Best place to buy online?

[EBRDDM4v3 0]

Trying to sort through all the brands, lingo, acronyms, etc since I started on this site. Will be buying a home soon and would like 1.3-2mp IP cams in 4 locations. As of right now Im hoping to spend 1500-2000 it.

 

Can you guys recommend a place a home owner, not an installer can purchase some of the better brands? I seen some talk of some brands, but not sure if I want to go through Alibaba as I am worried about support, etc.

 

I see the vendor links on the left, but they dont have the brands often discussed often on the forums.

 

Thanks in advance

[shockwave199 0]

Where to buy anything can not be shared openly here. Expect some PM's for retailers, if anyone takes the time to do so. Good luck.

[EBRDDM4v3 0]

Gotcha....figured there were some forum favorites.

 

The search continues

[shockwave199 0]

There's a ton of previous info here. Search the forums. Good info will surely turn up as you wade through it. Good luck.

[buellwinkle 0]

Most online places are not authorized dealers and may be selling gray market cameras and won't likely come with a U.S. warranty. That includes Amazon. Buying from Alibaba means buying directly from China and if you expect zero support, you won't be disspointed. EBay is another source of products directly from China, again, cheap, but you won't likely get any support. Also, it will be tough to get software that supports unbranded cameras from China.

 

B&H is a decent place to buy from. They've been around a long time in NYC and have a good long standing reputation in the photography business and carry a wide assortment of IP cameras, lenses and accessories. If it's inappropriate to mention then, the please remove this post.

[nDAlk90 0]

How exactly can you tell who is authorized and who is not?

 

Most online places are not authorized dealers and may be selling gray market cameras

 

Quote from B&H websie:

 

"B&H sells most products with a warranty from the manufacturer or from the manufacturer's licensed importer. We also sell some products we've obtained from sources other than the manufacturer or its licensed importer. These are "grey market" products."

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/find/HelpCenter/USGrey.jsp

 

B&H is a decent place to buy from. They've been around a long time in NYC and have a good long standing reputation in the photography business and carry a wide assortment of IP cameras, lenses and accessories. If it's inappropriate to mention then, the please remove this post.

[shockwave199 0]

They run expensive though. At least that was my impression last time I browsed there.

[EBRDDM4v3 0]

I must of spent almost 100k @ B&H in the last 5 years (Im a photographer). I was browsing their IPC section and no doubt they have top quality gear. But too rich for my blood.

 

More bang for the buck w/ Dahua and everyone seems to like them here

[tomcctv 187]

Can you guys recommend a place a home owner, not an installer can purchase some of the better brands? I seen some talk of some brands, but not sure if I want to go through Alibaba as I am worried about support, etc.

 

 

Hi. buying from direct from china has got easier. (on paper) but its far from cheaper than buying from your own country if something goes wrong.

 

 

it only takes phone calls to a manufacturer to find your supplier.

[vector18 1]

I've been in B&H since I live in NYC. The store is a mad house.

 

[mod: edited to remove comments that could be deemed offensive]

[larry 2]

First, this thread is a setup but I will play along anyways.

 

Members are free to openly suggest where to buy online. As long as, you are not getting a kick back from the retailer and the site is not currently banned from being mentioned on this forum.

 

 

Okay, back to the amusement...

[EBRDDM4v3 0]

Hey Larry,

 

Im not affiliated with any site, etc. With so many no name cameras and sites without prices or the ability for the avg home owner to purchase it got a little overwhelming. I'm just a guy who wants something better than a Costco 4 channel setup for $300 shipped. As a photographer and shooter I appreciate quality glass. To me there is no point in having a system if you can't ID their face.

 

As I was checking around I thought there has got to be a better place to buy than direct from China. A place with all the popular brands (that I am learning about), video samples in all light conditions. US vendor, support, and specs. The first place I always look are the vendors that support a site.

 

I do appreciate the fact that you guys are trying to keep the site unbiased.

[buellwinkle 0]

As with anything purchased online, if the price is too good to be true, it may be worth asking why? For example, if one vendor is selling a camera $100 cheaper than anyone else, ask them why, will the warranty be valid in the U.S.? If you've bought photographic equipment online then you know what I mean. People buy Nikon or Canon cameras in countries that have lower prices, favorable exchange rates and then sell them in the U.S. bypassing the U.S. distributor. Then they provide 3rd party warranties because the U.S. distributor won't warranty cameras purchased abroad.

 

I have wholesale price lists and when someone is selling below wholesale, it sends me a red flag. Having said that, I bought Axis products from PCRush, not an authorized dealer and Axis still provided support. Why did I buy from PCRush when I could buy from a number of distributors, because they are local and they were cheaper at the time, go figure.

[shockwave199 0]

First, this thread is a setup but I will play along anyways.

 

Members are free to openly suggest where to buy online. As long as, you are not getting a kick back from the retailer and the site is not currently banned from being mentioned on this forum.

 

 

Okay, back to the amusement...

I can't say for sure, but although the OP is new, it seemed like a legit question- and one that comes up often. However- good to know.

