Opinions - Are security camera way overpriced and outdated?

[mxmaniac 0]

Maybe its just me, but why is it security cameras seem so ridiculously overpriced, and extremely outdated technology compared to cameras in general?

 

The market is flooded now with cheap webcams, and other small video cameras for about $50 that can take respectable quality 720P and 1080P video. For a CCTV camera though, it seems you have to pay around $300 before you approach the quality of those other $50 cameras. Despite the fact its just a simple streaming device, doesn't have a screen, buttons, menus, controls, battery, onboard memory, like those video cameras do.

 

It really feels to me like security cameras are made from a 5 year old pile of leftover discarded ccd / cmos sensors put into a housing and sold for 5X what they should cost.

 

Why?

[Q2U 0]

Right. Why don't you try to plugg a Cat5e cable into the back of one of those cameras. Then try enabling motion detection, ftp or record to internal storage. Let us know how you make out.

[Numb-nuts 1]

If a consumer looks for a cheap price, they will soon discover a product that is made to a price and "to hell with performance, this idiot doesn't know squat or he/she wouldn't so stupid as to buy this camera"

 

The cheaper you go the more likely you're buying a pup. or should that be poop?

 

Experience tells us that we get what we pay for and the one that buys cheap buys twice....

[buellwinkle 0]

You don't need an IP camera, just get a 1080P Web Cam, there's plenty of software to record on motion and such from a webcam. Clearly not for outdoors, no day/night IR filter correctly or illuminators, but may be good enough for your purpose.

 

To me it's crazy how cheap surveillance cameras have gotten when I used to pay $1,500 for a nice 3MP with 4 fps just 3-4 years ago and now I get 3Mp at 20 fps for $168 that's better.

 

Heck how about 10MP, IR LEDs, day/night, outdoor, vandal proof dome, SD card slot for $279 from a top camera company? 1080P is so yesterday, it's 2K and 4K now and imagine, 10MP is even more than 4K. No $50 camcorder is going to touch that.

[mxmaniac 0]

Just to clarify, these aren't cheap chinese cameras I'm talking about. One example is a sony bloggie camera I picked up a couple years ago for $40 shipped.

 

Its an actual video camera, contains lots of things that "should" make it more expensive, such as a battery, a screen, internal memory, etc. It takes 1080P 30fps, and 720P 60fps, all processed by itself. Video quality is quite respectable.

 

Now what can you get in the cctv world for the same $40. A cheapo chineese low res 640x480 cam that records blobs of movement.

 

I just don't understand why there is such a huge gap. If a manufacturer took the screen, battery, memory out of that sony camera, and replace it with an ethernet port or wireless chip (wireless dongles can be found for 99 cents retail, so its not expensive). The camera should actually be cheaper to manufacture, and 10X better than any other cctv cam in that price range. So why on earth do any cctv cameras that could even come close to that image quality cost $300-$400?

[tomcctv 190]

Hi. First install your camera outside house leave to run and record for 12 months

 

As far as remove battery and connect eithernet ....... How what to which software ....... What format

[shockwave199 0]

1080P is so yesterday, it's 2K and 4K now and imagine, 10MP is even more than 4K.

My strategy has been to let the equipment mature and get more bang for the buck. 'Yesterday' was almost literally yesterday. I might even hold with analog one more year. We'll see. 1080p is fast becoming the analog of mega pixel. Glad I didn't rush to hang it.

[varascope 0]

Coming from a manufacturing end they have to be more money and here is why:

 

1. Troll the forums and you see tons of people looking for firmware, upgrades etc. Who does the upgrades? I have to pay development time to create new firmware to keep up with Microsoft and others every time they change Windows or a browser. Try getting that with a $50 camera.

2. You want a new 4k camera? Where do you think the development dollars come from? Certainly not from selling $50 cams. Where do you think the features come from?

3. I need to sell quantity, who pays for marketing, tradeshows, distribution, shipping etc, etc? What about sales staff?

4. Licensing. Do you think H.264 is free? We are already using H.265 which relates back to point 2. Features you think are standard such a trip-wire detection, for example, we have to pay licensing.

