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The general rule of thumb is that a PTZ camera will be pointing in the wrong direction when the action happens. Are you plan on manning a PTZ camera 24/7 ? You can use an Auto tract camera but some times they work and some times they do not.
It is recommended that you use a number of fixed cameras recording to cover the area you are interested in. Record 24/7/365. That way you will not miss the action.
You should not use a cloud service, it costs money and eats your network band width, and it will be down when the action occurs.
If you go with an NVR get one that is larger than you think you need as you will be adding more cameras. Get an NVR from the same manufacture as your cameras.
Please Read,. Study, Plan before spending money.... Plan plan plan
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My standard welcome to the forum message.
Please read the
cliff notes and other items in the
wiki. The wiki is in the blue bar at the top of the page.
Read
How to Secure Your Network (Don't Get Hacked!) | IP Cam Talk in the wiki also.
Quick start
1) Use Dahua starlight cameras or Hikvision darkfighter cameras or ICPT Night eye cameras (
https://store.ipcamtalk.com/) if you need good low light cameras.
2) use a VPN to access home network (openVPN)
3) Do not use wifi cameras.
4) Do not use cloud storage
5) Do Not use uPNP, P2P, QR, do not open ports,
6) More megapixel is not necessarily better.
7) Avoid chinese hacked cameras (most ebay, amazon, aliexpress cameras(not all, but most))
8) Do not use reolink, ring, nest cameras (they are junk)
9) If possible use a turret camera , bullet collect spiders, dome collect dirt and reflect light (IR)
10) Use only solid copper, AWG 23 or 24 ethernet wire. , no CCA (Copper Clad Aluminum)
11) use a test mount to verify the camera mount location.
My test rig: rev.2
12) (Looney2ns)If you want to be able to ID faces, don't mount cams higher than 8ft. You want to know who did it, not just what happened.
13) Use a router that has openVPN built in (Most ASUS, Some NetGear....)
14) camera placement use the calculator...
IPVM Camera Calculator V3
Cameras to look at
IPC-HDW2231R-ZS
Review-Dahua IPC-HDW2231RP-ZS Starlight Camera-Varifocal
IPC-HDW5231-ZE
Review-Dahua Starlight IPC-HDW5231R-ZE 800 meter capable ePOE
IPC-HFW4239T-ASE
IPC-HFW4239T-ASE
IPC-T5442TM-AS Review IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED (Full Color, Starlight+)
IPCT-HDW5431RE-I
Review - IP Cam Talk 4 MP IR Fixed Turret Network Camera
DS-2CD2325FWD-I
My preferred indoor cameras
DS-2CD2442FWD-IW
IPC-K35A
https://ipcamtalk.com/threads/review-dahua-ipc-k35a-3mp-cube-camera.37581/#post-373517
Read,study,plan before spending money ..... plan plan plan
Test do not guess