Home CCTV

[bilhound]

Does anyone have CCTV at home that they can view live on their phones, but also record onto a HDD as well? If so, which system have you used/purchased? looking to cover around 4 'angles' if possible. Night vision/IR would also be fantastic.

 

I have an android phone if that makes any difference.

 

Ta

[Aspman]

CAn't recommend technology (any IP based camera system will probably do what you want), just be careful where you point them...

 

http://www.scottishlegal.com/2017/02/07/bto-wins-landmark-oppressive-use-of-cctv-case/

 

[Guest]

I got my system via Maplin. Although I have the option to view on my phone, I don't comment. 

I have 5 cameras and iirc  500gb hard drive. 

From personal experience I'd used fixed position cameras rather than tilt, pan and zoom. They sound good on paper but are compromised on night vision. 

[Kenny R]

I have one of these, operates faultlessly, send alerts to my phone when motion detected, records to micro sd card. Recordings and live view can be viewed on phone.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Samsung-Smart-Home-Camera-Outdoor/dp/B00NY2P6NC/ref=pd_sim_147_1?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=J80PH42G73NS7579G3S3

[gullyg]

I have 4 eBay special ebay cctv cameras which feed into a VM running on my server. The VM runs Debian with motion and motioneye installed with allows me to view the cameras from anywhere (via vpn) on anything with a browser and also to record on movement. 

 

As aspman says you need to be careful - personally I went round to my neighbour and showed him what I can see with them (catches a little of their car) and made 100% sure they were ok with it. 

 

 

Edited 1 March, 2017 by gullyg

[Guest]

With the system I have you can pixelate out areas you don't want to cover; house wall, roof, neighbours property, street. 

 

You could also contact your local plod and see if they have either a crime prevention or community beat officer, and run your system by them, and what/who it is covering. 

 

I went to my local station, but they weren't really interested to be honest. 

[Macdemon]

I had a professional system installed mid-September last year.

 

Spent £2k on the spec I wanted, and it has an annual service each Sept.

 

I wanted A 4 camera system, with a box that can take up to 8 cameras if I want to add more in the future.

 

All the cameras record in 1080p and the recording box has a 4TB hard drive.

 

80% of the exterior of our souse is covered, you could avoid the cameras if you wanted to but the 'pin you down' so there is little point in trying to evade them.

 

Thanks to IPS fire & Security based in Worthing West Sussex for fitting it all, and making sure I was happy.

 

I want for a professional system because the components are MUCH better quality, as is the software too.

 

All the cameras can be monitored on smartphones and tablets while I'm away from home too.

Edited 11 March, 2017 by Macdemon

[x19]

I also have a professional HD 1080 4 camera system with a DVR which I installed myself last Sepember using Cat 5 cable, video balans etc.  The system parts also cost about £2k. The cameras are all fixed and cover the vulnerable areas of my property which is in a rural location.  It is capable of being viewed, both live and recorded, over the Internet via mobile, laptop, etc.  I am extremely pleased with it and now wouldn't be without it.

 

One unexpected bonus is that one of the cameras also covers my 4 vegetable plots and at night the infra red lighting on the camera is the same wavelength as that used by the night sight on my 97K, which means as soon as the worst vermin it is possible to have in a garden (rabbits) appear on the camera I can go out and take them out without using the sight's inbuilt torch thereby saving battery time.  

 

What at I would advise is to steer clear of Swann and similar cheap packaged kit. The difference in quality and durability between that and the professional kit is very significant.

 

Edited 14 March, 2017 by x19

[mbames]

I've got a professional 8ch system with 30m IR camera (Sony CCDs), which supports internet view, record on motion (in a defined area) with a buffer to record the 10 seconds before the 'motion event' occurs.

 

Have provided the police with footage numerous times for incidents off my property, and some footage has been used in court.  A drunk clambered over my orangery roof breaking it and then denied being there - the footage clearly showed his clothing, which matched what he was wearing when picked up by the police a few streets away.

 

As above, avoid the cheaper end of the market - such as Swann.

[Guest]

I wouln't totally dismiss Swann and their like.  Nor am I dismissing professionally installed systems either.

 

However, I have had a Swann system installed in my property for approximately 6 years, and now I will probably jinx myself, I have had no problems.  I was quoted between £2000 -£3000 by several companies for what my property required.  Instead I bought a Swann All-In-One 8 Channel 4 Camera system which i had professionally installed by one of the companies that offered the £2-3k option for a total cost of approximately £800-900.  I've since added another camera to the system and replaced two of the Pan Zoom and Tilt cameras (which still work and have been put to good use by their new owner) and replaced them with fixed location cameras.  And that is one of the benefits of Swann and their ilk, you can buy their products off the shelf. I just popped into my local Maplins.

 

Location of your cameras is a very important consideration which from my experience a lot of installers overlook.  In a previous life I was responsible for seizing and exhibiting CCTV footage from various sources, and one of my biggest gripes was the poor location these 'professional' companies had placed the cameras.   It was normally a 'if only they had placed the camera a few centimetres higher/lower/to the left etcetera'.  I had to get two of my cameras relocated due to poor initial location. 

