Need Help Choosing System

[snik 0]

Hello all, this is my first post and I am very new to CCTV equipment. I have a second home that I would like to setup a few cameras on.

 

I originally saw a few Zmodo kits on Ebay but I heard you get what you pay for.

 

I then saw a 4 CH DVR with a single camera for $200. Eventually I would like to have four cameras, but two will be fine to start out with. Is this a good system? Is the camera quality good ( Zmodo 420TVL vs Dahua 650TVL )

 

Are there any other manufacturers I am missing in this price range?

[Soundy 1]

Welcome aboard!

 

Choice of camera depends somewhat on what you need the camera to do - different models are better for different purposes. Something that's going outdoors should be outdoor-rated and ideally vandal-resistant. For indoors, you might want something a little more discrete.

 

It also depends a lot on your budget - I recommend this CNB camera VCM-24VF as a really good, extremely versatile all-around camera with great picture and low-light performance... but it's also a little higher on the price scale than some of the others.

[snik 0]

Thanks for your reply!

 

The cameras will be outdoor, but under a rooftop eve.

 

Also, it is a smaller house so I believe I can use 100ft or less of cable for each camera. In the case that I did need more cable, will the standard power supply for the camera be sufficient or does that need to be upgraded with longer cable? At what length should I be concerned about this?

 

For the money, would this model be the best all around camera? (meaning I could adjust the zoom to best suite its location)

 

Qvis EYE-N35-V2G-N Outdoor Eyeball Dome Security Camera 2.8-11mm 600 TVL

 

I would be very interested to know the difference in quality from the $165 and $68 cameras.

[Soundy 1]

Also, it is a smaller house so I believe I can use 100ft or less of cable for each camera. In the case that I did need more cable, will the standard power supply for the camera be sufficient or does that need to be upgraded with longer cable? At what length should I be concerned about this?

That depends on the size of the cable you're using and the camera's power requirements. If you're using basic 18/2, or two or three pairs of a Cat5e run, you're fine at 100' with either of these cameras. The CNB is rated "12VDC/24VAC" but in reality it will work with anything from about 10V-30V, AC or DC.

 

For the money, would this model be the best all around camera? (meaning I could adjust the zoom to best suite its location)

 

Qvis EYE-N35-V2G-N Outdoor Eyeball Dome Security Camera 2.8-11mm 600 TVL

As far as zoom, this and the CNB are about the same - the CNB is 2.8-10.5mm; the difference won't be noticeable.

 

I would be very interested to know the difference in quality from the $165 and $68 cameras.

The Qvis is not (or doesn't appear to be, from the listed specs) a true day/night model, which means for the IR LEDs to be effective, it won't have an IR cut filter over the sensor - that can adversely affect color rendition. The CNB uses a cut filter to block IR when it's in day (color) mode, and moves it aside for better performance when it goes to night (B&W) mode.

 

The CNB also uses their Monalisa chip, which makes for really good low-light performance without the need of IR.

 

What specs I can find on the Qvis camera don't list any "real" low-light numbers, only the usual "0 lux (with IR)", which does nothing to tell you how well the camera actually works in low light... this is generally an indication it's pretty poor.

[snik 0]

Thanks for your help. I may just see if they would be willing to substitute the upgraded camera in their package. Might as well get the better quality camera and be happy in the long run.