Setup for system on separate building

[drfletch90 0]

I have a building that I would like to install some cameras on. This building is located in another town but it does have internet access available. I have a few extra reolink cameras, and I have a server at home that I would like to record to.

What I'm struggling with is finding what kind of VMS to use to connect to the cameras on my server. Ideally, I'd prefer to stay away from any subscription based software but I am alright with paying for something. I was looking at Shinobi or Zoneminder, from what I can tell they might be what I'm looking for.

One other thing I would like to do would have another viewer at this building that can connect to a tv to just view a live feed of the cameras. If there is also an app that can be installed would be great, one where you can view the live feed but not touch the recordings.

Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated

[Mark_M 3]

1 hour ago, drfletch90 said:

I have a building that I would like to install some cameras on. This building is located in another town but it does have internet access available. I have a few extra reolink cameras, and I have a server at home that I would like to record to.

What I'm struggling with is finding what kind of VMS to use to connect to the cameras on my server. Ideally, I'd prefer to stay away from any subscription based software but I am alright with paying for something. I was looking at Shinobi or Zoneminder, from what I can tell they might be what I'm looking for.

Subscription usually means you utilise someone else's computer on the internet (someone's server). This is the easiest because you pay them for the work and they are responsible for network security.

 

If you are good with networking, I would look into using a site-to-site VPN on your routers. This may mean purchasing a new router for both sites. 

What this will do is bridge the two networks together, through an encrypted route.

This is NOT a replacement to having an NVR/VMS at the remote site because constantly sending data across the internet is going to encounter a few dropouts occasionally. Having a local recording system also means that building can be self sufficient in the event your own system fails.

1 hour ago, drfletch90 said:

One other thing I would like to do would have another viewer at this building that can connect to a tv to just view a live feed of the cameras. If there is also an app that can be installed would be great, one where you can view the live feed but not touch the recordings.

If you use an NVR at the remote building for redundancy this will likely have an HDMI/VGA output for a monitor.

Depending on how far away the TV is from the NVR, you could use 'HDMI over Ethernet' adaptors. If the TV is close then just use an HDMI cable.

Or (my favourite), as mentioned on ipcamtalk.com forum: There is such a device called a 'TV modulator'/'RF modulator. This takes an input and encodes the signal into the same standard as your country's TV broadcast, you then wire the device into your building's TV antenna wiring and each TV in the building picks it up as a standard TV channel. Some modulators have HDMI input, or IP modulators can take an RTSP stream directly from the cameras/NVR.

[drfletch90 0]

I will probably pick up an NVR for the time being, just to get something up and running but the cameras also have SD slots which will allow for a few days of footage at least in the event my system fails. I was looking for something more akin to EagleEye, where a bridge would be installed to upload the footage to a server but instead of using someone else's, I would use mine. The site-to-site VPN sounds promising, I'm just still unsure of what VMS could be used.