What is the current trend for home CCTV installations?

[jmc20000 0]

My parents got burgled recently, so I'm looking to install a new CCTV system via a number of options:

 

1. Get a professional to do it costing £500 including DVR + 3 cameras.

 

Pros: know what they're doing, and will have a far better idea when it comes to routing the cables, and giving me an appropriate system.

cons: there's no guarantee they're using an appropriate system, and the wiring may turn out awful to save their time. For example, rather than routing the cables between walls, they might have it running along surfaces.

 

2. DIY with help from electrician to route cables.

 

pros: I get to have more control over the system I choose

cons: could work out as expensive as 1, with me choosing the wrong sytem.

 

3. Completely DIY

 

Pros: I have complete control over the installation

cons: Too much investment of my time and money in a one off installation which may be wrong.

 

What's the current trend for home CCTV installations today?

 

From what I've seen, it seems to be still using cabling to connect them directly to an NVR, but via power over ethernet; making old BNC installations obsolete. This worries me because I could be throwing my money at something which may go down the same route in the next few years.

 

So right now I'm looking at the idea of using wireless CCTV cameras to store images using local memory, and then transmitting them via wireless FTP etc when I need to have a look at them. This has the main advantage of removing data cabling entirely, leaving just power routing which is going to be far easier in comparison.

 

Any comments would be appreciated.

 

Jmc2000

[mattaggie 0]

cat5/cat6 POE IP cameras are the way to go. Not going anywhere. yes running cables is initially a pain, but once its done, its done. Your wireless setup is going to be a pain everytime you want to use it. And you still have to wire the power cables. I would just install it yourself. Its not rocket science and then if you ever have a problem, you understand the system and can fix it without having to pay anyone.

[tomcctv 190]

Hi. All your options you are wasting your money.

 

You have had a quote for £500. ($460) to have supply 3 cameras recorder and full fitting

That can't be done for that price .....

 

Wireless....... Also wasting your money it never works and with your budget you will end up with some cheap China cloud system.

 

You say doing install yourself will take up to much of your time ?

Not if you take your time doing it. It does not have to be done all in the same day. And with doing it over time you don't need to have a low budget. Add to it when budget allows.

 

Your in the uk .... Look for a qvis Quattro dvr. It will not go out of date and it uses analog - cvi-tvi and IP cameras.

 

I would start with buying dvr cable and 1 cvi camera.

 

Cat5 is best for you. 1 cable run to back of house and one cable run to front of house will allow you to use 8 cvi in total

 

Take your time and you can install yourself a good system

[jmc20000 0]

I would just install it yourself. Its not rocket science and then if you ever have a problem, you understand the system and can fix it without having to pay anyone.

 

Installation looks easy, but the wiring looks... daunting:

 

jmc2000

[jmc20000 0]

Hi. All your options you are wasting your money.

 

You have had a quote for £500. ($460) to have supply 3 cameras recorder and full fitting

That can't be done for that price .....

http://mcdsecurity.co.uk/bronze-1-cctv-package-399-fitted

The 2 Camera Bronze CCTV Package comes with 2 x HD-AHD infra red cameras and a 1000GB Hard-Drive fitted DVR (Digital Video Recorder). £399

http://stockportaerials.com/cctv-alarms/cctv-installations/

4 CAMERA BUNDLE

 

4 x HD Premium CCTV Cameras (720P)

1 x 4 Channel DVI Main Unit (Which Controls the CCTV Camera’s)

7 Day Recording Backup (Last 7 days or Footage)

PACKAGE INCLUDE:

 

Full Professional Installation.

12 month Guarantee.

Total price 449 + vat

Perhaps things are cheaper in the UK

 

Jmc2000

Edited April 17, 2017 by Guest

[tomcctv 190]

Good deal ........but also it does not match.

 

Bronze I

 

AHD cameras

1 hikvision hybrid dvr.

 

 

THAT dvr will not run AHD cameras

 

But £350 fitted ....$300 for hik system

 

2 HD cameras

1 hikvision hybrid

Cable

Power supply

Run cables

 

£350 you can't even buy equipment for that...without fitting

 

And there is no such thing as British council approved.

 

Also ask how much it will be WITHOUT SERVICE CONTRACT.

[karenbigbro2 0]

Invest in 1080p AHD and install yourself using premade cables. Systems are now plug and play.

 

Install yourself: Our system would cost approx £500.00 incl vat for AHD 1080p Varifocal dome cameras and all cables, connectors and power supplies.

 

Installation costs: Approx £150 - 180.00

[lv426 0]

Personally I would evaluate what you want to achieve from a CCTV system.

Is it just to give your parents peace of mind?

I take it you are based in the UK - if so the easiest/cheapest solution is to visit Maplin - they do a range of DVR camera combos under £500. They are DIY installations and aren't that difficult to install.

My friend has a CCTV system installed, he too fitted it after being burgled. As he is in the country, he uses it to vet visitors and has 2 way coms. He doesn't record anything and has only 4 cameras, I installed it and it has a DVR, he always turns it off when he leaves the house. To me I don't see what practical benefit it provides. I guess it's really just a comfort.

 

That's the practicalities, now for the realities....

Home CCTV presents more problems than it solves - for example, you have just fitted CCTV cameras on your property, an invite to burglars as it looks like you are trying to protect valuables. A £500 budget isn't going to be enough to capture any detail of any value. Basically if you do get burgled you have may have footage. What can you do with that footage?

In the UK it's not going to be any use in a court, there are laws on CCTV installations, mainly the Data protection act, read up on the Information Commissioner's UK CCTV code of practice, also Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA), the POFA, the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) and the Surveillance Camera Code of Practice issued under the Protection of Freedoms Act (POFA code).

Yes, in the UK the burglar has more rights than the victim...

Generally speaking the police usually have a good idea who the culprits are, sadly the reality is no amount of CCTV footage is going to help in a conviction.

I can speak from personal experience, our car was parked @ McDonalds in a well CCTV'd area - 4 different businesses had eyes on the parking space, even better Police HQ was across the road. All footage showed our car being broken into and contents removed, even with eye witnesses the thief got away...

 

A link to the 45 page document:

https://ico.org.uk/media/for-organisations/documents/1542/cctv-code-of-practice.pdf