 

The bottom line is buy what you can afford, be sure of your requirements, and think seriously where you want the cameras placed. When you finally make your decision on the system you want, see if there are any videos on YouTube et al of the system in action, how to use it and most importantly, how to download the footage.  Another problem I had obtaining cctv footage was that owners either did not know because the User Interface was so convoluted or confusing or were not allowed to download footage unless the installer/contractor did it.  For a fee.  I'm not aware of non-business owners being charged a fee, or having any restrictions being placed on them, but it may be worth getting that confirmed.

 

 

Edited 17 March, 2017 by Guest

[VWD]

I'd advise anyone fitting CCTV at home to have a chat with Police . Not so long ago, I had problems with one nasty neighbour. Long story, short- he was in the second hand car/van from home ,selling on the street corner business, and he'd had a visit from his landlord, a local authority, and trading standards, and I was suspected/blamed. Shortly after , his kids ,decided that the street was a good place to play a sort of football. But it rapidly became a game where the ball was hoisted in the air, and my wing mirrors on te car parked off road was the target/ or just my front door/windows/anything to cause annoyance. I asked the kids to go elsewhere, and next thing I knew, there was a tirade of abuse- my reply - it's all on camera, and that was only a bluff . Next time I drove down the road, he was out, trying to block my path, till I made it obvious that I was getting him on camera( I'd taken my good camera out to take photo's of dog in park, but the sight of it stopped him dead. Then came the kids with a ball. Car/door/ windows- all was fair game. I appeared at a window. Next came a visit from police- he'd accused me of taking photos of his kids.

So dead easy with one of this type of trying to protect property, and getting accused of taking kid photos.

[StevesTruck]

Just a bit curious what issues people are having with Swann kit? 

[Guest]

17 hours ago, StevesTruck said:

Just a bit curious what issues people are having with Swann kit? 

None in five years of continued use. I only replaced the two PT&Z cameras with fixed position cameras because I didn't do enough research before purchasing. That was my fault. 

On the plus side, this gave me the opportunity to place them in a better position than the ones chosen by the installation company. 

 

[Gizmo]

Looking into installing CCTV and I am happy to admit that im pretty confused... CVI, AHD, SDI, TVI etc  

 

DIY fit would be preferred but I don’t know what to go for, it must be Mac compatible, I want as crystal clear as I can get, stored on a HD with the option to view on an iPhone....

 

I have looked on CCTV42 and there are some pretty good videos, I was all for ordering through them until I read a few reviews who claim whilst their stuff is good it’s overpriced meaning I could get better for the same money. Their c/s is apparently second to none though.

However everything they sell is re-branded with their name so no idea who makes it.

 

What Im looking for is:

4x 2.8 - 12mm cameras (recommended by CCTV42 so you can zoom into what area you want to cover)

1x 3.6mm camera (for inside a 4m x 4m workshop)

They are all 1080P (but only 2.1MP)

 

HD 1080P TVI Hybrid DVR (8 channel) c/w 3TB hard drive

 

All the Cat5e cable and fittings etc 

 

This comes in at just under £1k

 

From what I can gather TVI is the format to go with for best clarity?

 

[VWD]

One other comment - I had a camera up in the early days when locally we had nightly visits from gangs of yobs. For security and getting evidence a camera in open sight is good, but change that to one obvious one ( be it a dummy or not)  in full view and then add a covert one and whilst the hats/hoods obscure some features from the seen camera, the hidden one sees a lot that those who wish to remain unknown don't want you to see.

[Lady Elanore]

I've got a basic Swann system and it works well on a phone app. 

[CWARD]

Swann system installed too after attempted break in just before Christmas last year. Works well and simply to setup including the mobile app which no harder than scanning a bar code 

[Gizmo]

I decided to go with a QVIS IP system in the end.

 

6x 5MP eyeball cameras

2TB NVR

CAT6 cable (may as well make it as future proof as possible for the negligible extra cost over CAT5)

 

I’m about half way through the install at the moment so unsure on the quality but I have been assured it is spot on.

[VWD]

On 01/03/2017 at 23:10, Fin69 said:

With the system I have you can pixelate out areas you don't want to cover; house wall, roof, neighbours property, street. 

 

You could also contact your local plod and see if they have either a crime prevention or community beat officer, and run your system by them, and what/who it is covering. 

 

I went to my local station, but they weren't really interested to be honest. 

I'd get that in writing, and a check of what is in view, as it's only too easy for some neighbour from hell to have little darlings that cause you problems and you face allegations of "taking photos of his kids". Old chestnut according to my old mate a council tenancy enforcement officer, but they still try it.

But when I had a cheap set up a few years ago , I found it better to have a dummy in full view ,with a covert camera.

Edited 2 November, 2018 by VWD