NewBie Question - Analogue vs IP

[Joe11554 0]

Newbie questions – I want to put 4 camera (2 inside & 2 outside) in my 2nd home in Florida. Due to broken pipe remediation project, most sheetrock has been removed and I have a 2-3 week window to install wiring. Two indoor camera will be in dark interior so I need illuminations (IR or Light).

 

I would like to keep budget in $2500 -3000 range if possible.

 

1) Analogue/DVR are easy to set up but I understand picture quality is not very good.

2) IP Camera quality (mega-pixel) is good, but I do not know if I can set it up or do I have to get a professional.

3) Will not be in house for 3-4 months periods, so I cannot depend on on-site computer in Florida home, so:

 

Can I use a NVR similar to a DVR? This would allow me to access the system remotely even though its self-contained in Florida home.

 

Otherwise, I can set up computer in Northern home and dedicate it for Camera System in Florida. Will constant streaming create problems with internet providers?

 

4) For illumination would you go with IR analogue Camera or is low light IP Camera sufficient?

5) Product suggestions would be appreciated since I am on the fast track, at least for wiring.

 

Thanks for any feedback.

Joe11554

[yakky 0]

Run cat 5/6 so you can use either. With your budget, IP is probably the way to go. A dedicated DVR/NVR will be reliable, but set your modem/router to reboot on a schedule. Run wires for WAY more cameras, you might want them later!

[Joe11554 0]

Thanks for reply,

running Cat 6 and Quad Coaxial to all areas where I think a Camera would be beneficial, so jack is available if I need it. Any suggestion on a system, NVR/Camera. If I go with IP Camera, 1.3-2 meg NVR system, can I set it up and running or is this job for a professional. .

[Joe11554 0]

I can not depend upon a computer at the Florida Home since it may be vacant 4 to 5 month at a time. I have the following questions:

 

1) If I used a computer in my NY home, then it will be constant streaming from Fl to NY.

 

2) Does an NVR function similar to a DVR, in that it would replace the computer in the Florida Home. Then if I am in NY and want to access the cameras, I simply go on line and access the address to see cameras.

 

3) I also see mention that an IP camera requires a license. What does this mean and how do you get it?

 

4) How do you get a fixed IP Address so you can access the NVR?

 

Told you I was a newbie

Your assistance is appreciated.

Joe

[MaxIcon 0]

I can not depend upon a computer at the Florida Home since it may be vacant 4 to 5 month at a time. I have the following questions:

 

1) If I used a computer in my NY home, then it will be constant streaming from Fl to NY.

This can use quite a lot of bandwidth, depending on the streams, and may hit your bandwidth cap depending on what your service is set up for. The best bet would be to record a hi res stream locally, and use a lower res stream to go over the internet, so you'd want cameras with flexible dual streams. Alternately, you could have it send out alerts or snapshots every x amount of time, then log in remotely if you want to see more.

 

Motion detect alerts work well indoors when no one's home, though changing light can cause false alarms. Outdoors cams tend to generate a lot of motion alerts.

 

 

2) Does an NVR function similar to a DVR, in that it would replace the computer in the Florida Home. Then if I am in NY and want to access the cameras, I simply go on line and access the address to see cameras.

NVRs can either be computers running NVR software, or stand-alone devices that are only NVRs. Each has benefits and drawbacks. I've found stand-alone units to be the most reliable for running months at a time, while PCs are much more flexible. For either, it's not a bad idea to have a remote reboot capability, in case something crashes.

 

Any device will require you to forward ports so you can connect to it over the internet. With PCs, you can log in remotely with VPN or a remote program, like LogMeIn or UltraVNC. With a dedicated device you'd connect to its interface, which can vary quite a bit depending on the vendor.

 

 

3) I also see mention that an IP camera requires a license. What does this mean and how do you get it?

Some NVR software requires per-cam licenses, usually starting around $50/camera, sometimes less, sometimes a good bit more; you get them from the software vendor. Others, like Blue Iris or the Aver software for their hybrid cards, are license free - as long as it supports the cam, you can add as many as your hardware and network supports.

 

I like no-license software, because I can change cameras without having to transfer licenses, which some software requires, but I fiddle with a lot of cameras.

 

 

4) How do you get a fixed IP Address so you can access the NVR?

There are a variety of Dynamic DDNS (DDNS) services that provide you with a fixed IP address that tracks your home IP address, like http://www.no-ip.com and freedns.afraid.org . You can also pay your service provider for a fixed IP address. Some home IP addresses are virtually fixed - mine hasn't changed in 2 years, but they could change it any day now.

 

PCs are very flexible this way, while dedicated devices sometimes have a fixed selection of DDNS services you can choose from.

 

Google free ddns, and you'll see a lot of results.

 

 

Told you I was a newbie

Your assistance is appreciated.

Joe

 

We were all there once! Lots to learn here.

[Joe11554 0]

Thanks for the great reply.

I am running CAT6 cable now since sheetrock goes up in a few weeks. Once wire is in, I will have a chance to research some more in order to decide on system.

 

Is it fairly easy to set up a system once the wires are installed or do you need an IT engineer or installer? Hate to find myself with a pile of NVR/cameras and can not get system working with reliability?

 

thanks for assistance and comments.

Joe11554

[MaxIcon 0]

It's pretty easy, though you need to be familiar with Windows networking basics - IP addresses, port forwarding, etc. Lots of help here and around the internet on these topics.

 

After that, it mostly depends on the cameras and NVR you choose. Some are painful to set up, others are a piece of cake, most are in between.

 

For instance, the Dahua 1.3MP cams come with a fixed IP address, so you need to connect them one at a time and change the IP address before you connect the next one. I usually put a label on them to help me keep them straight.

 

Others have DHCP and automatically get the IP address when first connected (this can be disabled once you've connected to them). If your router doesn't remember IP addresses, this can be a problem, as disconnecting and reconnecting a camera can change the IP address. My Uverse gateway remembers the MAC address and always gives the same IP address to a given device, but most of mine are fixed IP addresses anyway.

 

Next is the NVR software. You might want to download a few demo versions and play with them to get a feel for it. I'm a fan of Blue Iris, which is inexpensive and powerful for a home or small business setup. It's not on the same level as the pro software many here run, but is quite good for the money, and well supported on their support forum.

 

You'll also need to figure out how you'll power the cams - POE or power supplies. I like POE because it's a single network cable, but it's an added expense, depending on how many cams you'll be running.