Recommendations for ext home security camera set up

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Recommendations for ext home security camera set up

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Tinkerisk

4095 posts

Uber Geek

#2336496 14-Oct-2019 07:11

NTP is of cause no issue, the cam uses it to know when it's at night. Trojan horse infected f/w reports 'ready for service' from INSIDE to a strange host OUTSIDE of your net when it's time to and downloads malicious s/w. It could be paranoia (in the case there is no trojan horse, yes) but unfortunately, exactly this happenend with amazon distributed cameras. But it's ok - you can believe whatever you want and I'm happy here again.

- NET: FTTH, OPNsense, 10G backbone, GWN APs, ipPBX
- SRV: HA server cluster, 0.1PB storage capacity on premise
- IoT: thread, zigbee, tasmota, BidCoS, LoRa, WX suite, IR
- 3D: two 3D printers, 3D scanner, CNC router, laser cutter

Tradepub

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wallross

42 posts

Geek

Trusted

#2378650 19-Dec-2019 16:49

I recently purchased one of the 4 camera EufyCam bundles on special from MightApe. Was just on $1100 delivered.

First impressions – Very impressed!

Pros:

Setup was VERY quick and easy. Within the first 30mins, I had unboxed everything, downloaded and installed the App to my phone, created an account (free), plugged in the base unit to home network via wired connection, updated the firmware, and connected and got the first camera up and running!
App is slick and easy to use. Loads of ways to tweak camera sensitivity etc. Great in-app tutorials on how to setup, optimal camera setup etc
Storage is all local (SD card in the base unit), no need to subscribe to anything
Video quality is great! VERY clear picture, and audio quality is awesome too (can hear the birds clearly outside the house!)
Latency is only about 1.5 seconds when viewing a live stream from the cameras.
Mounting cameras is easy – outdoor mounts use a threaded connection, indoor utilises a strong magnet onto a mounting dome.
App and Firmware seems to be getting regular updates. All cameras updated automatically about 30mins after install, and new firmware introduced things like ability to add a “motion detection zone” etc).
Has editable modes for when you are “Home” or “Away” (including abilty to change which individual cameras are monitoring in each mode – so I can have the Home mode to turn off the inside camera. You can also set a Schedule for when you want the cameras to be active.

Cons

It uses wireless connectivity, and I have placed the unit in the ceiling space, and cameras are all mounted round the edge of the house, so signal strength is good. BUT I ideally wanted one camera on the garage about 10m further away, and the signal wont go that far. (line of sight is though one layer of colour steel roofing). The reach of the connection seems to be a regular comment online, so do consider you setup needs before purchasing!
No iPad specific app, only an iPhone one (first world problem, but an iPad app would be cool).
If you log in on another device, it logs you out of the other device. Not a major issue as I think you can get around by using the “family and guests” functionality to create another free account that you can then login with on the 2nd device (and you can control if those accounts get view only or full admin control as well).

Early days, but for a “consumer product” I am impressed.

wallross

42 posts

Geek

Trusted

#2378653 19-Dec-2019 16:58

Sample images:

timbosan

2134 posts

Uber Geek

#2378665 19-Dec-2019 17:13

Yet another option, which sits closer to the 'out of box' is Unifi. If you have their networking products, their cameras integrate nicely (note, this is what I have read and seen, I don't have Unifi cameras).

One issue I have not seen raised so far is cameras like Dahua (which I have) need either PoE, or power bricks placed at inconvenient points. Having a PoE switch makes these setups much cleaner, but it's another cost if you don't already have one.

If I was starting the security camera journey again from scratch, I would try to rely on fewer different products / vendors / services. Spending the weekend trying to get cameras working in Blueiris (just an example) doesn't appeal to me much now; I would rather just go full Unifi or get Dahua cameras and one of their NVR's. For example:

NVR $220. https://www.trademe.co.nz/home-living/security-locks-alarms/security-cameras/cctv/listing-2452433679.htm?rsqid=be87fa4192bf4d2a8e2adcba88c620eb-001

Camera $95 (2nd hand) https://www.trademe.co.nz/home-living/security-locks-alarms/security-cameras/cctv/listing-2446146116.htm?rsqid=39caf2c76b614525a49df47479be62e3-003

4TB HDD $148 https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/SearchResults.aspx?searchString=4tb+hdd+&type=Search&searchType=all&user_region=100&user_district=0&generalSearch_keypresses=14&generalSearch_suggested=0&generalSearch_suggestedCategory=&category_suggest=0

rp1790

734 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2378956 20-Dec-2019 07:59

wallross:

I recently purchased one of the 4 camera EufyCam bundles on special from MightApe. Was just on $1100 delivered.

First impressions – Very impressed!

I currently run a whole lot of Arlos and have been thinking about the Eufycams for a while, which ones did you get? The straight 2, 2E or 2C?

