Security cameras and DVR

[R D S]

As more and more businesses in my area are robbed at I have decided it's time to get some cameras.

Any recommendations for cameras and a recorder appreciated.

[Matty F]

A cheap solution is to use an existing computer, with up to four cards handling up to four cameras each. Either the cards are installed in the computer or plugged into a USB port. Probably USB1 is not good enough, and the computer should have at least 80 Gb of hard drive.

You should decide whether you are going to record at night, and if so whether the lighting is good or you can use sensor lights. The infrared lights on most cameras are disappointing and only light up a few metres.

If you have cameras inside a shop, keep them low, at face height or lower.

[tony sayer]

In article , R D S scribeth thus

Have a look at RF concepts there're on the web, some good stuff on there and Billy there is quite knowledgeable:!..

've had an Avermedia from there, works very well and trouble free:)..

[andrew]

Worse than that I find the back scatter from spider webs obliterates the image so prefer separate lights.

AJH

[R D S]

I have a Trust card with 4 video inputs and I used to have it connected to 4 day/night cameras triggered to record on motion detect. I found it froze up a lot though and was hoping that a dvr would be more reliable.

[R D S]

I'll take a look, cheers.

[Matty F]

The Trust card or its software can't be any good. Google shows problems. I've used a couple of el cheapo cards for some years now on an old slow PC, with almost no problems. I restart Win98SE every day because Win memory management sucks.

I'm about to install a couple more systems and I was going to use USB capture cards. Maybe I should use what I know works.

[lori lane]

Agree about spider webs and bacjscatter from lens mounted ir rings, alos obliteratesn number plates after dark :-(

Varifocal cameras are handy typically 4-9mm or so, off shelf always eem wider than youd want, 520TVL and up is good, below 400TVL is free with Frosties nowadays.

Covert as well as overt, pinhole door viwer , under the eaves in a fence post ....

DVR is just more stable than a computer running and lower energy cost, have an Avtech, try ebay , thats been running 24/7 for 8 moths with no problems, network and internet accesible, motion recording H264 etc etc.

Avtech seem reasonaby regarded at price point and support is good.

Cheers Adam

[dennis]

Isn't that just the poor dynamic range of the recorder and/or display. I have seen IP cameras that can cope with that sort of contrast but I don't know what make they are. Mine don't have IR illumination and just use a PIR light with a low energy lamp for illumination. Its not as though I want to covertly collect evidence of a crime, I want to stop then doing the crime in the first place.

[Andy Burns]

You are TNP in disguise AICMGBP5 ;-)

[Adam Aglionby]

Lets try this on a keyboard not half balanced on the bench ;-)

Its specifically number plates, they are retroreflectors, light goes straight back way it came, in this instamce from right around the lens, rest of pic is fine , blooming number plate is a white blazing blob :-(

PIR lights are good, but in my case extended CCTV after they used the PIRs to allow better use of bolt crops :-(

I check the overnight pics every day , nature of place means some people are in late at night but looking for unexpected visitors making more than one visit.

Bolt cutter crew did a reccy the night before, existing CCTV was too poor to get a clear image, as it was the two blob shapes did get, helped cops confirm their own suspicions.

Do put up some sort of CCTV sign with contact details if its commercial premises. Laminator and this is handy

[Adam Aglionby]

`Fraid you didn`t spell the phrase-that-pays in broken Swedish ;-)

Must proof read before hitting send. Must proof read before hitting send. Must proof read before hitting send.....

Cheers Adam

[geoff]

In message , R D S writes

A bit "how long is a piece of string" question - replace with how deep is your pocket

get the'sel an old computer (not too old), but get a massive hard drive (I have a 2TB drive dedicated to recording)

pop down to Preston and buy one of these

find one on t'internet

They also do cameras and cable etc

I just bought 16 of these

don't need them for night vision

Took an afternoon to wire up the whole factory

made a junction box and powered them all from one PSU

job done.

Just a shame none of them were trained on the rear roof to catch the pikies nicking the lead

Just remember to put the computer where nobody can steal it

[geoff]

When you talk quality, Trust isn't a name which immediately springs to mind

as opposed to ... cheap and nasty

[Bill]

In message , geoff writes

Not to mention a ups on the PC and PSU.

>

[Matty F]

If a DVR simply records the pictures and doesn't have a monitor or a keyboard or a mouse, how do you look at the recorded video? How do you look at the video in real time? How do you look at the recording times to see if motion has been detected? If you need a computer to look at the DVR, what's the advantage of a DVR?

[tony sayer]

Seems thats out of stock and/ or production. I reckon a standalone DVR is a much better animal nowadays, and some run Linux too;))...

[geoff]

In message , tony sayer writes

The original Item I pointed at was out of stock and it redirected me to another product.

Standalone DVR ?

I have a big FO Hard drive which is good for prolly 2 months for 16 cameras

I can get any camera at any time or date I need

activate on movement etc ...

and I'm too lazy to change

[Adrian C]

My no-name DVR box has an output for a monitor (TV or VGA) and comes with a remote control which offers live or recorded playback through an onscreen menu system, which also lists times of events etc. It's also capable of continuous recording from four cameras whilst a user is playing back and checking the recordings. This all can also be done via several gadgets connected to a computer network but that's not entirely necessary to use the box for the main function.

[Adam Aglionby]

As Ad.rian said VGA and TV out, tv style remote control,OSD menus, mouse port and USB memory stick port for backup.

Either from DVR directly or over network.

Categorises itself and adds markers, OSD menu to review events as mentioned USB stick for ones like to keep a record of.

IOn this case DVR is physically situated remotely from cams abd premises, went the cat5 and balun route, so easy to log in via network to review footage.

Advantages , stability, power consumption and now price, H264 capture cards aint cheap.

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