IP surveillance system - camera choice? AV5105DN

[rwbaker 0]

I've been lurking around the fourm for a while now; I think it's finally time to ask the pros.

 

I'm looking to setup a small surveillance system around my house. To start, I want to setup two IP cameras. (Eventually scaled up to 5 cameras total). I'll have the cameras feeding to a PoE switch to a WinXP box w/ 2TB storage.

 

- One camera will be outside, monitoring primarily the front door of the house and the garage door to the shop. This camera will need great day and night performace.

 

- The second camera will be indoors, primarily used during the day time, but it'd be great if it had good night performace as well. It needs a high res picture and fast fps -- will primarily be used for monitoring someone who sometimes has seizures.

 

Camera

I'm thinking about going with 2 Arecont cameras, probably the AV5105DN - 5 megapixel H.264 IP Camera.. I think a 2mpx will be fine outside, but for not much more money I can go with 5mpx cameras. This gives me the initial high quality and elmininate the need to upgrade for quite sometime. I was also considering is the AV3130 (20fps) for good day/night performance; but I'm thinking the 5mpx might be better, adn I'l have higher resolution.

 

The 5105DN has a full res framerate of 9fps. Thats fine outside, but inside I'd like the 5mpx quality at 30fps. Any ideas? I can always have the 9fps, then replace it with a faster camera if 9fps proves to be too slow. Like I said above, I only need the 30fps for monitoring someone who sometimes has seizures.

 

Software

As far as software goes, do the Arecont cameras come with software, or is that an additional purchase. Any recomendations on the software choice?

 

I will need to be able to remotly view the cameras that does not use sometype of ActiveX for streaming. I'll be remotly viewing on a Mac, which of course doesn't work with ActiveX. At worst, I can VNC into the server to view he images, but I'd see awful framerate and I'd rather a real solution.

 

Well that's the plan, however, you guys are the pros. Is there a better camera to use instead? Maybe a camera with the same functionality/performance with a better price? It looks like the best price on the AV5105DN I've been able to find is around $800.

 

So... Ideas? Thanks in advance for any ideas/help.

[skane 0]

I'm no pro, but have spent lots of time with Arecont cams. I run 8 AV3130s and a AV3155DN on my home at the moment. Been using 3130's for almost 2 years now. I love them.

 

I tried a AV5155DN (h.264, D/N, same as the 5105DN but built in a dome w/a mediocre 4mm-10mm f1.6 lens included) for a week. I returned the AV5155 and swapped it for another AV3130. Low light sensitivity of the AV5155DN is significantly less than the AV3130, and slightly less than the AV3155DN. FWIW, I never did test the AV5155D with a better lens, but I doubt it would have made enough difference for me to keep it instead of swapping for another AV3130, because low light performance is a priority for the locations these cams are used.

 

If I were in your position now, I'd buy one AV3130 and fit it with Computar Mxx14-MP series lenses. You'll likely be very happy with it. Then find a place with a good return/swap policy and try the AV5105DN with a good low f-stop lens... but you'll likely end up with two AV3130s in the end if low light performance is important for both locations/applications.

 

Hope this helps... Sorry for my rough non-descript non-pro comparisons.. If you're set on megapixel cams though, it's hard to go wrong with an AV3130.

 

Arecont cameras come with SW, but you'll need to purchase a license to enable recording (you can just configure and view w/out the license).

 

Check out LuxRiot or Milestone... I use LuxRiot.

 

Hope this helps, have fun !

[ak357 0]

I'm no pro, but have spent lots of time with Arecont cams. I run 8 AV3130s and a AV3155DN on my home at the moment. Been using 3130's for almost 2 years now. I love them.

 

I tried a AV5155DN (h.264, D/N, same as the 5105DN but built in a dome w/a mediocre 4mm-10mm f1.6 lens included) for a week. I returned the AV5155 and swapped it for another AV3130. Low light sensitivity of the AV5155DN is significantly less than the AV3130, and slightly less than the AV3155DN. FWIW, I never did test the AV5155D with a better lens, but I doubt it would have made enough difference for me to keep it instead of swapping for another AV3130, because low light performance is a priority for the locations these cams are used.

