put a camera on the trunk of tall palm tree. It gives an awesome view of the back of my property.

Yes, makes sense. I just wonder how much the cost will vary with full ip with network cabling? I'll see what he says.

Thanks for the info!

So, he says he can do the same brand with network cabling for the same price. The cams are 3mp.

Sounds ok I guess?

Here's the cam

Out of curiosity, do dome cameras attract less spider webs than bullet cameras?

My guy said they do. That was his reasoning for suggesting the dome

tag

Sent you a pm

I'm looking at upgrading my 6-year-old Lorex system. Guy at work just did a full install of the Reolink system and is pleased with the results so far. Super easy interface for PC and Smartphone App viewing.

Any recommendations for which Hikvision NVR to get? Looking for 8 or 16 channels.

I'm going to see how this integrates with my Hikvision system.

.
as some might be aware, a trio of 20ish urban 'utes recently killed a couple in their 60s in their Texas home

here's the video of 2 of the 'utes arriving at the couple's home



note the quality of the video - what did they do wrong?

What could they have done to make the people more identifiable?

Can't even read the plate - though the car (which was stolen) was the first thing found and led to the 3 being captured.

Didn’t do anything wrong. That is good quality as far as surveillance videos go.

License plates are hard to read when it gets darker because of the amount of dynamic range is low for the camera. The plate is brightly lit compared to the rest of the scene. If the plate was readable then the rest of the image would be really dark.

Nothing you can really do about it without spending $$$$$.

What is your opinion on dome vs bullet cameras outdoors?  One thread suggested that the domes can deteriorate and "fog" from UV light.

Where I'm planning to place a camera there isn't a lot of insect activity, but the snow blows over the roof and has some visible turbulence right under the soffit in that area.

Also, any thoughts about something like Rain-X on the domes?

OP,

What is the verdict on this system?

Lorex 4K Ultra HD Wired Network Security System with Color Night Vision

thanks for all the great valuable info!

Two questions:

1. What brand security camera systems does Nelly's sell?  They don't say anywhere in their web site as best I can tell:

https://www.nellyssecurity.com/

2.  I have an existing high pressure sodium area dusk-to-dawn light mounted high on the end of my house.  The light is like this one:

Light

The light it produces is kind of yellow.  What impact will it have on a security camera's IR night vision?  Will I need to remove the existing light or replace it with some other type?  I need some kind of visible light to see by.

Thanks.

I haven't really wanted needed home cameras much, but my wife and I just got approved as foster parents.  Given the climate of "believe the victim" we are thinking about putting a few cameras up in the house as a CYA (Common Areas, not bedrooms/bathrooms).  I really don't want to make my house look like a bank, so the smaller "friendlier" cameras are appealing but it seems that they all require cloud subscriptions.  We'd like something that can store 30ish days of video locally.  It looks like ARLO Pro fits the bill if we attach a HDD.  Any other suggestions?

Ok, so I’ve gone through this entire thread and all the other stickied threads in this forum and here’s what I’ve gathered:

- I want IP-based Network Cameras
- ICR Required
- WDR Preferred
- IP66 Standard Preferred
- Do NOT want DSS
- Separate Dome IR Preferred

That seems to be the thread in summary.

Now when I’m looking at purchasing actual cameras, I’m having a hard time distinguishing what I should get.

I’ve got serious OCD, so would prefer all cameras (4-8) be made by the same manufacturer.  From what I can tell, Axis is one of the top brands with a semi-decent price point.

Would this camera suit my needs?  How do I tell?

AXIS M2025-LE Network Camera - Monochrome, Color https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01LWSS834/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_tyb-BbMCX0W6C

I’m all about spending the extra money for quality.  “Buy once, cry once.”

What makes this camera $200 more?

AXIS P1435-LE Network Bullet Camera 0777-001 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B018E8Z3BK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Uzb-BbM7J4Y7W

Thanks for all the help GM

I'd assume answers already figured out but just in-case.
From the Fall 2018 Axis Products and Solutions guide, the P14 series camera has a vari-focal iris, with an angle of view being 110° - 38°, 2 way audio, also rated for a little wider temp range where the M20 series is a fixed iris, angle view 110°, no audio, rated slightly lesser temp range.

