Simple CCTV system needed

Does your mum have permission to install a camera in a communal area?

Would the problem neighbours find ways to disable the camera once they became aware of it?

You may need to comply with the data protection laws so no posting on youtube, etc.

Tim+ pretended :

Look up wireless IP cameras. Assuming she has a WiFi access point, she could probably just plug that into a mains socket for power. They come in versions which have a fixed camera, or one where the picture can be remotely steered (X,Y). I paid £40 for mine, around 5 years ago. Look up Foscam's offerings.

The software which comes with them tends not to be able to record, but some free software called Ispy does allow that.

I can be anywhere in the world and view the image on my IP cam.

In message , Harry Bloomfield writes

ISpy has motion detection which, when it works, could be very useful.

The problem is usually getting power to a sensible place.

If you have to drill through the wall above the door to provide power, it might be worth considering some sort of usb webcam instead rather than running mains to a very obvious camera.

For video to help hooking up the trailer, I have a tiny camera that points at right angles to its short, stiff, thin gooseneck cable. I use this with just a usb extension cable to reach a laptop on the passenger seat. The camera is unobtrusive and has a manual focusing ring. I've had it for ages so not sure where it came from, but it's badged "Silver Crest" and has what might be a tiny, tiny Lidl logo on the back.

Reviews elsewhere seem to summarise it as "s*it!"

I have a peep-hole TV camera connected to a DVR and display screen on the door. The DVR is networked so could be available on the internet. The hole for the previous peep-hole viewer had to be enlarged to fit it. I used this rather than packaged solution as they only recorded when user pressed a button on the control unit/screen. Bits I ordered on Amazon arrived direct from China so slow. Other suppliers ship from UK.

Paul.

on 22/05/2017, Bill supposed :

Which would involve having a computer on and running constantly. A self contained IP cam just needs the router to be running, for the picture to be available locally or anywhere in the world.

Cheers Harry, I'll look into that.

Tim

Don't think it would be a problem. He front door is set back from the hall behind "storm doors" so she has in effect an internal porch area that is hers rather than communal.

Not without a stepladder, so unless he's very stupid, he's unlikely to attempt.

It's a sorry situation probably caused by the declining mental health of her elderly neighbour who is starting to suffer from paranoid delusions. Usual kind of thing. "I can't find something so someone must have moved/stolen it". The sad part is that they were friends and looked out for each other, even been on holiday together not that long ago. The years have not been kind to her grey matter however.

The unemployed waste-of-space son has a drinking problem and I think encourages his mum to drink too which doesn't help things. He naturally believes everything his mum says.

The police have been round and threatened him with arrest for breach of the peace if there's any repetition which may help, but we're not really dealing with rational behaviour here.

Tim

I'd guess these things:

are the future. It'd be nice if they were (a lot) cheaper, and the batteries lasted longer than 6 months.

It's what I'd look into in the OP's situation - but I wouldn't want it nicked, so that side of things might need to be thought through . . .

Not a problem. Power point and router just inside the door.

Tim

Data protection my arse.

Make sure that you can record audio.

Good point!

Tim

That's what PoE is for... As for "wireless" WiFi cameras how do you power the thing, oh down a wire so whats the point the WiFi other than being a security risk?

I have a Hikvision DS-2CD2432F, 2048 x 1536, built in day/night switching, IR light and on board recording viewable over the 'net,

I think that model is discontinued now (heck it's 5 years old!) but pretty sure there is a very similar replacement model. Not a cheapy but high resolution, day/night, on board recording, upload, choice of lens angle.

PoE injectors are available for

When I installed my CCTV (which had audio) I discovered that the audio gave more evidence than the video on more than one occasion.

That's too bad! Make sure she reports the incident. I'm using Arlo Security Cam to monitor my front door and backyard. It's wireless, easy to set up, records in HD and has motion sensor that you can link to your smartphone or PC so you get alerted right away if something seems shady.