sequoia

I'm satisfied with the outdoor camera coverage at my location, except I want very good and moderately tight shots of a driveway and entrance. From the angle I want to shoot from, my only location is to place a camera in a flower bed and disguise it somehow. I don't want to use a pinhole camera as I want much better image resolution and control than that. What are some options on hiding a camera in plain sight? I read somewhere else about putting one in a bird house, which seems doable-- any other suggestions?

I have a cabin that I want to add a few 2-5MP IP cams to. It has a pathetically slow (but mostly reliable) DSL connection. Because of infrequent use I don't want to pay for a more expensive DSL option. I presume that video playback of megapixel camera files will be poor over the slow DSL connection, so I would like to have my remote cabin location use FTP or some other service to automatically (unattended) upload the most recent video files to my home on a set schedule. Upload speed is not an issue as I could schedule it to take place overnight when there is no other activity. With the files uploaded onto my home network, I could then do a quick review of the files without the slowdowns involved in viewing remotely. Are there any recommendations on what is the best choice to do this? Some sort of FTP system that includes scheduling capability? Other methods? I can leave a PC running in the location that would be doing the upload, but I don't want to expose my home network to too many security risks from leaving things open and waiting for a connection.

AXIS just introduced their line of covert IP cameras. This is exactly what I have needed for some time. I would pair these with the AVTECH units that can recognize AXIS cameras and cause a still shot to be emailed when a sensor is tripped. Questions- for someone starting out brand new with IP cameras, what would I need or what would you suggest purchasing in addition to the camera? I have a POE device already, but do I need IP camera software, a NVR, or ???? My application is to monitor and capture the identify of each person visiting my business, i.e. similar to capturing a photo of each person using an ATM machine. I would also like the ability to remotely login to the camera to view it and I have DSL or better at each of my locations.

I currently have 3 separate analog DVR/camera installations in 3 separate locations-- one commercial, two residential. 14 cameras in one location, 8 in another, and 4 in the other. I want to migrate all of it, over time, to IP. When I am done with the changeover I want a quality system with good cameras, good software, and reasonable compatibility between all components. My typical uses are to record activity at each location, view the locations on demand throughout the day, and do a morning review of all "overnight" activity that was identified based on motion or sensor. My budget is to spend what I need to, without getting outrageous on camera and system costs. If I can obtain all my needed equipment and have it average out to about $1,000/camera I am comfortable with that. I am trying to figure out what "standard" to employ regarding my future purchasing, or whether it would be better to forgo any such self-imposed standard and just mix/match equipment to best suit each individual need. For example, I could standardize on Axis cameras and Avigilon CMS, which seems a safe route, but I am unsure if this is truly needed or is truly desirable. What are your thoughts? Finally, if you use the Axis/Avigilon as one possible standard, what are other combinations that should be considered as alternatives? There are so many camera and software possibilities that I find it difficult to come to my own consensus on what to do, yet I do want to get started.

One of my areas of discomfort is the channel strategy by Avigilon. I recognize they have a quality product, and wish to protect it. But after researching it and getting a camera / software quote, I still don't understand how their licensing works. That is *way* uncomfortable when you are considering making something a standard to follow for months and years to come. Can anyone help me understand their "per camera" license? If it doesn't restrict by camera MAC address, how does the "per camera" work?

Route ports 2000-2007 to the IP address of the dvr.

I currently use Bosch WDR cameras and traditional DVR systems, and they work OK for my needs. I am looking to upgrade to IP cameras, am comfortable with spending about $1,000 per camera, and want functionality to connect over the internet via PC or (ideally) a droid phone also. My two immediate applications are to watch my front yard area which is located in a cul-de-sac. The area to view is about 150' deep by 150' wide. My second application is to watch the rear area of my business. This is a smaller area of maybe 75' deep and 50' wide. I've always consider AXIS a good brand, but I am new to IP cameras and don't know anything about needed NVR's, licenses, etc. Is the AXIS P3364-VE a good starter camera to meet the above needs and get me started into the IP world?

