1 to 3 years. Dang!
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Home Security Camera's
- Thread starter BKExpress
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1 to 3 years. Dang!
I am not sure the "higher end" swann products fall under the 1-3 year life span (anymore). I have been running a Swann pro series system now for 3 years here in the next couple months and not the first sign of any problems.
The older stuff about 10 years or so ago def. fell under 1-3 years.
The older stuff about 10 years or so ago def. fell under 1-3 years.
I just setup a bunch of these at my work.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Aircam-Megapixel-Indoor-Outdoor/dp/B007RFFTUW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1359141193&sr=8-2&keywords=ubiquiti+aircam]Amazon.com: Ubiquiti Aircam H.264 Megapixel Indoor/Outdoor IP Camera 3 Pack: Camera & Photo[/ame]
They are very nice and have HD image. They are also indoor/outdoor weather resistant. They DON NOT have IR capabilities though. So no visibility in the dark.
Your outdoor cameras will be pricey if you want good image and NV capabilities. You may also consider the amount of work you want to undertake install them. CCTV require you to run coax and power to a camera location. IP cameras ustilizing PowerOverEthernet (POE) only require one run of cat5/6. The cameras I mentioned above come with their own power injectors and do not require anything else except a network switch and cat5/6.
Wireless cameras are by far the easiest to get installed, but have the ability to be disrupted quite easily. Attackers can perform a denial of service attack on your AP's so the cameras can't connect to your wifi network. This effectively cuts off their communication with the DVR.
They also will require multiple AP's in areas where you have multiple cameras and you want to use HD imagery.
I am an information security engineer by trade. The cheap swann cameras at Frys's Walmart and Sams's club are not a bad place to start, but do require a little more work to get started.
I use cheap D-Link IR web cams at my home with ZoneMinder free Linux software. My system is not ideal for a novice, but I also don't have a lot invested in it. ($40.00 cameras only) I have plans to upgrade soon.
[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Aircam-Megapixel-Indoor-Outdoor/dp/B007RFFTUW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1359141193&sr=8-2&keywords=ubiquiti+aircam]Amazon.com: Ubiquiti Aircam H.264 Megapixel Indoor/Outdoor IP Camera 3 Pack: Camera & Photo[/ame]
They are very nice and have HD image. They are also indoor/outdoor weather resistant. They DON NOT have IR capabilities though. So no visibility in the dark.
Your outdoor cameras will be pricey if you want good image and NV capabilities. You may also consider the amount of work you want to undertake install them. CCTV require you to run coax and power to a camera location. IP cameras ustilizing PowerOverEthernet (POE) only require one run of cat5/6. The cameras I mentioned above come with their own power injectors and do not require anything else except a network switch and cat5/6.
Wireless cameras are by far the easiest to get installed, but have the ability to be disrupted quite easily. Attackers can perform a denial of service attack on your AP's so the cameras can't connect to your wifi network. This effectively cuts off their communication with the DVR.
They also will require multiple AP's in areas where you have multiple cameras and you want to use HD imagery.
I am an information security engineer by trade. The cheap swann cameras at Frys's Walmart and Sams's club are not a bad place to start, but do require a little more work to get started.
I use cheap D-Link IR web cams at my home with ZoneMinder free Linux software. My system is not ideal for a novice, but I also don't have a lot invested in it. ($40.00 cameras only) I have plans to upgrade soon.
I am partial to RevoAmerica (because that's what I know). I have a 2 TB system with 16 installed cameras. Just by having Revo, you get to use their web services to view your cameras online. What you see below is a screen grab that I just did from my computer. The first pic shows all the cams and the second is me at the table (as I type).
You'll have people try to tell you that cameras won't stop thieves. I believe they are a strong deterrent. I have teens and other kids are in and out all the time. They know I can see them from my computer (as if I get a chance to look at it that much .. but I do have mobile access on my laptop).
I love my camera set up. The cameras have actually caught a few things that turned out to be funny (me painting the kitchen, and us ringing in the New Year - see below for videos - again remember, this after decreasing video size and after youtube does it's compression).
The system is not windows or mac based and it's not intuitive, but with a little reading you'll be able to download the movies as needed. The clarity is pretty good for the price. My system records about 6-7 days then re-writes over it. Again, realize that the image clairity you see is only a screen grab off my laptop. I have a line running to my big screen that I can switch over too at will by just changing the input on my TV via remote.
