Wireless observation cameras

[Luke]

I would like to tap into the brain trust here. Can anyone recommend a camera system that is wireless and recordable? I need to place up to 4 cameras to watch some shop buildings for me. It needs to be observable from 300 feet.

 

[mdisher]

I would like to tap into the brain trust here. Can anyone recommend a camera system that is wireless and recordable? I need to place up to 4 cameras to watch some shop buildings for me. It needs to be observable from 300 feet.

a) Is price a concern?

B) Do you need to watch/record all 4 at the same time or do you want to selectively scan them?

c) is this a permanent installation or temporary? (i.e. are you dealing with a situation and once that situation is dealt with you'll no longer need or want it).

d) Is stealth a need or do you want them to be seen as a deterent?

e) Do you need or desire to capture sound too?

This, like a lot of things falls under the Good, Cheap, or Fast/Easy, (You may pick two but only two)

-MD

 

[Luke]

Thanks MD for the clarifying questions, here are the answers:

A. Price - I can't say it doesn't matter, but a good system that really works is primary. And with maybe enough clarity to maybe identify persons. As far as the viewing; it doesn't matter if it is serial or at the same time.

B. Permanent situation.

C. The cameras need to be seen as a deterrent.

D. Sound is not necessary.

 

[mdisher]

Last questions, how's the lighting? indoor? or outdoor?

Do they need to be weather proof?

Are you sure you need wireless/want wireless. There's no way to run wires to/from where you need them? Even simple Category-5 network wiring?

-MD

I would encourage you to go down this path if you can:

Easy to maintain and use Bundles

This isn't wireless though.

(4) Cameras, all wireless is a LOT of bandwidth to stream and capture at any reasonable resolution (640x480)

You're going to need more than just your cheapo Linksys to get it done. Wireless camerals like this:

Wireless Camera

are OK when you only need one, but you're network goes to hell pretty quick when you start putting in more than one. So you end up building a pretty significant back end infrastructure to suppor them and that's where your cost is going to go.

You can find them cheaper too that don't have pan, tilt, zoom and all of that jaz, but the impact on the bandwidth is the same.

If you have a known problem, and you're trying to catch a theif, you might be better off working with a local security agency and renting some hardware as well as putting in a better permieter security system.

(again, I don't know what the real problem is or what it is you're trying to protect, or watch).

 

[Luke]

The cameras will be located outside and yes they should be weatherproof.

I understand what you are saying about the wire-vs-wireless requirements. We might be able to use wires but it isn't preferable. Just how much of a system would be required to support 4 wireless cameras, or maybe only 3?

That looks like a great site you linked to. I do like the idea of a bundled system.

As far as our use of the system: Primarily, we want to be able to watch an outside area during the day as an added measure of security for delivery/pick-up activities, etc. And then also for playback of night/weekends if we have had an attempted break-in.

The area is fairly secure and has monitored alarms already.

 

[mdisher]

I understand what you are saying about the wire-vs-wireless requirements. We might be able to use wires but it isn't preferable. Just how much of a system would be required to support 4 wireless cameras, or maybe only 3?

Unfortunately, the best answer I can give you is... It depends

It depends on a number of things, specifically the camera, you can buy better cameras that do a lot of caching and compression and send less 'data' over the air and do some of the work for you. But you pay for that.

You can probably do 2-3 and you might be able to do (4).

If you Isolate this from your regular computer network so this wireless traffic and the resulting data doesn't interfere.

Now if this is a very sensitive area though, and not just thugs you're worried about, the 2.4 ghz spectrum that these things run in isn't hard to mess with and interfere with either which is another reason to avoid it altogether. Some that 'know's 'what they are doing will know what those cameras are and can easily defeat them.

That being said, signage, and dummy cameras are almost as affective as the real thing as far as a deterrent goes.

So without getting too technical...

You would need:

(4) Camera's

[These could be IP based cameras or not]

~~~ Wireless ~~~~

[A wireless Reciever]

a Good wireless Reciever (If it's standard 802.11) for IP based network cameras, you could try a Linksys, or off the shelf cable modem type router/wireless router.

Or a Wireless reciever capable of handling (4) Video Feeds, if these are proprietary non IP based cameras.

Then all of that goes into a view/DVR recorder like shown on that site.

The biggest difference is, if you do it with an IP based solution, the viewer/IP solution will probalby simply be Software for a PC.

======================

Another site to look at which has really cheap and sometimes Good stuff, is X10.com (Warning, it's pop-up heaven) but it's really home based cheapy stuff, but they do have some good stuff.

I hope this was helpful. It can still get complicated and can be a pain in the but to get good results. I would see if there is a decent Dial One Security Contractor in your area and contact them for a bid.

Dial One in Cincinnati is very reputable and won't stear you wrong. Hopefully in your area they are the same.

-MD

 

[tripletango]

**** a brick. I will need to keep my lead lined underpants on. Sounds a little J Bond to me.