Can Anyone Recommend An Outdoor IP Rated Camera Microphone?

[Fiona 0]

If there is anything in the archive, I can't find it.

 

Problem: Occasional very violent verbal outbursts directed towards an outdoor camera.

 

I have read the comments about legal restrictions, however, even though audio may not be admissible in court, audio recordings are very useful for convincing the Police about deviant behaviour.

 

Question: Any recommendations for specific microphones suitable for voice recording. (As opposed to hoon vehicles or background ambience which ideally would be blocked.)

 

Question 2: Is it possible to run a brand name microphone over a distance of 100 feet to the audio input on the DVR without using an amplifier?

[mike_va 0]

I use Louroe, and Axis 243 encoders. Bought 4 mics and control units for $60 or $75 on ebay (for all 4) can't remember but point is they do turn up (but pretty expensive new). Work good though. 243's usually go for around 100. But if you can use the DVR there is no point for a 243 I guess.

 

Also my Axis P3344 etc have mics built in, even the P1344 has a mic built in and also jacks to use an external mic. The nice thing about the P3344 etc is the mic is in the body of the camera, and not noticeable.

 

Not much experience beyond the Louroe (unbalanced). I used the recommended shielded wire probably about 50 ft.

 

For long runs in the pro audio world it's always balanced AND shielded AND separate GND wire (i.e. XLR) which I know works, but others here could better advise on what you might be able to get away with. Your DVR is most likely an unbalanced input. Hope this helps.

[shockwave199 0]

I wouldn't get hung up on cheap verses expensive for the application. Expensive mics will pick up everything, as will cheap ones. With the upstairs windows open in the summer, my cheap cctv mic picks up remarkable amounts of outdoor activity, without being outdoors. In fact, if there's any way you can place a cheap cctv kind of in the vacinity of the camera, but well sheltered, or maybe even inside an attic vent to the outside of sorts, it WILL pick up vocal audio well and intelligable. Especially the shouting kind.

[Fiona 0]

I had the Police turn up again last night. I didn't make the call. Other neighbours must have gotten jack of the worst neighbours you have ever seen. That event prompted me to stop procrastinating about the microphone solution. If I had to explain every criminal activity..... Another heroin addict stuck a needle in his arm just minutes ago.

 

Thanks Mike. I am now looking into the recommendations you made. I am a bit drowsy today. Didn't get much sleep at all last night.

 

Axis 243SA:

http://www.axis.com/products/cam_243sa/

 

Axis 243SA Pdf:

http://www.axis.com/files/datasheet/ds_243sa_32853_en_1010_lo.pdf

 

I need a microphone that can go into the DVR and also somehow give me live sound on the bad nights. Anyone know of a complete Plug-and-Play solution regardless of cost?

[Soundy 1]

Nothing fancy required - for simplicity, just look for any dynamic mic. Most basic ones will have a 1/4" T-S plug on them, so you'll need something to adapt that to the DVR's input (probably an RCA jack)... other than that, it shouldn't require any sort of amp.

 

BTW, the warning about legality goes beyond just admissibility: in some jurisdictions, it IS actually illegal to record "surveillance" audio in public places.

[Fiona 0]

Thanks Soundy. I am dead on my feet.

 

For those who find all this a bit hard to believe, here is a poor image from a moving dome of the Police last night. (I moved the dome away from them.) This is about a 1/6 image from the VK. There are three male officers and a marked Police vehicle.

[Soundy 1]

Oh... and most mic selections will be either omnidirectional, or cardioid (aka unidirectional)... go with the latter, so it doesn't pick up excessive noise from the back (it will have a little more sensitivity toward the front). These aren't SUPER directional, they'll still pick up more than a 180-degree arc in front, but it will be a bit more effective than an omni.

 

[rory 0]

+1 for Louroe

And they have outdoor mics also.

But they are a US company so may not be available in Australia.

Great mics for CCTV though.

[Fiona 0]

Thanks for the chart and the advice Soundy.

 

Looking at Louroe now:

http://www.louroe.com/

http://www.security-technologynews.com/article/louroe-microphones.html

 

I will add the details of a specific microphone...

Louroe seem to have a lot of surveillance microphones.

(Mostly I USPS everything straight in from the US. Six days delivery.)

[shockwave199 0]

No matter what the cost? This is under ten bucks. Put it on a cheap cctv cable of any length you need, put a power adapter on it to power it, such as any of the ones you might have laying around from a cctv cam, hook it up to a channel in the dvr, and there you go. Cheap of course, but plug and play compatable I'm telling you, it'll work for you no problem.

