Kawboy12R

If your PIR is set up correctly and matches your driveway, odds will be very good that you will get very few false alerts. If it is happening EVERY night and is one person doing it, then guess what? You've got good odds of catching the jerk the first night. It is VERY easy to catch someone who is predictable. Even three cameras would be good- one up the street, one down the street, and one zoomed in on your car. Something along the lines of a CNB VCM-24VF vandal dome would be a passable analog solution. Sees 940nm quite nicely, decent in low light with no IR, doesn't have or emit any IR by itself, and resists tampering with anything less than a baseball bat. Analog domes are slow to install, aim, and focus properly though unless you've done a few and have a screen right at the camera for instant feedback or someone else at the DVR assisting you. One GOOD hi-def network camera will cost less than a good dvr (cheap ones mangle the video that they store with low colour depth) and a few decent analog cams with low-light capability and no built-in IR (or high end enough to be able to turn it off and use external 950nm illuminators). Run the network cam from your computer with the free software that most come with and you're golden. Hide a cheap driveway alarm or two pointed right at your doors for near idiotproof alerts and you're good even if you fall asleep with a pot of coffee that first night. I'm partial to Axis P3364VE cameras for night work, but the LVE version has IR built in just in case you want to use built-in IR. There are inexpensive 940nm floodlights available on Amazon.

Cell-enabled game cam is the easiest battery powered wireless camera, but most of them trigger only at relatively short range. If you need constant recording of a big area and can forgo remote viewing and alerts then get a Plotwatcher Pro. You want to catch people entering a new home construction site and stealing your tools? Or monitoring an entire lot for material theft and employee presence/conduct live or after the fact? You want to recognize known people or get a crystal clear ID of strangers? Do you have access to Internet close to where you want the camera mounted? What do you need for wireless range? It all depends on your requirements and expectations. Looks like thewireguys has a good solution if you've got cell service or Internet handy. Alarm system integration with video is really the best way for after-hours intrusions. There's little point in having video if thieves have a 12+ hour window to see/steal/destroy your cameras, but something as simple as a Plotwatcher can monitor what's going on quite nicely if you can tuck it somewhere a bit out of the way.

The Keurig wifi dongle is $5 extra.

http://day6outdoors.com/products/plotwatcher-pro

You should do things in a different order. First, install a phone there. If it is just property damage then insurance will cover it, but if they might attack you and and your wife (or maybe your wife alone with you gone for a haircut or something) then reliable 911 service should be your first priority. Then probably an alarm system connected to your phone line to notify of breakins, fires, etc. You might add cheap driveway alarms (wireless motion sensors) at the entranceway and near your vehicles to notify you of intruders when you're there, or hook some better ones into your alarm system for remote notifications. The outdoor ones probably shouldn't notify police, just call or email you. Then cameras. Consider that cameras won't do a bit of good if they have days to notice your cameras, break in, steal the DVR, and then burn the place down to ensure that they didn't miss anything. Cameras are nice but are part of a total protection package. You need phone service and backup in the form of police before cameras. I've got some good friends named Winchester and some of my buddies are Savages, but your BEST friends wear uniforms.

The Axis is priced very well for what it can do for you. It'll work, be more versatile than the cheap ones, and be reliable for a long time. You can also monitor your recordings while you're away, view live if you want, have it send email alerts, etc. All of this while your computer is turned off. You might want to buy a PoE injector as well to power it though. Something along the lines of this gizmo might work for you- http://www.securitycamera2000.com/products/HD-1280x720-H.264-140-Degree-30FPS-Motion-Detection-Clock-DVR-.html?setCurrencyId=1 Plugs in the wall, takes a 32 gig card, and can hold hours of motion recordings. No motion? No wasted space. You probably don't want something that just does a snapshot unless it can take them repeatedly. One snapshot of a door opening won't do much good. Video is more versatile. This one says Windows 2000/XP/Vista32 support. It's cheap but you'll probably get your money's worth.

Functional characteristics: •The highest resolution can be up to 1280×960,Under this resolution can output real-time image •Used Advanced video compression technology, high compression ratio, and the handle is very flexible •Progressive scan CMOS, Capture images without sawtooth •Adopt high efficiency infrared lamp, long service life, irradiation distance up to 20 to 30 meters •ICR infrared filter chip automatic switch, achieve real monitoring day and night •Support standard ONVIF protocol •Support POE power supply function(optional) •Support dual stream, support for mobile phone monitoring •Support 3D digital noise reduction •In line with the level IP66 waterproof and dustproof design, high reliability •Support automatic electronic shutter function, to adapt to different monitoring environment •Complete functions: a key recovery, mirror, PTZ control, etc Might have something to do with the (optional) part...

