Anyone know much about inexpensive security cameras?

Lynn LeFey · **on:** May 29, 2014, 08:31:25 PM

I'm looking for a fairly low cost security camera.

Outdoor would be best, and probably wireless. No need for tilt. Not really even any need for sound. Timestamping would be very very useful.

I honestly don't know anything about this, and am just looking into it. Any help would be appreciated.

scattergun13 · **Reply #1 on:** May 29, 2014, 10:05:49 PM

Look into a good "trail cam". You'd be amazed at what we've done with those before. Any Bass Pro or Cabela's has them. You can sync them to your computer with all the info you need.
Hope this helps,
Stew...

Lynn LeFey · **Reply #2 on:** May 29, 2014, 11:50:44 PM

It's a start, and appreciated. Thanks!

MGill · **Reply #3 on:** May 30, 2014, 12:31:10 AM

Comcast/xfinity is our cable/Internet/home phone/ security provider. Their security package comes with two cameras 1 indoor 1 outdoor, with live feed to any device with Internet. Check with your cable/satellite provider they may have a package that could beef up your security. We have a top notch system and our bundle is relatively cheap I think we pay a little less than $250 for everything.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

comis · **Reply #4 on:** May 30, 2014, 10:28:37 PM

Hi, Lynn.

At home, I use Panasonic cameras, few BL-C230 and a few WV-SF135, along with a digital video recorder, I don't remember the brand, but it's called SVR-204.

These combination allows me to access the camera feeds either via cell phone or computer, and DVR will recorder everything, and refresh the memory every 2 weeks.

The great thing about these Panasonic cameras is the brand company actually provides a very stable free online hosting website for these cameras, so as long you have the right password/web address, you could have access to your camera feed in front of any computer and cell phone. And these cameras are recommended by some audio/visual professionals whom help many other families install their system, and they seem to work quite well over time.

If you plan to get them, do let me know and I could walk you through the installation.

An app that I also strongly recommend an cellphone app for security cam, which is called "IP cam viewer". It pretty much covers all major brands camera, and so as long your cam is online, and you have the right password/hosting address, you could see all the feeds on one screen on your cell phone.

Lynn LeFey · **Reply #5 on:** June 06, 2014, 03:21:31 PM

Looking for maybe a quick/easy solution, i went out two days ago and got a D-Link 'cloud' camera. It was about $70 locally. Got it home, spent 3 hours setting it up (including software updates on my mac, firmware updates for the camera). It worked great.

For 18 minutes. Then it stopped recognizing any wifi signal.

I went through the entire process again to install and configure, and it simply wouldn't work. And I mean, resetting the thing to factory settings. Then, several hours of wretched tech support only for them to tell me that the camera didn't work and i should return it for a replacement.

An hour round trip to return it, and I started to set up the new one. It didn't work. Same thing. It doesn't detect wifi.

The next day (yesterday) I take it back, and get a different model. The wifi on it works. But it won't record anything. I tried every single setting possible. Nothing.

So, I returned it for a refund and am still searching.

I will never trust or purchase another product from D-Link. They're garbage.

And the search continues.

Aloha · **Reply #6 on:** June 06, 2014, 05:05:19 PM

Hey just saw this and when at Costlots I saw this system. I was looking it and it seemed priced fair and the reviews were pretty good. I liked the night vision as I'm sure most of the nonsense is done at night. Just a thought.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Defender-8-Channel-500GB-HDD-Surveillance-System-with-4-600-TVL-Cameras-and-100-ft-of-Night-Vision-21024/203244669?N=5yc1vZc1xs

mrynnr · **Reply #7 on:** June 07, 2014, 09:32:24 AM

I heard a lot of good things about dropcam. Unfortunately they don't offer an outdoor version at the moment. Maybe you could set it up by a window or something? www.dropcam.com

Lynn LeFey · **Reply #8 on:** June 07, 2014, 02:36:02 PM

The camera looks good. Having to pay for a subscription service to record its output is not cool.

comis · **Reply #9 on:** June 07, 2014, 04:53:29 PM

I am not a network guru, but little that I know, I did assign a fixed internal IP address for each cam at router. And in case of overloading, I did set a timer to switch off the router each day for 15min.

In terms of cam, unless it is recommended by people whom has a lot of experience installing the same cams, I am not too sure about just installing them based on online reviews, since they may be survivor biased. Some professional guys once did tell me the issue is most cam may work fine for the first week or so, but may cease to work randomly afterwards. Just my 2 cents worth.

Cupboard · **Reply #10 on:** June 07, 2014, 07:26:32 PM

don't get a cheap one off eBay, we have and it's crap.

We've got some Panasonic network ones which have lived outside for a few years now. The picture quality is fine during the day but fairly pants at night.
We've got lots of floodlighting on PIRs and you can see people walking past but you couldn't tell who they were.

enki_ck · **Reply #11 on:** June 07, 2014, 07:48:17 PM

Quote from: comis on June 07, 2014, 04:53:29 PM

I am not a network guru, but little that I know, I did assign a fixed internal IP address for each cam at router. And in case of overloading, I did set a timer to switch off the router each day for 15min.
...

+100 times on that.

For anything wireless you're using in your home and around it, static IP is king.