Surveillance systems for under 500 bucks.

[chevyman097 2,579]

As some of you already know ive had a situation in my life I should have seen coming. I feel like this has been a long time coming and I should have done something a long time ago. But anyhow, enough of that. I just have this gut feeling that if/when I finally confront said person that he will do something to spite me. This person knows my work hours and family schedule.

 

 

I think its due time for a simple security system. Id like to install some cameras. I cant afford a contract job. DYI is what im looking for. Nothing spectacular. Dont need a camera in every room. Just main entrance points to the home, and a recorder thats simple and easy to operate. Im looking for a 3-5 camera system. and a recorder that doesnt have to be run all the time and can store long hours of footage. The home is empty 12+ hours some days.

 

Im not sure how the recorders work either, im new to this. Can i get something that I can simply click record on my way to work in the morning. and turn it off when I get home? review if there is any suspicion and clear then rinse and repeat?

 

I just want something I can have evidence if im not home and a good enough picture intruders will be identifiable up to 20 feet or withing a large living room.

 

 

 

I know there are a few of you guys into this kind of thing so any suggestions or direction is awesome.

Thanks

[Voltia 375]

Logitech alert

[RedChallenger 149]

Tonight on Outdoor Channels, Best Defense, they covered a nice system in the $20.00 range. All they said was it was from a "big box store" and it had Uniden on it. It came with two cameras that had IR and upgradable. Seemed to be a nice system for the money.

[DogMan 2,343]

Cameras are fine but they only help you after the fact. I would also rig a simple burglar alarm to force him to flee before he can victimize you. All you really need is an alarm bell or siren connected to a power source with a double wire ran all through the house and property. The alarm bell should be a normally "closed" circuit type. That way if he cuts the wire or the circuit is broken in any other way the alarm will sound. You can get real creative about how he can break the circuit, From trip wires to magnetic window and door sensors. If you have neighbors close by he is not going to want to stay around long with a siren going off and with a camera as well you will know what he "attempted" to do. Also talk to your neighbors and give them a description of the guy and a heads up that he may try something.

Edited May 30, 2013 by DogMan

[Shandlanos 1,470]

As some of you already know ive had a situation in my life I should have seen coming. I feel like this has been a long time coming and I should have done something a long time ago. But anyhow, enough of that. I just have this gut feeling that if/when I finally confront said person that he will do something to spite me. This person knows my work hours and family schedule.

 

 

I think its due time for a simple security system. Id like to install some cameras. I cant afford a contract job. DYI is what im looking for. Nothing spectacular. Dont need a camera in every room. Just main entrance points to the home, and a recorder thats simple and easy to operate. Im looking for a 3-5 camera system. and a recorder that doesnt have to be run all the time and can store long hours of footage. The home is empty 12+ hours some days.

 

Im not sure how the recorders work either, im new to this. Can i get something that I can simply click record on my way to work in the morning. and turn it off when I get home? review if there is any suspicion and clear then rinse and repeat?

 

I just want something I can have evidence if im not home and a good enough picture intruders will be identifiable up to 20 feet or withing a large living room.

 

 

 

I know there are a few of you guys into this kind of thing so any suggestions or direction is awesome.

Thanks

I installed a simple camera system at my father's business, 4 cameras, that cost him less than $200. The DC power cables you'll have to buy, or make - it comes with both ends of the power cable, you just solder in a length of wire depending on how long a cable you need. It's usually easier just to buy them. You will also have to buy the data cables. I think with cables and wire, it still only cost about $250. It took me about 4-5 hours to install the system, including drilling through several walls and mounting the box. All 4 cameras are set up for IR, which automatically comes on at night - the box is accessed with a regular USB computer mouse.

 

This is the only one I can find on their site right now, it isn't the exact same thing, looks a bit fancier, and more expensive, but still in your price range: http://www.harborfreight.com/surveillance-dvr-with-4-cameras-and-mobile-monitoring-capabilities-68332.html

[MT Predator 2,294]

Sam's Club had a couple of systems, not sure on price though. Have you looked at Radio Shack?

