Home CCTV

[Streetbudgie]

I want to set up a home CCTV with the equipment located in my garage with at least 4 cameras along the rear, side and front of my property.

Can anyone recommend what I need or where to go to get some good advice?

[pointer2null]

Check out some of the new computer based cameras. A small pc or nas box and several cameras would be ok - but make sure they are not the cheap and nasties that have weak security and can be hacked. Wired it always better than wireless.

[thunderpantz]

Hi mate, shameless plug here, but get yourself down to Maplin. You can pick up some very decent 4 camera kits (4 cameras, 9ch DVR and 18m of cable for each camera) for around £350 and at the moment you are getting 2 cameras free (so you get 6 in total). With the DVR you can network it so you can view it on any computer in the world and even on your smartphone. If you get the 'app' and set it up correctly it will even notify you when there is movement.


But for the love of god say away from wireless systems, they really are more hassle than they're worth.


If you want to know anything else buddy, just ask. (Yes I work for Maplin )

[locksmith]

+1 for Maplin

Just love watching my system on my phone from anywhere!

Only thing I will add is that the user interface is dire on the couple of systems I've had and can be very difficult reviewing and saving footage. But on the current one (Swann), their tech back up is good.

[pointer2null]

Only thing that would concern me with something from the toy shop Maplin is the security. Are these the cameras with crap security that can be hacked by any script kiddie and broadcast to world + dog for a laugh?

[Streetbudgie]

Ta Chaps,

What I was thinking of would be to set up the DVR in the garage and run the cables from there to the cameras, the ones on the outside of the garage would be fine, but to get to the front of the house would probably need about 50m of cable and most sets only come with about 20m cables.

Is there a solution for that that doesn't involve wireless cameras?

Once set up I would leave the DVR in situ and remove the screen preferring to access the system remotely, but is there a DVR on the market with a wireless access to a router or a suitable dongle/adapter?

The only alternative would be to run a network cable to the router which I want to avoid as the whole house has just been decorated and the idea of putting the DVR in the garage is to avoid cables in the house.

[Arfa]

Got a basic 4 camera one from Maplin, can't remember model, one that was current last October, maybe a Sentient. Hardware seems reasonable. But the software is a total no-go with a Mac. Have to start up Windows in VMWare to run the bloody software that lets me browse it. Also the Android app for monitoring camera is a bit belt'n'braces.

Pop by their forums to get the low down on how the model fair from real users: http://forum.maplin.co.uk/viewforum.php?f=32

[Dead Eye]

You can route ethernet signals over the power lines in your house (providing its on the same circuit)

I'm in a rented property and its what we do to get the internet from where the phone line is in to our office - http://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-PA411KIT...ords=AV500

[Mark YPVS]

I've got a QVIS DVR and D1 quality cameras(fixed) software is good and very easy to burn to disc and I have the iPhone App, some things worth mentioning, locate the DVR in the loft as burglars generally don't go up there, make sure the cameras have sound and run at 25fps,and have good night vision and my broadband provider changes the IP address 36hrs so I have to keep updating my iPhone App which is a pain when your on holiday and want to check on the house :rolleyes 
Mark 

[Dead Eye]

For a non-static IP you can use something like No-IP (Free Dynamic DNS)

There is a lightweight app that will run on your system (a lot of Routers support this as well now) and update your IP address when it changes for a domain. I used to use this a lot to point the dynamic domain I created with them (deadeye.hopto.org) to my home server. That way, you need only ever remember the address and it will always point to home

Over the past year I've been with Sky and  the IP address changes as often as an inappropriate comment is posted on here  :lol

[ChristoT]

If you want the camera to be completely private, stay away from WiFi. If you don't give a damn, by all means carry on - but don't be surprised if the spotty kid next door finds out exactly what happens in the garage and when.

WiFi security is an oxymoron. 

[andybesy]

+1 for Dead Eye's recommendation of powerline networking. Works well, pretty much plug 'n play and is not expensive.

Andy

[goldfazer]

I have a Synology NAS for all me music and films etc etc., but it also has a Surveillance app. I use this with a WiFi camera and is no problem to set up.

Be aware that if you have an internal camera any infra red LEDs for night use will be useless - they reflect off the glass. I convered mine (with silicon lol ) and gotr a separate LED unit which is a couple of feet away. Works fine.

[Mark YPVS]

Thanks Guys for the info on the IP address solution, I will give that a go but being a techno numpty its going to end in tears, violence and destruction  :lol :lol
Mark