Security camera/CCTV minefield.

[Cato]

Got a 16ch hikvision nvr with 4tb hard drive and 6 of the 8mp 4k cameras.

This is all power over ethernet for ease as well at motion alerts and app real-time monitoring.

I spent a while looking for them and decided that it was a decent option.

Are your swann cameras ethernet or coax?

RCA from what I remember.

 

[Cato]

have you a mobile phone and other electronics from china why worry

As far as I'm aware the only issues with a company on an international sh1t list would be warranties or anything you wanted to add or change. I don't won't need parts or add ons for my phone or whatever so it's no worry.

 

[carbon]

I’m currently fitting a hikvision system at my workshop with cameras that are at least 5mp. So far I’ve been lucky and purchased the dvr and cameras locally from either Facebook marketplace or eBay,

Get a system that has room for expansion. I know someone that had a system installed professionally and at the time they required four cameras. So it was installed with a four channel dvr that only has the option to add one ip camera which is now a bit limiting as they now want to add at least two more cameras.

 

[Olderisbetter]

We only use Dahua or Hikvision the poe is easy to fit, have a good play with the settings to get the best out of your set up, i normally set up then back up the settings to a usb stick just incase anythings gets messed up.
Also totally agree with @carbon above about room for expansion

 

[knighty]

only use IP cameras, might as well be POE, silly to run extra wires

after that it doesn't really matter what make you pick, they're all pretty much the same... someone will say "oh I've got this make of camera and it's better in the dark than your make of camera".... but that's just because they bought ones made for low light... every make does them.... pretty much stick to dahua or hikvision and they're all pretty good, you get what you pay for

try to buy from somewhere decent so you get legit cameras and not cheap copies

I really like varifocal cameras, so you can zoom them in and out a bit... makes a big difference in recording quality if you zoom in so you're not recording the sky/walls etc.... means someone's face is 30% of the screen instead of 5% - quality is much higher

I've got two cameras watching my front yard/gate at work, one zoomer right out watching the whole thing and one zoomed in watching the gate to see peoples faces... both 4mp cameras.

I don't really want to upload faces so here's a snapshot of the same crack in the pavement from both cameras so show the difference :-)

I've never really seen the sense in PTZ cameras (for me) because I'm never sitting at the camera when things I want to look at are going on, I'm just checking recordings

also, cameras are cheap enough, it's worth installing more than you need, ones that are zoomed in on choke points, ones that watch big open areas, etc. etc...

personally I spent a fortune on cameras and software (bought fancy software, I'm about £3k into it now) - because I've had a few break-ins at work and after each one I'd have paid a fortune to know who it was, what they did etc. etc..... so figgure I might as well spend it upfront instead

 

[brightspark]

only use IP cameras, might as well be POE, silly to run extra wires

after that it doesn't really matter what make you pick, they're all pretty much the same... someone will say "oh I've got this make of camera and it's better in the dark than your make of camera".... but that's just because they bought ones made for low light... every make does them.... pretty much stick to dahua or hikvision and they're all pretty good, you get what you pay for

try to buy from somewhere decent so you get legit cameras and not cheap copies

I really like varifocal cameras, so you can zoom them in and out a bit... makes a big difference in recording quality if you zoom in so you're not recording the sky/walls etc.... means someone's face is 30% of the screen instead of 5% - quality is much higher

I've got two cameras watching my front yard/gate at work, one zoomer right out watching the whole thing and one zoomed in watching the gate to see peoples faces... both 4mp cameras.

I don't really want to upload faces so here's a snapshot of the same crack in the pavement from both cameras so show the difference :-)

I've never really seen the sense in PTZ cameras (for me) because I'm never sitting at the camera when things I want to look at are going on, I'm just checking recordings

also, cameras are cheap enough, it's worth installing more than you need, ones that are zoomed in on choke points, ones that watch big open areas, etc. etc...

personally I spent a fortune on cameras and software (bought fancy software, I'm about £3k into it now) - because I've had a few break-ins at work and after each one I'd have paid a fortune to know who it was, what they did etc. etc..... so figgure I might as well spend it upfront instead

View attachment 368824 View attachment 368825

can they see through balaclavas nupe you can only do your best deter them

 

[Olderisbetter]

can they see through balaclavas nupe you can only do your best deter them

I have seen some cameras that see through clothing to a degree, not the usefull till you see a tattoo or a weapon under a shirt, not sure how legal but they are used in certain places already.

 

[Cato]

can they see through balaclavas nupe you can only do your best deter them

Sums it up pretty well, the only other benefit to having cctv is insurance as you can demonstrate that you took "all reasonable precautions". Solid doors, quality locks and a camera system.

It certainly seems that the Hikvision set up is the way to go. I just need to have a look at the range and see what will be the best options.

Three cameras will do, so fit four and get a dvr/hub that can take eight. Aside from that it's just a question of choosing camera types I think?