[Dad2142Dad 6,559]

Chevy I use an old laptop loaded with iSpy http://www.ispyconnect.com/ . It is free software, however if you want to monitor over the internet its 5 bucks a month. Pretty nice for the price since you can monitor from your iphone or android. Has motion detection and you can do upgrades for facial recognition and license plate recognition. You can also set times for recording. Mine is setup to record on motion with the sensitivity adjusted so birds and other small critters do not set it off. Keeps the file sizes down and less video to review.

 

Have fixed cameras at the entrances. Planning to add a couple of more PTZ cameras for front, back and sides. The cameras are powered by POE (Power over Ethernet) so one wire does the data and the power.

 

I have about 400 into to it right now, you need the below to make it work.

 

Computer at least a dual core or higher

 

Network switch I use a Net gear GS108

 

POE Injector for each camera, Used a TP-LINK TL-PoE150S PoE Injector

 

Camera that supports POE, some thing like this http://www.ebay.com/itm/290906310926?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

Some CAT5 wire and ends, crimping tool etc

 

 

My

[S5snake 41]

Here's something to keep in mind, when installing your system make sure you place the recorder/DVR in a somewhat discreet location. A friend of mine installed a system and placed the DVR in his living room next to his TV. He further put a seperate monitor on it that was usually left on so that while he was sitting in his living room he could see who was coming up to his house. While I thought this was a pretty cool idea, two days later after I had looked at his system which he purchased from Tiger Direct he had two assholes break into his house only to see the DVR with the monitor sitting on top of it. Needless to say they took the DVR and cut all of his cables that had connected to it. Luckily a neighbor noticed a car backed in on the side of his house and went to investigate scaring off the two burglars.

[mancat 2,368]

Dont use PoE injectors for multiple cameras. Waste of electricity and excess wiring. Get a PoE network switch, which combines both functions into one - TRENDnet makes cheap 4-port units, slightly more for 8-port units with 4 non-powered ports to connect the recorder/PC or connect to your main network.

 

Most of these cameras are capable of saving data to any networked Windows PC or Windows/SMB network device. In other words, you can buy a cheap Network Attached Storage device to act as your camera data store, and hide it somewhere so that it won't be stolen. A PoE switch and NAS can survive OK in an attic, though it can shorten the life of either if your place gets scorching hot in the summer. In fact an attic might be the easiest place to put these components - you can run your cat5 network cable through the attic and easily drop down through awning vents, since those are the most likely places to put cameras.

 

Don't save data to a PC that might get stolen in a breakin.

 

I will be installing a system soon, as my wife had her purse stolen out of her car last week. We live on a rural backroad and if I had the cameras at the time I would've at least had some idea who it was.

Edited May 30, 2013 by mancat

[chevyman097 2,579]

Thanks for all the advice. Ill keep it all in mind. Great stuff.

[SGM 217]

Costco has some decent camera systems on the cheap.

[Dad2142Dad 6,559]

mancat I went with individual injectors in case anything should happen like lightening. Proved useful a couple of weeks ago, lost one camera and one injector. The rest kept functioning. Hate to lose it all in one strike

[chevyman097 2,579]

Ive been eyeing these two today. Im trying to keep in mind a few of the suggestions but some of the termonology is over my head I suppose.

 

What you think?

 

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=20653086&znt_campaign=Category_CMS&znt_source=CAT&znt_medium=RSCOM&znt_content=CT2032331

 

or

 

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Defender-4-CH-500GB-Hard-Drive-Surveillance-System-with-4-480-TVL-Cameras-21020/203244666?N=c1xs

 

 

Just making a list of options, no decisions for a bit.

[MultiSlacking 102]

I got this one awhile back for about $300:

http://www.provantage.com/zmodo-zmd-kns4-iasfz4zn~7ZMOD079.htm

I saved a few bucks by getting the model without a hard drive and putting my own in, as I have a few laying around. It's wireless, other than needing an electrical outlet for power. Handy not having to run cable. I also ended up adding another wireless router in the house, just for the camera system (better performance).