Whoops one more thing. Another potential appeal with Axis is that the AVTECH monitor products automatically sense/identify AXIS cameras within the same network, and you can supposedly have the AVTECH device do the "sensing" part of an alarm condition and it would then grab a screen shot from the camera and email it. This separates the decision on whether to email a photo to the logic device instead of relying on motion detect within the camera. If it is simply emailed on camera motion detect, I would always get an image whether I wanted it or needed it or not. If I rely on the AVTECH logic device to figure it out I can cut way way back on how many images would get sent, depending on factors I can program in and control externally.

I'm attacted to this model because it separates the lens from the rest of the camera. Therefore you only need to mount/hide/disguise the lens itself, not the lens and camera body. One application I have is to install a camera within a block wall (filled with concrete and rebar), so trying to put a full size cam in such a location is a non-starter. My money changer is flush with the block wall with a stainless steel face so mounting something the size of a regular camera on the external wall would be prohibitively weird looking. With this model it is my understanding I can hollow out enough of the exterior of the block wall for the lens part, run the cable through the wall to the processing unit, add a discreete looking flush mount cover, and be done. That is appealing compared to making something much larger for a standard camera. Another application is to put a lens in between shelves of a vending machine pointing out through the glass looking at the customer (or vandal!) Again, no room for a standard camera. Right now both of these applications have overhead cameras pointing down, and of course if someone wears a hat in that scenario I have no way to get a good identity shot. Is there any model of Avigilon that offers such a similar capability? I'm not sold on any particular brand, and I know Avigilon has a great reputation, but the small size of this unit will let install it in areas that were not before possible. (I did experiment with some analog covert board cameras but back then the resolution was too poor.) Finally, I'm comfortable at $1,000/camera if I am buying quality. I could push that to $1,500 or so if there are better options to choose from ....

I have a dozen cameras watching the exterior areas of my business. When it rains, nearly all the cameras "go crazy" with detecting motion, recording video, and plugging up my event history so full that it's worthless to try to sort out a "real" event from ordinary rain. Ditto with snow-- that really sends the motion detect crazy. My DVR offers only pre-set sensitivity settings, such as "Medium", "Lowest", "Low", etc. If I dial them down to be insensitive to rain, they miss a LOT of activity when it is not raining. And the reverse. Are there any special tricks about how to keep a good "motion detect" capability even while the area being watched is subject to rain and snow? To be specific, I have one area of my parking lot where I would like to know if a vehicle has arrived, left, or just passed by. I am really hoping to get some sort of all-weather reliable motion detect, at least on this one camera.

Great responses, thank you. And a great review-- very helpful. Although I want to view what is happening up to 150' away, I would like to do facial recognition within about 50' or closer. If I bumped up to 2MB do you feel this is achievable, or would the 5MP camera be required? Finally I also looked at the AXIS P3384VE. Does this model differ much from the P3364-VE? Thanks!

I believe this topic will start becoming much more prevalent in the near future as LED fixtures get more popular. I am currently converting some metal halide and compact fluorescent lights to LED fixtures. The LED fixtures use a fraction of the wattage, and when you have a lot of them and they burn all night long it is a cost issue. Apparently the cameras like the fluorescent and metal halides just fine, but get easily "washed out" by the LED lights if the light is concentrated at all. I have some pix I will try to crop up and post here in the future, but as of right now my conversion to LED lights might become endangered if I can't work out the issues with the cams. Question- the fixtures are available in cool white and warm white. Has anyone seen a difference in fluorescent light performance (using cams) between the two? Thanks.

The videoiq solution looked ideal for my single IP camera need. I followed directions on the web site regarding "how to buy", which consisted of emailing an employee at videoiq. No response. Are these products really in the channel and for sale?

Thanks

Any results to share yet?

