Wireless Home Security Surveillance Camera system?

praveen

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

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).

Cheap surveillance cameras?

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...

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Is there a webcam out there that hooks up without a USB?

best wifi security camera outdoor image

Q. The USB plugs are broken on my laptop but i really want a webcam. Is there one out there that hooks up any other way?

Answer
Yes, there are webcams that connect to Ethernet, Serial Interface, Firewire (IEEE 1394), WiFi and USB.

This site has a list of cameras (designed for outdoor/security work) that host a variety of connection types. http://www.swellfinder.com/wind/webcam_en.htm

For more do a quick search for any of the above interface types followed by the word webcam. For instance I found that list of cameras searching for "Serial Interface Webcams" It was the first hit.

Now you say the USB Ports are broken... What happens when you connect something to a USB port? Does it attempt to read? Could be the wire disconnected internally.

Also could be a driver issue, http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com can usually search for drivers for you. Just choose CUSTOM and check the "Hardware" link on the left side when it's done searching. After all, it really would just be easier to have a working USB port for so many reasons... (External Hard-Drive, USB Key, Webcams, Digital Cams, Printers, Mice, Keyboards, Scanners etc.)

Need help finding outdoor home security cameras?

tnafan19

I prefer them to be:

1. Night Vision
2. Weatherproof
3. Wireless
4. Dome shaped
5. Outdoor (as mentioned above)

I also want a $200 price limit for each camera, but I realize that is probably near impossible for these characteristics. If there is a camera that is similar to these characteristics around the $200 price range please let me know. Thank you in advance

Answer
"Wireless" = video signal only.

The camera still needs a wire for power or a battery that gets recharged with a solar panel for overnight and very cloudy day use. When you have this solved, let us know and we can work through the camera selection. For $200 you will not find much. While we're here, where will the video be recorded? If it is an IP network based camera, you'll need a dedicated computer that does nothing but store the video. If it is an analog camera, then a dedicated network attached DVR. This is another expense that needs to be considered in your budget. In both cases, if the power goes out, if there is a requirement for the computer or the DVR (and the network) to remain working, a battery back up is needed. How much you spend on this will determine how long the systems stays up. You can easily spend $200 just on this back up battery for a few minutes of back up.

Swann and Lorex have good systems for residential installations. Pelco makes decent commercial gear. Battery back up systems from APS, CyberPower and several others will work. This small solar panel
http://www.solarpanelstore.com/solar-power.small-solar-panels.smallspssolarcollectors.solarland2012.info.1.html
can recharge a small battery
http://www.solarpanelstore.com/solar-power.batteries.powersonic.ps12550u.info.1.html
A metal enclosure for the battery is needed. The panel can double as weather protection for the battery and the camera.

As for the "wireless video" we don't know haw far away the receiver is going to be. Wifi and non-wifi wireless video signals have distance limitations so please take this into account in the system design. Walls, trees and other obstructions can also impact (reduce) the distance between the camera and receiver wireless video connection.

Until we know more about the system design, throwing out random suggestions for equipment is not useful for your implementation.

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I am going on a cruise next week on the Carnival Legend and was wondering if anyone has any tips?

best wifi security camera outdoor image

PJ

Can anyone who has been on a cruise before please give me some tips on what to do and how to make the best of the cruise.
I am going to the Western Carribean, Cozumel, Belize, Cayman, and Costa Maya. It's a 7 day cruise on the Carnival Legend.

Answer
First let me tell you some general info for first time cruisers. Your cabin will have two beds which can be made into a queen, a bathroom with a shower stall, a closet and some drawer space, a TV and telephone, a safe for valuables, and a life jacket for each passenger. Some cabins that are built to accommodate 3 or 4 people will have a pull down bed and/or a sofa bed.

When you arrive at the port to check in you (each passenger) they will set up a "tab" charge account for each passenger and you will receive a key card which will serve as your room key, charge card for anything you buy on ship (i.e.,drinks, souvenir) and its also your pass to get on and off ship in each port. When you first board the ship the security personnel will have you insert your key card into a scanner and then will take a photo of you that is included in the magnetic strip on the card. Each time you get off ship you will need this key card and many times also a photo ID (passport or driver's license). This card allows them to keep an accurate track of all passengers entering and/or leaving the ship.

Each day of your cruise you will receive in your cabin a "newsletter" listing the time, place and particulars of everything happening for you on ship. There are generally activities like demonstrations of ice carvings, napkin folding and towel folding, and cooking demonstrations. There may be organized games and other activities around the pools. In the evenings there are generally shows, one show for those with an early dinner seating and another (same show) for those who eat late. There is always food available. Usually there is a place in ship where you can go get something. Or, you can always just pick up the phone in your cabin and order from the room service menu (food is free). If you want, you can order breakfast room service.

