Simple System Design

[danpin 0]

Hi everyone,

 

If anyone can come up with basically the dream 8 camera system that they would want in their home post it up.

 

Ive got a few questions about a system i've been assigned to design by my employer. Be aware that I have a very limited knowledge of cctv systems so don't flame me too hard. It is for a new house being built in Sydney, Australia.

 

The basic requirements ive been given are:

 

-8 camera's 4 internal domes 4 externals (weatherproof, on the beachfront, so corrosion will be a problem)

-Simple system to install

-Remote iphone viewing

 

There is no real budget, within reason.

 

Ive found that buying cctv equiptment in australia is double the price of the same item if purchased off ebay or an american site. Ive managed to find a DVR that looks the goods but wouldn't mind people's opinions on it, SAMSUNG SRD-870DC.

[Soundy 1]

Dream system?

 

Avigilon IP cameras and NVR

[Tailbone215 0]

A dream system would be a Lorex sold at Wal-Mart. You'll be dreaming of ways to toss it in the trash.

[Nimrod 0]

Your question is so broad and open I do not think anyone will bother to answer, especially since you obviously have not spent any time doing the most basic research. Would you go to a car forum and say “hay guys i want to buy a dream car, can you tell me what it is”.

 

To recommend a surveillance system you have to tell people what you expect it to do. Some people just want to know who came to the door. Some people are worried about break ins and want the entire property covered with cameras. Some want coverage good enough for facial and license plate identification.

 

Cameras range from $200 analog 640x480 to $1500 Mega pixel IP cameras 2048x1536, each has its own strengths and weaknesses. Proper placement and lighting is often overlooked for the cameras.

 

The fact that this was pawned off on you tells me that your boss has no idea what he wants, except that he wants “something”, So the quality and usability of the system will depend on how much you want to drag out of him on what he expects or what you think he may want or need.

[danpin 0]

Good point Nimrod I'll try and make some parameters so you guys have a chance to point me in the right direction.

 

The owner wants to be able to recognise a face with the cameras that are positioned at door openings.

The area has a fairly high crime rate and since its his holiday residence which is 2 hours from Sydney he wanted a function that would allow him to check his cameras via iPhone if the alarm company calls him.

Ive done a simple cctv system before and found installation wasn't difficult but the actual technical side was beyond my knowledge. The system had the ability to stream (not sure if thats the right term) an image onto the net but trying to input the correct information into the standalone system was too hard to decipher and eventually we had to call in another guy. So having a system thats fairly intuitive to setup and run would be great.

The set up will be 4 indoor cameras, 3 Domes at 3 door entrances and 1 (not sure what type) in the garage. The domes will need a only a small lens but the garage is fairly large so I was thinking an adjustable one? The outside ones I was going to go with those bullets because thats what the sites seem to push for the outside.

The outside cameras don't have to look too spick but the 3 inside domes need a good finish so his ceiling ain't ruined.

 

The biggest problem ive found is what dvr system to buy. Ive realised a standalone is the way to go but trying to decode the true meaning of the specs sheet is impossible. If all 8 cameras can record at D1 with a few frames per second I think that should be plenty good as he just needs face ID rather than catch some guy pulling from the till at a shop.

 

Nimrod I think the boss palmed this off to me because he knows he wants something good but he just doesn't know enough about it to make a good decision and doesn't have the time to research this. Even though it seems ive done no research, I really have its just you seem to read something different every time and finally putting down a few thousand dollars is tough when you're new to this scene.

 

Sorry to be a pest but next time i'll think a little harder before I ask for some advice.

[Nimrod 0]

“The owner wants to be able to recognise a face with the cameras that are positioned at door openings.”

 

This is very realistic and a good use of cameras. You can get by here with analog cameras and there is a good assortment of dome or bullet styles to choose from.

 

“The area has a fairly high crime rate and since its his holiday residence which is 2 hours from Sydney he wanted a function that would allow him to check his cameras via iPhone if the alarm company calls him.”

 

I think this is also realistic and easy to do with a halfway decent standalone DVR. I hope one of the more experienced dealers here will recommend a unit you can buy in your country.

