Security Cameras

[dj_pnevans]

Hi all I'm looking at getting some security cameras for home. I want to get 4 cameras and a 500g HD. They need to have IR and be able to have a good picture. I have looked on the net but have no idea what it all means. Any help would be good. Thanks David

[Master Splinter]

Personally, I'd be looking at something like this:
Wanscam Wireless Wifi IP Camera Security CCTV Night Vision CAM Infrared LED | eBay

You can get hi-def capable ones at about twice that price,
IPS 2 0MEGAPIXEL Wireless Indoor Pantilt Baby Care Security HD IP Camera IR CUT | eBay


or for about three times the price, ones with optical zoom
3 OPT Zoom IR CUT PTZ Outdoor Wireless Wifi IP Camera Security CCTV Waterproof | eBay

But it all depends on what you want them for.

[dj_pnevans]

Do you have any and if so what are they and how good are they. I had some one in my back yard a couple of weeks ago. I want them catch any one jumping in my yard or going in my shed. So I need them to get a good picture. David

[Master Splinter]

Anything under about $300-400 per camera is pretty much the Ozito of security. A lot of their performance will depend on how they are set up with regards to sunlight and what the expected nighttime walk path is, if the end result is to get a good picture of someone's face. Many nighttime intruders love wearing hoodies, except for the ones too strung out for their next fix to care.

The actual installation locations can have as much - or more - of an effect as the quality of the camera.

Foscam is probably the "Ryobi" of low end cameras, while the "Bosch" of security cameras is Bosch, and you'll pay upwards of $800 each for their high sensitivity cameras.

Footage from a Foscam here: onlinecamera.net - Foscam FI9802W night - YouTube Essentially, you're not going to get better than that unless you're dropping about $3k.

[Evanism]

Foscams are the way to go.

I had a big problem in Mosman Sydney. Nothing for 20 years, then it was like the Visigoths of Rome hit.

Camping gear, a trailer, beer and booze from an outdoor beer fridge, my motorbike, my supercharged V8 Holden street machine (it was utterly trashed). That last one really got my goat.

Naturally the cops were a complete and utter waste of time. There were some very powerful very angry people who were at the cops over their complete apathy. Personally, I recon they were on commission.

I bought 5 wireless Foscams from china, set up a small server with a big hard disk and a movement sensitive software program. It recorded day and night, rain and storm. It was easy to review the software (I could watch it on my iPhone) or if I was away I could watch what the cameras were seeing real time.

They also let me swivel around, hear what was happening or even speak through a little speaker. They are tops. Since moving to Canberra they are in a box.

The Chinese knockoffs are about $80 and are exact identical 100% copies of the "real" thing...so real that a few years ago Foscam themselves was busted selling them (there was a stink in Queensland not long after I bought mine).

I just looked at Foscam Australia and it seems they have dropped prices dramatically to cope with knockoffs: IP Cameras

[Evanism]

iSpy: Open Source Camera Security Software

Motion Detection software for webcams - Zone Trigger software suite

[dj_pnevans]

Thanks for this guys. The sad thing about this is that my alarm system didn't work that night(stupid dog). Time to get a new one. David