Ships have free morning exercise programs, stretching and walking, etc, and on some you can pay for other things like Spinning. All cruise ships have gyms so you can go workout, usually any time from 6:00 AM to late at night. There is usually a walking/running track on one of the decks also. Some ships leave the gym open all night. They call the gyms Spa because they do promote getting pampered with things like wraps and massages with aroma therapy. They will also generally have a beauty salon to do hair and nails.

There are always pools. Some ships have more than one and the newer ships generally have an indoor pool as well as outdoor ones and all of these have hot tubs. There is generally a basketball court on the top deck, a place for scuffle board, and a mini-golf course.

There are places on ships to play cards and board games, and the cards and games are provided. If you want to just sit and read, thereâs a library where you can bring your books or select one from the shelf. Ships have internet cafes and some offer WIFI if you bring your prefer to use your computer in your cabin (some ships offer notebooks for rent). There are cocktail lounges that feature a variety of music. Some have a piano bar with jazz. There is usually a disco that starts after 10:00 PM each night and last until everyone leave. On certain days ships will have special activities like a chocolate lovers buffet, or a midnight deck party .

The dress on ship is casual all day until 6:00PM. So take swim wear, shorts, sandals, beach shoes, your snorkel equipment if you have it, sun glasses and sun screen, lotions, a cap or big hat for the sun, a book if you are a reader, your music player, sneakers and clothes to workout in if you like to use the gym, your camera, and other personal toiletries.

After 6:00 PM they request that you wear "sports casual" attire. That's attire that you would expect a person to wear in a business office, shirt with a collar, slacks, skirt, blouse, etc. You can still wear shorts and swim wear in the pools and spas but not in public areas like dining rooms and restaurants, show rooms, bars, casino, etc.

Most 7-day cruises have two formal nights when you can wear your best stuff and get pictures taken, and maybe meet the shipâs Captain. The formal nights are REQUESTED not required attire. But most people do dress up in a tux for men and a long dress (any color) for women. Some men just wear a suit and tie and some women wear a nice dress but not a gown. You will not be denied access to the dining room or anything else if you choose not to dress up. (we usually take off the formal stuff after dinner and pictures anyway).

Its best to pack using soft-sided luggage because with space limited in your cabin it fits under the beds better if its not hard sided luggage. Take a small carry-on bag for the last night of the cruise. On the last evening you will be required to put your luggage outside your cabin by about 2:00 AM so that they can start taking it down to the lower deck for offloading the next morning. So you will need a small bag for your toiletries and and your clothes that you sleep in.


-Join the cruise club so that the cruise line will send you their specials and so that you can get discounts on future cruises with them. The discount will typically be $50 to $100 per person. If you will be celebrating a honeymoon, anniversary, or birthday during the cruise, be sure to tell them, they will do special stuff for that.

- Cruise lines charge a lot for the photos they take so take your own photos around the ship when you get the chance, especially on the formal nights. Ask other passengers to take photos for you, they generally are very willing.

-Review the listing of tours offered on your cruise and decide whether you want to pay for a tour or go on your own. On most Caribbean islands you can get a taxi or tour in port for much less than the cruise ship tours. HOWEVER, the one big advantage of going on ship sponsored tours is THE SHIP WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU if your ship sponsored tour is late getting back to the ship. If you will be in a port for 12 to 16 hours you are probably safe to go on your own for most anything. But if you are only there for six to eight hours you may want to stay close to the ship or go on the ship tours.

- Take a 6-pack of water and/or soft drinks in your carry on for your cabin.

- take a cup or mug with a lid for cold drinks when you are around the pool, most plastic glasses on cruise ships are small.

Any ideas how to make a remote control camrea that can be viewed wirelessly?

Paul

Answer
Make? Much easier and less expensive to buy.

It depends on your budget. Keep in mind that "weireless" usually means more wires than wired.

Wireless camera plugs into power and power will also be needed for the "remote controls" (pan/til/zoom motors). The video signal is transmitted wirelessly. If it is an IP network based camera, the camera (and PTZ controls) are a node on a network. If it is an analog camera, the base station needs power along with the video signal cable (and PTZ control). If the camera is wired, then there is a cable that has different cables all bundled together - essentially, 1 cable - where the "wireless" camera can have up to six cables.

Assuming we get past all this, the easiest way is to get a security camera with PTZ - and most likely IP network based (we assume the wireless router or wired network with wifi enabled) can reach the camera's location. Then an IP address is assigned to the camera...

Be sure the camera is outdoor rated if located outside.

Generally, a wireless, outdoor rated, IP camera with full PTZ will start at around $3,000. Pelco makes good ones.

