Security camera systems at home - feedback

[muzza01]

Wanted some opinions or recommendations on some good brands and systems out there.  We havnt had any security issues yet but a nearby township is having a few problems.

As always there is a big difference in prices between these systems from eBay and local retailers like Bunnings, Jaycar Harvey Norman etc.

What is worse is the terrible reviews on some of these supposedly more reputable brands.
I had a budget of about $500 in mind.  After some advice and recommendations.

[paceman]

this may be a useful read...

https://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/hd_security_cameras

fair bit of information in there...

[trinityalyce]

Just be wary if you're considering something with wifi connectivity. A lot of the internet security with connected devices is still catching up with the technology. I know little more than that, no idea about specific brands, etc.

[Bird]

mate of mine whose been doing security for many years says Swann gear is the Black and Gold of the security world.

[Cruiser 105Tvan]

If your after a good system, try 3 times your $500.
Cameras have to be good, and the newer Digital ones can be.
The older analogue cameras can be very expensive by comparison.
It can be a hassle getting to find the info in the system, and then getting it off and giving it to the coppers.
Then when the Coppers get it, it may not run on their system.
Lot of research needed.

[muzza01]

mate of mine whose been doing security for many years says Swann gear is the Black and Gold of the security world.

I believe that, more expensive and pretty crappy reviews.

[Red Dog 4x4]

I have two 8 camera systems in my home, One is a Ebay unit with a 500gb hard drive, but i ended up replacing the cameras with Swan 700TV lines, The other unit is a Swan 1TB system with the same cameras.

The biggest difference was in the cameras the ebay ones were crap and failed after about two years, I don't have the systems hooked up the internet for remote viewing, as you need a secure IP address, And the wife was worried about some one getting the user name and password and viewing it.

It recently came in handy when we had the mother in law saying she was doing some thing but doing the opposite, needless to say she isn't welcome in my home anymore.     

[Bird]

I believe that, more expensive and pretty crappy reviews.

If you want it to record +  have remote access (is awesome) via mobile if you can afford it...  and be viewable then you have to spend.. but if you want it just to put people off then anything will do.

Cheap Shit will get you the typical "have you seen this woman" kinda photos

[Red Dog 4x4]

This is a screen shot from a video from my phone, but it gives you an idea.

[briann532]

Hikvision.

Brilliant stuff.

[Swannie]

I'm fine I got a toy poodle

[peter01]

I'm fine I got a toy poodle

[Spada]

went down this road not long ago. Hikvision 6 camera's & a 2TB  HD...........great bit of  but way beyond a $500 budget.

[vern]

If you want it to record +  have remote access (is awesome) via mobile if you can afford it...  and be viewable then you have to spend.. but if you want it just to put people off then anything will do.

Cheap Shit will get you the typical "have you seen this woman" kinda photos

Ahhh swann systems do that, have installed quite a few. There really not that bad, very easy to use.

Sent from my SM-G930F using Tapatalk

[nab]

It recently came in handy when we had the mother in law saying she was doing some thing but doing the opposite, needless to say she isn't welcome in my home anymore.

Haha good work!!!!!

[prodigyrf]

Yes to Hivision- http://www.hikvision.com.au/

Been researching it myself and first up if you're going to set up security cameras you want excellent vision night and day. Better to have a couple of seriously good cameras strategically placed to capture any intrusion on the property rather than a heap of cheap vision cameras because it's all data you've got to record and store. In that respect you only want the camera/s rolling when they're triggered rather than you trying to troll through hours of footage to retrieve a particular incident. Which leads you to recognise you really want to be alerted and watch the picture on your mobile should you be absent from the property so you can see what's going on. Welcome to internet connection and that means hard wired cameras with power over ethernet unless you want go climbing up and changing wifi camera batteries regularly. Short term gain for long term pain remember.

When I understood those basic points I realized you either do it properly first up or you don't do it at all and welcome to Hikvision solutions. Just be aware if you buy cheaper Chinese Hikvision cameras that have been converted to English you won't be able to upgrade their software as Hikvision protect their regional distributors nowadays. As the BIL would say- You wants to play you gots to pay.

PS: Whilst having cameras inside is cute for some I really want to know what's going on with the villains outside before they get in and the sooner the better. In my case and the way my house is setup I reckon one good pan tilt zoom (PTZ) camera from Hikvision will do the trick and I'm interested in using an older PC to manage it all rather than cough up for HV's excellent recorder solution.   

[speewa158]

mate of mine whose been doing security for many years says Swann gear is the Black and Gold of the security world.

l have a Swann reversing camera that is supposed to turn on when lm in reverse . lt has a knack of picking up other cameras with in a range of 100M . That could be in a shop over the till , at the back door , where ever they are pointing .  Then we play the game of  " Wheres the Camera  "  good fun in traffic
                                         

[D4D]

Hikvision is the go. Mate of mine has very clear shots from his Hikvision cameras of the f@#krs in caps and hoodies who burged his house. Cops said, they all hide their faces now so cameras are next to useless.

[prodigyrf]

As speewa notes so much for wireless connect cameras and D4D notes the villains aint stoopid and the cops are busy with their own cameras anyway.

Then if you're like me your eyes glaze over with the DIY instructions- http://www.hikvision.com/UploadFile/File/201411149316114.pdf

So the very professional Hikvision PTZ camera is still sitting in the box while I toy with chucking it back on ebay and calling in the pros or forgetting the whole thing 

[ATC]

Hikvision is the go. Mate of mine has very clear shots from his Hikvision cameras of the f@#krs in caps and hoodies who burged his house. Cops said, they all hide their faces now so cameras are next to useless.

Put a  camera approx 1 metre high aiming up to capture the faces, then when they look down you get a clear shot of the faces

[prodigyrf]

If you're handy this will give you an idea of supply prices for professional Hikvision gear before you go wasting dough on toy stuff-
https://www.diysecuritycameras.com.au/
or you get a quote for turnkey installation locally.

[Spada]

6 camera Hikvision system recording to a 2TD HD, gets me about a months worth of recording (on motion setting) on a continuous loop. Pretty good night vision. Huge array of settings for different recording variable, for example, with the motion record settings, you can set a specific area within the image to trigger the record so that the wind in the trees doesn't trigger the record, but someone walking up the driveway will. But your $500 budget will be a long way short for this.

I'm still working on getting mine set up for live view from the phone. It's there, I've just got to get the settings right.

If you serious, and choose not to go "cheep & cheerful", send a PM to Patroldude on here. He's in the game and gave me lots of good advice.

[muzza01]

Thanks guys

[Rumpig]

X2 on speak to Patroldude.... he was nice enough to help us out with our home alarm system that was playing up. Whilst I didn't end up buying anything off of him, I did use a local guy he put me onto to fix our system.

[gronk]

The best bit about a camera system is you can see who is entering/stealing from your property.

The other side of the coin is what can you do with the footage after they have gone ? You can show it to the police......but will they even view it ? Is it admissable in a court of law ( been told no ).

Now an alarm with 120Db sirens and flashing lights and flood lights ( even inside ) will deter most....unless you are rural and it won't attract any attention.

I personally haven't got anything really worth pinching....the days of them leaving with a tellie under their arm are long gone.....it's cash, jewellery or tablets etc, so I don't have a system anymore.