Need help getting a proper day-night surveillance setup

Here's the size of it: I have two cameras set up in my window for the purpose of catching vandals, people getting drunk and leaving their bottles everywhere outside my walkway, kids throwing rocks at my door, peeking in my window, and people otherwise generally being a nuisance.

One is a Logitech C920 webcam, and the other is an EasyN FS-613A-M136 IP cam.

I originally bought the EasyN camera because it seemed like a cheap, viable solution at the time...especially seeing that it had night vision. However the stupid thing's been giving me nothing but trouble. For one (and this was due to my own ignorance and lack of fact checking I'll admit), its night vision is useless to me because I have it behind glass and all it records at night is a massive bright ring reflection of itself unless I put tape over the LED lights and have it angled in a way that ends up not suiting my purposes for it anyway.

That's not the worst part, though. Whether or not the camera actually gets detected after I boot my computer up has been a roll of the dice since I got it. I constantly have to unplug the camera and plug it back in just to get it to work, and even that's not a sure thing. Lately I've just given up if the camera doesn't get picked up on my network on startup. I only got it working tonight by sheer luck, I was watching a movie and I got an IP address conflict popup, so I figured I'd check and see if it picked up...and it did. Who knows how. I went into the camera's Search IP Address software and changed its IP to 192.168.2.7 instead of its default 192.168.2.2. Hopefully that'll solve the conflict problem and let it get picked up on the network without fail. Time will tell.

A few months after frustration with that camera, I decided to give it another go and shelled out more cash on a webcam of higher quality for the same purpose. I went the webcam route to bypass any issues like the network fiasco I experienced with my first one. Fantastic camera. Problem is... no night vision. I did find a tutorial for modding it by getting in there and breaking the IR filter but I'm having good luck with this thing so far and I don't want to turn it into a $90 paperweight.

Basically, I'm looking for a way to get video recording of outside my apartment, at night as well as during the day, from behind my window or a screen, at a quality good enough to at least distinguish faces. Is there any possible way I can achieve this with what I currently have? If I really do need to, I'll shell out yet some more cash for the proper camera and/or equipment, but I'd rather it be under the $100 range.

Suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated.

I don't know of a good way to do it within your price point, w/o mounting the cameras outside. If you did that, your cameras could easily be vandalized or exposed to weather.

This is exactly the reason why I went with a professional vandal proof system mounted outside.

There is a lot for under $100, just look at eBay or Amazon, tons. Now if you want something that you can actually works, the best priced cameras are the new 3 MP mini Hikvision bullets and domes, about $169 online. Then you will need PoE injectors or a PoE switch to power them. For low quantity, like one camera, I've used wall wort type PoE injectors that cost about $12-15. I know it seems like a great idea to keep spending $100 over and over again, but maybe spending $200 now may save you spending $100 now and then $200 later as I've been there, done that.

Domes are vandal resistant, meaning they can't easily be pushed out of the way like bullets. But at this price range, they are what is called 2-axis. meaning they have to ceiling mounted, not flush wall mounted.

If you want to record, you can get an NVR, you can run NVR software on a PC or the you can have the Hikvision camera write directly to NAS with NFS capabilities.

If you need to stay under $100, your best bet is the Foscam/Agasio/etc clones. They have their limitations, but are very popular, and there are lots of resources on them out there, including forums dedicated to the different brands and Amazon reviews. The budget-minded users at the Blue Iris forum, cam-it.org, also use them a lot.

You'll definitely want to do your homework, as some models work much better than other, very similar models. At least when you have problems, you'll have lots of company!

If you can afford more, you'll be happier in the long term with the Hiks that Buellwinkle mentions, in terms of video quality, ease of setup, and reliability.

Thanks for the tips, guys. Seems like unless I can macgyver an IR solution, I'm gonna have to shell out some more cash.

Side note...big surprise, my EasyN IP camera is once again not picking up. I'll go ahead and make another thread for that though.

I too am suffering from the same problem!

Went out and bought a Tenvis JPT3815, which is great as far as setup and access goes - easily managed to connect and am able to view from variety of PC's, tablet & phone.

Super simple BUT with one huge problem! Night vision through my window does not work (as the IR LED's reflect back)

Now I am going to have to resort to taping over the LED's UNLESS someone can help me as to how to switch them off

PS: my vandals only appear at 02h00 onwards so it would be handy to nab them!

If you have people committing acts of vandalism then why won't you consider the modest cost of buying a real outside camera?

