qbit 0 Posted July 2, 2008 Hi all, I’m a total newbie when it comes to home video surveillance and I’m hoping I might be able to get some suggestions & advice. From my other hobbies, I assume that most (if not all) of the pre-packaged box systems are going to be pretty much lousy, right? So, I’m looking to piece together a decent system – which I will have professionally installed. The reason for needing a surveillance set-up is because of some piece of garbage neighbors across the street and their scumbag kids. I’ve had a few problems with them over the past several years, the whole neighborhood hates them and the Sheriff‘s office out here know them quite well from all of the complaints. Well, Saturday night a friend stayed over and when she went to leave, two rocks had been thrown through her windshield and right passenger window. When the deputy arrived to write the report, he looked at the rocks, looked across the street and they were from the troublemakers yard. Since nobody saw anything, nothing could be done. Well, I’m fed up with these animals and would like to catch them the next time they do something idiotic. What I’m looking to get: A DVR for recording – maybe up to six camera inputs for future expansion. Four inputs would suffice for right now. Probably some sort of burner to copy video to if/when I need to provide evidence. And maybe an output for a computer monitor. Motion activated cameras. Some good day/night color cameras. The scumbag kids cause most of their trouble at night. I’m not looking to watch the entire neighborhood, just what’s going on in front of my house and maybe if the camera happened to be angled in the direction of the scumbag house. I’d like to place a camera in the window at the front of the house and maybe another camera on the right side of my house where the roof hangs over a bit. (Oh, I live in Arizona so I guess I’d need a camera that could take the heat.) I just need the two cameras for now (and the DVR), but would like to eventually put one outside my front door and a camera for the back yard. Then later on, maybe one or two in the house – though inside the house isn’t a high priority. I’ve seen a couple of cameras that look really great, but the IQeye cameras are way too expensive and the other camera I saw doesn’t have a price on the web page, so that’s not a good sign. The camera is at avssc. com/starlight_cams.htm I am on a budget right now, but I could probably swing $600 something to get things going. I don’t want the cheapest junk out there, but some nice equipment in my price range. And I’m sure I can shop around on the 'net and find some decent prices once I know what I should look for. I would like to get this setup ASAP because I’m afraid to have anyone park their car outside my house overnight now and if the scumbag kids do anything to my house, I want them caught on video. I’m open to any & all suggestions and will greatly appreciate all of the advice. Thank you very much, qbit Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tracenet 0 Posted July 2, 2008 Maybe you should look to the WiLife Product now made by Logitech. It uses a standard PC and can transmitt video over the powerlines of your home. It's pretty inexpensive and the cameras have 400mHz processors in the cameras. Nightvision adapter is avail. and you can select 3 different lenses, 54 degree, 80 degree, 120 degree. Can get info on tracenetstore.co Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
UMDRanger 0 Posted July 2, 2008 I would advise against that solution. To begin with, the angle of views are too wide for anything at a distance that the events are likely to occur at. A key thing to remember is "what you see is what you get". There isn't any CSI zoom in and clean up the image. If you go with an ultra wide angle to get the whole front yard on one camera... have fun trying to identify what is happening, and because the action is occuring in such a small portion of the view, the motion-recorder may not activate due to not enough pixels changing. Scorpion has written several well thought out threads on this subject. Do a quick forum search. If no answers by tomarrow, I'll throw some more ideas out to ya. (just cause I am off to work now). Need to know: Recorder: Old VCRs, PC, stand alone DVR, etc. are all options for you. Cameras: How far out is your target range, how wide. Things like that are the critical information in determining how many, and where to place your assets where they can do the most for you. