 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion GroupsGeneralRural LivingHome AutomationSecurity AlarmsConstructionRepairPlumbingCleaningPest ControlLawn and Garden |
Homeowner Forum / Home Automation / June 2004Cameras and Motion Detection for Home?
Hi, Sorry if this is excessive cross-posting. I've been searching for answers for hours and can't seem to find any good resources. Any pointers to websites or FAQs would be greatly appreciated. I am looking for a self-installable home security setup of cameras and motion detectors. Preferably, the cameras themselves would include the motion detection... in their circuits or even as on-board PIR (passive infrared). We don't need any 3rd party monitoring of these cameras (we just want to view the cameras from inside and we want an audible alarm inside when motion is detected). We also don't need any recording. Wireless would be a big plus. Four cameras is probably sufficient, but 5 would be even better. We can't seem to find any off-the-shelf solution that seems to fit the bill here. Our budget is less than $2000. Is that impossible? If you'd like to reply via email, change my address from CableTwo to CableOne. (Like many people, I'm trying to slow down the spam.) Thanks for any help whatsoever!! -Rob > If you'd like to reply via email, change my address from CableTwo to > CableOne. (Like many people, I'm trying to slow down the spam.) Oops... sent that with the wrong email account info. Hopefully this address makes more sense. Thanks, -Rob > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > Thanks for any help whatsoever!! > -Rob try doing a search for x-10 I think it is www.x10.com X-10 is crap. They recently got whacked with a law suit for failing to pay up for online advertising services rendered. Had to pay millions in punitive damages. That said I have a big box full of X-10 crappass security hardware. I have the remote controller for taking signals from wireless cameras and remote sensors for turning on lights and vcrs. Was defective right out of the box. I have remote sensors which are supposed to detect motion and send a signal up to 100 ft through walls to remote commader to do the above. ALL are crap. Some work about ten feet away from commander but no further, others wouldn't work at all. Since I didn't buy them direct from X-10 I have to pay freight to X-10 for service as well as include 2.50 MO for EACH unit for return postage. I bought them off E-bay from A merchant who CLAIMED to be an authorised X-10 retailer, but not really, He just had X-10's blessing to represent himself as such. At least until someone actually called them on their cheap a.s junk. The only thing I;ve purchased that was X-10 that performed as promised their nighthawk camera. A B&W camera with high sensitivity for near night vision. It works well at night but tends to white out in regular daylight making it useless for day surveillance. I can't recommend staying away from X-10 strong enough. If you must buy them because of budget buy only their cameras. The wat to go is with a pci card for your pc that has camera imputs. It's software uses pixel recognition software for motion control(Any change in pixel pattern causes it to turn on the record function. It records the image to your hard drive. It also allows for remote vieing by simply dialing up the ip code for the software on the computer. It allows for quad screen viewing. This is the cheapest and best way to go, it's also expandable up to 16 cameras. You need only a computer which you secret somwhere safe on the premises and regular cameras, either wired or wireless. You can find them on e-bay in the security or electronics gadget section. Usual cost is around 90-150 bucks depending on the brand and the extra features. X-10 is garbage! >Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] >Thanks for any help whatsoever!! >-Rob > >Hi, > > [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > >Thanks for any help whatsoever!! > >-Rob If you have a decent PC I would recommend a Geovision surveillance card. You could get an 8 camera GV-600 card and eight cameras (depending on quality) for under $2000. The system will do everything you want and more. There are other options though. Have a look on www.cctvforum.com for some expert guidance. Steve After looking at those X10 ads , I thought there might be alternatives . Any recommendations which to use of the (a $50-60 ) generic cards of those generic PCI DVR cards sold on the big online auction ? >X-10 is crap. They recently got whacked with a law suit for failing to >pay up for online advertising services rendered. Had to pay millions [quoted text clipped - 63 lines] >>Thanks for any help whatsoever!! >>-Rob >After looking at those X10 ads , I thought there might be alternatives >. Any recommendations which to use of the (a $50-60 ) generic cards >of those generic PCI DVR cards sold on the big online auction ? I'm not that familiar with most of the cards out there. I'd recommend checking out the dealers on e-bay and go with one that has the highest rating/certification as a dealer. That way any product you purchase can be returned with no hassles. Avoid Digitrionix at all costs. This is the joker that claims to be an authorised x-10 dealer and isn't. He'll use any excuse to duck out of honoring his guarantees and is just a prick in general. There's also a retailer on e-bay out of florida who runs a store called Big Daddy's trading post or something like that, avoid him as well. He sells a lot of defective merchandise. I bought a quad box controller that was dead on arrival. When I contacted him(took several e-mails to get a response.) he said use the warranty and ship it off to the maker. Then refused to answer any other e-mails. E-bay has a certification system for honest retailers, and all that i've purchased from said dealers has always been jake or was promptly taken back for a complete refund. Just do a search through e-bay's security section for the card best suited for your needs and price. If there's anyone else in this group that can help point us to a quality security card I'd be interested as well. >>X-10 is crap. They recently got whacked with a law suit for failing to >>pay up for online advertising services rendered. Had to pay millions [quoted text clipped - 63 lines] >>>Thanks for any help whatsoever!! >>>-Rob > Hi, > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > motion detection... in their circuits or even as on-board PIR (passive > infrared). Notwithstanding the fact that you get what you pay for, those cheap dv pci vid capture cards will work just fine. Inexpensive cameras won't have auto iris, so they will "white out" in bright light, making them impractical for use outdoors.. However, they are adequate for indoor use, providing you can keep them from pointing directly at a window.. > > Hi, > > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > impractical for use outdoors.. However, they are adequate for indoor use, > providing you can keep them from pointing directly at a window.. I haven't actually managed to get the 'Home CCTV' section up and running yet, but if it helps, I've recently launched a CCTV information website at:- http://www.doktorjon.co.uk If you have to use a 'cheap and nasty' camera that cannot cope with full sunlight, you could always fit (tape) a cheap neutral density (ND x4 perhaps) photographic filter over the lens; this will cut down the light transmission to within the cameras tolerance, but the down side is you'll probably need much more artificial light at night to produce a useful picture. DJ > > Hi, > > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > impractical for use outdoors.. However, they are adequate for indoor use, > providing you can keep them from pointing directly at a window.. I haven't actually managed to get the 'Home CCTV' section up and running yet, but if it helps, I've recently launched a CCTV information website at:- http://www.doktorjon.co.uk If you have to use a 'cheap and nasty' camera that cannot cope with full sunlight, you could always fit (tape) a cheap neutral density (ND x4 perhaps) photographic filter over the lens; this will cut down the light transmission to within the cameras tolerance, but the down side is you'll probably need much more artificial light at night to produce a useful picture. DJ |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2009 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.