 

I've been around many different camera systems and most of them are not great. Within 20' you will probably be ok, but if someone was wearing a hat and sunglasses, you would have a hard time proving it was them in court. They quickly lose quality at a distance and about all you can tell is that it wasn't a cow that broke in. Having said that, *you* might know who it was though. And don't expect a lot from budget cameras for night vision. Most can't see that far in the dark, but standard motion lights will fix that problem.

 

Most businesses/people with camera systems that want to be able to positive ID someone will have a "money shot" camera. One that is focused on only a small area that the suspect will have to be in: a doorway, at the register, etc.

 

They are a pretty good deterrent though. Heck, the neighbors won't even let their dogs poop in my yard any more. People behave VERY differently when they know they're being recorded. Plus, they assume if you're willing to go to that length *outside* your house, no telling what length you might go to *inside* the house.

You can also put up four real cameras and add some fake ones for about $20 a piece. Really make it look like Fort Knox.

[libertarian 108]

If you don't need video feed, check out motion activated game cameras. Batteries required, no outside power source needed.

[termite 463]

My stepson got one from Radio shak and we installed it a couple weeks ago. I told him to put the DVR in the bedroom closet and hide it best he could. It's the one that he can also have in streaming on his cable connection and watch it on his android while at work. As for ours at home, we have the ADT system with cameras out the butt. The clips and data is saved on their server, I just go and download it if needed. It cost us a few $ to add all the cameras, but I feel it's well worth it and a hell of a lot better than the other system that we had from protection 1. Also added 2 "sounders" as they call them up in the attic, those suckers will wake the dead when they go off. Neighbors aren't overly thrilled when I "test" the system, especially on a weekend morning. Keep me awake with your partying, and I'll wake you up, bright and early.

[yakdung 2,926]

Chevy, In your price range, I would look at kit systems that Costco or Sams sells that include a DVR. I'm suggesting Costco and Sams because they have a generous return policy (double check). If you are not happy with your purchase, just return it. Systems with DVR's attach to the Internet and will allow you to view remotely and will send you email/video/pictures if any of the zones areas defined within the supplied software are "tripped". This will possibly allow you to catch someone in the act not after the fact. These are "value" systems at this price point. If your budget was bigger I would point you in a different direction.

 

Sams:

http://www.samsclub.com/sams/samsung-security-system-with-4-channel-dvr-4-cameras/prod1620303.ip#tabShipping

 

Costco:

http://www.costco.com/Swann-8-Channel-D1-Real-Time-Security-System-with-500GB-Hard-Drive-and-4-High-Resolution-Cameras.product.100028117.html

 

Good luck,

[bruce soderholm 4]

If you have a smart phone you can get a system for under 500 that links up with your phone. These systems have zone's that can be set that if motion is detected your phone alerts you and you watch live what's going on around your house.

[TonyRumore 1,332]

I don't know about the "home owner" type units, but my system ($5,000+) only records when the camera senses motion so the recorder can store about 30 days worth of video before it writes over it. The indoor cameras are quite cheap, but when you get into the outdoor IR weather/hail proof cameras, the money starts going up really fast. Not to mention trenching underground lines and so-on. It also allows you to checker-board grid-off the imagine and then de-select areas for motion to be ignored. That is used if have a bush/tree on the very fringe of the view that moves back and forth in the wind. You can opt out that small area for motion detection, so it doesn't continuously burn recorder time.

 

Also, a lot of guys mount their cameras way too high, looking down on the area. The problem with that is you can't ID anyone when they are wearing a ball cap and have it pulled down low on their brow.

 

Tony

[SouthernOne 203]

For a quick and dirty door/window/shed alarm, the cheap fire alarms work fairly good. Just bend the test button tab down to make contact and slip a thin piece of plastic between the contacts. Connect some fishing line to the plastic tab and door. When the tab pulls out you'll know it. Good fire protection, too.

 

Tony's note about mounting a camera low is spot on. Better chance of ID than mounted high. Higher power IR flood lamps are available too that will light up the night.

[devildogdakota 804]

Burglarbomb dot com would be a nice addition to any surveillance system, so you can see what happens to the trespassing bastards!