Q. We have recently installed a chain link fence behind our home and are planning on letting our great pyreneese out during the day when we are at work so she is not kept in her kennel. We have an awning for shade and shelter, and we will be home around 4:30 or 5:00 each day to check on her. With that being said, we have had issues somewhat in our neighborhood, due to a busy road behind our house. I am not comfortable leaving my dog outside all day or at any time actually without some sort of security system to monitor and video my dog, in case someone was to stop or try to pester etc my dog. I have looked online and have found a ton of outdoor security cameras, however, I have no idea what I am even looking for. I want something that records so that if I come home and somethings amiss, I can check the recording to see what happened that day. I also am needing this to be wireless and obviously weatherproof. All information, models, reviews etc are greatly appreciated.
Rick B......If I find something amiss, the camera will help me to identify the vehicle that had stopped....I never once said my backyard was unsafe...I said we have had issues in the past (such as speeding cars....stolen lawn items) believe me I would not let my dog play outside if the area was a danger zone and I thought she would be harmed or killed, however, as a responsible adult, I would like to have eyes on the area when I cannot be around. I am very proud of you for taking such good care of your pet. I too live in a nice community outside of town, with a covered patio and a wooden fence surrounding my patio, both with gates and a doggy door for my 80 lb dog to retreat too if needed. I also have a locking gate on our chain link fence surrounding the rest of our yard. Once again, I never said that my area was a danger zone, but yes, I live in reality where every great once in a while there is a bratty kid that comes by speeding, or steals my neighbors lawn ornaments. I have d
Answer
Two types of systems:
1) Analog cameras connect to a DVR. The DVR connects to the computer network at your house. The DVR has the feature/functionality for the cameras (i.e., motion detection, send you email when an alarm event is triggered, local video storage for later review, etc.).
2) IP-network based cameras connect to the computer network at the house. The camera becomes a network node. For local video storage, a Network Video Recorder (NVR) is used.
Both methods have pros and cons. What I have found:
1) "Wireless camera" is an inaccurate description. The camera needs power (wire 1). For the first option, the wireless video signal is sent to a base station (or receiver). The receiver plugs into the DVR (video signal) and power (wires 2 and 3). Usually, these cameras are transmitting in the 2.4 Ghz range. This is a shared spectrum and can have interference from lots of sources - including wifi, garage door openers and cordless phones.
2) IP network cameras seem to be more expensive than the analog cameras. The imaging chip seems to be the first thing to go on any security camera, so I use the analog cams (connected to a DVR). The decent consumer cams start at about $150 or so. Less than this and I find myself replacing them at least annually - but at this price point (or higher), they seem to last a bit longer.
3) Because the DVR is on the network and maintains the features for the cameras - including network connectivity for remote viewing and storage, the cameras can be "dumb" = less expensive.
4) Set a budget. I like/use Swann and Lorex gear. It is more expensive than some others, but I have learned (the hard way) that you get what you pay for.
5) We don't know the yard layout. Generally, I would install cameras under the eaves of the house so they have some protection from the elements. We don't know where you are, but extreme heat and cold are not good for electronics. Installing under the eaves helps protect them from the elements (even though they are outdoor rated). If there are environmental extremes in your area, plan to replace the cameras often - or install them in protective housings. This also makes access to power a little easier if you go the wireless route. If you go with wired cameras, then running the single cable between a camera and the DVR may also be easier. That single cable has a couple of plugs on each side - one for power one for video.
You can have a mix of wired and wireless cameras.
6) Set a budget. For just the cameras and DVR, plan on about $1,000. If you can do the installation, great - otherwise, plan on that expense. Again, we don't know the layout... I suggest starting with a 8 or 9-camera DVR, but with 4 cameras. Example:
http://www.amazon.com/DVR8-3200-Channel-Digital-Recorder-SWDVK-832004S-US/dp/B00GBYMUNO
The DVR has a large internet hard drive, 4 cameras get you started and when you want to add more, you have capacity. You do not need to use Swann cameras... but these
http://www.amazon.com/Swann-SWPRO-760CAM-US-Pro-760-Wide-Angle-Camera/dp/B008B4K7O6
I like a lot.
If you choose to use only 4 cameras for your stated purpose, no big deal - add cameras to the front and side of the house if you want... or leave the channels unused.
7) You can provision the DVR to send you email when there is an "alarm". If you set up the motion detection areas, that can be an "alarm". Be careful with this - you can end up spamming yourself with unnecessary email alarm alerts.
8) If you are familiar with how routers work, you can set up remote access through your home's router and get into the DVR remotely (after you get an email alert) using a smartphone with an installed client or a computer (Windows or Macintosh).
9) POWER:
if you are concerned about power outages and losing video then some sort of power back-up will be needed. This is where the wired cameras are easier - with the power and video signal coming to a single place, the DVR and all cameras can be plugged into a "UPS" commonly used for computers. And if the DVR is located near the computer network router, that can be plugged into the UPS, too. If "wireless" cameras are used, then each camera will need its own battery backup power supply.
Anyone know pricing on security camera install?
MAKAVELI
I want to have 4 security cameras installed in a store but am not sure how much to pay someone to do it does anyone know what a decent amount to pay is? Its a 4 camera system that is wired and a computer that needs to be installed and setup any prices will be helpful. Thanks,
Well thanks for the thorough answer but what I meant was how much is a decent amount to pay for the installation of a four camera wired system? I already have the cameras I just want them installed but dont want to low ball the person he is charging me $250 right now but i told him i was shopping around still i think hell do it for $200?
Answer
With camera and survelience systems, you get what you pay for. Generally, the more you pay, the better features you get, and the more reliability. I would expect to pay at least $3k for a basic system. Here are some pointers:
1. Unless you just want the cameras for show, don't go with an off the shelf system like you can get at Costco or Sam's Club.
2. Don't do business with any company that hasn't been selling/installing cameras for at least four years. Ask for references.
3. Don't buy a Windows based camera system. Get one that is optimized for Camera usage. Many camera systems these days are based on custom implementations of Linux - a far better solution than Windows.
4. Don't cheap out on camera's. Good cameras + good recorder = better results. A camera system won't do you any good if you can't identify the people/cars/etc that your trying to record.
5. Buy a system that can handle at least 4 camera's more than you need right now. It is easier and less expensive in the long run to grow a system by just adding camera's than it is to replace the recorder.
6. Don't pay for your system and installation all at once. Have your purchase and installation contract broken down into stages - something like 25% deposit with order, 25% on delivery, 25% on installation and 25% due within 30 days of commissioning. Otherwise you could run into a situation where the camera company closes it's doors, or runs off with your money. I've seen this happen more than once.
I spent four years with a company that sold camera's and recording equipment as a side line. We were rather expensive compared to some of our competitors, because our main focus was another product line. However, on more than one occasion, people who went with the lowest bid often ended up coming to us for help upgrading or replacing their systems because of their good experiences with our other equipment. I saw more than one customer have the camera guy do a partial installation, then take off with the rest of the money, leaving the customer with no camera system. I also saw several customers get disgusted with their Windows based systems and either replace them entirely, or just stop using them at all.
Addressing your clarification: in my mind, $250 for installing the cameras is not only reasonable, it's extremely cheap. Most installers I'm aware of charge an average of between $50 and $125 an hour (depending upon your area). Depending upon the layout of the cameras and construction details of your building, I would figure an hour or two per camera, plus an hour or two to set up the recorder. My old company would have charged a minimum of $500 for the install, our typical install fee was $1500. Remember that iinstalling the cameras is more than just running the wires and mounting the cameras. It is also making sure they're pointed in the right directions, focused well, etc. Good luck.
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
