Q. Hello,
For my house, i want to buy a wireless camera security surveillance system. Obviously, there are too many options. Can someone give me a feedback on any preferred brand or any feedback on what I should be looking for while buying this costly system? One potential option I found so far is
Swann SWDVK-825508 8-Channel Digital Video Recorder with Smartphone Viewing and 8 x PRO-550 Cameras
by Swann
For my house, i want to buy a wireless camera security surveillance system. Obviously, there are too many options. Can someone give me a feedback on any preferred brand or any feedback on what I should be looking for while buying this costly system? One potential option I found so far is
Swann SWDVK-825508 8-Channel Digital Video Recorder with Smartphone Viewing and 8 x PRO-550 Cameras
by Swann
Answer
For consumer grade systems, Swann and Lorex make fine equipment. I installed a Swann 8 channel (using only 4 cameras - but planning to add 4 more cameras later). The included/free SmartPhone app for remote viewing works well but can use lots of battery power as it is a stream of video over wifi. The included 8 cameras in the system you listed don't have a very far night vision "throw" (about 10 feet). Another option to consider is this 4-camera, 8 channel DVR kit
http://www.swann.com/s/products/view/?product=1530
plus four of these:
http://www.swann.com/s/products/view/?product=1144
Any camera with a composite video feed will work including those from Lorex, Q-See and others.
Consider adding a VGA monitor or TV (I use the "extra" video inputs on 4 TVs located in different rooms of the house so visibility is not so limited to a single place).
The system you linked us to is not a "wireless" system. The connection between the cameras and the DVR is a wired connection. The cable connecting these items has a connector for the video; a connector for power and a connector for limited pan/tilt/zoom control. (The zoom is the part that actually works - you would need a pan/tilt head in order for that capability to work and the zoom is digital zoom - not optical zoom). Keep this in mind: A single cable with multiple connectors connects the camera to the DVR and power.
In a wireless video system, the camera needs power (wire #1). The video is sent to a base station wirelessly. The base station connects to the DVR (wire #2) and power (wire #3). A "wireless" security camera uses more wires than a wireless system.
http://www.swann.com/s/products/view/?product=1028
The only thing "wireless" about the DVR kit in the link you provided us is that when the DVR is added to the computer network at your house, that wifi signal sending video to a smartphone or Windows computer is wireless.
Another option is to use IP network based security cameras but a dedicated computer (rather than a standalone DVR) is needed to be recording the video. These cameras tend to be a bit more expensive, especially it they are outdoor rated. And they need local camera power, too - so not exactly "wireless" either. Because they become a node of the local house's computer (IP) network, the complexity moves from the analog camera cabling to computer network implementation.
In either case, making the video stream available to a computer or a smartphone - locally or remotely - requires a decent knowledge of computer network configuration (especially if the computer network is to be secure).
For consumer grade systems, Swann and Lorex make fine equipment. I installed a Swann 8 channel (using only 4 cameras - but planning to add 4 more cameras later). The included/free SmartPhone app for remote viewing works well but can use lots of battery power as it is a stream of video over wifi. The included 8 cameras in the system you listed don't have a very far night vision "throw" (about 10 feet). Another option to consider is this 4-camera, 8 channel DVR kit
http://www.swann.com/s/products/view/?product=1530
plus four of these:
http://www.swann.com/s/products/view/?product=1144
Any camera with a composite video feed will work including those from Lorex, Q-See and others.
Consider adding a VGA monitor or TV (I use the "extra" video inputs on 4 TVs located in different rooms of the house so visibility is not so limited to a single place).
The system you linked us to is not a "wireless" system. The connection between the cameras and the DVR is a wired connection. The cable connecting these items has a connector for the video; a connector for power and a connector for limited pan/tilt/zoom control. (The zoom is the part that actually works - you would need a pan/tilt head in order for that capability to work and the zoom is digital zoom - not optical zoom). Keep this in mind: A single cable with multiple connectors connects the camera to the DVR and power.
In a wireless video system, the camera needs power (wire #1). The video is sent to a base station wirelessly. The base station connects to the DVR (wire #2) and power (wire #3). A "wireless" security camera uses more wires than a wireless system.
http://www.swann.com/s/products/view/?product=1028
The only thing "wireless" about the DVR kit in the link you provided us is that when the DVR is added to the computer network at your house, that wifi signal sending video to a smartphone or Windows computer is wireless.
Another option is to use IP network based security cameras but a dedicated computer (rather than a standalone DVR) is needed to be recording the video. These cameras tend to be a bit more expensive, especially it they are outdoor rated. And they need local camera power, too - so not exactly "wireless" either. Because they become a node of the local house's computer (IP) network, the complexity moves from the analog camera cabling to computer network implementation.
