External Security Cameras - Ideas Please

Wombles

Wombles

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We live in a rural area that has seen little crime over the last 20 years but now things are changing :frowny: so feel the need for cameras to cover the motorhome & exterior of the house, roadway etc. Have looked around online & at Which? reviews but still not much wiser as to what to fit so looking for recommendations for DIY options please.
 
I installed one similar to this. Have 7 cameras set up and the beauty of this is the cameras only have one cable going to them (network cable also provides the power to the camera). I installed all the wiring when we had the sofits and guttering replaced.


Amazon product ASIN B07PQSGG1F
 
Swann available with 4 cameras and 1 TB memory for around £200 at the mo.

Good system and easy install.
 
Wireless cameras may seem popular from an installation perspective, but think about how you get to the camera for regular battery changes and whether they are easily jammed by the unscrupulous. I'd favour wired, especially if the single ethernet cable can also be used to power the cameras (PoE). But if installing that wiring externally, is the wire adequately UV shielded / external grade?

Where are you putting the recorder kit? If it's easily found that will be the end of your security. Can the power supply be easily found to turn the whole thing off? At night / poor lighting, what can the camera really see? Do you now need an added security light to advertise to all and sundry you've got something to protect?

Do you actually need a dedicated system and recorder system. If you have a NAS (Network attached storage) by the likes of Synology, there are likely to be apps that will do the recording for you, and all you then need is the cameras, PoE switch and cables to attach it all and you should still be able to see a lot of the stuff on your computer / phone / even TV once you've set it up.
 
I'd recommend Swann as well. Screwfix have a good deal at the moment. Just upgraded our system now works on phone app as well. easy self install as well(y)

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aldhp21 said:
I installed one similar to this. Have 7 cameras set up and the beauty of this is the cameras only have one cable going to them (network cable also provides the power to the camera). I installed all the wiring when we had the sofits and guttering replaced.


Amazon product ASIN B07PQSGG1F
Click to expand...
The first thing burglars look for is the recorder. Once they have that you have no evidence, they nicked ours, we have recordings sent to space now for safe keeping, well that’s what my installer tells me
 
We have Nest but I am not deeply impressed with it.

Slow to react and the cost of external recording to their servers is very expensive. :(
 
We have just fitted a Hik vision 8mp system all Poe, so just one cable, the quality is superb, we even have one inside the garage, and with the lights off, using night vision, can see everything, even writing on boxes/bikes etc.

Hik are not cheap but are professional quality.

Image using night vision attached.
 

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Ive used the Annke systems both domestic and commercial for over 15 years cameras are as good as any at the bottom to mid end and and good as what you want to pay
My HDD recorder is in the loft under a floor with a long HDMI to the screen so the buggers will have to have tools and a lot of time to get at it
Control is via wireless mouse near the screen
Wirless ? I dont see the point as you have to run power cable to all camers any way

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I too installed an Annke system. 8 cameras,, 2 tb drive, installed by myself and handyman neighbour who was outside lifting tiles at corners of bungalow. Have vision over all back, side and front areas plus camera inside garage. Motorhome parked on side in view of 2 cameras. Recorder hidden in loft. Long cable to TV in lounge for settings through mouse.
I often sit in Wethers watching the world go by on our road.
All for under £200.
 
I`m still using a mixed "first Gen" DIY system, Camera`s from a Variety of sources. Some are now 10years old!. They all feed to "Raid" Hard drives on an old win 7 Tower computer, for recording. With the "demise" of Windows 7. I will have to seriously look to upgrading. My thoughts are up to 4 (maybe 5?) POE cameras, with a NAS, recorder upload to "Cloud". So far I think it will be in excess of £300 to 500 to set up properly.
 
I have the Swan one far better than their eairler efforts very pleased with it. Amazon often do deals on them got mine for £170, normally £240.
The one that use CAT5 cabling can be a problem on long cable runs OK up to 50m.
 
I bought a couple of the the mini ring indoor cameras at £49 each and they are brilliant little things.

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Got hik vision as well good quality but only problem is they alert you even if the rain is in front of cameras also any spiders or months due to infrared pity they don't have the pir like ring or other makes.
 
Wombles said:
We live in a rural area that has seen little crime over the last 20 years but now things are changing :frowny: so feel the need for cameras to cover the motorhome & exterior of the house, roadway etc. Have looked around online & at Which? reviews but still not much wiser as to what to fit so looking for recommendations for DIY options please.
Click to expand...

