Advice need: IP cameras for home security
#31
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#32
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Did look at the wifi doorbell as an option and I know ScottC posted a very nice looking one a while ago. When this was suggested as a solution however it got a less than warm reception as they wouldn't be able to "see the garden (don't ask very long story) as well as we would with a real camera". Sticking a camera in a particular window would allow both a view of the door, pathway to the door and also the garden.
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If they're planning on putting this camera in a window indoors and pointing it outside, be aware that this is only going to work during the daytime. At night, it will be too dark for the camera to see anything unless outside is well lit, and if the camera has any infrared LEDs for night vision, these will just cause massive glare in the window glass.
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#36
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I've got several power-over-ethernet 3MP Hikvision weather/vandal-proof dome cameras set up to record to my Synology NAS. Night vision is good, they have 1080p image quality, they were pretty easy to install despite not coming with any English instructions, and were affordable ($150/each with no monthly fees).
I'm not a fan of the Nest Cam type products for a number of reasons, including the high TCO, their reliance on working internet to record, and the fact they don't support POE. Even if power is cut, my cameras will keep on recording since both my NAS and POE switch are on a UPS.
I'm not a fan of the Nest Cam type products for a number of reasons, including the high TCO, their reliance on working internet to record, and the fact they don't support POE. Even if power is cut, my cameras will keep on recording since both my NAS and POE switch are on a UPS.
#37
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Yet Another Security Camera Experience
I have an inexpensive Wansview NCL616W camera. If I could successfully configure my router to allow commands to come in from outside to the camera, I would be able to operate it (pan & tilt) from an Android phone and listen/talk to someone in the room. No luck on that.
What it successfully does is take a still photo whenever it notices a change in what it sees, then email that photo to a GMail account. At night it automatically turns on its IR lights and continues to watch for motion.
Unfortunately, the camera is pointed at a curtain which receives sunlight, so every time a cloud moves over the sun the camera takes and emails a photo. For this reason, I had to create a GMail account strictly for use by the camera. If a burglar ever enters the house, I will be able later to retrieve the emails that show her/him; otherwise, I don't check that GMail account.
What it successfully does is take a still photo whenever it notices a change in what it sees, then email that photo to a GMail account. At night it automatically turns on its IR lights and continues to watch for motion.
Unfortunately, the camera is pointed at a curtain which receives sunlight, so every time a cloud moves over the sun the camera takes and emails a photo. For this reason, I had to create a GMail account strictly for use by the camera. If a burglar ever enters the house, I will be able later to retrieve the emails that show her/him; otherwise, I don't check that GMail account.
#38
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I have an inexpensive Wansview NCL616W camera. If I could successfully configure my router to allow commands to come in from outside to the camera, I would be able to operate it (pan & tilt) from an Android phone and listen/talk to someone in the room. No luck on that.
Else, what's the problem you're having/
#39
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ScottC was fairly keen on Ring a while back http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...7868-ring.html but cheap it ain't.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2016/01...i_credentials/
#40
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Okay so I bought a Nexus 7 tablet and a Foscam to use down at the relatives. I hooked everything up beforehand opened a Google Play account and downloaded Lollipop plus the camera app. I tested it at home and it worked fine so I headed down to the back of beyond. Hooked everything back up at the relatives house and a new message appeared saying that as there was no Internet access wifi would not automatically reconnect. Odd but I wasn’t sure that it mattered so we went for a walk with the tablet round the house and garden..
We went out of range and the wifi dropped, it also went (later on) in the house in a few places where the walls are very thick and possibly part metal. Anyway the wifi didn't reconnect when we came back in range which bugged me. I then remembered the message that had appeared and realised what it meant, which was annoying. I found somewhere with a phone signal and called a friend who knows a hell of a lot more about Android than me. He said that because we had a Google account on the tablet it would always do that with Lollipop. I asked him for help with a solution and he said wipe it and start again, "I don't think just deleting the account will work." So I did that and tried to bluetooth over the camera app from my phone to the wiped tablet. Except you can't do that with APK files on Android for security..
I call him back and he says rename the file extension to something else like a txt and send it again. This works, I'd already tried it but I can't install the apk because there is no file manager on the tablet (and yes I had enabled the install from other sources). So I ask what to do now and he says just connect to the Web and download one, except there is no Internet connection to the wifi. Defeated I took the tablet home and added a file manager installed the camera app and took it back down on the next weekend. It now works fine and doesn't show any messages with the non Internet connected wifi, but I really wish I hadn't upgraded to Lollipop.
