Non-motoring > Home CCTV Camera / System advice. Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Fenlander Replies: 8
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New Tue 18 Nov 14 11:54 
 Home CCTV Camera / System advice. - Fenlander
Anyone using a small budget system?

Our place is perhaps a bit unusual in that it's tucked away and there is only one window downstairs and one upstairs where you can see someone arriving on either foot or by car. We can't see my car on the drive or the garage doors at all from any window.

So I'd been thinking ever since we lived here one day I'd put up a camera that would show our drive area, perhaps linked to the PC or maybe a small monitor on the wall in the hallway.

Then recently there were some daytime house burglary attempts/successes in the village which made me upgrade some locks and better secure the side gate etc... and wonder more about getting round to fitting some camera system.

Any thoughts appreciated.

Last edited by: Fenlander on Tue 18 Nov 14 at 11:55
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New Tue 18 Nov 14 12:14 
 Home CCTV Camera / System advice. - No FM2R
I have a smallish system at my farm. You need to consider what you want to achieve.

If you want to be in a position where somebody's face can be recognized at night then you'll needs lights and good cameras.

If you just want to be able to monitor during the day, then you won't need the lights, but depending on how detailed you want can make a significant difference to cost.

If you simply want it to look like you have a system, don't buy a dummy camera because people recognise them, just buy a secondhand real one from EBay and stick it up convincingly.

Can you say a bit more about what you want to achieve?
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New Tue 18 Nov 14 13:14 
 Home CCTV Camera / System advice. - Fenlander
Ha ha I saw some of that stuff re your farm system... I don't want that level of grief.

Well I guess you could say a third of the requirement is just to see an arrival by car or foot, or someone nosing about, when I'm in the house... so a monitor in the hall or feed to the PC/laptop might sort that.

Another third is the contribution a visible camera/s can make to a potential thief passing us by and going elsewhere.

Then the final element is an actual recording of any possible thief or troublemaker.

Lights in the area cameras would cover are already in existence.

Agree re dummy ones possibly not looking like real cameras. It's comparable to buy a cheap pair of new cameras for about the same as Argos charge for a couple of dummies.

I guess this is typical budget system quality??

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AwmBkRB6p4k

Last edited by: Fenlander on Tue 18 Nov 14 at 13:18
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New Tue 18 Nov 14 13:25 
 Home CCTV Camera / System advice. - No FM2R
For what you want I would suggest that you just go and buy any network enabled camera (WiFi if the distance is short enough) and plug it into any old PC or laptop.

www.maplin.co.uk/p/sentient-waterproof-colour-cctv-camera-kit-l21az

An easy trick to help is that the supplied cable has two wires for video and two wires for audio. Unless you need audio, cut and splice the audio wires on to the power input at the camera end and on to the power supply at the other.

There's a ton of free viewing /monitoring/ recording software that you can use on the PC, none of which needs a powerful computer.

I use one called CMS. I can give you a link if you wish.

The resolution will be ok at night, but you're probably not going to get something which you can zoom in on a face and recognize the person.

You can spend more if you wish, but you'll have to spend a load more to make much difference; £150 for a system with a built in DVD, £500 for really good resolution, etc. etc.

Its all very easy to set up. I can even do remote monitoring now!!
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New Tue 18 Nov 14 13:14 
 Home CCTV Camera / System advice. - Dutchie
I would think he wants a monitor for day and night vieuwing.

I asked the chap who fitted our burglar alarm if he could do me a CCTV system if I wanted one.

Three monitors and the set up for about £400.He is a ex navy man technician problaby buy's the systems at cheap cost.Good thing to have as a deterrent.
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New Tue 18 Nov 14 13:26 
 Home CCTV Camera / System advice. - No FM2R
>>I guess this is typical budget system quality??

Yes, with good lighting.
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New Wed 19 Nov 14 09:54 
 Home CCTV Camera / System advice. - BobbyG
I think this would fit into the category, like many others, of "if I had spent a bit more I could have got x as well"

We use the Swann kits from Maplins in our shops, not HD or anything resembling it but good enough for our purpose. I would imagine for a home set up it would be fine and you also get the APP to view anywhere.

Not sure if there is anyway of connecting the home setup to your TV though or whether you would need a separate montitor. (Oh, and having suspended ceilings in shops to throw cables over is also handy!)
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New Thu 20 Nov 14 11:26 
 Home CCTV Camera / System advice. - Falkirk Bairn
>>(Oh, and having suspended ceilings in shops to throw cables over is also handy!)

Wireless Swanns!

www.swann.com/uk/swnvw-470pk4
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New Thu 20 Nov 14 16:23 
 Home CCTV Camera / System advice. - wokingham
And now this - your home cctv hacked and put on the internet! tinyurl.com/kchlx6e
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