Lauren
I want to put up some small, easy to hide/be hidden cameras around my property and house. Preferably ones that let me stream the live video feed to my laptop. The cheaper the better. Post everything you find. Thanks.
Answer
"Cheap" generally denotes poorly made and fast to break requiring replacement.
A better suggestion is to buy the value and "less expensive". Generally, you get what you pay for.
Before we go too far... there are basically two different technologies and both work fine.
1) Analog cameras connected to a security DVR that is connected to the local area network. The DVR generally has a hard drive and embedded operating system that records the video and the network connectivity provides for computer or smartphone access.
2) IP based cameras connected directly to the local area network. If video is to be stored, generally, some sort of network device is needed to record the video. Sometimes this is a "network attached" storage device. Sometimes this is a computer dedicated to do nothing else but record/store the video. The cameras are contacted directly by your laptop (or smartphone.
In either case, we assume you have a need for night vision. Even if you don't, the cameras still need some sort of power. We assume there is power available to these "hidden" areas where you want to install the cameras.
Your requirement of "cameras around my property" tells me that you need outdoor rated cameras. These are generally more expensive than "indoor only" cameras.
"Wireless" is deceiving... we already know that the camera needs power - so that is basically one wire. With an IP based camera system, then the wifi at your house needs to be on and the cameras all need to be on that network - and when you add the network attached storage device or computer for recording the video, then all that configuration and attention is needed. And wires. If the cameras are analog connecting to a network connected DVR, then the cameras send only the video wirelessly to a base station "mate". Each camera has its own base station. The base station needs power (another wire) and the base station video connection plugs into the DVR (another wire) and the DVR plugs onto the network (another wire).
I strongly suggest using known, decent quality gear. I've learned the hard way that when you go "cheap" you pay for it 3-4 times more than if you target decent quality for a few more dollars.
For residential, consumer grade, equipment, I like/use/own/installed on my property, equipment from Swann and Lorex. The analog cameras are usually wired and start at around $140 each (outdoor rated and night vision). The cameras included with the DVR kits will get replaced pretty quickly, but are a good place to start and learn how everything works. Getting an 8-camera or 16 camera network enabled DVR allows you to grow the system with other cameras as you identify the need and you don't make the entire investment upfront. The DVR also has a video output so if you want, you can attach that to TVs throughout the house (with a spare AV-input) and computer connection is available (through the computer network) but not required for monitoring.
D-link makes decent IP network based cameras. You can use whatever windows based computer to be the storage computer - assuming it has enough available hard drive space to store the amount of video you want stored. Network Attached storage devices are cool - but have their own maintenance and administration issues to deal with. Getting this video on non-computer or non-smartphone monitors (like a TV) is difficult.
In either case, accessing the video when you are connected to the local area network (wired or wireless) is generally relatively easy to do - if you need to access the video from a remote location, then you need to be sure the access to the home network through the router is secured and that takes a different skill-set...
At the pro-level, Pelco makes good gear. It is by no means "cheap", but is robust...
"Cheap" generally denotes poorly made and fast to break requiring replacement.
A better suggestion is to buy the value and "less expensive". Generally, you get what you pay for.
Before we go too far... there are basically two different technologies and both work fine.
1) Analog cameras connected to a security DVR that is connected to the local area network. The DVR generally has a hard drive and embedded operating system that records the video and the network connectivity provides for computer or smartphone access.
2) IP based cameras connected directly to the local area network. If video is to be stored, generally, some sort of network device is needed to record the video. Sometimes this is a "network attached" storage device. Sometimes this is a computer dedicated to do nothing else but record/store the video. The cameras are contacted directly by your laptop (or smartphone.
In either case, we assume you have a need for night vision. Even if you don't, the cameras still need some sort of power. We assume there is power available to these "hidden" areas where you want to install the cameras.
Your requirement of "cameras around my property" tells me that you need outdoor rated cameras. These are generally more expensive than "indoor only" cameras.
"Wireless" is deceiving... we already know that the camera needs power - so that is basically one wire. With an IP based camera system, then the wifi at your house needs to be on and the cameras all need to be on that network - and when you add the network attached storage device or computer for recording the video, then all that configuration and attention is needed. And wires. If the cameras are analog connecting to a network connected DVR, then the cameras send only the video wirelessly to a base station "mate". Each camera has its own base station. The base station needs power (another wire) and the base station video connection plugs into the DVR (another wire) and the DVR plugs onto the network (another wire).