 

Now follow the dollar.........

 

In the old days Manufacturer >Distributor>Dealer>End User or Installer

 

Now

 

Manufacturer from overseas >direct to customer

Manufacturer from overseas > their relatives in the US >direct to you

 

The money goes back overseas and does not get spent in the USA. People wonder why we have unemployment and the economy is in the toilet.

 

Why...........because people want cheap crap and they buy cheap crap from overseas and pay cheap prices but then come here looking for Platinum level support and firmware upgrades, software revisions and think it will fix their problem and whine like a baby that the quality isn't good, it doesn't work great. Wah Wah Wah, my p***y hurts!

 

LOOK AT THE POSTS HERE! PEOPLE LOOKING FOR SUPPORT BECAUSE THEY CANT GET IT FROM WHERE THEY BOUGHT IT OR FROM THE NANUFACTURER THAT CANT SPEAK ENGLISH!

 

Ask your self this? Walmart over the years sold several brands of MP3 players. Who is the most constant and still there?

Apple Ipods. Are they the cheapest, NO! But they are still there and you can get support.

 

Now look at Ebay. How can a USA seller compete selling an item that Ebay allows China to sell direct? Ebay is the number one offender of supporting China and sticking it to USA sellers. CNB cameras are the perfect example. Why be a CNB dealer when they sell on Ebay direct to the consumer. No wonder why the old CEO was caught bribing and embezzling. NO ETHICS !

 

Just like I tell customers that say I can get a DVR cheaper on Ebay or from Costco, call Ebay and Costco for support and see how far you get.

 

So the answer is you get what you pay for! Go ahead and buy the $50 camera but CALL where you bought it from NOT here trying to get cheap free support !

 

FEEL FREE TO COPY AND PASTE THIS POST EVERYTIME YOU SEE A POST ASKING FOR A CHEAP......... !

[varascope 0]

How poetic !

http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/27/world/asia/china-jade-rabbit-moon-rover-goodnight/

[thewireguys 3]

4. Licensing. Do you think H.264 is free? We are already using H.265 which relates back to point 2.

 

I only know of one manufacture that claims to have h.265 cameras.

[varascope 0]

 

 

I only know of one manufacture that claims to have h.265 cameras.

 

Still Beta still expensive. So far so good but processor intensive with some heat issues that need to be addressed.

[ak357 0]

 

Still Beta still expensive. So far so good but processor intensive with some heat issues that need to be addressed.

Is file size really smaller then H.264 ?

Are u from Avent.... ?

[varascope 0]

No not from Avent.... ,NY

 

Yes and no on file size.

 

yes it is smaller IF at the same bitrate, but due to larger formats as 5MP to 4K offsets the file size since the bitrate is increased to maintain quality. The key will be finding balance and also which reiteration will be used, like AVC vs SVC on H.264. H.265 doesn't use macroblocks so processing is more intense. I still prefer framerate than overall frame quality for security video. 30 chances to capture vs 7-10. A lot of information can occur in one frame. We can only use what is available at the time and changes quickly creating better affordable encoding.

[SunnyKim 2]

Vara,

I can share 100% with yourview.

[alica_herrod 0]

I think Wireless security cameras are the best, now a day's. There's no more need to run expensive video extension cables, ideal for the home or for business. Wireless cameras are the best or perfect way to monitor your home or property without any costly installation.

[varascope 0]

I think Wireless security cameras are the best, now a day's. There's no more need to run expensive video extension cables, ideal for the home or for business. Wireless cameras are the best or perfect way to monitor your home or property without any costly installation.

 

Please move your post as this is off topic.

[thewireguys 3]

I think Wireless security cameras are the best, now a day's. There's no more need to run expensive video extension cables, ideal for the home or for business. Wireless cameras are the best or perfect way to monitor your home or property without any costly installation.

 

Please move your post as this is off topic.

 

Please stop giving advice like this "alica" you're doing everyone in the industry a disservice

[mxmaniac 0]

Well as far as the comments about licensing of h.264, and marketing, etc.

