frlejo Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 anybody have 1,i am thinking of getting 1. looking at the swann Alpha D03 - 8 Channel H.264 DVR, anyone have any input? camera preference? looking for night time security, so i can see who breaks into my car at night. thx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nelsz3 Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 got a lorex from costco online in the shop, does night vision ok but its better for indoors than out best thing to check when yor looking is distance and resolution Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghiggi Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 The Swann cameras are analog and only have 420 lines of resolution. You aren't going to get very good resolution on a wide area shot like a parking lot, especially at night. We are still using analog systems but have upgraded our outdoor cameras to the Vitek VTC-IRH70/650. It only has 560 lines of resolution in color, but gives a better picture overall and it has a nighttime range of 300'. If you want to be able to ID a person, you should look into IP cameras and recorders. All digital, megapixel cameras offer considerably better resolution and the ability to zoom in the recorded image without the pixellation associated with analog cameras. And they run with a single CAT5 cable transmitting both the video and power, whereas the analog cameras need separate video and power cables. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate213 Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 X2 on the IP camera and not analog. I bought a cheap Loftek off Amazon. It has motion capture, and pan / tilt function. I can access and control it from any computer or my IPhone. The one I bought only works about 30 ft in the dark, but it was less than $70. There are tons of options out there, just depends on the distance and your budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 With the IP cameras, you would need to leave a computer on full time to record correct? Anyway to hook them up to a DVR somehow? I've also been looking into a security camera system for a few months.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 With the IP cameras, you would need to leave a computer on full time to record correct? Anyway to hook them up to a DVR somehow? I've also been looking into a security camera system for a few months.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frlejo Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share Posted March 10, 2012 'would ip cams wake a computer that was sleeping long enuff to record? i am looking at doing the front of my house which is 70' wide by 4o ' deep. would i need 1 or 2? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nate213 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 With the IP cameras, you would need to leave a computer on full time to record correct? Anyway to hook them up to a DVR somehow? I've also been looking into a security camera system for a few months.... Depends on the camera and software. Some have onboard storage and can upload video and images to a remote FTP server or directly to your computer. And yes I think you can hook up some of them to a DVR. Can't remember which one but I thought I found one before. I prefer the remote server that way if anyone does manage to break in and still your computer then you can still access the video / images. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghiggi Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 There are so many options available when it comes to IP vs. Analog. As Nate said, some IP cameras have onboard storage using either built in memory or SD cards. Others can be plugged into a computer to use the computer's harddrive for storage. A DVR is just a computer dedicated to the saving of video. IP cameras can be viewed from any internet connected computer or even a smart phone by installing the proper internet server software on the DVR. Some even have the server software built in. Most IP cameras also have motion detection software built in so that it only records when there is motion in the predefined area of the view. There are also wireless IP cameras that make for easier installation. As far as how many cameras you would need depends on where the cameras would be located, any obstructions that may be present and how high up the cameras are mounted. There are 180 degree IP cameras that you could mount, say, above your garage door and see everything in front of your house and your neighbors house as well. I especially like the 360 degree IP cameras that you mount in the middle of a room and it records everything in the room at once. Unlike a standard camera that you point in the direction you want it to record, the 180 and 360 degree cameras record all directions at once. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghiggi Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Here are a couple of crude drawings that show what the different cameras would see. This is an example of two 40 degree cameras [ATTACH]12456[/ATTACH] This is an example of one 180 degree camera [ATTACH]12457[/ATTACH] If you get a fixed point camera, look at the field of view. Better fixed cameras have a field of view upto 70 degrees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
impur Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Wow thanks for the info ghiggi!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ghiggi Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Wow thanks for the info ghiggi!! No problem. One of my main job responsibilities is maintaining the CCTV systems for Bi-Mart. I just wish my boss would agree to upgrade our analog system to IP. But to upgrade all 73 stores would cost about $1.5mil, so I can understand his reluctance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jozee Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Some friends of ours just put an inverter in their car with a baby monitor transmitter hidden under the seat - then put the receiver in their room. When they heard the a-holes breaking into their car, they caught them in the act, called the cops and had them arrested. Of course, said friend is 6'4" and 290 - he went down with an airhorn like you get for football games and a baseball bat. He snuck up on the guy, and laid on the airhorn while the fella had his head under the dash - scared the bejeezus out of him. Had pepper-spray along but didn't have to use it. Plus the cops were there within a couple of minutes (small town). Way cheaper and more satisfying than a camera... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frlejo Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share Posted March 10, 2012 smart idea, thanks for all the input Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frlejo Posted March 12, 2012 Author Share Posted March 12, 2012 i found this one from logitech, records in 720p. http://www.logitech.com/en-us/webcam-communications/video-security-systems/master-systems/devices/7252 It uses your electrical wiring in your house for connectivity, plug their receiver to the back of your router, plug the wall plug the same place you router is plugged, since it uses that wiring to connect to the cam. it said on their forum you can plug the cam in anywhere, makes it easier if you have to run a wall receptacle for it. can be found for around $300. will run up to six cams, around $100 apiece. anyone have any info? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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