At my home, I have a DVR with 6 traditional coax-wired CCTV cameras for security. I also have a CAT-5 based home network system and ReadyNAS storage system. I want to add a single, high resolution camera which watches my front yard and records motion or activity. My goal is to identify facial features in case the man who burglarized my truck comes back to do it again. I'm satisfied with leaving the other perimiter cameras as they currently are, so I don't need to upgrade to a NVR or hybrid. But, I want a single high resolution camera to be added along with recording and storage. Remote playback would be nice, but isn't a deal breaker. What is the best route for doing just a single IP camera and having record and playback options?

Looks very interesting-- thanks for posting!

It does look like the camera body of the Arecont would better fit if disguised in a bird house. What is the difference between a Arecont 3130 and a 3135? And, is there any way to compare night performance between the Mobotix and the Arecont? I'm assuming both are excellent during daytime. And, I looked at the VideoIQ site to check out their solution but I didn't really understand their product. When I have more time I will go back and watch their instructional videos.

I would likely disguise it in a bird house. A visible camera and motion floodlight might not be very compatiable with my neighborhood, not to mention that I have a very large front yard that curves around a large cul-de-sac. So getting good coverage, using a floodlight on a motion sensor, might be difficult. I'm more thinking of a high res day/night cam and putting an IR illuminator in a completely different location.

I did neglect to mention that the landscaped area in the background of the brighter pic was lit with a 250w metal halide on the face of the building. I think this is what caused the confusion. So, although there was a dramatic change to the lighting in the foreground from the change from fluor to LED, there was also a change to the lighting in the background. I didn't think about the effect of that at the time. Had I considered that, I would have re-tested with the background lighting on so that both shots were equal except for the change in the foreground. But, given the results so far, I think the "spot focus" 20 deg LED would still be problematic. I have returned it now and have ordered replacement LED fixtures that have a 360 deg dispersal. I didn't really want ceiling fixtures, but considering camera performance I think I need to broaden out the LED focus as much as possible.

If you are commenting on my images, they were taken about 5 minutes apart, both at night. A dusk to dawn light is great. But what happens when you have many of them, adding up to thousands of watts of them, burning 10+ hours, 365 days per year? The LED's start becoming attractive. Energy savings is one issue. So is bulb and ballast replacement.

OK I have some pics. Not sure if I can upload them but I will try. The first set is primarily lit with a 96W compact fluorescent twin tube fixture. (There is a secondary fixture, identical, outside of the picture but not adding a great deal of light.) The second pic is a 28w LED fixture with a 20 degree spot focus. I was hoping to spot light the wall, signage, and equipment with enough light throw or light spillage elsewhere for the cams to work. NOT !!

Yes, I see a dramatic difference just between your 8w LED and 11w LED. I'm using either 28w or 56w LED. The 28w LED had a 20 deg beam, and it washed out anything I pointed it at. The 56w had a 40 deg beam, and depending on adjustment I could get a moderately acceptable result. (Had to point it to a wide open space.) So the good news is that LED's can save money on electric bills. But then go spend all that and maybe more to reconfig all your cams.

Ugh, I need to do the PIR wireless. So the balance is for a receiver and misc stuff to integrate it with my DVR and other alarm capabilities.

My parking lot perimiter lights are typically 175W metal halide. Lots of good, bright, light. And lots of maintenance with bulbs and ballasts, plus the light output of the bulb degrades after about 18 months in service. I am looking at cost/energy savings by replacing them with 56-watt Cool White LED floodlights (5600k). They deliver 3300 lumens, comparable to a 100W HID fixture. I know that I will lose some light capability, as I am downgrading from a 175w fixture to roughly a 100w fixture. I figure my cams can handle that as they are still in color mode at night and I can't get them to go b/w mode even at the lowest setting. But, I know the color of the LED lamps is different, and I am curious if anyone has compared the effectiveness of the LED lighting on security cams if/when replacing a metal halide lamp? fyi the Lamp Color Rendition is 65 CRI