In either case, making the video stream available to a computer or a smartphone - locally or remotely - requires a decent knowledge of computer network configuration (especially if the computer network is to be secure).
How to, internet based surveillance camera system?
Q. I want to make a surveillance system so that I am able to have a camera or two at my house and one or two at my office (about 1 mile away). They need to be able to see at night and perform well outside as thats where the majority of them will be.
I would like to be able to have them all tie in together so that I can view them remotely from one place, or preferably my cellphone or a laptop.
Thank you in advance for any help!
I would like to be able to have them all tie in together so that I can view them remotely from one place, or preferably my cellphone or a laptop.
Thank you in advance for any help!
Answer
Start with a budget. Is this worth $1,000, $5,000 or more to you?
Also, since you don't seem to have any specific data network or security camera experience, you might consider hiring this out or contacting a reputable security company to do the work for you.
Being a mile apart tells me you will need two different systems. One home, one office. The biggest reason is the two different local area networks (LAN) used that will connect to the internet.
There are essentially two ways to do this.
1) Analog cameras connect to a DVR, the DVR connects to the LAN.
In this scenario, there are two options. One has the DVR being accessed remotely so there are data network security and segmentation issues to deal with otherwise the video data could easily overwhelm a poorly designed network. The other has the video being sent to a "service" - most of the manufacturers have this - and to see what your cameras see, you log into their network.
2) IP network based cameras are on a LAN. The camera views are accessed remotely so there are data network security and segmentation issues to deal with otherwise the video data could easily overwhelm a poorly designed network. If video is to be stored, then add in a computer of appropriate horsepower and hard drive size to store the video.
In all cases, be sure to add a battery back up system that powers the cameras, DVR, router, hubs switches, computer and whatever else is associated with the security camera system. It would be silly to have a "power outage" cause a security camera outage.
Cameras rated for outdoors, with night vision (infrared emitters) will cost a little more than small indoor type cameras. At the consumer grade level for analog cameras (that connect to a DVR), plan to spend at least $150 per camera. Lorex and Swann make decent ones. If you need "vandal resistant" or decide to go with IP based cameras, expect to spend around $2,000 per camera. Pelco makes good ones. If Pan-Tilt-Zoom functionality is required, the camera price increases to around $3,000.
The DVRs at the consumer level start at about $400 for a decent 4-channel system. You may need to add a hard disc drive if the one included is not large enough. An 8 or 9-channel DVR weighs in at around $650. A good Pelco DVR will be in the $5,000 range.
There are several more permutations, but the gist of this explanation is that your simple question does not necessarily have a simple answer.
Start with a budget. Is this worth $1,000, $5,000 or more to you?
Also, since you don't seem to have any specific data network or security camera experience, you might consider hiring this out or contacting a reputable security company to do the work for you.
Being a mile apart tells me you will need two different systems. One home, one office. The biggest reason is the two different local area networks (LAN) used that will connect to the internet.
There are essentially two ways to do this.
1) Analog cameras connect to a DVR, the DVR connects to the LAN.
In this scenario, there are two options. One has the DVR being accessed remotely so there are data network security and segmentation issues to deal with otherwise the video data could easily overwhelm a poorly designed network. The other has the video being sent to a "service" - most of the manufacturers have this - and to see what your cameras see, you log into their network.
2) IP network based cameras are on a LAN. The camera views are accessed remotely so there are data network security and segmentation issues to deal with otherwise the video data could easily overwhelm a poorly designed network. If video is to be stored, then add in a computer of appropriate horsepower and hard drive size to store the video.
In all cases, be sure to add a battery back up system that powers the cameras, DVR, router, hubs switches, computer and whatever else is associated with the security camera system. It would be silly to have a "power outage" cause a security camera outage.
Cameras rated for outdoors, with night vision (infrared emitters) will cost a little more than small indoor type cameras. At the consumer grade level for analog cameras (that connect to a DVR), plan to spend at least $150 per camera. Lorex and Swann make decent ones. If you need "vandal resistant" or decide to go with IP based cameras, expect to spend around $2,000 per camera. Pelco makes good ones. If Pan-Tilt-Zoom functionality is required, the camera price increases to around $3,000.
The DVRs at the consumer level start at about $400 for a decent 4-channel system. You may need to add a hard disc drive if the one included is not large enough. An 8 or 9-channel DVR weighs in at around $650. A good Pelco DVR will be in the $5,000 range.
There are several more permutations, but the gist of this explanation is that your simple question does not necessarily have a simple answer.
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