Low-Rez Clips + High-Rez Snapshots?

[PeteCress 0]

I have seven IP cams at two remote sites. Their main function is to let customers of a windsurfing shop check on conditions themselves instead of constantly calling the shop owner.

 

But a couple of the cams also serve a security function off-hours.

 

I have become partial to having my cams take 5-minute clips back-to-back 24-7 and also having the the cams that serve a security function take still snapshots at on-second intervals when motion is detected.

 

This works for me because:

 

• BlueIris FTPs the Snapshots to my home PC where I can use JPegView to quickly review them and, if I want more info, I can view the relevant clip remotely.
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• Shop customers can peruse the Clips online to see what's been happening in prior hours
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• If something happens at the site where Snapshots/Clips are being generated (as vandalism or a repeat of hurricane Sandy) testing suggests that I will get snapshots right up to the last moment - whereas there may be some doubt about getting the current 5-minute Clip especially if the Clip is terminated by the vandalism or the vandalism includes cutting the Cat5 between cameras and the radio that links them to the server a kilometer away (which has already happened once).

 

Right now, both Clips and Snapshots are 1280x720 - which gives acceptable detail/motion without kicking the brains out of bandwidth (other people are watching the cams remotely).

 

The HikVision DS-2CD2032-I cams are served by Blue Iris and the other viewers use Blue Iris's web interface to see the cams.

 

What would be attractive is keeping the Clips at 1280x720, but having the snapshots taken at some higher rez - the higher the better.

 

Is this just a matter of buying the right cams and setting them up properly?

 

Or would I trying to fool Mother Nature?