IP Camera System in Bella Napoli

[Kathy 0]

We would like to install an IP camera system at our home in Naples, Italy. I found this forum and it appeared that folks here were pretty helpful and extremely knowledgeable. We live in a high crime area, and have had one break in and one attempt. We hope to do the install ourselves. Thinking we need 8 quality cameras outside and 2 inside. We want motion detection cameras that annunciate via email and text (is that even possible?), POE and the ability to add cameras later. We don’t feel comfortable with buying the system here in Italy. I’d like to get an off the shelf system from an American company that has good customer service (both to help with install and if any equipment fails later). Dual voltage is obviously needed. Budget: 1-2K. I’ve browsed on line (Amazon and Home Depot), but not sure what to purchase. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[zr1 0]

# of Cams + more later

The NVR will handle only the number of cameras specified. For example, a 16 channel NVR will do your 10 cameras...and then you can add up to 6 later. But if you want a 17th camera, then it means adding a 2nd NVR or replacing the 16 channel NVR with one that handles more channels.

 

Motion Detection

Most all systems do this and do it rather well.

 

Email/Text

Ok...remember when I said systems do motion sensing well? They do...but typically they aren't smart enough to hook up texting you when they see motion. There are sensitivity settings, but in working with it, it tends to end up with too much texting (or emailing) until you're ignoring the texts.

If you have an outside camera, a breeze blowing bushes will make for a motion event. A moth flying up to the camera at night will make a motion event. If you're reviewing camera footage, then sure, motion recording works great, but if you're having the system text you...in 2015, they tend to text too much.

 

Case 1

I set one system at home to text me when it saw motion. It was an indoor camera, so I wasn't expecting anybody to walk through the room at all. I got about 8-10 texts a day set off by the shad of a tree outside the window that made for enough changes for my NVR to text me.

Not bad, I figured I could deal with that.

 

Case 2 (a couple weeks later)

I set the system up to text me on motion again...after all...I install this stuff for a business, so I should be able to set it the way I want at home, right? So I blocked out the areas of the window/shade thing to see if that would work. Though I figured I might get a couple texts a day based on the general light in the room from day/night changes.

Then I went camping in the mountains for a few days out of cell phone range.

A few days later, when camping was done and we're driving back I got within cell range, I started getting repeated texts. There was a lot of them backed up...1500 of them! I couldn't hardly use my phone with the constant incoming texts.

Upon getting home, I found that a monitor that I had left on (and in sleep mode) had malfunctioned and was just a flickering white screen...resulting in the camera in that room detecting motion all the time.

 

Motion Detection #2

Some systems allow for an RS485 connection to an alarm system or to an alarm system type sensor. This could be a more general alarm motion sensor or a laser sensor. The idea is that when the sensor is tripped, then the NVR can take whatever step you preprogrammed.

For example:

Laser sensor crossed =

* start recording

* text you

 

Budget

Not including shipping or any customs fees...$1500-2000 should give you a nice setup. I'm not sure if Costco does overseas, but they have a few good packages.

[Kathy 0]

Zr1, thank you for the great info. I can now see it might not be too smart to get texts on every sensor trip. Do most systems have adjustable sensitivities or can I block certain parts of the frame from detecting motion? Can you recommend a reliable brand?

[nat23 0]

I helped my brother install a Channel Vision surveillance system on our parents house with similar requirements (poe, ip, motion detection). We also have it set up to send screenshots of the recordings when motion is detected to their emails. Quality cameras and the customer service has been great--they have 24/7 tech support so the time difference won't be an issue. Instruction manuals were straightforward and easy to read and they were always available to answer any questions we had...worth taking a look!

[Kathy 0]

Thanks Nat23! We will look at this brand. Does anyone have a ballpark estimate on how long it would take to install 8 or 9 cameras with DVR, on/in a house with concrete block construction? And I mean the house is entirely concrete. Roof, eaves, etc. we would need to put cameras on overhangs and sides of outside walls. (Typical Italian construction) We were going to explore hiring a local electrician, but want to ensure the labor costs were reasonable.

[Kathy 0]

Our Italian electrician says it will take at least 40 hours of labor to install 8 cameras and one DVR. I must look stupid.

[BlueChipSecurity 0]

40 Hours is common to install 8 cameras.

 

Running CCTV cabling is not easy. Unlike any other electrical wiring, which is relatively straight forward (in a wall, or a ceiling) CCTV cameras are usually located on the eaves of a building, or on the corer of a house, etc.). These locations are difficult to run cables to, therefore require more time and effort.

 

I speak from over 20 years of experience in this area. This is the nature of CCTV wiring/installation.

[tomcctv 187]

40 Hours is common to install 8 cameras.

 

Running CCTV cabling is not easy. Unlike any other electrical wiring, which is relatively straight forward (in a wall, or a ceiling) CCTV cameras are usually located on the eaves of a building, or on the corer of a house, etc.). These locations are difficult to run cables to, therefore require more time and effort.

 

I speak from over 20 years of experience in this area. This is the nature of CCTV wiring/installation.

 

 

Wow that is 5 hours per camera . Time to get a pro in

[Kathy 0]

Added information. As I said, the house is all concrete block, so we will be running conduit on outside of house and run the Conduit/Cat 6 into the house at one spot. I'm thinking the time consuming part will be attaching the conduit securely.