That's another point ... it's not just about catching video of a crime. I can survey my homestead and watch out for intruders.
The system can also be configured to trigger alarms (you have to get thes separately, third parties etc). Our system also sends an email summary of triggered events (motion) to our emails (wife checks on them at work). This particular system records audio as well from the first 8 of the cameras.
[all cameras]
[Mackey Cam]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPNHHJd69so[/ame]
[painting the kitchen - this one I taped while I was fast forwarding it on my TV - what I'm trying to get at is that the quailty is better than you may realize]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IyJlgauRhs[/ame]
[ringing in the New Year - the flashing was due to a faulty ceiling fan - decided to mess up for the occasion, but it worked for us]
NOTE: The images and video that are grayscale are useing infrared.
One more thing. Setting up 16 cameras took hours and hours of work. Finding central place to put the DVR was a chore too. Remember it's a box with inputs coming in from 16 different sources. I did all kinds of cutting into drywall and fishing camera cable through. But this is my kind of fun.
As another little aside. The color of the paint is not exactly what you see in the video. It's a darkish beige/brown thing. Anyway, I've done quite a bit of painting in my life and this stuff had the most dramatic color change. From 1:24 to about 1:36 in the video you can see the change on the wall where I had hit some spots prior to rolling it out. But, wait, I'm getting off topic. Now What was your question?
You'll have people try to tell you that cameras won't stop thieves. I believe they are a strong deterrent. I have teens and other kids are in and out all the time. They know I can see them from my computer (as if I get a chance to look at it that much .. but I do have mobile access on my laptop).
I love my camera set up. The cameras have actually caught a few things that turned out to be funny (me painting the kitchen, and us ringing in the New Year - see below for videos - again remember, this after decreasing video size and after youtube does it's compression).
The system is not windows or mac based and it's not intuitive, but with a little reading you'll be able to download the movies as needed. The clarity is pretty good for the price. My system records about 6-7 days then re-writes over it. Again, realize that the image clairity you see is only a screen grab off my laptop. I have a line running to my big screen that I can switch over too at will by just changing the input on my TV via remote.
That's another point ... it's not just about catching video of a crime. I can survey my homestead and watch out for intruders.
The system can also be configured to trigger alarms (you have to get thes separately, third parties etc). Our system also sends an email summary of triggered events (motion) to our emails (wife checks on them at work). This particular system records audio as well from the first 8 of the cameras.
[all cameras]
[Mackey Cam]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPNHHJd69so[/ame]
[painting the kitchen - this one I taped while I was fast forwarding it on my TV - what I'm trying to get at is that the quailty is better than you may realize]
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IyJlgauRhs[/ame]
[ringing in the New Year - the flashing was due to a faulty ceiling fan - decided to mess up for the occasion, but it worked for us]
NOTE: The images and video that are grayscale are useing infrared.
One more thing. Setting up 16 cameras took hours and hours of work. Finding central place to put the DVR was a chore too. Remember it's a box with inputs coming in from 16 different sources. I did all kinds of cutting into drywall and fishing camera cable through. But this is my kind of fun.
As another little aside. The color of the paint is not exactly what you see in the video. It's a darkish beige/brown thing. Anyway, I've done quite a bit of painting in my life and this stuff had the most dramatic color change. From 1:24 to about 1:36 in the video you can see the change on the wall where I had hit some spots prior to rolling it out. But, wait, I'm getting off topic. Now What was your question?
Last edited:
Nice review Mackey.
I am mostly thinking cameras at doorways, and outside to try to get license plate numbers. But what you did looks good.
Now I just need to stop buying guns long enough to get a camera system.
I am mostly thinking cameras at doorways, and outside to try to get license plate numbers. But what you did looks good.
Now I just need to stop buying guns long enough to get a camera system.
I am partial to RevoAmerica (because that's what I know). I have a 2 TB system with 16 installed cameras. Just by having Revo, you get to use their web services to view your cameras online. What you see below is a screen grab that I just did from my computer. The first pic shows all the cams and the second is me at the table (as I type).
You'll have people try to tell you that cameras won't stop thieves. I believe they are a strong deterrent. I have teens and other kids are in and out all the time. They know I can see them from my computer (as if I get a chance to look at it that much .. but I do have mobile access on my laptop).
I love my camera set up. The cameras have actually caught a few things that turned out to be funny (me painting the kitchen, and us ringing in the New Year - see below for videos - again remember, this after decreasing video size and after youtube does it's compression).