Focus will be less of an issue during the day. Unless the factory focuses a camera at virtually point blank range it'll be useful at a wide range of distances during the day. Night is slightly more problematic, but those bullets with 4mm lenses seem to be workhorses for common mounting distances- ie pretty good wherever you want to use them. If they're out of focus at longer distances, well, the pixel count is too low to tell and things look like you'd expect when you blow something up past the useful pixel density anyway. At night I think the sensor is more problematic than the focus. The focus works well enough at 5 to 20 or maybe 30 feet or so and after that things are pretty lousy anyway. If you want distance performance you're better off with the 6 or 12 mm version (or a varifocal model) rather than trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, if you know what I mean.

I bought an 8ch Swann based on nvr hardware features and partially on a previous dislike for a completely different Lorex product. I can't compare the two NVRs based on much besides hardware capabilities because I've never used one. If you are satisfied with the Lorex dome image quality at night and mounting limitations of a two axis dome and aren't interested in the nvr features then go Lorex. Or it might be worth buying the Lorex and test-mounting a dome and a bullet over night and then making your decision after some short term testing and before mounting the whole kit. Your wants/needs/expectations/situation/etc aren't mine.

I don't have one but would like one so unfortunately I can't give you anything that google can't. Low lux separates the cams from the toys in many situations so I would look for meters with better precision in lower light conditions. Spending some time on ipvm.com might be a good investment as well.

If it were me I'd start with a good lux meter and an ISO 12233 chart to evaluate clarity of image from different cameras under measurable conditions.

Yes, PIRs need their own power and some kind of small paired wiring going to the nvr. And there is a ton to digest and no perfect solutions. Switches don't have alarm inputs. You can get CAMERAS that have their own alarm inputs that can pass this info along to an nvr solution through the network, thus technically going through the switch though. Lower end cams like the mini bullets in the kits don't come with alarm capabilities, although the better domes I linked to do. I think the varifocals in the Swann kit support alarm inputs but I'm on my phone now.

I haven't been 100% following the new vs old style Hikvision dome issue (Hikvision makes both the Lorex and Swann IP camera gear that is sold at Costco) but I think those domes are two axis (can't mount them on an angle and have a level picture) and have some IR bleed problems inside the dome. Here's a review of the cheaper Hik dome very similar to the one in the Lorex kit. Here's a review of the better Hik dome. Very reasonably priced for the performance and features it has. Seems to me though that there's two versions of the cheaper dome out there and the newer version is siginificantly better at night resulting from a redesign inside the camera to keep the LEDs from reflecting back into the lens off the inside of the dome. At one point the Costco kits had the old style but I'm not sure if they're shipping new style domes yet (or ever). This Swann kit has a MUCH better NVR, and the big varifocal bullets are quite nice. No domes, but the mini bullets fit just about anywhere. Personally, I like domes (especially without IR) near my main entrance because they're easier for visitors (and wives) to ignore, especially at night, but it's not a deal-killer. Also, the Lorex doesn't have alarm inputs on the NVR in case you want to add PIR motion detectors or other alarm devices to your system. The Swann NVR has the ability to add these. These are handy in case you want to easily tell when intruders are (or have been) on your property. Video based motion detection goes off all the time, so you'll go nuts using outdoor video motion detection for alerts and will ignore them. Reviewing video is a hobby and can take quite a bit of time, especially if you have sensitivity set to catch motion more than 5-10 feet away from the camera. If a PIR, gate latch, glass break, or pressure mat (or whatever else) alarm goes off, odds are really good that it went off for a good reason. For example, don't ignore your carport PIR alarm going off at 4am, or if you have a PIR inside your house when you're on vacation. Some of these are probably more effectively integrated into your home intrusion alarm (ADT or whatever) system though, but I like handing out pictures of car prowlers to neighbours even when my car doors were locked. Without good alarms or constant monitoring, you'd never know someone jiggled your handle in the middle of the night. If budget is more of a concern than features though, just stick something up with enough well-placed cameras to get you the ID you need in case of trouble. I'd hate to buy three nice cameras for the front of my place and have some crackhead break in the back door when I could've had a cheaper system covering everything. Also, don't skimp on not getting a cellular-connected alarm system in favour of a more expensive camera system. They can give you nice smartphone alerts of prowlers in and even around your home (don't tie in the outdoor alerts to police though), alert you, your neighbours, and police in case of break-ins as they're happening, call the fire department, etc.

Best bang for the buck in network cams with good return policy is either a Swann or Lorex system at Costco. Swann has alarm inputs and lower operating temps IIRC. Cams are much better for detail and handling sun/shade than any analog cam even close to their price I've seen for daytime use. Night is decent but not fantastic . Still good for their price though.

http://www.amazon.com/LTS-LTA1010-Passive-Video-Connectors/dp/B001HBP9ZC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1384879351&sr=8-1&keywords=power+video+balun Something like these. The link isn't special, just the top hit on amazon. This way you can reuse the cables for network cameras afterwards or return your kit easier if you don't like it. There are even cheaper links to power video baluns as well, but some of the super cheapos don't have the BALanceUNbalance circuitry inside and the video will be terrible. Use premade cables or roll your own. Get a cat 5 crimper and tester and a roll of cable (preferably outdoor) and you're good to go. Expect a learning curve and time investment to crimping your own ends though.

