OT - Security Cameras - OT (not grilling related)

Webass

I have a Blink 5 camera setup.  Very affordable, no subscription, simple to setup, easy to use, and monitored on my phone. After setting up a powered wi-fi modem the cameras find it within less than one minute and all you have to do is mount them.  Blink has an initial setup package of 2 outdoor and 1 indoor camera for $199..  Package includes 1 modem, all batteries and wall mounts.  Add on cameras are $90 for outdoor and $70 for indoor.  Blink is an Amazon company.

https://www.blinktvoffer.com/?mid=10985716&msclkid=26e8dae788391cd9a50c8723bf412e37 

DoubleEgger

TN_Egger said:

Can somebody please share a "Sure glad I had a camera system on the house" story.  Intruders?  Porch pirates?  Aliens?

They catch thieves all the time around here since the Corp of Engineers began allowing security cameras on docks. 

milesvdustin

Webass said:

I have a Blink 5 camera setup.  Very affordable, no subscription, simple to setup, easy to use, and monitored on my phone. After setting up a powered wi-fi modem the cameras find it within less than one minute and all you have to do is mount them.  Blink has an initial setup package of 2 outdoor and 1 indoor camera for $199..  Package includes 1 modem, all batteries and wall mounts.  Add on cameras are $90 for outdoor and $70 for indoor.  Blink is an Amazon company.

https://www.blinktvoffer.com/?mid=10985716&msclkid=26e8dae788391cd9a50c8723bf412e37 

I've been looking at wireless like the blink, but having a pole barn house I worry about the signal strength. 

Eggaroo

poster said:

JethroBodeen said:

I'd add a German Shephard to the mix. Just to diversify the system a bit.

Just got one of those, but it was 2K. The monthly maintenance fees are up there too but installation was easy, it torments cats, and has bonus entertainment value.

Good looking pup @poster. Here's ours from a few years ago in her Halloween costume:

Cornholio

TN_Egger said:

Can somebody please share a "Sure glad I had a camera system on the house" story.  Intruders?  Porch pirates?  Aliens?

There’s a section on the Ring app where people post all kinds of videos in your particular area, some are pretty scary. A few months ago someone posted a burglary and it was insane how brazen the thieves were. 

Luckily all I’ve caught is my kids playing and the occasional coyote.

dmourati

TN_Egger said:

Can somebody please share a "Sure glad I had a camera system on the house" story.  Intruders?  Porch pirates?  Aliens?

Daily.

Oh, my wife got a new package delivered. Or did I order something and forget?
Who is that PG&E (power utility) employee with the clipboard and why are they in the backyard?
Oh, the gardener is here, call him to remind him to come early next week.
Here comes the food delivery guy, better get off my butt and go meet him to get the food.
Wife is home early today, wonder what she is up to.

I've also got footage of:
a neighbor putting garbage in my garbage bin (while it was out on the street)
a local smash and grab thief taking one look at my camera and moving onto the next house

In short, it gives you a lot more information. Up to you what if anything you want to do with it.

poster

Eggaroo said:

poster said:

JethroBodeen said:

I'd add a German Shephard to the mix. Just to diversify the system a bit.

Just got one of those, but it was 2K. The monthly maintenance fees are up there too but installation was easy, it torments cats, and has bonus entertainment value.

Good looking pup @poster. Here's ours from a few years ago in her Halloween costume:

Ha, i like it. We are too far off the main road, so never get any kids on Halloween. I was gonna get a shark fin for her cause she is known as the land shark around here. She still has her razor sharp puppy teeth. Dont dare dangle your hand off the side of the bed in the middle of the night

Leopoldstoch

alaskanassasin said:

@TN_Egger someone had a post on here last year I vaguely remember... a truck with a ladder rack, stolen package (maybe a pizza peel?) anyway with his door cam and the neighbors they caught the guy. 

That was me! Camera caught them stealing from my front porch. Arrested that night and all my stolen stuff returned the following day!

Leopoldstoch

alaskanassasin

Ha that’s right the Mario Brothers!

Thomasc18

I used arlo for a few years. Been happy, no issues. 

YEMTrey

I want to get a setup for the house, but came up with a good idea as well.

My family has lakefront property in Kentucky that is about an hour away.  We have neighbors that try to keep an eye on the property for us.  But a simple, small setup with a couple of cameras would seem like it would do the trick.

We’ve had a boat stolen, and the shed where we store lawn equipment and tools broken into.  This seems like it would offer a bit of piece of mind, especially being able to turn over footage to local police.  It’s a small community and undoubtedly they would know the perps.

Thanks for the thread and triggering this idea!

TEXASBGE2018

Seems like every recommendation is for wireless cameras. Is that just the way it’s going now? We are wanting a camera set up too but everything seems to be wireless. Why the heck did I pay to have my house prewired for cameras then!!!!!!!

nolaegghead

Wired solutions are superior.  Wireless cameras can be defeated by professional thieves and are much less reliable. 

ColtsFan

nolaegghead said:

Wired solutions are superior.  Wireless cameras can be defeated by professional thieves and are much less reliable. 

"Wireless is a convenience, not a solution."

I say the above dozens of times a month when clients want to run their entire environment on wireless....

TEXASBGE2018

nolaegghead said:

Wired solutions are superior.  Wireless cameras can be defeated by professional thieves and are much less reliable. 

Any recommendations on wired solutions?

