Question on what Camera to get for my purpose

[naphcon 0]

My car has been getting vandalized a few times over the past few weeks and I need to set up a camera. They seem to be doing it late at night so I need a camera with good night vision to try to get a clear picture. I don't really need a set, 1 should do the trick. I would prefer to get one that I can simply record straight to my computer instead of having a DVR, is this possible? I have an extra computer with a 1TB hard drive that I don't even use anyway. As for price I am willing to spend about $150, maybe slightly more. Any help would be appreciated.

[vector18 1]

You can use any of these cameras. They are all IP based so they connect to the same network as your computer. And

you can install FREE software onto your PC to record the camera.

 

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=dahua+ip&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR2.TRC1&_nkw=dahua+ip+camera&_sacat=0

[Kawboy12R 0]

How far is your car from where you'd mount the camera? Distance controls what lens length you'll need to bring the car in close enough to get a decent shot of the sleazeballs who're damaging your car.

[naphcon 0]

The car would be literally be less than 8 feet from the camera, but I think they're standing out near the road to throw eggs/rocks and just running away. Assuming they're doing that, that's a good 25+ feet.

[Kawboy12R 0]

Depending on how much facial detail you want, I'm reasonably happy with a 1.3mp cam with 6mm lens at 25-30' at night for detail. Definitely not mug shot quality at that distance though. It's probably too narrow to cover much beside your car up close at 8' but will be a lot better than a 3.6mm lens at 30' unless you know them. If the problems are repeating themselves I bet you know them though. Seeing red lights and knowing where the bullet is pointing may either scare them off or cause them to stand to the side when vandalizing.

 

More light and more MP will make you happier, as will two or three cameras. Two wide angle cams (say 3.6mm) at the edges of the house or driveway crossing over each other for coverage to show you exactly what's going on, plus maybe a 6mm pointing straight out the driveway. Now that I think of it though, two 6mm crisscrossing over the car should be able to be placed to give a wide overlapping field of view and still get better 30' detail than 3.6mm lenses and the crisscrossed lenses (not straight out) are probably more likely to get a straighter face shot than one pointing straight out and eliminate the need for the straight-out cam. Would they walk to the end of the driveway, turn towards the car, throw, and then walk on or throw from the side, possibly out of the FOV of a single cam setup and then walk back where they came from?

[naphcon 0]

I was looking for similar cameras to what the poster provided above from costco since if it doesn't do what I need it to do I can easily return it. Is this the same thing?

 

http://www.costco.com/Q-See-Platinum-HD-1080p-IP-Dome-Camera.product.100033842.html

 

Will I need to buy some kind of software to record to my PC? It says it comes with a software cd but it says this as well:

 

Traditional Centralized Surveillance System

When connected to an NVR, enjoy the streamlined convenience of having your camera’s video stored in a single, reliable location. A traditional system allows multiple cameras, locally or remotely located, to stream and record footage onto a single hard drive location.

 

As if I need to buy an NVR.