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Home Wireless security cameras

best wifi security camera outdoor image

almasaad

I am planning to install (Security Camera Wireless) outdoor.
1- Is there something call (UHV).
2- What kind of product should I get that doesn't be affect with other frequencies (mobile, radio)?

Answer
For wireless stuff, it would normally be "UHF". Typically this is for good audio equipment. UHF video is still used for television stations and you would need to be licensed even if only low power.

There are only two consumer wireless video methods:
1) shared band in the 2.4 GHz environment.
2) wifi (wireless compute local area network)

Both can get interference from other sources. If you want no chance of wireless interference, then you need to use a wired camera. Also, remember that "wireless" generally means only the video (and audio if the camera has a mic) signal is wireless - you still need a wire for power unless you set up some sort of battery and solar recharge equipment.

You want cameras that are rated for outdoor use... Do they need to have "night vision"?

Are you just monitoring the video?

How many cameras?
http://shop1.frys.com/search?cat=-45928&pType=pDisplay
http://shop1.frys.com/search?cat=-45926&pType=pDisplay

If you are recording, are you looking at a multi-channel DVR
http://shop1.frys.com/search?cat=-45940&pType=pDisplay
or are you turning a computer into a multichannel DVR?

If the power goes out, are you expecting this camera system to continue working? What are your battery back-up plans?

There's more, but this is a start...

I use:
http://shop1.frys.com/product/5080315?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
http://shop1.frys.com/product/5264307?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
http://shop1.frys.com/product/4698298?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

Wireless Home Security Surveillance Camera system?

praveen

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

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).

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Any ideas how to make a remote control camrea that can be viewed wirelessly?

best wifi security camera outdoor image

Paul

Answer
Make? Much easier and less expensive to buy.

It depends on your budget. Keep in mind that "weireless" usually means more wires than wired.

Wireless camera plugs into power and power will also be needed for the "remote controls" (pan/til/zoom motors). The video signal is transmitted wirelessly. If it is an IP network based camera, the camera (and PTZ controls) are a node on a network. If it is an analog camera, the base station needs power along with the video signal cable (and PTZ control). If the camera is wired, then there is a cable that has different cables all bundled together - essentially, 1 cable - where the "wireless" camera can have up to six cables.

Assuming we get past all this, the easiest way is to get a security camera with PTZ - and most likely IP network based (we assume the wireless router or wired network with wifi enabled) can reach the camera's location. Then an IP address is assigned to the camera...

Be sure the camera is outdoor rated if located outside.

Generally, a wireless, outdoor rated, IP camera with full PTZ will start at around $3,000. Pelco makes good ones.

Home surveillance cameras would they be worth the money?

Bomani Chi

Wireless home security camera system - 4 outdoor cameras and monitor, would it be worth the $430? I am thinking about getting one but I don't know if it would be worth the money, I can do installations and wiring no problem, my dad's been building houses for 20 years and doing electrical for 15 years, I've been helping him for 9 years so wiring or installation really won't be a problem
This is the one that I am thinking about getting, it's a different one than what I was previously talking about this is the one that I am actually considering http://www.lorextechnology.com/Complete-security-camera-system/Security-camera-system-with-outdoor-security-cameras/1747.p
I will not trust my life in the hands of another person, which is why I'm looking into these so that I can keep my family safe by knowing where someone is if they break into my house, I am getting a Remington 870 12 gauge for home defense the security cameras will give a better advantage over the criminal at night

Answer
It depends what you need to be "worth it". We don't live in a high crime area and I installed a multi camera system that can be seen from a monitor in each of the main rooms of the house using TV's composite video input. the wired analog cameras feed video to a central DVR, the DVR feeds video to the monitors throughout the house.

I find it interesting that wireless cameras use more wires that wired cameras...
A wired camera connects to the DVR with a cable that carries video and power...

A wireless camera needs power (wire 1). It transmits video to the base station. The base station needs power (wire 2) and connection to the DVR or monitor (cable 3).

I put ours in because we like to know if there is anything interesting in the driveway, at the front door, or in the side or backyards - like ducks or our dog or someone in the pool... I guess it is "worth it". Whatever "it" is. Some visitors think its cool - some think it is odd... I like Lorex or Swann for consumer grade stuff - but the kits that include the cameras... well the cameras are not very good. Especially the short throw night vision. The decent night vision cameras are more like $150 each. I just put in a new DVR that has a client for various smartphone remote or local wifi access. That's got a bit of a "cool factor". You can also set up the DVR motion detection to send you email when motion is detected. Fun at first, but choose the cameras that do that email thing carefully or your system will look like spam.

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What type of spy camera should I get?

best wifi security camera outdoor image

Hi, every now and then my house gets Teepeed ( toilet papered ) or I get egged and I'm sick of cleaning it up. I'm looking for a spy camera that could catch the victim. My yard has a palm tree in the middle and a lamp post on the corner that has a view of my door. I'm looking for one that's under 100$ and one that is wireless and waterproof and small enough so it won't be noticeable also it would be really helpful if it could hook up to my Mac ( computer ). Thanks so much.

