Night Vision security cameras

[Jet]

Hi all ;)

I want to upgrade the security camera system at my mums place. (She lives "in the middle of nowhere" and won't move.)

She currently has two estrenally mounted b&w cameras and a switching box(?) linked thru to the telly / video. It's supposed to beep and start recording when it detects movement. Ok, thats fine but the system is about 8 yrs old and the cameras seem to have lost definition and the whole system is pernicketty to say the least.

I am looking for a system that provides the following:

4 cameras (initially and expansion room) (prolly b&w again) good IR night vision and resolution auto sensing and auto recording DIY-able ;))

I am googling like crazy and can find all sorts of stuff, but as usual, would rather go on a recommendation from the assembled if at all poss ;)

Anyone been down this road recently / offer some pointers?

tia

-- Jet

(actually, my mum lives in a house, down a country lane, no streetlights, and a recent abundance of vandalising yobs:((( )

[Harry Bloomfield]

on 03/04/2004, Jet supposed :

Just in case you do not already know, IR will need some light to be able to see. Ordinary lights will work perfectly well, IR lights will illuminate an area invisibly.

The IR cameras with motion detection include a PIR sensor, the same as is used to trigger security lights.

[Harry Bloomfield]

Jet has brought this to us :

They might just need a good cleaning of the lenses and sensor.

[Peter Crosland]

Try this!

[Ian Stirling]

Generally not completely invisibly. The source is often visible as a crimson glow. Pity thermal IR cameras are not yet cheap.

[Harry Bloomfield]

Ian Stirling submitted this idea :

Well not quite invisibly if we are talking about IR filament lamps, but you would need to be on the look out for IR lights, to notice them. The alternative to filament lamps is IR diodes (as used in TV remotes), the output of which is completely invisible to the eye. These work well to illuminate at shorter ranges. Even the glow from a cigarette is enough to illuminate someones face.

[Ian Stirling]

Not completely invisible. Much less visible.

Try looking into the LED of a remote in a dark room, with dark adapted eyes. Many will glow noticably when activated.

[Jet]

for:

the HCC314/316 - Panasonic Digital CCD

A few of these, control box and video would probably do the trick.

I like the idea of the night time IR as I don't particularly want to have the place illuminated like Blackpool so wouldnt neccessarily need more outside lighting than is already there.

Been there, done that, but no discernable improvement in image quality. Also the current set-up doesn't allow for more cameras than the two existing, and due to some groundwork, at least four now required to comfortably cover the areas in question.

Thanks to all for the suggestions and advice ;)

[John Rouse]

In article , Jet writes

I have a four port capture card, and a number of different cameras. Although someone on here scoffed at mounting cameras internally, I have found it quite successful, and removing the cost of an external housing allows a much more sophisticated camera to be mounted internally (in a spare bedroom) and it is more easily adjusted if necessary. A small boxer fan keeps condensation off the window.

There are also some good external bullet cameras with integral IR LEDs, for example: http://www/cctvoutlet.co.uk/index1.htmJ.

[NoSpamThanks]

In message , Jet writes

"uses Blue Infra Red LEDs"

what are these, and why are they better?

[Jet]

a dud response from that url up there... can you check it pls?

ta

[Jet]

I dont know but if it means a decent / v.low light night image, then it will do ;)

[T i m]

If you replace the / with a . you should be ok?

seems a bit slow though ..

All the best ..

T i m

p.s. I rarely *type* a URL because of the chance of a typo.