 

[winchman]

I was advised to also have a couple of sacrificial cameras low down as by the time they get smashed off the image of there face, gait, clothing etc is usually recorded.
Don't leave the recorder in an accessible place as they just steal it

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

I was advised to also have a couple of sacrificial cameras low down as by the time they get smashed off the image of there face, gait, clothing etc is usually recorded.
Don't leave the recorder in an accessible place as they just steal it

That was the advice many years ago, about the cameras, the recorder advise is still good.

We advise that some cameras are visible, but not accessible. We also install cameras what are not easily spotted.
We do a range of small had to see cameras

 

[Robotstar5]

We do a range of small had to see cameras

Security at work set one up inside some trunking with a hole in to find out who was regularly breaking into vending machines. The offender noticed the hole and had a good look at it giving a perfect face ID before breaking into the vending machines, all caught on tape.

 

[Cato]

Sacrificial cameras is an easy one as I can just leave the existing Swann cameras in place or moved to a more visible position. Securing/concealing the recorder/hub will be very easy to do, as will disguising cable runs and putting them out of reach without ladders. Basically it's all about making things too risky/time consuming so that they move on to easier pickings.

 

[Ruffian]

Due to running between too buildings I had to run metal conduit.
Wanted it to be as awkward as possible to damage cabling etc.

Recorder is in the house, cameras are majority watching the garage/alley/doorways.

The motion detection is a handy thing to have, as the mrs works from home during the day, gets alerts to when delivery drivers/people are around the house.

We ended up getting our package from cctv direct.
And all are bullet cams as had a special on them at the time.

Just use decent quality cables/patch leads and install is easy.

 

[Ruffian]

@Cato

Would be looking at something like this for a decent starting point. Both are power over ethernet for ease and capable of expansion.

8ch nvr
2tb hard drive,
4x 5mp colorvu cameras

HiLook 5MP ColorVu Cameras + 8 Channel-POE IP NVR CCTV Kit

HiLook 5MP ColorVu Lite 8 Channel-POE IP Camera Kit What's Included in the KIT 4 x 5MP IPC-T259H 5MP ColourVu Turret Camera (2.8MM) 1 x 12MP

cctvdirectonline.co.uk

Or the 8mp 4k capable hilook cameras for extra £100+vat.

HiLook 8MP 4K IP T280H-UF (2.8mm) + 8 Channel-POE IP Camera Kit

HiLook 8MP 4K IP T280H-UF 8 Channel-POE IP Camera Kit 8MP 4K IPC-T280H-UF Turret Camera with Built in Mic The HiLook IPC-T280H-UF is an ultra high

cctvdirectonline.co.uk

 

[knighty]

do you want to record 24/7 or just on motion detection?

I'm a big fan of 24/7 recording.... found I missed stuff with motion detection, and it's harder to scan through after and look for something with motion detection only recordings (because there's parts of recordings missing)

most systems (I think I'll the ones I've seen) will record that their has been motion while recording 24/7... so you can skill clock "go to next incident" or whatever and skip through footage looking for recordings


with that in mind.... a 2tb hard drive is pretty small for decent quality recordings these days...... with 5mp cameras that'll get you about a month of recording for one camera... of 15 days for 4....

 

[knighty]

can they see through balaclavas nupe you can only do your best deter them

who's breaking in?

they're not skilled cat burglars, any criminal with skill has moved onto other more profitable things

99% it's idiots and junkies... they don;t think to cover their face, if they do they don't do it very well

 

[brightspark]

who's breaking in?

they're not skilled cat burglars, any criminal with skill has moved onto other more profitable things

99% it's idiots and junkies... they don;t think to cover their face, if they do they don't do it very well

catch them in the garden and just bat them across the back of the legs with a sledgie hammer shaft it dont half hurt

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

I recently bought the Arlo camera setup...ain't cheap but it's hassle free. I have it setup on motion detection...app on my phone pings if theres motion and send me a video clip. At any time I can go on the app and just check the live stream on my phone. The cameras are battery (rechargeable).. they're on motion detection so the batteries last months!

I think Arlo offer cloud storage but its expensive and I didn't bother with it...all I need to know is if theres motion. What's good is the app can enable/disable the cameras very easily.

At home I have a DVR setup with cabled cameras....was a lot more hassle to set it up but still works fine.

 

[ajlelectronics]

Sums it up pretty well, the only other benefit to having cctv is insurance as you can demonstrate that you took "all reasonable precautions". Solid doors, quality locks and a camera system.

Caught this one a pearler. 3 HD cameras such as my suggestion trained on him. That is just a capture from the video file that the Police have. Quite the recidivist apparently, stealing all my batteries.

 

[armalites]

Caught this one a pearler. 3 HD cameras such as my suggestion trained on him. That is just a capture from the video file that the Police have. Quite the recidivist apparently, stealing all my batteries.


View attachment 368955

Would be intrigued to see the outcome of this, very clear picture of the vehicle and the driver. I would be really disappointing if they fob you off with some "Not enough evidence" story

Sadly many businesses/home leave this kind of thing out to be collected and it justs encourages people to be around.