CCTV system

Aquos76

Im looking to get some sort of cctv system for the front and the rear of my house, Ive no idea where to start but I would be competent to install it myself. Ive goggled a few different systems but I'm not in a position to decide if they are any good or not.

I did come across this one and it seemed to get decent reviews, well the dvr does anyway

I would appreciate any advice thats on offer and possibly some suggestions to the sort of kit I should be looking towards if the one linked above is a piece of crap. Thanks a lot.

KoolKid

Very little information on it there.
The Info you would be looking for is:
Size of Hard Drive, I would be looking for 500gb or higher
Cameras resolution , I would be looking for 600tvl or higher.
Record Rate ,Frames per second ,50 would be ok but I would look for 100 .

Aquos76

The size of the included HD is 500gb, as regards camera resolution would the 420tvl be of an acceptable level for a basic home system. I also come across this system which seems very similar too. Seems to be a bit more info on here.

Thanks for your reply

KoolKid

Everything is good there except the cameras.
420 tvl is too low IMO.

Aquos76

Slightly better camera included on this system from Peats, how does this one compare

http://www.peats.com/cgi-bin/catalog_v2.cgi?id=28173&type=product

KoolKid

Not a greeat one either

Includes 4 all-weather, high resolution 480TVL cameras with powerful night vision to 65ft/20m
Set and forget by recording from 4 cameras for 120 days+ onto a massive 500GB hard drive, even longer with motion detection+

Again 480TVL is too low IMO
Getting 120 days onto 500gb is going to be a pretty low frame rate and quality.

For the money you are thinking of you would be better off looking at some of the suppliers in the sticky.

Aquos76

120 days on to a 500gb isnt really an issue for me as I will be using the motion method rather than constant recording.

With regards to checking out the suppliers sticky, As my budget is €500 max I really didnt think I could get a system from one of the local companies for that price to be honest, I will ring around on Monday so, unless anyone would like to PM me a price and a recommended system.

Thanks for your help KoolKid

Aquos76

Right, I'm back again, I have access to a VAT number so buying from here might be an option

I've picked out 4 of these 600 TVL cameras,

complete with 20 Metre Cable
12V DC 1A Power Supply and BNC Adaptor, Will Plug Directly into a Switcher, Quad Unit, DVR

and possibly this dvr unit, is there anything I'm forgetting?

Including carriage its coming in at £485 which is around €560, which seems ok for decent quality equipment or again am I missing something obvious?

Jnealon

Avoid ebay, have a look at cctv direct

TheInquisitor

Forget these redundant TVL cameras. Go for an IP camera. They are much higher quality than the old fashioned cameras

Aquos76

TheInquisitor wrote: »

Forget these redundant TVL cameras. Go for an IP camera. They are much higher quality than the old fashioned cameras

And also a lot more expensive too, I'm only looking for something to put on the front and rear of the house. Thanks for your advice though. I think I will look at 540tvl as min spec and if I can stretch to a system which is within my budget I'll go for 600tvl.

KoolKid

Still worth checking out the suppliers. A lot of them do specials on kits.

TheInquisitor

Aquos76 wrote: »

And also a lot more expensive too, I'm only looking for something to put on the front and rear of the house. Thanks for your advice though. I think I will look at 540tvl as min spec and if I can stretch to a system which is within my budget I'll go for 600tvl.

Check out ACTI camera systems. They are excellent value for money.

A view from our store

C.TECH

TheInquisitor wrote: »

Check out ACTI camera systems. They are excellent value for money.

A view from our store

Nice Pic!

is that an IR camera? What is the fps set at? what resolution? did you get an NVR or a Hybrid for recording? is it IP rated for outside? is it Linux or PC based? Did you require a PC for set up? Will the OP need any training on these products or their installation?

These are questions that need to be answered when you post a pic like that, imho anyway.
The OP is looking for a decent and affordable system, standard CCTV is the way to go here, he wants to see the front/back of his house, not read the barcodes on a newspaper stand.

@ AQUOS76; Look through the suppliers list and talk to the companies on there, you'll need to be in the trade of course(or at least a relevant trade), as most of them protect the margins for the tradesmen on here (some of us do anyway :cool:) and won't deal with end users at all.

My suggestion would be to find a qualified CCTV Installer and bite the bullet on the cost, it'll save so much grief.

TheInquisitor

is that an IR camera?

No not an IR Camera

What is the fps set at?

8 FPS

what resolution?

I've got it set at max 1280x1024 resolution

did you get an NVR or a Hybrid for recording?

I've got an NVR.

is it IP rated for outside?

This model is not suited for outside. Picture is to show the quality. Loads of other outside cameras on website including loads of IR cameras.

is it Linux or PC based?

PC based

Did you require a PC for set up?

Yes the camera system has its own separate PC. Not necessary for what OP needs as we have 16 cameras

Will the OP need any training on these products or their installation?

No more training needed compared to any other CCTV. Very simple to use.

Here is the website

http://www.acti.com/product/category/Box_Camera

They also have tones of demo videos on their website and on youtube.

C.TECH

Aquos76 wrote: »

Im looking to get some sort of cctv system for the front and the rear of my house, Ive no idea where to start but I would be competent to install it myself. Ive goggled a few different systems but I'm not in a position to decide if they are any good or not.

I did come across this one and it seemed to get decent reviews, well the dvr does anyway

I would appreciate any advice thats on offer and possibly some suggestions to the sort of kit I should be looking towards if the one linked above is a piece of crap. Thanks a lot.

TheInquisitor wrote: »

No not an IR Camera

8 FPS

I've got it set at max 1280x1024 resolution

I've got an NVR.

This model is not suited for outside. Picture is to show the quality. Loads of other outside cameras on website including loads of IR cameras.