I don't have a lot of sympathy when someone buys the absolute cheapest thing out there, points it out a window, and then complains it doesn't do a good job. Those are nanny cams and aren't designed for what you are trying to do.

+1

If you have people committing acts of vandalism then why won't you consider the modest cost of buying a real outside camera?

 

I don't have a lot of sympathy when someone buys the absolute cheapest thing out there, points it out a window, and then complains it doesn't do a good job. Those are nanny cams and aren't designed for what you are trying to do.

Have you considered the fact that possibly it is impossible to fit an outside camera due to:

a) In breach of tenancy agreement

b) open to vandalism

c) the area to be observed in less than 3 meters away

d) it a well lit area - street lights

e) the quality during daylight is perfectly good

etc.

etc.

A simple question was asked to resolve a SIMPLE problem.

I have no desire to have HD quality pictures. I need a solution mainly to provide alarming and a visual clue as to who the miscreants are.

As per the original poster, I was inviting some SIMPLE suggestions for the newcomer to the field - not snide comments

One solution is to put an inexpensive IR illuminator outside and tape over or disable your onboard IR LEDs. There are a number of them available on Amazon and ebay, and the Amazon models have the benefit of user reviews.

This won't help if your tenant regulation prevent you from putting stuff up outside, but I've seen some clever solutions to this:

- Make a bracket for the illuminator that you can hang from your windowsill overnight, then remove in the daytime. This would work for a camera, too.

- Put the illuminator or camera in a birdhouse or flower bed so it's not obvious from the street.

Having an illuminator on the outside still leaves it open to vandalism, but if your camera's on the inside, at least you'll get images of the perps.

There is a lot for under $100, just look at eBay or Amazon, tons. Now if you want something that you can actually works, the best priced cameras are the new 3 MP mini Hikvision bullets and domes, about $169 online. Then you will need PoE injectors or a PoE switch to power them. For low quantity, like one camera, I've used wall wort type PoE injectors that cost about $12-15. I know it seems like a great idea to keep spending $100 over and over again, but maybe spending $200 now may save you spending $100 now and then $200 later as I've been there, done that.

 

Domes are vandal resistant, meaning they can't easily be pushed out of the way like bullets. But at this price range, they are what is called 2-axis. meaning they have to ceiling mounted, not flush wall mounted.

 

If you want to record, you can get an NVR, you can run NVR software on a PC or the you can have the Hikvision camera write directly to NAS with NFS capabilities.

I was looking at the 3MP Hikvision... can you please PM me on where they might be found online for $169.00...

Thank you...

Here - http://wrightwoodsurveillance.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1_6

with your current issues, can I suggest you set a DHCP reservation for the camera in your router... that SHOULD force it to stay on the IP you set...

on the IR, if you can't disable it and just change over an outdoor light to IR, since it's not worth sending the camera back for a credit why not open it up and just cut the power (preferably unplug if it's an option) the power to the IR array, that way it should see through the glass without the massive reflections, no matter what camera you buy however, your going to be better off with external IR, and multiple sources if you get the opportunity.

there is a reasonably comprehensive IR illumination post in the sticky of this forum.

having said that I know you say you don't want HD, but HD is soooo cheap your better off with it!

One solution is to put an inexpensive IR illuminator outside and tape over or disable your onboard IR LEDs.

This won't help if your tenant regulation prevent you from putting stuff up outside, but I've seen some clever solutions to this:

 

Having an illuminator on the outside still leaves it open to vandalism, but if your camera's on the inside, at least you'll get images of the perps.

Thank you so much for the information. Now have an el cheapo illuminator that works perfectly!

Another 'dumb' question:

Do you know the protective material lens that covers these iluminators?

Have found an ideal location (an used extractor fan vent, which has a plastic blanking plate. Ideally situated). Need to replace the plate with a transparent? cover - obviously glass will not work!

many thanks in advance

Hmm... Good question. I'm not sure what the plastic is over the standard illuminators, but anything that passes most of the IR would work. If you google plastic ir transmission, there are a lot of discussions.

It looks like both acrylic and polycarbonate transmit IR, and these guys make black acrylic that passes IR if you want to hide it:

http://www.eplastics.com/Plexiglass_Acrylic_Sheet_Infrared_Transmitting

This site has data and suggestions, but their charts aren't showing up for me:

http://www.plasticgenius.com/2011/05/infrared-and-ultraviolet-transmission.html

One test would be to get scraps of materials to try and see if a remote control works behind them. Note that you'll probably still get reflections off of any of these, so the illuminator would work behind them, but the camera might not.