I can get you a good deal on a Rottweiler Karen?
 
Will the police actually do anything with the recording or just take it from you to keep you quiet.
 
Police will probably tell you that the bad guys :mask: can sue you ( infringement of human rights ) if you use the photos as evidence
 
Fitted a I sanko four camera system myself, easy to do, just had a look at the footage through my phone whilst out on the decking at our static.
Works well, quite pleased with it

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I use Ring wireless cameras externally, and Neos Smartcams in the house - the Rings are battery-powered, but I have solar panels for them which keeps them topped-up.
 
Having you home/van broken into is bad enough, but to view thieves yourself on their trail of law breaking destruction removing your goods, would make it worse, especially when told there are "insufficient police resources" to follow up on your supplied CCTV footage to catch them.
Nearly every time you step outside your home,should something untoward happen to you, I bet you ask yourself these days if the Police will be interested in helping you find the perpetrators.

Thats the sorry state of life these days, crime pays to support so many of the scroats bad lifestyle choices, and even if caught, the sentence is pitiful:swear:
As others have said in the past, it not worth the police time in detecting the baddies if no one is hurt, as they know all your property & goods will be insured, so no great loss to you.:mad:

I have protection devices in place on the van & at home, but do I really expect the police to help me in the event of loss or damage?....in reality not really.........."yes I am insured officer, sorry what was that crime reference number again?"
LES
 
Logi do a nice compact one
Have one on the van and a second to go on bird feeder
(not worried about the bird feeder being stolen)
Negative if you want all the bells and whistles you have to subscribe
 
Have 2 Blink XT2.s, one front one rear.

Worked fine so far but have limitations as do most systems, especially at that price point. No cloud costs with Blink as uploads are free.

It records max 1 minute and uploads it before sending you the alert. In the US they have a beta that sends alert as soon as it starts recording, should come here eventually.

With IFTTT you can set it up so when you leave it automatically arms the cameras and disarms them when you return.

Cameras need to be within wifi range.

Not had to change batteries yet, had them about 3 months, but obviously depends on how often they are activated. You can buy solar panels for them but harder to hide the camera if that is what you want.
 
We originally bought a Ring doorbell, which includes a camera. It is powered by the wires already installed for our previous doorbell. We found it very good at recording everybody who came to the front door, because it can be set to record when it senses movement. It uses our wifi to send pictures

We then bought one of their Ring Elite cameras to cover the rest of the drive area. This is powered by PoE , which also connects to our wifi system, and it also works very well and comes on when it senses movement.

Both of these include two way sound so you can listen and talk to the person. They can be set up so you are warned immediately of movement via their app on my phone or via Alexa. This works wherever you are in the world as long as you have an internet connection.

I pay a fee for the videos to be saved for 30 days by Ring and I can view them at any time or download them anytime during that period.

I am thinking of getting a couple more to cover other outside areas. Not cheap, but I like the ideas of the recording being kept off of site, so the scrotes can't break in and steal the recorder. And they are very easy to install.

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Thank you again for all the replies (y) Looks like wired systems & wireless both have their good & bad points so as a quick fix to get something in place we have ordered some Blink ones then may also add the Swann wired option (good value price) for better clearer coverage at some point. Will see how we get on with Blink XT2 cameras (can always return free if not) & post on here in case it's useful for anyone else. Unfortunately the price on these is pretty fixed as owned by Amazon but they do have bundle offers with the Echo Show 5 Alexa device & can see from https://uk.camelcamelcamel.com/ that their price drops occasionally so will watch out for that if we want more cameras as they can be used inside too. Tempted by the Ring door frame bell or replacement spyhole cameras but have raided the piggybank enough for now!

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Wombles said:
Thank you again for all the replies (y) Looks like wired systems & wireless both have their good & bad points so as a quick fix to get something in place we have ordered some Blink ones then may also add the Swann wired option (good value price) for better clearer coverage at some point. Will see how we get on with Blink XT2 cameras (can always return free if not) & post on here in case it's useful for anyone else. Unfortunately the price on these is pretty fixed as owned by Amazon but they do have bundle offers with the Echo Show 5 Alexa device & can see from https://uk.camelcamelcamel.com/ that their price drops occasionally so will watch out for that if we want more cameras as they can be used inside too. Tempted by the Ring door frame bell or replacement spyhole cameras but have raided the piggybank enough for now!

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Blink and Ring are both owned by Amazon. Products seem to be similar.
 

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