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scorpion 0 Posted July 2, 2008 From my other hobbies, I assume that most (if not all) of the pre-packaged box systems are going to be pretty much lousy, right? So, I’m looking to piece together a decent system – which I will have professionally installed. It is not that the boxed products are bad, it is that you have to put them in the right environment. UMD Ranger hit it dead on about the wide angle cameras. They are designed to pull in the extra right, and left peripheral vision which creates a distortion. Something in the video will appear farther away then in reality. Imagine that you are bowing the video to gain peripheral. Most kits might come with a 4mm lens. 6mm lens is the starting number where you do not get the distortion, but you do not get the left, and the right, therefore you may have to use two cameras. From the house to the gutter you may need a 25mm lens to get a good view of the "who done it", but you will not have any "yard view" Use a wide angle to show everything just like in a parking lot, and use the zoom camera to get the facial. Get the bargain basement, but buy a la carte to mix, and match. Motion activated cameras The DVR will do this for you automatically. In the menu it is listed as motion detection. Do not get motion activated cameras. You will be recording black until someone "activates" the camera. If you are recording then you may as well get something beside a black screen. An outdoor motion detector that attaches to the back of the DVR is something else. The detector will tell the DVR what camera channel to activate for recording. This is not in your $600 budget. In fact you are way to low for what you need. That is like buying a Geo Tracker to race against "Big Foot". Yes the Geo is a 4 wheel off road vehicle, but....... Some good day/night color cameras. The scumbag kids cause most of their trouble at night. This is where you really need to spend some serious money! You can always connect them to an entry level DVR. Not recommended to hook them up to an entry level DVR, but something is better than nothing Right? which I will have professionally installed This is the smartest thing you will ever do with your system!! You pay for the install, and you will feel like you could have saved some money, and done it yourself, but you will find that it will soon become the money pit, and you will dump more money in to this project than if you had hired someone. Then again you have to watch out for the fly by night installers (like me! I take your money, and I fly)!! Go with this installers product suggestions. He may get a pretty could wholesale price on something, and still be able to pass the savings on to you! How to mount inexpensive bullet cameras! http://www.cctvforum.com/cms_view_article.php?aid=54 How to run wires from an attic with drywall walls. http://www.cctvforum.com/cms_view_article.php?aid=48 Here is how to fix your video source problems! http://www.cctvforum.com/cms_view_article.php?aid=41 http://scorpiontheater.com/troubleshooting.aspx http://scorpiontheater.com/links.aspx How can I be of service? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rebco 0 Posted July 3, 2008 (edited) I have to agree with UMD and Scorpion wide angle cameras are nice to give you a general view but you need to have a decent camera to get to identify what happened. I can't believe it CSI is not real ? That is like buying a Geo Tracker to race against "Big Foot". Are you saying i have been doing this all wrong Then again you have to watch out for the fly by night installers (like me! I take your money, and I fly)!! Scorpion be sure to stop by and visit.. Can get info on tracenetstore.co Pardon my stupidity, (which tends to be 99% today) but I thought we weren't suppose to make any sales pitch on here http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=9805 Edited July 3, 2008 by Guest Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scorpion 0 Posted July 3, 2008 Are you saying i have been doing this all wrong NO! You have saved $100,000 or more compared to building a "monster truck". Now you can join the cross county race through the mohabi desert!! http://www.off-roadweb.com/events/0407or_mojave_desert_racing_off_road_series/index.html I look forward to seeing your first place trophy!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rebco 0 Posted July 3, 2008 I look forward to seeing your first place trophy!! Oh no, not going without you buddy.. I just bought the car couldn't find a tracker but bought the next best thing a Suzuki Samurai. http://www.rocky-road.com/media/muddy_zuk1.JPG Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cocacola 0 Posted July 3, 2008 I have to agree with UMD and Scorpion wide angle cameras are nice to give you a general view but you need to have a decent camera to get to identify what happened. I can't believe it CSI is not real ? That is like buying a Geo Tracker to race against "Big Foot". Are you saying i have been doing this all wrong Then again you have to watch out for the fly by night installers (like me! I take your money, and I fly)!! Scorpion be sure to stop by and visit.. Can get info on tracenetstore.co Pardon my stupidity, (which tends to be 99% today) but I thought we weren't suppose to make any sales pitch on here http://www.cctvforum.com/viewtopic.php?t=9805 Lol, 4 years ago i my little brother (17j.) sold this CSI software on eBay! Yes it is basically crap, he made a graphical equalizer, people were really happy whit it... you can tune up to dark images really nice, but not better than a monitor can I love to see this CSI scenes, in moves etc... a person far away, crappy vcr and than whit the "computer" in 2 seconds a great image! Clear this video up Scotty! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
scorpion 0 Posted July 3, 2008 Now that looks like fun!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