 

The $40 camera I referenced uses h.264, it was marketed, etc. So I don't see how that makes much of a difference. It has its own firmware that was developed.

 

In the end, its image is 10 times as good as any cctv camera I've seen anywhere near its price range, even though the cctv or IP camera just needs to simply stream the video, no screen, battery, buttons, memory. It "should" be cheaper.

[thewireguys 3]

Well as far as the comments about licensing of h.264, and marketing, etc.

 

The $40 camera I referenced uses h.264, it was marketed, etc. So I don't see how that makes much of a difference. It has its own firmware that was developed.

 

In the end, its image is 10 times as good as any cctv camera I've seen anywhere near its price range, even though the cctv or IP camera just needs to simply stream the video, no screen, battery, buttons, memory. It "should" be cheaper.

 

 

Really?? How many of these "$40" cameras have you placed outside 24/7 for years? How well do they handle ALL lighting conditions?

[varascope 0]

What is the model number?

[buellwinkle 0]

Yes, I want to know where to get the $249 Sony Bloggie for $40 too. Would make a cute gift for the kids.

 

http://reviews.cnet.com/digital-camcorders/sony-bloggie-live-hd/4505-6500_7-35118061.html

[mxmaniac 0]

It was a PM5 model, was on sale. Looks like they drastically went up in price from what they were a couple years ago.

 

I guess the main point I'm trying to make is HD sensors are cheap. They are in all sorts of cheap cameras, phones, webcams, etc. So I don't know why these old 640x480 sensors used in seemingly just about every ip camera under $100, when it should really only cost at most a buck or two extra to put a decent HD sensor in there instead. Especially considering the image from these 640x480 cameras is practically worthless for security purposes.

[lumberjack 0]

I actually think the opposite.

 

I think that what we are getting now is pennies compared to a few years ago.

 

Cant remember exactly when (about 8 years, maybe longer) but I bought time lapse vcr which recorded to tape for thirty days but when viewing it jumped three seconds at a time

so not really good unless set for a week at a slower speed.

Cost equivalent to about 900 us dollars (I am in uk) and that was with no camera's or anything else

 

I can now buy an 8 channel h264 dvr with remote, a mouse etc for around 80 us dollars (better tech, much cheaper)

 

I can not comment on whether the x264 system is better made than the vcr one, I very much doubt it BUT we are definitely getting a lot more for the money these days.

And with regards to camera's I can buy what seem to be well performing 720's really cheap as well.

 

A system I recently bought had 8ch dvr, mouse, hard disk, remote, four 720tvl, 3.6mm cameras, four 60ft cables (£229 uk pounds)

Another was a 4 camera 420 system complete but without hard drive (£109)

Both bought in the UK and 2 day delivery.

 

I do understand the point made about the tech in the camera's you mention though.

 

Just my opinion though please be gentle lol.

 

Maybe its just me, but why is it security cameras seem so ridiculously overpriced, and extremely outdated technology compared to cameras in general?

 

The market is flooded now with cheap webcams, and other small video cameras for about $50 that can take respectable quality 720P and 1080P video. For a CCTV camera though, it seems you have to pay around $300 before you approach the quality of those other $50 cameras. Despite the fact its just a simple streaming device, doesn't have a screen, buttons, menus, controls, battery, onboard memory, like those video cameras do.

 

It really feels to me like security cameras are made from a 5 year old pile of leftover discarded ccd / cmos sensors put into a housing and sold for 5X what they should cost.

 

Why?

[buellwinkle 0]

So $249 Sony Bloggie (2MP( vs. a 10MP camera from ACTi with IR illuminators and IR cut filter the Bloggie doesn't even have for close to the same price.

 

Why can't Sony put a 4K (8MP) sensor, it's got to just be pennies. It should have a 4K Ultra-HD sensor and cost $40 in my opinion and then stop making obsolete 1080P TV's, they should all be 4K now, pennies for LED panel to do that, so why charge more than $599 for a 60" 4K Sony TV should be out already, LOL.

 

This is fun!