CCTV camera options? Advice needed

[morphix 0]

Hi all,

 

I'm looking to setup a CCTV solution for evidence gathering purposes in a specific legal dispute with neighbours who live in a flat/apartment below.

 

I'm perplexed by the bewildering amount of products on the market, and all the different technology available...

 

However I do have some quite specific requirements (or rather limitations I should say) which may help narrow things down... which are as follows:

 

1. I can only record indoors from the kitchen windowsill (for legal and practical reasons).

2. Because of the above, something small, compact and discrete is needed.

3. It needs to have very clear, sharp image quality.

4. Needs to be able to make out faces and car reg plates 20-30 feet away.

5. It needs to to film at night-time filming to a distance of maybe 20-30 feet in darkness.

6. I don't want to spend more than £150 / $250.

7. Ideally something networked which I can monitor on my PC with Zoneminder.

8. Zoom, Pan & Tilt would be a distinct advantages, but not essential.

9. Images must have time and date stamp, or camera must be Zoneminder compatible.

 

The first camera I have considered which ticked most of the boxes was the Foscam FI8918W however it looks like it has a poor censor and image quality. From what I've seen on demos wouldn't be good evidence purposes at the distance I'm recording.

 

From what I've read, this is a common problem with budget wifi CMOS cameras, and CCD is the way to go for sharp images. However CCD cameras are usually more bulky and expensive.

 

I've been wondering whether I need a CCTV camera at all, and perhaps a more creative approach might be better... for example, I have an ITX (very small) PC I could hook up with a USB camera to take timed shots.. that potentially opens up possibilities like webcams or perhaps even a small conventional digital still camera/pocket camcorder hooked up to USB port.

 

If I choose the CCD camera option, then I'm thinking there's two ways I can go about networking this... either getting an IP network camera with ethernet port and using a dedicated router nearby... or, using a CCD camera with composite out, and using a wifi video sender to send the signal to either a capture card in my PC, and/or to a dedicated HDD DVR recorder (I already have both these in place, so no extra cost there).

 

I'd welcome any observations or advice, recommendations on specific cameras etc!

 

Thanks,

 

Paul

[Soundy 1]

1. I can only record indoors from the kitchen windowsill (for legal and practical reasons).

...

5. It needs to to film at night-time filming to a distance of maybe 20-30 feet in darkness.

 

These two requirements potentially cancel each other out: the only way you're going to see in *darkness* is with IR illuminators... but unless you can open the window and aim the camera out through the opening, you'll end up with the IR reflecting off the glass and washing out the picture.

[morphix 0]

Thanks soundy, I can open the window a little..not ideal this time of year, but should be able to manage for night filming.

[Aban-CCTV-Camera 0]

Like Soundy said, IR cameras wil not work behind glass.

The camera is best to be mounted on the wall with a clear view of sight.

Here is a budget cctv camera system, that might do the trick.

[gvnkamera 0]

thnk