Need suggestion for front door

While not new to IP cams, I am new to this forum and I appreciate any feedback you can give. I currently have a few indoor and one outdoor camera and am using Blue Iris to capture everything. While I currently have a camera on the corner of my garage that covers the driveway and a wider shot of the yard and cul-de-sac, my wife wants me to put a camera at the front door so she can get a better shot of who is coming up to our door and maybe be able to see if a package is there. I've heard great things about Dahua and want to go with them for my new cameras and replace my other one with them in the future.

Can you give me some suggestions in the sub $200 range? I have attached pictures of my very shallow front door/porch for reference. Thank you very much.

I'm using a Dahua 2MP Starlight IR Mini Dome Network camera IPC-HDBW4231F-AS at my front door. It's pretty recessed. I run the camera flipped 90 degrees and it gets coverage right up from the door out into the yard.
At night there is enough light from the front door lamp that I never run it in B/W mode.

I have the exact same camera as Tygunn on my front door. Only thing that sucks about it is it's a dome, and IR reflects off it. My porch is deep and covered so I'm able to run it with the dome off. I prefer this to going with porch light/IR off because I can see farther out.

I just wish it had two-way audio. I know I know, it sucks... but its not like I want to have detailed conversations with people. It'd just be nice for telling solicitors to piss off.

stratigary said:

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Can you give me some suggestions in the sub $200 range? I have attached pictures of my very shallow front door/porch for reference. Thank you very much.

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Hi Stratigary,

Welcome to the forum, I also ( thanks to the recommendation of others here ) picked up a:

Dahua 2MP Starlight IR Mini Dome Network camera IPC-HDBW4231F-AS ( I picked up a 2.8mm version from Andy / Empire Candy )
IPC-HDBW4231F-AS | Dahua Technology - Dahua Technology

I really like it a lot for the front door area as my porch area is very small and I needed something smaller which would blend in better.

I am very happy with the quality of the images, keeping it in color mode as I have very good porch lighting and I placed it 5ft high next to the door ( the purpose for me is to get a great ID image with this camera ). Ideally I would have placed it a bit further to the side of the door to allow the angle to open up a bit more, however due to various issues I had limited options on placement positions. I've placed it as best as possible to reduce direct UV exposure and have had little issues with regards to dome glare with the placement I have. ( well covered porch )

I also painted the shell to match the wall, and it looks very good.

The biggest pain was wiring the porch location in aesthetically acceptable manner, I've still have some finishing up work to do.
( I pulled an extra ethernet cable while doing this just in case I wanted to add any additional internet connected / POE devices to the front door area, such as an door bell intercom or the like in the future )

Audio would be nice to have, and if I had a larger porch I would have considered the starlight turret covering the location. [ note below looney2ns points out the Dahua mini-dome mentioned here has audio :-]

The porch layout makes it very hard to place one camera to get a good ID image and watch the spot where packages are dropped off - thus I am currently thinking of options to also provide a better view of the location where UPS / Fedex / DHL would drop a package so I can see if a package has been dropped off. I may try a very cheap POE camera for that option.

Have fun.

mat200 said:

Hi Stratigary,

Dahua 2MP Starlight IR Mini Dome Network camera IPC-HDBW4231F-AS ( I picked up a 2.8mm version from Andy / Empire Candy )
IPC-HDBW4231F-AS | Dahua Technology - Dahua Technology

Audio would be nice to have, and if I had a larger porch I would have considered the starlight turret covering the location.

The porch layout makes it very hard to place one camera to get a good ID image and watch the spot where packages are dropped off - thus I am currently thinking of options to also provide a better view of the location where UPS / Fedex / DHL would drop a package so I can see if a package has been dropped off. I may try a very cheap POE camera for that option.

Have fun.

Click to expand...

The cam does indeed have a mic and audio built in.

Have you tried the cam in corridor mode to see more of your package drop area?

looney2ns said:

The cam have does indeed have a mic and audio built in.

Have you tried the cam in corridor mode to see more of your package drop area?

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Cool!! Thanks! will have to check the audio - ( doh! i didn't recall seeing it in the specs ).

Corridor mode - indeed a good option - been playing with the various views and for my porch area there are a number of challenges due to the layout which has me thinking that a 2nd camera would be the best option for keeping an eye on the package area. ( heck, I've already did the hardest work which was pulling the cat5e/cat6 )

What a super little camera!
(now only $97.00 Oscar @ Jimbu Security) you can't go wrong with this great little camera! 10 days from order to delivery using free epacket.

This cam could be mounted on the inside of a door by cutting a small pocket (approx.2"x3"x1" deep) in the door. The thickness is almost the same as the door. so from the outside it would look almost identical as a peephole viewer. Since it's so small I went with the simple exterior mount with a through hole for the cable.

I installed a Dahua HDB4300C next to my front door (3MP, currently $66 on Amazon). This was my 3rd camera attempt after swapping out other cameras that didn't perform well. I have pretty bright porch lights on timers so there is plenty of light. I needed a camera WITHOUT ir lighting so the the reflection of the IR's wouldn't be a problem.