Don't have time for much detail but I'd probably stick one in the carport on a back corner looking out at the cars and slightly out the driveway. Angle depends on what else you want to cover outdoors and what the other cams show. WDR will be important here to show detail outdoors when it is sunny. Put at least a 6mm and maybe a 12mm lensed cam pointing out the driveway from the carport. For the visitor front door on the porch I'd probably stick a higher quality dome (unobtrusive) in the corner right above the door and to the left looking out. Much better closeup of folks entering the house, it still covers the windows, and gives better awareness of what's going on around the house because it's pointing out. If using a cheap cam here though then pointing at the house will simplify things and give better shots of those on the porch. Shaded subjects with bright backlighting in the day don't give good pics with cheap cameras. You might want to do a test hang with wires out your windows or front door for a bit to learn your cameras under different conditions before running wires to a spot you decide you don't like and your cams don't perform well in after a day or two. Realize that I'm not saying your cams are cheap (well, not bottom of the barrel anyway), I just don't know them so I can't speak to how well they'll perform under different conditions. I'd expect decent results for unadjustable analogs under uncomplicated conditions but less than great results in more challenging areas. Highly varied light and dim light or darkness are challenging. Try to keep cameras near your entryways within 10' (preferably 5') of where you expect people to walk. Also, I'd probably NOT use the cables that came with your kit. Run cat 5 and use baluns (house them in receptacles with a few feet of extra cable if possible if the Samsungs don't have pigtails long enough to run inside) for futureproofing (MUCH easier to upgrade to network cams) and doesn't anchor you to the kit if you decide to return it if it doesn't perform as you hope.

Night Owl is on crack. You might be able to adjust things like brightness and contrast a bit in the DVR to help tone down the whiteness but it looks to me like lousy dollar store cameras. The specs say that you can hook them up to a TV, so hook them up directly to your TV. When (not if) they still look like crap at night, tell Night Owl that it isn't a DVR issue and they aren't working with your TV like they advertise and are giving you completely unacceptable images. That way they can't weasel out of it by blaming Nuvico.

If the weatherproof surface is polycarbonate (Lexan) you're already covered. If it's glass, pretty much the same deal for UVB and UVC. To a lesser extent UVA unless it is specially coated. To be sure, find out exactly what the weatherproof surface is and Google it. Personally, I'd be more worried about the UV breaking down the plastic in the monitor over the long term rather than making the image on the screen fade in and out. As far as personal experience goes, bright sun makes almost any screen difficult to see. As for my phone, the only time I remember sunlight affecting it over the longer term (rather than making it hard to read instantly) was when it shut down from overheating on the dash of my car and gave me some kind of thermal protection shutdown message. I don't work with any screens mounted outdoors in direct sunlight all day though, so my experiences are different from your installation. I'd try to recreate the problem in a number of ways before travelling to the site if it were me. Leave a couple of brands of monitors out in the sun all day and see what happens. If they're closely monitored and don't do it while not in an enclosure and do it up at the site when installed, I'd suspect overheating. Maybe bring a digital thermometer that remembers max and min temperatures and stick the probe in the enclosure if it's not easy to have someone check it for you. Also, does this happen only in the daytime on hot sunny days, or cooler cloudy days? It runs all night and is fine? It really sounds like a heat problem if you're waiting for things to warm up before recreating it. Sunny cold days don't do it, or has that yet to be determined?

This isn't a power saving setting kicking in regardless of it being outdoors? I'd also check adaptive display settings in your menus. Some displays change screen brightness based on environmental brightness. If it has them I'd find them and turn off any "smart" settings to eliminate possible unintuitively strange results from it not expecting to be mounted outdoors. Also, what is the temperature in the enclosure? I wonder if some kind of overheating protection might be kicking in over time as it runs for a while and heats up as well.

But could you beat him with better detail when you used the rg6? And don't even get me started about the "skin effect" and the importance of using copper clad steel rg6 only for tying people up and not for CCTV...

Does anybody remember who on here wrote the vehicle speed calculator that used a cctv cam and dvr? Seems to me it was Rory from Bahamas Security. At the time it had issues with being accurate for one lane only (no compensation for distance from cam), but that'd be easy to manually recalculate for vehicles using the other lane. A quick search on here didn't bring it up for me though. Unfortunately Rory doesn't come on here anymore to ask but someone with a better memory or more time than me might be able to dig it up.

Bingo! After you leave the extreme low-budget sector, the economics in the middle of the range seem to work better for IP in many ways.

Video and picture formats are allowed. Try using the Windows snipping tool and grab a screenshot or two of what is in the Word document and post the pics. Or hit PrtScrn (copies the screen to the clipboard) and paste it into Paint and save it. Or use some of these utilities- http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-screen-capture-utility.htm

Axis P1214E. Not sure how well they do in "low light" though. One person's "low light" is another's "well lit" front porch.

Here is my reply and the option that you need to use. See the "Filename" option under the message and click the "Choose File" button. Then click "Add the file" after choosing one.