My home CCTV setup is nearly complete! NOW WITH PICS!

[Madmak 0]

After being in the industry for over 15 years with a large security integration company I have finally set up a system for myself. Installation has been entirely DIY and equipment has been sourced non-retail so the budget was kept to a minimum.

 

Below is the equipment that I currently have installed:

 

1. Front yard - Pelco Spectra III SE - recessed in soffit

2. Rear yard - Pelco Spectra III SE - recessed in soffit

3. East Yard - Pelco IS151 - recessed in soffit

4. West Yard - Pelco IS151 - recessed in soffit

5. Driveway - Pelco IS151 - recessed in soffit

6. Garage - Pelco IS151 - recessed in ceiling

7. Main Floor Front - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

8. Main Floor Rear - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

9. Second Floor Hall - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

10. Master Bedroom - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

11. Second Bedroom - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

12. Third Bedroom - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

13. Basement Hall - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

14. Basement Office - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

15. Security Room - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

 

Pelco MCS16-20 Camera Power Supply

Pelco KBD300A PTZ Controller

Pelco DX7016-480 DVR

 

The DVR is on loan from work as I am not sure what I want to use permanently. For a DIY system I am leaning towards a PC based setup that I can work on and upgrade. The cabling was a huge challenge as everything was retrofitted in an existing two story house. All cameras were recessed into the ceiling or soffit as I much prefer the way they look installed this way but it involves alot of patience. The Spectra's are in black outdoor enclosures recessed into black soffit and they look great. Head end is in a dedicated security room in the basement along with a 70 zone Ademco BA system. Multiple BA points are used to trigger PTZ cams to presets like yard gate, shed door, BBQ, garage OHD, front and back doors. The keyboard can be plugged into the security room or the theater room (52"TV) to control the PTZs. I have always been very interested in this industry and passionate about doing things right, this time it's for me.

 

Any recommendations on a permanent PC based DVR setup are appreciated as I have little experience with them. I have always used the big name brand equipment in the past. Thx.

Edited November 2, 2008 by Guest

[thewireguys 3]

very impressive setup!!! I would like to see some pics of how you recessed the Spectra III in soffit. That must have been a hell of time in the attic.

[robca 0]

I have been happy with a Divis DVR (Chance-I) card. The drivers are rock solid, the program has good functionality and the remote access functionality is much better (for my needs) than a Geovision. Chance-I updates the program relatively frequently, and there are many OEMs/distributors for those cards. There's also an SDK for added customization

 

I custom built my PC, using an Intel motherboard with the 965 chipset, integrated graphics (less money as you don't need a separate video card and more importantlymore stability, as the Intel drivers tend to be less "cutting edge" in terms of functionality, but much more solid and reliable; video drivers are the #1 cause of PC instability under Windows). Seagate DVR-rated hard disks, and the best possible power supply you can afford, plus lot of fans. You can easily mirror the HD, for added redundancy (and the HDs are so cheap, that using 2 hardly breaks the bank).

 

PM me if you need more info (I'm a PC guy, dabbling in CCTV as a hobby )

[scorpion 0]

I for one have done some two story houses, and I know the pain you must have gone through!!

 

Good Job done!!!

[Madmak 0]

Pelco makes an environmental backbox for the Spectra that is designed to be recessed but working in these tight spaces can be tricky. They make the Spectras look pretty small.

I've been doing some reading on the PC based systems and there seems to be a few video cards that work quite well if the PC is properly designed. My fear is spending a whack of cash on an embedded unit an not being able to keep it current. I will track down Divis.

Quite a few of the locations took most of a weekend to run to just one camera. I was able to get to all prime locations without any exposed cable and only a couple access holes to repair. The recessed main floor ceiling cams took some guts as I had to cut the camera hole first to be able to drill the top plate for access down the wall with an right-angle drill. The second floor cams weren't too bad but in Canada our attics are full of blown-in insulation (yuk) and repairing the vapor barrier is crucial.

I would like to find a nice DVR with full network capabilities. Alot seem to have limited remote software. I will be loging in via the LAN from my home office PC for most use and would like full functionality.

[zmxtech 0]

hope you were wearing a `Pelco` tee shirt when installing....

[dopalgangr 1]

Wow thats alot of cameras!! Just curious did you wire them with coax or cat 5?

[C7 in CA 0]

hope you were wearing a `Pelco` tee shirt when installing....

 

 

Sounds like a great setup! I too would like to see pictures. Did you do anything fancy with the headend? Patch panels and such?

[Madmak 0]

Nothing fancy with the head end yet - not alot needed. I probably did wear a Pelco shirt at least one of the days I was crawling around in the attic as I have a few of them - good guess!. I'm not really a huge Pelco fan but because I use their product so often I am very familiar with it and I know what it can and can't do. There is alot of CCTV equipment out there these days and knowing what I was spending money on was important to me.

All cams are on copper braid RG6 and 18/2. PTZ control is just cat5. All runs are less than 100ft.

I'll post some pics here when I can. You can see the Spectra's mounted this way on the Pelco site.

That is alot of cameras but there is no such thing as too many cameras.

[Rebco 0]

Madmak you cannot be married..... what woman would let a man put cameras in the bedroom

[Madmak 0]

I told her it was to protect her jewelry box. She's not convinced.