 

 

I tried putting a typical audio condensor mic with battery powered phantom power in a channel with the rca adapter- no go. It just needs a simple cctv dvr mic setup for compatability. Good luck.

[rory 0]

No matter what the cost? This is under ten bucks. Put it on a cheap cctv cable of any length you need, put a power adapter on it to power it, such as any of the ones you might have laying around from a cctv cam, hook it up to a channel in the dvr, and there you go. Cheap of course, but plug and play compatable I'm telling you, it'll work for you no problem.

 

 

I tried putting a typical audio condensor mic with battery powered phantom power in a channel with the rca adapter- no go. It just needs a simple cctv dvr mic setup for compatability. Good luck.

 

Yeah but not weatherproof

Although you could follow the design of the Louroe Verifact-E and use a weatherproof gangbox, with a hole underneath and seal it a little, maybe with some kind of foam filter (like for a computer fan) or maybe a piece of thick screen (I think the V-E have a metal vent), never used their outdoor ones, but nice thing about their other models are they are plug and play and fit into the environment you need it for - eg. Verifact-A looks like a heat detector, install them on drop tiles in stores, etc ... and they are perfect - most will never think they are mics. Ive run them 100' with 2 pair telco wire before. And an example, in a cash box at a gas station you can hear everything out at the pumps, in the cash box, and in the store.

[shockwave199 0]

Yes, the ones I mention are cheapy for sure and not for outdoor. The louroe looks great.

[rory 0]

Yes, the ones I mention are cheapy for sure and not for outdoor. The louroe looks great.

though one could weatherproof the cheap one .. if they cant afford the louroe

[mike_va 0]

I did not read the title of the post correctly, I thought IP not IP rated...oops. Please ignore 243 suggestion.

 

Here's a pic of the innards of a Louroe. They have a preamp in there. The nice thing about the Louroe is that you can engage a filter on playback, which helps the clarity.

 

One further thought, if you are running AC to the camera I would use something like this which boosts the level up (i.e. line level). If you try to bring a mic level signal back running along the 24VAC you'll might pick up some of that.

 

I've been running one of these outside for over half a year, shielded from the elements and it has been fine. Not saying is is recommended for that...

[Fiona 0]

Thanks a lot Mike.

Is that the Verifact A in the photo? Nice shot of the PCB.

 

Probably the same internals for the Verifact E Outdoor Enclosure:

http://www.louroe.com/products/specifications/emic_louroe.pdf

 

The larger base stations seem only to take 110AC.

Still going through their spec sheets.

 

Louroe AP-2TB

http://www.louroe.com/products/specifications/ap2tb_louroe.pdf

Plus they sell a single base station plus the Verifact E as a kit too.

http://www.louroe.com/products.php?id=121

[mike_va 0]

Yep it's the A. I would have preferred to not have an omni but the price with APR-1's was low enough to play with. I run the output into 243's since I use Axis Camera Station as the VMS.

 

Most of the VMS's out there don't do audio or don't do it well across the board...part of my decision to stick with Axis cameras and their software. Rock solid audio (and killer support), unlike some of the others. I use different software for analytics/event capture/notification.

[AaronHolio 0]

Found this. A bit cheaper than the Louroe stuff.

http://www.cctvcamerapros.com/Audio-Surveillance-Microphone-p/mic-cctv-02.htm

Not outdoor, but it looks a little more sealed than the other unit. Maybe worth tucking under the eve of your house and remembering not to hit it with the hose.

[brottworks 0]

ok it's midnight for me and the subleasor to the subleased subleased has a live band illegally cranked up again for the first time in 4 months.

I thought I was armed to record audio with 4 individual microphones run along my 30 foot wide garden wall, then to a 4 channel mixer that feeds to my dvr (all analog) to record whats needed to get this dive shut down for good.

Mixer

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000KGYAYQ/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Using the cheap with these slightly exposed to the elements but under a sill, so it takes strong directional rain to get it wet-

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00826YIP2/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and others-

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0053V5Z9W/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I have recessed in the wall and partially covered with cut kitchen funnel that also protects from the elements.

All works great for 6 months or so, then... I can't record audio this eve...

So 2 years after last post any reviews on http://www.cctvcamerapros.com/Audio-Sur ... ctv-02.htm ?

Other suggestions?

I will troubleshoot and hoppfully get 1 of 4 to work in the AM, but i'm looking for something more reliable and I can modify to keep extra dry...

Thanks,

AB