[EBRDDM4v3 0]

Trust me guys I have better things to do than spam and troll forums. I hope with time I can actually contribute to some other noob

 

I wish Dahua and Vivotek (some of the better brands I've been reading about) would sell to optics planet or B&H for support and exchanges if needed.

 

Looks like I narrowed it down to

 

4x Dahua 1.3-2mp cams

1 x Dahua NVR (compatible with iPad app)

 

Do I need a PoE router or will it power from the NVR?

 

I'm assuming motion activated and iPhone monitoring is pretty standard these days?

 

I also plan to install some IR illuminators or would a motion detected halogen light be better?

[nDAlk90 0]

You need a POE switch. TRENDnet makes a highly rated one...

 

TRENDnet TPE-S44:

http://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-8-Port-100Mbps-Switch-TPE-S44/dp/B000QYEN1W

 

I would recommend motion light... Natural light coming on unexpectedly can make people look up and then you will most likely get a clear and nice face shot.

 

P.S:

I think you are making a big fuss over buying from a brick and mortar store. Over all my purchases online if I ever had a problem with a purchase (relatively rare) one call or email to merchant usually solved problem and if not the cc company usually does.

 

 

Trust me guys I have better things to do than spam and troll forums. I hope with time I can actually contribute to some other noob

 

I wish Dahua and Vivotek (some of the better brands I've been reading about) would sell to optics planet or B&H for support and exchanges if needed.

 

Looks like I narrowed it down to

 

4x Dahua 1.3-2mp cams

1 x Dahua NVR (compatible with iPad app)

 

Do I need a PoE router or will it power from the NVR?

 

I'm assuming motion activated and iPhone monitoring is pretty standard these days?

 

I also plan to install some IR illuminators or would a motion detected halogen light be better?

[tomcctv 187]

4x Dahua 1.3-2mp cams

1 x Dahua NVR (compatible with iPad app)

 

 

 

if you are going dahua nvr. just remember you are limited to MP. stick with 1.3mp if your only using a 4 way. and then you cant run your ip at full res

[buellwinkle 0]

With many cameras, it's takes a second or so to adjust for the bright lights of a motion detect light and that may wash out the subjects face and you may not catpure what you want. I don't know about you, but if it's dark outside and someone shines a 150W bulb in my face, I'm not going to be staring up at it, I'm going to shut my eyes and turn away, but that's just me. Besides, I always where a baseball cap when around surveillence cameras. The shadow from motion detect lights works great to hide half my face.

 

Just get cameras with built in IR illuminators and it's not a problem. Also, depending on the situation, I would not want a motion detect light shining in my bedroom window at 2AM, so if you do go that route, make sure you are not disturbing anyone.

 

Where are you getting the Dahua cameras and NVR from? Interested to see how it works out for you. I was thinking of doing a review on my blog on them.

[shockwave199 0]

With many cameras, it's takes a second or so to adjust for the bright lights of a motion detect light and that may wash out the subjects face and you may not catpure what you want.

I agree. I understand the concept of it- light goes on, person looks up, you have your shot. But for that to work out absolutely depends on the quality of the camera. Otherwise, you'll just get an over saturated white out face. I much prefer dual bright motion lights. The dim setting is constant light which helps the cameras and adds deterrent. Then when motion is sensed they go full bright. And then they drop back down to dim again. They even have econo bulbs that work with the fixtures now. Where possible, I think it's best to have some light constantly on, rather than tempt someone with full darkness.

[jaysen 0]

OP,

 

I was in the same boat as you... As many have stated, buying from China has gotten extremely easier, but don't expect too much support. Having said that, I decided on Dahua over the other brands here. Your price range is VERY dooable by going Dahua and buying from overseas.

 

Like Larry mentioned earlier, I don't get any kick-back from this website or its affiliates but I will share my experiences.

 

I purchased some Dahua cameras from Aliexpress.com - Aliexpress.com is a subsidiary of Alibaba. Use lots of caution when buying from them! however, not everyone on those sites are out to take your money. I was lucky enough and found a good retailer seller; BW Electronic (HK) - http://www.aliexpress.com/store/104916 - They sell most if not all Dahua products. If something is not on the site for purchase, hit up Teresa and she will source the item and provide you with a price.

 

I had an issue - couple threads below - with the two 2MP dome cameras I bought from them. I was extremely worried that they were gonna end up paper weights due to an IP/Firmware issue. I kept in contact with "Teresa" from the page and she was able to send me over the newest software and firmware for the cameras.

 

I saved over $60 on each camera, then purchasing them from a US retailer... however I took a risk with support/warranty. I ended up purchasing a Trendnet TPE-S44 POE switch which supports upto 7.5W per port (plenty for each of Dahuas MP cameras)

Edited July 24, 2012 by Guest

[EBRDDM4v3 0]

OP,

 

I was in the same boat as you... As many have stated, buying from China has gotten extremely easier, but don't expect too much support. Having said that, I decided on Dahua over the other brands here. Your price range is VERY dooable by going Dahua and buying from overseas.

 

Like Larry mentioned earlier, I don't get any kick-back from this website or its affiliates but I will share my experiences.