 

“Ive done a simple cctv system before and found installation wasn't difficult but the actual technical side was beyond my knowledge. The system had the ability to stream (not sure if thats the right term) an image onto the net but trying to input the correct information into the standalone system was too hard to decipher and eventually we had to call in another guy. So having a system thats fairly intuitive to setup and run would be great.”

 

Well in a new house build you would usually have the electrician put in the camera wires. And yes setting up the DVR for the first time can take some work. You either have to spend a week or two getting it right or like you said call in some one. This might be an instance were you buy the DVR from a local dealer with the understanding he will set it up the way you want it and explain it to you.

 

“The set up will be 4 indoor cameras, 3 Domes at 3 door entrances and 1 (not sure what type) in the garage. The domes will need a only a small lens but the garage is fairly large so I was thinking an adjustable one? The outside ones I was going to go with those bullets because thats what the sites seem to push for the outside. The outside cameras don't have to look too spick but the 3 inside domes need a good finish so his ceiling ain't ruined.”

 

Well the CNB Mono Lisa dome cameras get a lot of press here. The price is good and they have great light sensitivity and a exceptional picture. There is a wide variety of indoor and outdoor with vara focal (zoom), fixed lens, or DC shutter. There are also models with IR Leds in them but most dealers do not like this type as many times the IR light bounces around in the dome and fogs the image. If at all posable design the system/house so that you have a white light always on at night were ever you want to record. This will give you color pictures 24/7. CNB seems to have different model numbers for different parts of the world so I hesitate to give you any, I am in the USA, but these are the CNB models i like without IR lighting.

 

CNB DBM-24VF 1/3" 600TVL Indoor true day/night DC Iris 2.8-10.5mm .005 lux

CNB DBM-24VD 1/3" 600TVL Indoor fixed IR cut filter DC Iris 2.8-10.5mm .05 lux

CNB DFL-20S 1/3" 600TVL Indoor fixed IR cut filter 3.8mm Fixed .05 lux

 

CNB VCM-24VF 1/3" 600TVL Outdoor Vandal true day/night DC Iris 2.8-10.5mm .005 lux

CNB VCM-24VD 1/3" 600TVL Outdoor Vandal fixed IR cut filter DC Iris 2.8-10.5mm .05 lux

CNB VFL-20S 1/3" 600TVL Outdoor Vandal fixed IR cut filter 3.8mm Fixed .05 lux

 

For bullet cameras KT&T also gets good press. One of the models Rory here likes to use is the KPC-VBN190 series. He has several posts here with sample pictures.

 

“The biggest problem ive found is what dvr system to buy. Ive realised a standalone is the way to go but trying to decode the true meaning of the specs sheet is impossible. If all 8 cameras can record at D1 with a few frames per second I think that should be plenty good as he just needs face ID rather than catch some guy pulling from the till at a shop.”

 

5fps is the minimum you should use and 10 is probably the maximum. With lower fps if someone walks quickly past a camera you may miss a good face shot. With more fps you have more chances of a good face shot.

 

“Nimrod I think the boss palmed this off to me because he knows he wants something good but he just doesn't know enough about it to make a good decision and doesn't have the time to research this. Even though it seems ive done no research, I really have its just you seem to read something different every time and finally putting down a few thousand dollars is tough when you're new to this scene.”

 

Well this post of yours was a good one, very easy to see what you want.

[danpin 0]

OK well i've done a little bit of research after reading what you wrote.

 

I found some supplier on ebay which ships to AUS.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/600TVL-Indoor-Mona-Lisa-CNB-Dome-Camera-w-1-3-CCD-/290540035321?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item43a5891cf9

I could not however find any suppliers that shipped to AUS from ebay or amazon and sold the outdoor CNB's you were talking about.

Is there another brand that you would recommend?

 

Finally I read a few other posts on this site and saw avermedia's were a recommended DVR stand alone. Luckily the same guy sells an 8CH one.

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/8-Ch-AverMedia-EH5108PLUS-Hybrid-DVR-w-H-264-Linux-/270724266381?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3f086c798d

 

Am I on the right track?

[Nimrod 0]

" could not however find any suppliers that shipped to AUS from ebay or amazon and sold the outdoor CNB's you were talking about."

 

Did you mean the KT&T cameras.