The system is not windows or mac based and it's not intuitive, but with a little reading you'll be able to download the movies as needed. The clarity is pretty good for the price. My system records about 6-7 days then re-writes over it. Again, realize that the image clairity you see is only a screen grab off my laptop. I have a line running to my big screen that I can switch over too at will by just changing the input on my TV via remote.
That's another point ... it's not just about catching video of a crime. I can survey my homestead and watch out for intruders.
The system can also be configured to trigger alarms (you have to get thes separately, third parties etc). Our system also sends an email summary of triggered events (motion) to our emails (wife checks on them at work). This particular system records audio as well from the first 8 of the cameras.
[all cameras]
[Mackey Cam]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPNHHJd69so
[painting the kitchen - this one I taped while I was fast forwarding it on my TV - what I'm trying to get at is that the quailty is better than you may realize]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-IyJlgauRhs
[ringing in the New Year - the flashing was due to a faulty ceiling fan - decided to mess up for the occasion, but it worked for us]
NOTE: The images and video that are grayscale are useing infrared.
One more thing. Setting up 16 cameras took hours and hours of work. Finding central place to put the DVR was a chore too. Remember it's a box with inputs coming in from 16 different sources. I did all kinds of cutting into drywall and fishing camera cable through. But this is my kind of fun.
As another little aside. The color of the paint is not exactly what you see in the video. It's a darkish beige/brown thing. Anyway, I've done quite a bit of painting in my life and this stuff had the most dramatic color change. From 1:24 to about 1:36 in the video you can see the change on the wall where I had hit some spots prior to rolling it out. But, wait, I'm getting off topic. Now What was your question?
Wow, great system!
I'm going to jump in a little late to the discussion here. I will share what i know so that someone might gain a little info. I've been in the alarm/surveillance industry for 7+ years now, working for the man and now my own company.
Wired or wireless?:
I am a firm believer in hardwired cameras. I don't trust wireless devices to work all the time. Yes, they do work. But how often does your cell phone drop a call? Not often, but it still happens. I don't want my wireless equipment dropping out when I need it most. It takes more time and effort to hardwired systems but it is worth it. Troubleshooting hardwired devices is much easier than wireless. It's either the device, wire or panel/dvr. You can replace or fix the piece that is not working. The hardwired cameras are much cheaper to replace than wireless.
Wire options:
You can use the standard Siamese cable for analog cameras. This includes the coaxial (RG-59) for video transmission and a two conductor wire for supplying power. If you use Siamese cable you will need to make your own BNC ends for your connections. If you buy a kit you can use the supplied cable with pre-made ends. The only downfall is you can't change or adjust the length. The other option is to use Cat5 cable. It is a bit more expensive, however there are many benefits. You can still use analog cameras with Cat5, you just need to install a balun at each end of the wire. With Cat5 it is easier to upgrade your camera system to higher-end IP cameras at a later date. Simply swap out the cameras and dvr. Most of the new technology is moving towards integrating IP devices that are on a Cat5 backbone. Using Cat5 now prepares you for new technology upgrades and saves additional time rerunning wires.
IP or Analog Cameras?:
Analog cameras for years have been the standard for the industry. Analog cameras work well, but your are limited on image quality. The higher the TVL, the better image qualtity. The best example would be comparing the resolution of an old tube TV to the new flat screen HD TVs. Your old tv still works but the image quality is much better in HD. Over the last few years the price of IP cameras have come down in price and have made them more affordable. IP cameras are networked based (hence the name IP cameras) and the dvr does NOT have to be located on site. This helps secure the video from being stolen or damaged on site. IP cameras have additional options that make them nice but I won't get too detailed here. They are nice cameras, but they are still a bit pricey.
Bullet cameras are the most popular and cheapest available. You can spend a little more money to get vandal dome cameras that have dark domes that prevent someone to see what direction or area is being monitored. You normally see this in commercial settings.
Just make sure your cameras have IR capabilities for viewing at night! If not you will see NOTHING at night. The more IR leds on a camera, the better. Check the specs on the cameras before you buy. Many of the lower end cameras will produce a visible red glow when the IRs are on at night.
Which DVR?:
I'm not as picky with the DVR, As long as it has enough memory (1TB minimum), camera inputs, and can be viewed remotely. Make sure the remote viewing can be done on another computer as well as mobile devices. Having a static IP address from your ISP is recommended as well. Most of the configuration is similar and you can set cameras to record 24/7 or when movement is present, as well as many other options. Keep in mind that the system sees "movement" as a pixel shift. It does not "look" for people or things, only senses changes in the pixels.