I strongly suggest using known, decent quality gear. I've learned the hard way that when you go "cheap" you pay for it 3-4 times more than if you target decent quality for a few more dollars.
For residential, consumer grade, equipment, I like/use/own/installed on my property, equipment from Swann and Lorex. The analog cameras are usually wired and start at around $140 each (outdoor rated and night vision). The cameras included with the DVR kits will get replaced pretty quickly, but are a good place to start and learn how everything works. Getting an 8-camera or 16 camera network enabled DVR allows you to grow the system with other cameras as you identify the need and you don't make the entire investment upfront. The DVR also has a video output so if you want, you can attach that to TVs throughout the house (with a spare AV-input) and computer connection is available (through the computer network) but not required for monitoring.
D-link makes decent IP network based cameras. You can use whatever windows based computer to be the storage computer - assuming it has enough available hard drive space to store the amount of video you want stored. Network Attached storage devices are cool - but have their own maintenance and administration issues to deal with. Getting this video on non-computer or non-smartphone monitors (like a TV) is difficult.
In either case, accessing the video when you are connected to the local area network (wired or wireless) is generally relatively easy to do - if you need to access the video from a remote location, then you need to be sure the access to the home network through the router is secured and that takes a different skill-set...
At the pro-level, Pelco makes good gear. It is by no means "cheap", but is robust...
how to get a security camera to record all the time?
J
Hello, we have been having issues with someone stealing solar lights out of our front yard. We have bought cameras, and have ran it through a vcr but we have to push record and it don't record 24/7. Now tonight someone came again in spite of a sign that says they are on camera, and we wired the solar lights into the ground, someone came and snapped off 2 of them and of course the camera wasn't on because it don't record 24/7. What is the cheapest way to be able to record all of the time?? Thanks
Answer
Wow, I'm sorry to hear about this issue, must be very frustrating. Hope I can help a bit.
I'm surprised that you're using a VCR to record security footage. I am not even sure where to buy a new VCR.
New security systems of any value record to a DVR or to a hard drive. DVR can be set to record a 24 hour loop. A full week loop may be pushing it for most systems. But surely within 24 hours of the event you can see that your property has been vandalized or stolen, stop the record and have something. The longest most people are unable to see their properly would be the 8-10 hours they are working or sleeping. In the hours between, you'd notice the problem and then could look at the footage.
Also, modern home security cameras can be set to record if they detect motion so you don't have to ever hit "record" or actually even record for the full 24/7 but rather only at times when the cameras see something moving.
There is no VHS in the world that can record for 24 hours a day though. If you want more coverage, you have to move to a digital system that allows for greater compression of the footage and greater storage space. I would imagine that a quick conversation with ANY home security specialist will yield this information and probably the names of recommended systems.
Here's a well-rated system for under $500 that comes with a 500GB drive which can record for 120 days so there are probably cheaper systems that can do a mere 7 days but don't forget that the higher the quality of the video, the more space it requires to be stored and therefore the shorter the overall recording time becomes.
http://www.amazon.com/Swann-SWDVK-825508-8-Channel-Recorder-Smartphone/dp/B004VFGK1I
Best of luck!
Wow, I'm sorry to hear about this issue, must be very frustrating. Hope I can help a bit.
I'm surprised that you're using a VCR to record security footage. I am not even sure where to buy a new VCR.
New security systems of any value record to a DVR or to a hard drive. DVR can be set to record a 24 hour loop. A full week loop may be pushing it for most systems. But surely within 24 hours of the event you can see that your property has been vandalized or stolen, stop the record and have something. The longest most people are unable to see their properly would be the 8-10 hours they are working or sleeping. In the hours between, you'd notice the problem and then could look at the footage.
Also, modern home security cameras can be set to record if they detect motion so you don't have to ever hit "record" or actually even record for the full 24/7 but rather only at times when the cameras see something moving.
There is no VHS in the world that can record for 24 hours a day though. If you want more coverage, you have to move to a digital system that allows for greater compression of the footage and greater storage space. I would imagine that a quick conversation with ANY home security specialist will yield this information and probably the names of recommended systems.
Here's a well-rated system for under $500 that comes with a 500GB drive which can record for 120 days so there are probably cheaper systems that can do a mere 7 days but don't forget that the higher the quality of the video, the more space it requires to be stored and therefore the shorter the overall recording time becomes.
http://www.amazon.com/Swann-SWDVK-825508-8-Channel-Recorder-Smartphone/dp/B004VFGK1I
Best of luck!
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