With corridor mode, which would the 3.6mm still give full coverage from head to ground for face anf package coverage?
I don't need to see the rest of the yard and want to get the best facial recog view possible while still being able to see gound packages...mine would be mounter right above or to the left top of the door.

This does not have any I\O connections that I can see. Can anyone confirm that?
Would be nice to have for a definite trigger if front door was actually opened while I was away.

nbstl68 said:

With corridor mode, which would the 3.6mm still give full coverage from head to ground for face anf package coverage?
I don't need to see the rest of the yard and want to get the best facial recog view possible while still being able to see gound packages...mine would be mounter right above or to the left top of the door.
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Ans: Depends on camera placement and front door layout. If you expect people to be very close to the camera you should look at the 2.8mm version.

FYI - from spec sheet ( IPC-HDBW4231F-AS | Dahua Technology - Dahua Technology )

Focal Length:
2.8mm (3.6mm, 6mm optional)

Angle of View:
H: 110° (87°, 51°), V:58° (48°, 30°)

Alarm: N/A

Its a 9 ft door and only placement is riht above or above to the riht.
I imagine as they walk up they will eventually be pretty close but will mostly see top of heads by then.
Just trying to get an idea of how much coverage the 3.6mm would give from a few feet out. I have seen the online calculqtors and that other app but does not help in reality.
The few pics posted here I think are all 2.8mm. A lot of wasted yard, walkway view for me thwt could trigger false motion alarms. I just want to see when they are near the door then want best closest detail from my mountng point.
I am using BI so unfortunately I cannot use the onboard IVS so reducing false alerts by minimizing unnecessary fov is important.
So hoping someone here may have a 3.6mm mounted for sample pic post maybe.

nbstl68 said:

Its a 9 ft door and only placement is riht above or above to the riht.
..
So hoping someone here may have a 3.6mm mounted for sample pic post maybe.

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9 ft high = a lot of good hat pictures.

I would take a box - and cut it up and use packaging tape to create your angles and use it to see what is happening.
You can use the box as a hood for a cell phone camera to simulate your view a take a few shots.

Suggest checking out @Tygunn 's capture to get an idea, do not recall the lens he is using
Dahua minidome catches guy casing house

I bought one of these from Andy, really like it! There is one thing though, it doesn't have IVS..

@Tygunn @mat200 & the rest, do yours do have IVS?

I'm running software version: 2.460.0000.14.R, Build Date: 2017-07-20, maybe it's a firmware thing?

Hi Kameraad,
Have you switched on the smartcodec ? if this is activated IVS does not work.

ewc1111 said:

Hi Kameraad,
Have you switched on the smartcodec ? if this is activated IVS does not work.
View attachment 22455

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THANKS!! I didn't know that!

Switched it off and now i have the IVS options available! Thanks again!

What does smartcodec do that it has to shut of the advantage of IVS?

nbstl68 said:

Its a 9 ft door and only placement is riht above or above to the riht.

Click to expand...

Have you considered lower? These domes are vandal resistant and even if defeated, you have a picture by then if you mount it so it can't be approached without capture. The issue with cameras mounted high is yes it puts them out of reach, but anyone can avoid being captured simply be wearing a peaked cap pulled low in combination with keeping their head down. A hoodie also disguises the hair colour and length. If mounted at typical head height ie 5ft-5ft 6" or similar, then it's much harder as the camera has a full on face view and only a full face mask or scarf and sunglasses can avoid it.

Personally I'd place more weight on securing the NVR than the cameras. Lose a camera, and it's on camera, lose the NVR, and you've lost not only the NVR but also all the footage and evidence. I don't currently have working CCTv setup, but if I did, my choice of location for the NVR would probably be the roof space or cellar with a very sturdily locked door and maybe if in the cellar, a locking video recorder style protective casing.

RH-Atl said:

What a super little camera!
(now only $97.00 Oscar @ Jimbu Security) you can't go wrong with this great little camera! 10 days from order to delivery using free epacket.

This cam could be mounted on the inside of a door by cutting a small pocket (approx.2"x3"x1" deep) in the door. The thickness is almost the same as the door. so from the outside it would look almost identical as a peephole viewer. Since it's so small I went with the simple exterior mount with a through hole for the cable.

View attachment 20487 View attachment 20488 View attachment 20487 View attachment 20488

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Looks interesting.

RH-Atl said:

What a super little camera!
(now only $97.00 Oscar @ Jimbu Security) you can't go wrong with this great little camera! 10 days from order to delivery using free epacket.

This cam could be mounted on the inside of a door by cutting a small pocket (approx.2"x3"x1" deep) in the door. The thickness is almost the same as the door. so from the outside it would look almost identical as a peephole viewer. Since it's so small I went with the simple exterior mount with a through hole for the cable.

View attachment 20487 View attachment 20488 View attachment 20487 View attachment 20488

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What's inside look like?

Check this thread out. Very clean install, proper height to get face shots instead of top of heads, plus it is very similar to your setup.

Front door ID camera IPC-HDBW4231F?