PC based

Yes the camera system has its own separate PC. Not necessary for what OP needs as we have 16 cameras

No more training needed compared to any other CCTV. Very simple to use.

Here is the website

http://www.acti.com/product/category/Box_Camera

They also have tones of demo videos on their website and on youtube.

http://www.acti.com/training/ACTi_ACE.asp


^^^^^ That's the link to the tab beside the page you linked...

But of course that's for professionals, not your average Joe, it still makes the point that IP is a considerable deviation from the norm, even for experienced engineers, and it requires training. I don't expect an average end-user would be educated enough to deal in resolutions and fps or even know what an NVR is.
Then again, maybe it would be easy. A single IP camera can sometimes be no more complicated than your average webcam, assuming you're not using all the features.


The point I'm making, is that while your camera appears to be great and part of a top notch system, it's hardly what the OP asked for.

TheInquisitor

My point is what is the point at installing a system that you will be disappointed in. With IP systems (which have been around for 10 years now) you get a system that has fantastic image quality, is easy to use (just like a digital camera or video recorder) and is also easily upgradable . One camera at a time if needs be.

My system overwrites the saved data each month . There's no need to look after it at all. It runs completly by itself. If there is any movement you can have it leave small messages at the side of the program telling you exactly when. When you capture someone on camera there is literally no doubt who it is.

I had one guy claiming it wasn't him on camera until i zoomed in and showed him the nice tatoo he had on the side of his neck.

TVL cameras have reached their absolute maximum quality now and it still isnt good on playback. That picture i showed there is from a .3 megapixel camera. I mean there are 60 mega pixels cameras out now ( not that thats what OP wants) but a .3 megapixel camera is definitely worth it.

C.TECH

TheInquisitor wrote: »

My point is what is the point at installing a system that you will be disappointed in. With IP systems (which have been around for 10 years now) you get a system that has fantastic image quality, is easy to use (just like a digital camera or video recorder) and is also easily upgradable . One camera at a time if needs be.

My system overwrites the saved data each month Standard for any system . There's no need to look after it at all Isn't it PC based?. It runs completly by itself. If there is any movement you can have it leave small messages at the side of the program telling you exactly when again, standard stuff, all of it. When you capture someone on camera there is literally no doubt who it is.

I had one guy claiming it wasn't him on camera until i zoomed in and showed him the nice tatoo he had on the side of his neck. You took a guy with a tattoo on his neck into your office to show him the incriminating evidence on your NVR..how do you even need security with stones like that?

TVL cameras have reached their absolute maximum quality now and it still isnt good on playback You were obviously exposed to inferior recorders. That picture i showed there is from a .3 megapixel camera. I mean there are 60 mega pixels cameras out now ( not that thats what OP wants) but a .3 megapixel camera is definitely worth it.

.4 Megapixel would be about the same as 540tvl, so I assume you mean 1.3 Megapixel.

I think IP camera systems are great, just not the ones that most people can afford. The trade-off between resolution and Fps is just too much, you can't have it both ways with IP, unless you spend some serious money. As illustrated by your own 8fps set up.

In the case of the OP, a nice, decent spec standard CCTV system, installed by a qualified tradesman, would be just the ticket.

Aquos76

Right all, many thanks for all your information and advice, I rang a couple of local companies to get some prices and some different options, so Ill see how that pans out. I reckon I will go with a 520tvl camera system as I've seen some systems in operation today with those cameras and to be honest I was impressed with the quality of those and I reckon they will definitely be perfect for my needs and my budget also.

I have began to do some wiring this afternoon for whichever system I go for, I needed to get an internet connection set up up in my attic which is converted, thats where I plan on having the system installed as it will be the easiest place to have all the cables fed back to.

I used high quality cat6 cable to run from my PC down stairs up into the attic, a pain in the arse, however its done now, now I need to know which way do I wire the cable, am I making a straight through or a crossover cable. I assume its a straight through cable that Ive to make but just double checking.

Also, Ive been informed that Im going to run into problems with the iphone app due to UPC only offering dynamic ip address rather than static ip address to residential customers, would I be right in assuming that providing I leave my router switched on I should be able to access via the app until router switches off or resets itself, and then it would only be a matter of typing in the new ip address.

Sorry for all the questions lads, ye have been very helpful up to now. Thanks a lot.

C.TECH

Aquos76 wrote: »

Right all, many thanks for all your information and advice, I rang a couple of local companies to get some prices and some different options, so Ill see how that pans out. I reckon I will go with a 520tvl camera system as I've seen some systems in operation today with those cameras and to be honest I was impressed with the quality of those and I reckon they will definitely be perfect for my needs and my budget also.

I have began to do some wiring this afternoon for whichever system I go for, I needed to get an internet connection set up up in my attic which is converted, thats where I plan on having the system installed as it will be the easiest place to have all the cables fed back to.

I used high quality cat6 cable to run from my PC down stairs up into the attic, a pain in the arse, however its done now, now I need to know which way do I wire the cable, am I making a straight through or a crossover cable. I assume its a straight through cable that Ive to make but just double checking.

Also, Ive been informed that Im going to run into problems with the iphone app due to UPC only offering dynamic ip address rather than static ip address to residential customers, would I be right in assuming that providing I leave my router switched on I should be able to access via the app until router switches off or resets itself, and then it would only be a matter of typing in the new ip address.

Sorry for all the questions lads, ye have been very helpful up to now. Thanks a lot.

The connection is a straight through.

Your IP address will change eventually.

You can set up an account here http://dyn.com/dns/dyndns-free/

Put the same address, name and password you create on there, into your DVR Network settings (DDNS). The DVR will update to your address every time there's an IP change. You can use the DDNS address in place of the WAN IP address on your App, you'll never lose the connection.