[cocacola 0]

make a picture pleas.

[highspeedphysics 0]

I'd be interested in seeing some photos of your setup.

[Madmak 0]

Here are some pics. Things have changed a bit since the original design.

 

1. West Front Street PTZ - Pelco Spectra III SE - recessed in soffit

2. East Front Street PTZ - Pelco Spectra III SE - recessed in soffit

3. West Back Yard PTZ - Pelco Spectra III SE - recessed in soffit

4. East Back Yard PTZ - Pelco Spectra III SE - recessed in soffit

5. Theater Room PTZ - Pelco Spectra IV SE - recessed in ceiling

6. East Yard - Pelco IS151 - recessed in ceiling

7. West Yard - Pelco IS151 - recessed in ceiling

8. Driveway - IS151 - recessed in soffit

9. Front Step - IS151 - recessed in soffit

10. Front Entry - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

11. Kitchen - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

12. Family Room - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

13. Second Floor Hall - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

14. Basement Hall - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

15. Office - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

16. Security Room - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

 

Pelco MCS16-20 Camera Power Supply

Pelco KBD300A PTZ Controller

Pelco DX7016-480 DVR

[Madmak 0]

3 pics is maximum per post. Here are a few more. You can see me in the monitor picture taking the picture.

 

What size of video file can be uploaded here? I have a great one of 5 guys stealing my truck from the driveway when the system was half done.

[wattwire 0]

Sweet system! Looks like a lot of hard work that paid off. Are you using motion detection recording? How many days of archive video are you shooting for?

 

-dw

[Madmak 0]

I get 6 or 7 days of full time recording at 240 fps total. The Pelco DX7100 has a 480 GB hard drive but it is a few years old so the compression and reloution technology is nothing like the new DVRs. This amount of time is more than I need. I don't like motion recording, Murphy's law means you miss the one clip you need. I do have several triggers on the PTZs though that move the cameras to preset positions, ie the yard gates, the garage door, the shed door, the front door, the back door, etc and preset tours on BA alarms.

[Smit9352 0]

3 pics is maximum per post. Here are a few more. You can see me in the monitor picture taking the picture.

 

What size of video file can be uploaded here? I have a great one of 5 guys stealing my truck from the driveway when the system was half done.

Just upload the file elsewhere and then provide us with the link.

I'd love to see that!

 

Thanks,

John

[Madmak 0]

I uploaded the video clip and will post the link once it has been reviewed by the site.

[Madmak 0]

Check it out below.

 

http://www.cctvfootage.com/video/Bye-Bye-Ridgeline-wmv

[ak357 0]

Check it out below.

 

http://www.cctvfootage.com/video/Bye-Bye-Ridgeline-wmv

 

Very cool but explain to me plz

What is the sense to have all this

and very poor light outside ?

by the way we are neighbors Check your PM

 

1. Front yard - Pelco Spectra III SE - recessed in soffit

2. Rear yard - Pelco Spectra III SE - recessed in soffit

3. East Yard - Pelco IS151 - recessed in soffit

4. West Yard - Pelco IS151 - recessed in soffit

5. Driveway - Pelco IS151 - recessed in soffit

6. Garage - Pelco IS151 - recessed in ceiling

7. Main Floor Front - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

8. Main Floor Rear - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

9. Second Floor Hall - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

10. Master Bedroom - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

11. Second Bedroom - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

12. Third Bedroom - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

13. Basement Hall - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

14. Basement Office - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

15. Security Room - IS90 - recessed in ceiling

[wattwire 0]

Check it out below.

 

http://www.cctvfootage.com/video/Bye-Bye-Ridgeline-wmv

 

 

Oh man, that really sucks. Those Bastards! Even though it makes for good video, I feel really bad for you. Speaking from experience, being the victim of a crime like this is no fun. If you were nearby, I'd buy you a drink or two.

 

Be on the lookout for one or more of these chumps in the future. There's some truth in the saying, "The criminal always returns to the scene of the crime." In any event, the odds are that one or more of these guys lives close to you.

 

BTW, I assume you gave a clip or two to the authorities. Tell us the details--what form was the video in (USB Thumb drive? CD? .AVI? Tape?), what comments if any did the police make about the video?

 

Cheers,

 

-dw

[tquach 0]

Great Job, impressive..

[Madmak 0]

I made a few copies of this clip (CD and soft copy) for the local RCMP but they didn't investigate it at all. I even went to the effort to visit a nearby Calgary City Police precinct and showed it to the auto theft division guys. They at least kept it to refer to when they catch future criminals and seemed interested in the evidence.

 

I was hoping to be a good neighbor and help catch these guys as they broke in to several cars in the area that night. If only the day/night PTZ was aimed a different direction at the time I would have had far better video and probably would have been more useful to the cops.

 

I do use the clip as a selling tool to prove noone is immune to random crime, not even a veteran of the industry with clearly visible BA and CCTV signage.

 

The day I drove my truck home from the repair shop fixing the damage from the theft I stopped at a light in front of a nearby "rough" high school. No less than 25 kids pointed at my truck and nudged the guy next to them to look as well. I think they all knew who had my truck for the week it was gone.

[msnancy 0]

good job!!!