I'm currently working with an Axis system with 27 cameras soon to be adding an additional 33 cameras. With an Axis system you also need individual camera licenses for your Axis server. Along with the planned upgrade, looking to double the NAS drive capacity bank to cover the additional motion recordings from the extra camera coverage too.
Axis generally has server/client viewing software upgrades every 1-2 months, individual camera firmware upgrades every 3 months or so.  Sometimes motion trigger zones need to be redone depending on the level of firmware upgrade on each camera.

Any comments/reviews on quality of Lilin cameras?

Shoot me an IM and I can explain a lot about Axis cameras. I work in the retail physical security side of our business and have roughly 15,000 IP cameras deployed, 99% of those being Axis.

Check out the Axis product naming structure.


In layman's terms, there are three basic tiers of Axis cameras, Q-series (best), P-series (better) and M-series (good).

Q-series: These are Axis's best cameras. In my AO, they are used in many government buildings, at traffic intersections and some high-end retailers. We use Q-series cameras for facial recognition.
P-series: These are Axis's mid-tier cameras and are very popular for corporate applications and large retailers. These cameras have a similar build quality to the Q-series but have slightly less processing power or image capture features.
M-series: These are Axis's most cost-effective cameras. These are popular with small chain retail stores, independent retail stores restaurants and home use. These are typically plastic construction and will have noticeably less sharp image quality than a P or Q series camera with the same resolution. The bulk of our cameras are M-series.

There are several differences in the two cameras you listed. The P-series not only has a varifocal lense, but is remote focus and zoom capable, super handy after you've got the camera hung 20ft in the air. The light sensitivity of the P-series is slightly better as well requiring only .12 lux to retain a color image vs. the .2 lux required by the M-series. The IR illumination on the P-series is also more powerful (100ft range vs. 50ft on the M-series) and has what Axis calls optimizedIR, which gives you more control over how the IR light is applied. Both offer WDR forensic capture and both are outdoor rated, however only the P-series retains an IP66 rating.

Personal opinion... if you want to stick with Axis camera (which I highly recommend):
-Budget-minded: Look into the M2026-LE MkII. That extra resolution will greatly help out due to not being as sharp as the P-series equivalent. I wouldn't think twice about installing these on the outside of my house and I think exterior residential use is perfect for this particular model.
-No expense spared: My favorite Axis camera to date is the P3227-LVE. This is a dome camera that has great resolution and phenomenal low-light performance. I would use this camera exclusively on the outside of my house if I could afford it. IMO, Q-series cameras are a bit overkill for most residential use.

I can go on and on, so if you have any additional questions, just shoot me a PM.

Awesome, thanks!

I'm still on the fence about which DVR and cameras I will end up with.  However, I do know that I want to use POE cameras and ethernet cables.  I also know where I want the cameras located.   I am getting ready to add insulation ot the attic and know that it would be a hell of a lot easier to access a lot of the camera locations prior to insulation.

Looking at 1000'  spools of Cat5 ethernet cable on Amazon now.  Is there a specific type or brand that I should be looking for?

Stay away from copper clad. I bought this cat6 wire, worked out well.

pure bare copper cat6

ETA: I went with a Dahua 16 channel NVR (NVR5216-4KS2 V2) along with their starlight varifocal turret cameras (IPC-HDW5231R-ZE). These cameras have incredible night vision capability.

How future proof is a hikvision NVR? I plan on getting as good of an nvr as I can right now, but am I going to be looking at new and better in 5 years? 10 years?

I moved into a house with a camera system already installed, but the hard drive just went out on it. And it looks to me like it was a fairly cheap nvr when it was put in. it's already discontinued in fact. So my plan is to upgrade the NVR as much as I can afford now, and re-evaluate the cameras later.

In a days worth of reading(mostly this thread, awesome information) I'm a little confused why my system is set up the way it is. The box doesn't have POE, but all of the cables for the cameras are ethernet. So there is an adapter (I'm assuming) to power the camera, and to plug into the POE. Either way, I feel confident in chucking the wirepath nvr.