 

I purchased some Dahua cameras from Aliexpress.com - Aliexpress.com is a subsidiary of Alibaba. Use lots of caution when buying from them! however, not everyone on those sites are out to take your money. I was lucky enough and found a good retailer seller; BW Electronic (HK) - http://www.aliexpress.com/store/104916 - They sell most if not all Dahua products. If something is not on the site for purchase, hit up Teresa and she will source the item and provide you with a price.

 

I had an issue - couple threads below - with the two 2MP dome cameras I bought from them. I was extremely worried that they were gonna end up paper weights due to an IP/Firmware issue. I kept in contact with "Teresa" from the page and she was able to send me over the newest software and firmware for the cameras.

 

I saved over $60 on each cameras then purchasing them from US retailers however I took a risk with support/warranty. I ended up purchasing a Trendnet TPE-S44 POE switch which supports upto 7.5W per port (plenty for each of Dahuas MP cameras)

 

Awesome thank you.

[yakky 0]

I purchased some Dahua cameras from Aliexpress.com - Aliexpress.com is a subsidiary of Alibaba. Use lots of caution when buying from them! however, not everyone on those sites are out to take your money. I was lucky enough and found a good retailer seller; BW Electronic (HK) - http://www.aliexpress.com/store/104916 - They sell most if not all Dahua products. If something is not on the site for purchase, hit up Teresa and she will source the item and provide you with a price.

 

So they seem to have a great selection. But...how do you get detailed specs on each camera? Is there a dahua site you browse before hand?

[TipoFloe 0]

Trying to sort through all the brands, lingo, acronyms, etc since I started on this site. Will be buying a home soon and would like 1.3-2mp IP cams in 4 locations. As of right now Im hoping to spend 1500-2000 it.

 

Can you guys recommend a place a home owner, not an installer can purchase some of the better brands? I seen some talk of some brands, but not sure if I want to go through Alibaba as I am worried about support, etc.

 

I see the vendor links on the left, but they dont have the brands often discussed often on the forums.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Hello,

 

keep in mind that 90% of all "manufacturers" or brands are nothing more than private labelers that import from overseas. There's only a handful of real manufacturers, especially in the US. At the same time, these "manufacturers" often invest and work with the true manufacturer overseas for their own face plate, GUI, and etc. Rarely these "manufacturers" will design anything, or invest to develop a new product. They just buy what's available and slap their name on it.

 

Rather than concentrating on the brand, see if the selection is available domestically. You will need support and assistance with installation questions and then warranty service.

 

Now that can be difficult because many "manufacturers" will brush you off and send you off to a local distributor or an installer, and they do not sell direct to end users to protect the marketing channel and the profit that all middlemen need to make - importer - distributor - installer - to you.

 

I'm sure you'll read in many posts here that trying to get support from Ebay sellers, Amazon sellers and Oversea sellers is close to impossible. So now you face the overwhelming challenge of weeding through countless products that you don't know what to make of....

 

Rather than posting a vague question, do some research and pick out some models and post them here and ask for opinions. You may want to post brand reputation, product performance and such - you will get a whole lot more replies.

 

Good luck to your IP CAM hunting!

[Voipmodo 0]

Online retailers not being authorized may have been true several years ago, but is not the case now as many are now authorized sources, or are being run by security companies looking for more revenue ( I know a few local dealers who are launching their own stores online as well) .

 

We have an online store and though we dont carry the brands mentioned in the current post, we are authorized for many and certified by several brands.

 

In most cases being an authorized reseller means complying with a vendors price fixing setups. We carry several brands that we refuse to join their partner programs as they try to inflate pricing. Its not so much what we want to do , but the fact that MSRP MAP pricing is illegal and not enforceable now in several states so is not competitive to participate and most never can monitor and maintain compliance.

 

Even companies online that are not "authorized" are mostly selling from authorized distributors and are a way for these distributors to sell to end users by providing the products, websites, and marketing. We know of several brands that are exploring selling direct online themselves, and a few who are selling already on Amazon under third party names or selling to amazon directly undercutting the channels.

 

 

We have had to overcome a lot of stigma in the Security Market being an online retailer, but things are slowly changing and have now one National Awards from Vendors who 2 years ago swore their products should not be sold online.

 

I may be wrong, but now is the age of the customer, they have the power to find and research the products they want, can shop competitive pricing, and sales is now about relationship building, support, and realizing protected sales channels are a thing of the past.

 

 

 

Most online places are not authorized dealers and may be selling gray market cameras and won't likely come with a U.S. warranty. That includes Amazon. Buying from Alibaba means buying directly from China and if you expect zero support, you won't be disspointed. EBay is another source of products directly from China, again, cheap, but you won't likely get any support. Also, it will be tough to get software that supports unbranded cameras from China.

 

B&H is a decent place to buy from. They've been around a long time in NYC and have a good long standing reputation in the photography business and carry a wide assortment of IP cameras, lenses and accessories. If it's inappropriate to mention then, the please remove this post.

[buellwinkle 0]

Not saying all online stores are bad, but when you go to a price search engine and it pulls up some amazing deals you just have to be careful.