We went out of range and the wifi dropped, it also went (later on) in the house in a few places where the walls are very thick and possibly part metal. Anyway the wifi didn't reconnect when we came back in range which bugged me. I then remembered the message that had appeared and realised what it meant, which was annoying. I found somewhere with a phone signal and called a friend who knows a hell of a lot more about Android than me. He said that because we had a Google account on the tablet it would always do that with Lollipop. I asked him for help with a solution and he said wipe it and start again, "I don't think just deleting the account will work." So I did that and tried to bluetooth over the camera app from my phone to the wiped tablet. Except you can't do that with APK files on Android for security..
I call him back and he says rename the file extension to something else like a txt and send it again. This works, I'd already tried it but I can't install the apk because there is no file manager on the tablet (and yes I had enabled the install from other sources). So I ask what to do now and he says just connect to the Web and download one, except there is no Internet connection to the wifi. Defeated I took the tablet home and added a file manager installed the camera app and took it back down on the next weekend. It now works fine and doesn't show any messages with the non Internet connected wifi, but I really wish I hadn't upgraded to Lollipop.
Last edited by Jimmie76; Feb 3, 2016 at 7:33 pm
#41
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I have 25 cameras around my house right now. I grabbed the foscam and Dlink cameras when a good deal popped up on slickdeals or techbargains.
I use IP Cam pro on my phone and tablet.
Using blueirissoftware.com I have everything setup as a webserver.
The software is very inexpensive and very useful.
No recurring fees (like dropcam) and you can easily store or delete any clips you have locally stored.
These are all wifi cameras. My next house build will be wired power over IP and probably Hikvision cameras.
I use IP Cam pro on my phone and tablet.
Using blueirissoftware.com I have everything setup as a webserver.
The software is very inexpensive and very useful.
No recurring fees (like dropcam) and you can easily store or delete any clips you have locally stored.
These are all wifi cameras. My next house build will be wired power over IP and probably Hikvision cameras.
#43
Join Date: Nov 2015
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I'm surprised no one has mentioned Arlo here.
https://www.arlo.com/en-us/
I just got a few, and while they aren't perfect, they're working quite well for me.
They're wireless (not sure if it's Wifi; you have to have a base station from them that plugs into your ethernet) and weatherproof. They're also battery operated. So installation is really extremely simple - no wires at all for power or network. You can basically put them just about anywhere, the caveat being that you don't want to put them anywhere someone could easily grab one, because the camera mounts to the base magnetically, so it can easily be removed.
The iOS app and web site are pretty good, if maybe a little slow to show live pics. You get, I think, a week of cloud storage for your videos for free. I have each set to capture 10 seconds whenever they sense motion. So far, they catch 90% of what's going on, maybe more.
Battery life could be an issue, but I've had mine up for weeks with the included batteries, and I'm still at full on all cameras. And since I've tried to put them in hard to reach spots, changing the batteries will take a bit of work when the time comes.
They run about $150 each on Amazon.
https://www.arlo.com/en-us/
I just got a few, and while they aren't perfect, they're working quite well for me.
They're wireless (not sure if it's Wifi; you have to have a base station from them that plugs into your ethernet) and weatherproof. They're also battery operated. So installation is really extremely simple - no wires at all for power or network. You can basically put them just about anywhere, the caveat being that you don't want to put them anywhere someone could easily grab one, because the camera mounts to the base magnetically, so it can easily be removed.
The iOS app and web site are pretty good, if maybe a little slow to show live pics. You get, I think, a week of cloud storage for your videos for free. I have each set to capture 10 seconds whenever they sense motion. So far, they catch 90% of what's going on, maybe more.
Battery life could be an issue, but I've had mine up for weeks with the included batteries, and I'm still at full on all cameras. And since I've tried to put them in hard to reach spots, changing the batteries will take a bit of work when the time comes.
They run about $150 each on Amazon.
#45
Join Date: Nov 2015
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Not sure if you specifically mean me, but on Arlo, there's a motion sensitivity slider so you can choose to some extent.
If it's windy, I definitely get false alarms. But they aren't really alarms - just 10 seconds of video stored in the cloud. Fine.
If it's windy, I definitely get false alarms. But they aren't really alarms - just 10 seconds of video stored in the cloud. Fine.