Answer
you don't need a spy camera, you need a security camera. If you hook the camera at your front door or windows you can use a webcam, it will be much cheaper. However for outdoor you will need a weather proof wifi security camera

if they come by at night your will need a IR or InfraRed camera for night time functioning so you can see the little bastards in the act. it is more expensive but it works well at night

Is there a webcam out there that hooks up without a USB?

Q. The USB plugs are broken on my laptop but i really want a webcam. Is there one out there that hooks up any other way?

Answer
Yes, there are webcams that connect to Ethernet, Serial Interface, Firewire (IEEE 1394), WiFi and USB.

This site has a list of cameras (designed for outdoor/security work) that host a variety of connection types. http://www.swellfinder.com/wind/webcam_en.htm

For more do a quick search for any of the above interface types followed by the word webcam. For instance I found that list of cameras searching for "Serial Interface Webcams" It was the first hit.

Now you say the USB Ports are broken... What happens when you connect something to a USB port? Does it attempt to read? Could be the wire disconnected internally.

Also could be a driver issue, http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com can usually search for drivers for you. Just choose CUSTOM and check the "Hardware" link on the left side when it's done searching. After all, it really would just be easier to have a working USB port for so many reasons... (External Hard-Drive, USB Key, Webcams, Digital Cams, Printers, Mice, Keyboards, Scanners etc.)

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Wireless Home Security Surveillance Camera system?

best wifi security camera outdoor image

praveen

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

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).

Cheap surveillance cameras?

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...

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Any ideas how to make a remote control camrea that can be viewed wirelessly?

best wifi security camera outdoor image

Paul

Answer
Make? Much easier and less expensive to buy.

It depends on your budget. Keep in mind that "weireless" usually means more wires than wired.

Wireless camera plugs into power and power will also be needed for the "remote controls" (pan/til/zoom motors). The video signal is transmitted wirelessly. If it is an IP network based camera, the camera (and PTZ controls) are a node on a network. If it is an analog camera, the base station needs power along with the video signal cable (and PTZ control). If the camera is wired, then there is a cable that has different cables all bundled together - essentially, 1 cable - where the "wireless" camera can have up to six cables.

Assuming we get past all this, the easiest way is to get a security camera with PTZ - and most likely IP network based (we assume the wireless router or wired network with wifi enabled) can reach the camera's location. Then an IP address is assigned to the camera...

Be sure the camera is outdoor rated if located outside.

Generally, a wireless, outdoor rated, IP camera with full PTZ will start at around $3,000. Pelco makes good ones.

Home surveillance cameras would they be worth the money?

Bomani Chi

Wireless home security camera system - 4 outdoor cameras and monitor, would it be worth the $430? I am thinking about getting one but I don't know if it would be worth the money, I can do installations and wiring no problem, my dad's been building houses for 20 years and doing electrical for 15 years, I've been helping him for 9 years so wiring or installation really won't be a problem
This is the one that I am thinking about getting, it's a different one than what I was previously talking about this is the one that I am actually considering http://www.lorextechnology.com/Complete-security-camera-system/Security-camera-system-with-outdoor-security-cameras/1747.p
I will not trust my life in the hands of another person, which is why I'm looking into these so that I can keep my family safe by knowing where someone is if they break into my house, I am getting a Remington 870 12 gauge for home defense the security cameras will give a better advantage over the criminal at night

Answer
It depends what you need to be "worth it". We don't live in a high crime area and I installed a multi camera system that can be seen from a monitor in each of the main rooms of the house using TV's composite video input. the wired analog cameras feed video to a central DVR, the DVR feeds video to the monitors throughout the house.

I find it interesting that wireless cameras use more wires that wired cameras...
A wired camera connects to the DVR with a cable that carries video and power...

A wireless camera needs power (wire 1). It transmits video to the base station. The base station needs power (wire 2) and connection to the DVR or monitor (cable 3).

I put ours in because we like to know if there is anything interesting in the driveway, at the front door, or in the side or backyards - like ducks or our dog or someone in the pool... I guess it is "worth it". Whatever "it" is. Some visitors think its cool - some think it is odd... I like Lorex or Swann for consumer grade stuff - but the kits that include the cameras... well the cameras are not very good. Especially the short throw night vision. The decent night vision cameras are more like $150 each. I just put in a new DVR that has a client for various smartphone remote or local wifi access. That's got a bit of a "cool factor". You can also set up the DVR motion detection to send you email when motion is detected. Fun at first, but choose the cameras that do that email thing carefully or your system will look like spam.

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