TEXASBGE2018

This looks like a fairly decent price for a wired system. Anyone have any experience.

https://www.amazon.com/Surveillance-Supported-Security-Recording-RLK8-410B4/dp/B01AHXEHSU

nolaegghead

I have a similar....they are very good for the money.

Dollinger

I have 13 cameras so I've done a lot of research on cameras and security. I have never had any issues but I used to be only home for 10-15 days a year so I wanted to have a way to check on my house not just security.

I do not think  ring or nest cameras are a good investment as they are expensive on a per point price. Long before anyone can reach my door to push a button, I will already have been alerted that they have been there. If I want to talk to them, I can do that with the cameras I have. But since they have no reason to be there, I'd rather them to go away. To make that happen, I have two locomotive horns in the attic one at the front and one at the back. They are power by an 80 gallon tank that is charged by a 3/4" line run up from my shop. They are simply too painful to stick around and will command attention from far away. I've only used it once when I thought a guy might actually break in and well he left a puddle and ran like hell. 

Since you already have wires, I would install POE cameras that have a wifi interface that can send alerts. I have IP cameras on a dedicated router. I record on the cameras in HD and stream in 480 on all except two which have the most critical views to keep bandwith low and performance high. However, I can view remotely in HD on most of them if I wish I just have to toggle the setting. You will want to get a camera with push notifications. Locally they are instant and across the net about a 1.5 second delay as tested via cell connection. You can cloud record if you want to pay for that but I don't. I also get email snapshots (see below) from the cameras remotely so I am not too concerned about cloud storage. 

To get good night vision at a distance I use external LED arrays mounted outside which are much more powerful than the camera mounted arrays and what you will need to get good vision to 100 feet. 

The cameras listen for sound as well. So I have glass break detectors on all windows that will sense either glass break or the vibration of opening the window or sliding glass door. I use door detectors on my doors too.

Cameras are not your mail line of defense. Making your house less attractive than your neighbors is. To do that, I have a sign that warns not to enter the property escorted because an attack dog is on the premise. I also plaster beware of dog signs on all sides of home and property. I keep vegetation next to the house cut back so there are no good hiding places. I use motion activated lights on all sides of my home. I have a light that simulates a TV that makes it look like from the outside that I have a TV on in the house. I have a couple of radar dogs that starts barking before anyone gets to the house and the bark changes intensity and duration and pattern so it's hard to detect they are not real.

Just in case someone did get in, I have a few busted laptops and tablets laying around and some expensive looking fake jewelry ready to be quickly grabbed. They don't take time to have it appraised on the spot! I even leave a few bills laying around so if they are caught, they evidence with a serial number on it that I can provide. 

Alarm systems are not really a deter-ant as they will be gone before the police arrive and not likely caught. But I have the same functionality covered since the cameras can listen. I also have lead detectors and smoke detectors wired into some of my cameras so I get a notification for that as well. I have a few more tricks that I won't post that will really make for a bad day should someone wish to test my security.

So security needs to be built in layers. Security isn't a product. 

alaskanassasin

@Dollinger WTF are you hiding in there!?

HeavyG

Whenever this topic comes up it makes me sad to see that some folks seemingly live in such crime infested areas.

@Dollinger - when is the moat full of crocodiles being installed?

Legume

No shotgun with a tripwire?

littlerascal56

I lived in a world of Homeland Security and was responsible for the electric grid in the central US, so spending $70k per substation for camera’s was the norm.  I also custom built my house with full CAT 6e wiring, per smart home specs.  But with the large amount of “wireless” hardware on the market that interfaces with phone apps, I realize that I wasted a lot of Cat 6e cable, boxes, and punch blocks.

NorthPilot06

@Dollinger holy crap. You’ve invested more in security at your house than I probably did in buying my house. 

My local PD makes frequent rounds. Tax $ at work 😊

Dollinger

First of all I don't live in a high crime area. In fact in 30 years, never had anything stolen or any issues. 

Because I lived on the road and away so much, I wanted to be able to keep a good watch on my house and be able to do something about it if there was any issue. I also have the know how to rig all of this up cheaply. I didn't spend that much on cameras because I didn't use the latest gimmicks. While you might not do all of this, I do suggest some security no matter where you live. It's smart to have some no mater where I live. But with what I have, I actually look forward to being hit. It's really fun to see someone crap in their pants when big Bens goes off!

No shotguns, Something much more effective and fun! 

While I do have some investment, it not as bad as it seems and I actually got a large discount on my homeowners insurance so it's pretty much paid for itself now. Being able to know of criminal or water intrusion or fire is worth it!

NorthPilot06

A “home alone” type setup, I assume?

Theophan

Anybody know whether ADT's camera options and systems are worth considering?

buzd504

Theophan said:

Anybody know whether ADT's camera options and systems are worth considering?

Personally I wouldn't do anything with ADT.  Overpriced, and they lock you into extended contracts.

Dollinger

With the technology available today, a monitored alarm system isn;t worth it. The police generally can;t get there fast enough and they will be in and out before they do. You will be better served employing your own cameras and the other free countermeasures I mentioned. You can get cameras for $35-$70 a point. Cover the front, back, doors, and a couple inside. Get ones for push notifications. The week before thanks giving is usually the best time to find them on sale, 

 You can get an industrial grade horn that you can remotely set off with an IP switch to blast them away. Use single glass break detectors which are about $4 each. You can build an effective set of security layers that is affordable. Put your police departments actual phone number in your phone in case you are away.

Not a home alone system. Just a modern way to make sure you would not want to hang around uninvited. 

Theophan

Many thanks for the replies about ADT!  I don't know much about this stuff.