Hi All,
I'm new to the site but I've been using Foscam IP cameras for a couple years or so. I am looking to improve my ability to see outside at night with the ability to PTZ. I've had the usual trouble with trying to point a camera out a window - IR illumination reflection kills that idea. I've tried putting a FI19810 outside under an awning as I've read even in the Foscam instructions that this is acceptable as long as there is no direct water exposure, but I found that the camera gets condensation inside and quits working after a single night (I live on eastern Long Island in NY). I am now wanting to try simply disabling the IR LED's on the camera (yes not easy I know) and use an external IR illuminator. Problem I'm having is every single illuminator I can find has horrible reviews talking about how the LEDs die over a short period of time. Even the loose LED's that I find have the same kind of reviews (I was thinking about rolling my own). I looked into a high quality dome camera designed to have the IR work through the dome but even there it seems that the dome can get fogged up / shmutzy and result in IR reflection.
What I'm wondering is, does anyone here either know of a good quality reliable external IR illuminator or else have a better solution?
I'm new to the site but I've been using Foscam IP cameras for a couple years or so. I am looking to improve my ability to see outside at night with the ability to PTZ. I've had the usual trouble with trying to point a camera out a window - IR illumination reflection kills that idea. I've tried putting a FI19810 outside under an awning as I've read even in the Foscam instructions that this is acceptable as long as there is no direct water exposure, but I found that the camera gets condensation inside and quits working after a single night (I live on eastern Long Island in NY). I am now wanting to try simply disabling the IR LED's on the camera (yes not easy I know) and use an external IR illuminator. Problem I'm having is every single illuminator I can find has horrible reviews talking about how the LEDs die over a short period of time. Even the loose LED's that I find have the same kind of reviews (I was thinking about rolling my own). I looked into a high quality dome camera designed to have the IR work through the dome but even there it seems that the dome can get fogged up / shmutzy and result in IR reflection.
What I'm wondering is, does anyone here either know of a good quality reliable external IR illuminator or else have a better solution?