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Cortian

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Posts posted by Cortian

  1. Posted

    I don't know how Hikvision or Sony specifies their respective cameras' light performance, but I imagine it'd be similar to the way Dahua does.  If so, you'd be looking for specs that look something like: 

    Minimum Illumination    0.006Lux/F1.4 ( Color,1/3s,30IRE)
                        0.05Lux/F1.4 ( Color,1/30s,30IRE)
                        0Lux/F1.4 (IR on)

    That's for the low-light IP cameras I'll be using for outdoors.  (It has a Sony Starvis sensor in it, btw.)  The lower those lux numbers for the aperture and shutter speeds, the more light-sensitive they are.

    I cannot answer your NVR compatibility question.

  2. Posted

    The current "camera to beat" for outdoor use is probably the Dahua IPC-HDW5231R-ZE 2MP Starlight IP camera.  It can be powered with Power over Ethernet (PoE), so it meets your "one hole" criterion. But these are designed to talk to an NVR of some type, rather than cloud storage.  You can save a few shekels by going with the Dahua IPC-HDW2231R-ZS - 2MP Starlight "lite".

    I was also considering the Amcrest IP2M-844E ProHD IP camera, but wanted the low-light performance of the Dahua Starlight cameras.

    Going with cameras like these, you're looking at camera(s) + Ethernet cabling + either an NVR that supplies PoE or some other combination of methods to supply PoE and provide for recording.  Then there's the question of access to your camera(s) and/or recordings when you're away from home.

    It might help if you were to take a photo of the area you wish to cover, from as close as possible to the vantage point from which it'd be covered, and post it.  If you're looking for night time coverage, a night time shot, as well.

    If the problem occurs at night, btw, a simple motion-sensing floodlight might do the trick.  (And might be a good companion for the camera, in any event?)

    In fact: Ring makes a motion-activated outdoor light + camera combination that gets pretty good reviews.  If all you're ever going to want to cover is that one spot, and you'd rather cloud storage than your own, that might be the best way to go, if you can get them there.

    And, yes: It is not uncommon for thieves to simply walk about "twisting knobs" to see what readily opens for them.  It's quick, it's easy, and it's noiseless.

  4. Posted · Edited by Cortian

    Quote

    Would it work even though my garage and NVR are on different rings protected by individual RCBO's at the fuse box?

    I'm guessing you're in the UK, so I cannot answer with any certainty, but, here in the U.S. we usually have what's called "split phase" service in residences.  Center-tapped 240VAC enters the dwelling, which is then distributed on separate 120VAC buses.  In such installations, powerline Ethernet adaptors tend to fare poorly from one side of the split phase service to the other.

    It sounds like what you're talking about, though, is between separate branch circuits on the same phase.  If so: The answer is "yes."  Probably.  Note, though, that distance, as the wire runs, and the amount of electrical noise generators on the branches can influence performance.

    Also note that intermittent noise generators on the power lines can cause intermittent, apparently inexplicable performance issues.

    Quote

    Also how would it work with regards to powering the cameras? They only have Ethernet sockets, there is no power connector as they are POE.

    Add a PoE injector to place between the powerline adaptor and camera.

    If you're going to have more than one camera it may make sense to use a small PoE network switch.  E.g.: Powerline adaptor <-> switch <-> cameras.  Again, however: Whether that would work well or not will depend upon the powerline adaptors' performance.

    TPLink makes powerline Ethernet adaptors with PoE, but they get poor reviews.  Comtrend has them, as well, and they get pretty good reviews.  (I'm surprised not everybody who makes powerline Ethernet adaptors has PoE versions.  Seems like a natural pairing, to me.)

    We have a shed about 70 feet from the house.  I'm going to network that thing, some day.  Just for grins.  I plan to do it with a pair of 5GHz Ubiquiti radios, though.  I'll put a small PoE switch out there, a PoE-powered AP up in the peak inside, and a couple PoE cameras on the outside--one looking back at the house and one looking out across the yard, towards the woods :)

  6. Posted

    2 hours ago, tomcctv said:

    Well £550 for 4 X 2mp starlight  cameras says you bought from the wrong place.

    I blew the math somewhere along the line.  I'm paying the equivalent of about £470 for the four cameras.

    And you did write "ip is plug and play," not "NVR is plug and play."

  7. Posted

    5 hours ago, tomcctv said:

    £800 is a lot of money for a 4way in a bungalow and also because you are installing for family to keep a eye on you I would also have installed audio at your front door..... uk is full of bogus callers the last few months 

     

    can a member of your family fit it for you.... ip is plug and play 

    also please stay away from hikvision it is not suitable for your needs

    I can't speak to the Hikvision or audio questions, but I do question the cost opinion and family member suggestion.

    I'll have £550 invested in just four 2MP starlight cameras, Ethernet cable (500 ft.), and a PoE network switch.  Add another £236 for my NAS and we're up to £786, right there.  Running and terminating the cables.  Setup/configuration.  I don't know.  £800 for a turn-key 4-camera system doesn't seem outrageous to me.  But ICBW.

    As for having a family member do it: Yes: IP is plug-and-play-ish, but you do have to have some tech chops to pull it off, IMHO.

    I won't argue about Hikvision except to say one of my brothers-in-law runs a successful security company in Europe.  He uses both Hikvision and Dahua, along with some more "esoteric" brands that cost a good deal more.

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