 

If I were in your position now, I'd buy one AV3130 and fit it with Computar Mxx14-MP series lenses. You'll likely be very happy with it. Then find a place with a good return/swap policy and try the AV5105DN with a good low f-stop lens... but you'll likely end up with two AV3130s in the end if low light performance is important for both locations/applications.

 

Hope this helps... Sorry for my rough non-descript non-pro comparisons.. If you're set on megapixel cams though, it's hard to go wrong with an AV3130.

 

Arecont cameras come with SW, but you'll need to purchase a license to enable recording (you can just configure and view w/out the license).

 

Check out LuxRiot or Milestone... I use LuxRiot.

 

Hope this helps, have fun !

Agree 100 %

Simple reason only 3130 using TRUE monochrome sensor

[rwbaker 0]

Well thats great to hear. Your info was the tipping point -- I think I'll go with the AV3130s and give them a try.

 

Skane -- would it be possible to post/pm/email a sample night picture from the AV3130? I don't see any samples from that camera on Arecont's website.

 

Also, do either of you have preferred websites you like to buy from?

 

Thanks again for the help.

[skane 0]

rwbaker - PM sent

[hardwired 0]

The initial AV5155 shipped with a really bad varifocal lens, and no 3-axis gimbal ability. The replacement lens was much better, but still no match for a fixed focus lens. The dome cover is pretty distorted, too.

 

For low light, though, it's hard to beat the 3130, but there's no H.264 version. Plan your storage/ network speed accordingly.

You can get 15 FPS at full resolution from the 3130, but I doubt you will really need even that much (we use 5 FPS for prison hospital isolation rooms, and it's fine).

 

Higher megapixel rated cameras will always have lower light sensitivity, you are putting the same amount of light onto smaller pixels.

 

Milestone will allow different frame rates / resolutions on recording than viewing, you could view the 5105 at 30 FPS, 1280 x 1024 and record at full 5MP, 9 FPS, but it does use ActiveX plugins.

 

Exacq will not do that, but does have straight browser viewing, and a full Mac client S/W as well.

[thewireguys 3]

Does anybody have any sample images from the 5105. Day and night images would be very help full.

[hardwired 0]

I have sample images from 5105, 5100dn's and 3105dn, 5155dn, etc... what is a good way to post them at full resolution?

[rwbaker 0]

hardwired - you can use a hosting service like Flickr. Or, if needed, PM me and I'll host the images on my server for a while.

[thewireguys 3]

I have sample images from 5105, 5100dn's and 3105dn, 5155dn, etc... what is a good way to post them at full resolution?

 

please do... I have a couple of the 5megapixels spec'd for jobs and I would like to see them

[hardwired 0]

I put a few here http://www.flickr.com/photos/9313929@N02/ but it downsamples significantly. Anyone know where I can put them at full resolution?

[ak357 0]

I put a few here http://www.flickr.com/photos/9313929@N02/ but it downsamples significantly. Anyone know where I can put them at full resolution?

 

Thx a lot for samples

What software do u use ?

[hardwired 0]

I put a few here http://www.flickr.com/photos/9313929@N02/ but it downsamples significantly. Anyone know where I can put them at full resolution?

 

Thx a lot for samples

What software do u use ?

 

Mostly Milestone, but trying a few installs with Exacq, mostly because Milestone has gone a little insane with their pricing recently. On the analog / hybrid side, we have been using digi-it cards/ SW for quite a few years now, works really well.

[thewireguys 3]

The 5105 is very impressive

[rwbaker 0]

I ended up going with the AV5105 DN, mainly because I knew I could exchange it for the AV 3130 if I wanted (which I'll be getting in a few months anyway)

 

I'm using the 1/2" Computar 4.5 - 12.5mm f/1.2 Day/Night IR (H3Z4512CS-IR) lens, and it's mounted using the 5" recessed dome.

 

So far I'm pretty happy with it, most of my issues are just getting to know the software. I am fairly impressed with it's indoor night performance, however, I haven't really given it a full testing.

 

Right now I'm using the Arecont software that the camera came with, just for viewing though; I don't plan on buying the license. I'm still looking for decent software ($200 or less) that doesn't require DirectX for remote viewing (so I can view using OS X).

[rwbaker 0]

I'll post a few sample pictures when I get a chance -- mainly once I figure out the settings/right software I want to use.