Is there any Geofencing on the app? And are you saying from the time you click on a camera in the app it's about 1.5 seconds till it's streaming?

hairy1

3327 posts

Uber Geek

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Lifetime subscriber

#2378964 20-Dec-2019 08:20

I run dahua with Blue Iris motion detection. The thing that made the biggest difference to our setup was using Amazon Rekognize for person detection.

It's so good we don't need a doorbell anymore as the Google Home tells us when someone is on the property. I've had 3 false positives in 6 months which were person looking spiders.

It's been a long road though...

My views (except when I am looking out their windows) are not those of my employer.

wallross

42 posts

Geek

Trusted

#2384250 2-Jan-2020 15:26

rp1790:
wallross:

I recently purchased one of the 4 camera EufyCam bundles on special from MightApe. Was just on $1100 delivered.

First impressions – Very impressed!

I currently run a whole lot of Arlos and have been thinking about the Eufycams for a while, which ones did you get? The straight 2, 2E or 2C?

Is there any Geofencing on the app? And are you saying from the time you click on a camera in the app it's about 1.5 seconds till it's streaming?

Sorry for no reply. Holidays and that!
I got the straight EufyCam kit.

No geofencing, but you can set a “ motion detection activity zone” on each camera to alert movement in that areas.

The 1.5 seconds latency is if you are watching a stream from the cameras in “real time” via the app.
When you click to watch a camera, it takes maybe 2-3 seconds to start displaying the live stream. But still impressed by the image and audio quality you get.

There is a raft of easy to use settings to play with. I have setup various “modes” that I can switch between, eg Away = all cameras, Home = Gates only, Night Mode = Outside cameras only.

panther2

368 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2385741 6-Jan-2020 09:15

Hi

Has anyone use reolink solar security cameras before or similar solar powered cameras.

Thanks

Dingbatt

6734 posts

Uber Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2390348 11-Jan-2020 17:47

Although Arlo isn’t perfect, my wife contacted me while I’m away to say some stuff had gone missing off our front porch. I was able to find the video of the toe rag in the act (broad daylight with us at home) and I have forwarded it to a friend at the local police station.

I wonder what the rules are for posting a video taken on my property, of someone unlawfully on my property, on Facebook.

Anyway the Arlo camera worked as I wanted it to and therefore have no problem recommending it.

“We’ve arranged a society based on science and technology, in which nobody understands anything about science technology. Carl Sagan 1996

wallross

42 posts

Geek

Trusted

#2392314 15-Jan-2020 09:05

Just a quick update on the Eufycam. New firmware pushed out overnight has Geofencing option (though has a *Beta beside it). Yet to fully test, but looks pretty good.

rp1790

734 posts

Ultimate Geek

Lifetime subscriber

#2392319 15-Jan-2020 09:12

I've sold all but one Arlo Ultra now and have 5 x Eufycam 2c's and have to say they are much better than the Arlo system. Connects very quickly to the live stream, no subscriptions required, much less false alerts, the face / human detection works well. Developers are active with the app, overall a much better experience.

emichan76

5 posts

Wannabe Geek

#2407503 27-Jan-2020 13:16

wallross:

I recently purchased one of the 4 camera EufyCam bundles on special from MightApe. Was just on $1100 delivered.

First impressions – Very impressed!

Thanks, I really like the look of these and that you don't need a subscription. JB Hi-Fi have them on sale at the moment so off to order. Thanks!

chimera

506 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2408379 28-Jan-2020 20:31

Many physical cameras that are similarly priced are very similar in nature, all providing the same or similar features, resolution etc.

Hikvision / Dahua are all good. Certainly hackable (tested it on my Hikvisions) so keep them directly off the net (personally I SSL VPN into my home from my iPhone then run the camera app, admittedly not available for just anyone to do, so...)

Outside of the physical cameras, it's the NVR hardware or software that you really want to get good features on. If you have a PC or older hardware you can run Windows on and want decent NVR software, you simply cannot go passed "Nx Witness" from Network Optix. Minimum I think is a 4 pack camera license, the interface is simply fantastic to use. Very very snappy going back through older recordings, very feature rich, available on many platforms, and not badly priced at all.

panther2

368 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2409392 28-Jan-2020 22:06

Got my Reolink Argus Pt installed was a breeze, easy setup on two phones and email alerts are super quick plus the free cloud play back is handy.

1cloud

162 posts

Master Geek

#2409403 28-Jan-2020 23:02

emichan76: I would like to run a security camera from the top of my garage pointing down the drive. I understand there are some that just come on when a sensor is tripped, say at the bottom of the drive, and can upload footage to the cloud. This was what the police suggested as I had people try to pick my front door lock. I am looking for recommendations as to a good, not massively expensive system, that I can potentially add cameras to later if I like. I run Apple for just about everything at home and also have an Amazon Alexa if there is anything that’s .

Installed eufy cam on my place and arlo pro 2 at someone else. I personally prefer Eufy with 365 days battery.

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