Most basic residential cameras systems from swann and others are decent entry level systems for the price. They do work but the quality of the cameras isn't the best. Here are some companies that offer good prices and tech support on their equipment.
Apexcctv.com
Monoprice.com (also has GREAT home theater equipment and HDMI cables)
Networkcamerastore.com (IP cameras only)
I've covered some of the basics here, I hope I didn't get too long. If anyone has any specific questions I would be more than happy to help out in any way possible.
Wired or wireless?:
I am a firm believer in hardwired cameras. I don't trust wireless devices to work all the time. Yes, they do work. But how often does your cell phone drop a call? Not often, but it still happens. I don't want my wireless equipment dropping out when I need it most. It takes more time and effort to hardwired systems but it is worth it. Troubleshooting hardwired devices is much easier than wireless. It's either the device, wire or panel/dvr. You can replace or fix the piece that is not working. The hardwired cameras are much cheaper to replace than wireless.
Wire options:
You can use the standard Siamese cable for analog cameras. This includes the coaxial (RG-59) for video transmission and a two conductor wire for supplying power. If you use Siamese cable you will need to make your own BNC ends for your connections. If you buy a kit you can use the supplied cable with pre-made ends. The only downfall is you can't change or adjust the length. The other option is to use Cat5 cable. It is a bit more expensive, however there are many benefits. You can still use analog cameras with Cat5, you just need to install a balun at each end of the wire. With Cat5 it is easier to upgrade your camera system to higher-end IP cameras at a later date. Simply swap out the cameras and dvr. Most of the new technology is moving towards integrating IP devices that are on a Cat5 backbone. Using Cat5 now prepares you for new technology upgrades and saves additional time rerunning wires.
IP or Analog Cameras?:
Analog cameras for years have been the standard for the industry. Analog cameras work well, but your are limited on image quality. The higher the TVL, the better image qualtity. The best example would be comparing the resolution of an old tube TV to the new flat screen HD TVs. Your old tv still works but the image quality is much better in HD. Over the last few years the price of IP cameras have come down in price and have made them more affordable. IP cameras are networked based (hence the name IP cameras) and the dvr does NOT have to be located on site. This helps secure the video from being stolen or damaged on site. IP cameras have additional options that make them nice but I won't get too detailed here. They are nice cameras, but they are still a bit pricey.
Bullet cameras are the most popular and cheapest available. You can spend a little more money to get vandal dome cameras that have dark domes that prevent someone to see what direction or area is being monitored. You normally see this in commercial settings.
Just make sure your cameras have IR capabilities for viewing at night! If not you will see NOTHING at night. The more IR leds on a camera, the better. Check the specs on the cameras before you buy. Many of the lower end cameras will produce a visible red glow when the IRs are on at night.
Which DVR?:
I'm not as picky with the DVR, As long as it has enough memory (1TB minimum), camera inputs, and can be viewed remotely. Make sure the remote viewing can be done on another computer as well as mobile devices. Having a static IP address from your ISP is recommended as well. Most of the configuration is similar and you can set cameras to record 24/7 or when movement is present, as well as many other options. Keep in mind that the system sees "movement" as a pixel shift. It does not "look" for people or things, only senses changes in the pixels.
Most basic residential cameras systems from swann and others are decent entry level systems for the price. They do work but the quality of the cameras isn't the best. Here are some companies that offer good prices and tech support on their equipment.
Apexcctv.com
Monoprice.com (also has GREAT home theater equipment and HDMI cables)
Networkcamerastore.com (IP cameras only)
I've covered some of the basics here, I hope I didn't get too long. If anyone has any specific questions I would be more than happy to help out in any way possible.
Last edited:
Thanks for the info.
I've got a question .... where's the best place to get high quality cameras that don't break the bank. I see lots of stuff on ebay from China ... makes me wonder it they're any good.
I've got the 16 camera system and plan to put up alternate cameras that I'll be able to switch to with a BNC switching system.
Mackey, I have had great experiences using apexcctv.com and optiviewusa.com Both have very good quality cameras available and great customer service. Optiview has matched and beat prices from other vendors for me before. They also offer a nice hybrid dvr that will work with both analog and ip cameras. I would recommend either one of these companies.
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