Badly need an upgrade in my camera system and need help.

[James022]

Hello to all,
I am new to this forum, so please go easy on me. I currently have a swann system from costco, which is about 6 years old with the 3MP cameras (8 camera system). With that being said, about 2 years ago, the Costco NVR died, and I had to purchase off ebay, and 7250 version NVR from Swann, so my cameras can be compatible. Fast forward to today, someone stole a package in bright daylight, with no regard of my cameras. After looking at the footage, the person in question can be seen, but i cannot see his vehicle or license plate. The picture becomes distorted and is not visible. It is very upsetting, especially now that i have a new born coming and my family feels unsafe. I would really appreciate if someone can help me with my next future configuration. I would like to also say that money isn't a factor, but i also don't want to spend more than 10K on Cameras.
I paid 2K back in 2014 for my cameras, and definitely willing to pay for the upgrades.

Current Setup:
1 NVR with 8 Channels 3MP Cameras (Bullet)
Cameras have Night Vision
FRAMES per Second per Camera is 15F on 3MP.

Future Setup:
1 NVR with at Least 16 Channels 4K Cameras with the below specs.
At least 2 PTZ Cameras with Audio if possible.
2 Cameras with Audio.
2 Cameras with Zoom and not Digital.

Please help as I am new, and do not want to get ripped off.

 

[samplenhold]

Welcome to the forum. Sorry about the theft and the resulting feelings.

Do not chase pixels. Most 4K cameras will not have good low-light/night performance.

Read the WIKI and Cliff Notes.

Why PTZ cameras? Remember that you have to be watching them to take advantage of their options. Even putting them on a schedule generally means that when something happens, chances are they are looking in the wrong place.

 

[Arjun]

Hello James,

Welcome to the forum. I recommend the following Dahua setup based on your desired specifications,

1x NVR5216-16P-4KS2E
2x 2mp SD49225XA-HNR (PTZ Cameras with Audio)
2x 4mp Dahua IPC-T5442TM-AS (Focal length will be determined based on your property, use the IPVM Calculator to determine this, 2.8mm vs 3.6mm vs. 6mm, this is a fixed lens model)
2x 2mp IPC-HDW3241T-ZAS (Varifocal turret, focal length (zoom) can be adjusted)

Andy can assist you further with your needs @EMPIRETECANDY

I recommend you follow @samplenhold 's suggestion first. I just recommended whatever you required as per your original post If you are sure with your setup and need two PTZ's, that setup above should get you going

Hello to all,
I am new to this forum, so please go easy on me. I currently have a swann system from costco, which is about 6 years old with the 3MP cameras (8 camera system). With that being said, about 2 years ago, the Costco NVR died, and I had to purchase off ebay, and 7250 version NVR from Swann, so my cameras can be compatible. Fast forward to today, someone stole a package in bright daylight, with no regard of my cameras. After looking at the footage, the person in question can be seen, but i cannot see his vehicle or license plate. The picture becomes distorted and is not visible. It is very upsetting, especially now that i have a new born coming and my family feels unsafe. I would really appreciate if someone can help me with my next future configuration. I would like to also say that money isn't a factor, but i also don't want to spend more than 10K on Cameras.
I paid 2K back in 2014 for my cameras, and definitely willing to pay for the upgrades.

Current Setup:
1 NVR with 8 Channels 3MP Cameras (Bullet)
Cameras have Night Vision
FRAMES per Second per Camera is 15F on 3MP.

Future Setup:
1 NVR with at Least 16 Channels 4K Cameras with the below specs.
At least 2 PTZ Cameras with Audio if possible.
2 Cameras with Audio.
2 Cameras with Zoom and not Digital.

Please help as I am new, and do not want to get ripped off.

 

[James022]

Welcome to the forum. Sorry about the theft and the resulting feelings.

Do not chase pixels. Most 4K cameras will not have good low-light/night performance.

Read the WIKI and Cliff Notes.

Why PTZ cameras? Remember that you have to be watching them to take advantage of their options. Even putting them on a schedule generally means that when something happens, chances are they are looking in the wrong place.

Thank you for the update. You are correct.
The PTZ is meant for other instance, like when a car crashed in front of my house and couldn't see footage, or when a person was using my driveway for suspicious illegal activity.

 

[djernie]

Welcome to the forum. Please read the wiki, it has great information. No one system fits everyone's situation so don't rush. There are many threads on here for porch cameras to catch thieves. If you want good night captures, get darkfighter or starlight cameras as they do very well at night. 2mp or 4mp for nighttime is best. 4k cameras are good during the day, but 2pm and 4mp starlight or darkfighter cameras work best for night time. i will post a few threads for you to check out. It is also encouraged to have two cameras in each location. One as an overview, and one zoomed in close to the same area to get good facial recognition. Varifocal cameras can zoom in to an area for facial recognition.

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Your front door install and captures ?

Hello just wondering if you could post up what your front door installation looks like and also what kind of Image it produces?

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Why do you have TWO cameras in one location.

I thought i would post some camera shots of why we give the recommendation for two cameras in one area. One camera is for overview. And one camera is for facial recognition. It's very hard for police to use your footage for facial recognition from an over view shot. Because when you zoom in it...

ipcamtalk.com

 

[James022]

Hello James,

Welcome to the forum. I recommend the following Dahua setup based on your desired specifications,

1x NVR5216-16P-4KS2E
2x 2mp SD49225XA-HNR (PTZ Cameras with Audio)
2x 4mp Dahua IPC-T5442TM-AS (Focal length will be determined based on your property, use the IPVM Calculator to determine this, 2.8mm vs 3.6mm vs. 6mm, this is a fixed lens model)
2x 2mp IPC-HDW3241T-ZAS (Varifocal turret, focal length (zoom) can be adjusted)

Andy can assist you further with your needs @EMPIRETECANDY

I recommend you follow @samplenhold 's suggestion first. I just recommended whatever you required as per your original post If you are sure with your setup and need two PTZ's, that setup above should get you going

Thank you Arjun. I agree PTZ might be over kill, but I'm looking to implement a system that will last at least 10 years. I would use PTZ to track people going into my driveway, and zooming in. I know some systems can do that as a preset.

 

[djernie]

Thank you Arjun. I agree PTZ might be over kill, but I'm looking to implement a system that will last at least 10 years. I would use PTZ to track people going into my driveway, and zooming in. I know some systems can do that as a preset.

Some can do it as a preset, but its not always accurate, read the PTZ thread it will help. But it is still nice to have PTZ cameras in the setup.

 

[samplenhold]

I would use PTZ to track people going into my driveway

What you are talking about is called auto-tracking. Most prosumer PTZ cameras are hit or miss when it comes to auto-tracking. You generally need to spend upwards of $600+ for decent auto-tracking.

The link @djernie posted that is the review by @Wildcat_1 on the PTZ (and his other reviews of PTZ) is a good one to read.

 

[James022]

Welcome to the forum. Please read the wiki, it has great information. No one system fits everyone's situation so don't rush. There are many threads on here for porch cameras to catch thieves. If you want good night captures, get darkfighter or starlight cameras as they do very well at night. 2mp or 4mp for nighttime is best. 4k cameras are good during the day, but 2pm and 4mp starlight or darkfighter cameras work best for night time. i will post a few threads for you to check out. It is also encouraged to have two cameras in each location. One as an overview, and one zoomed in close to the same area to get good facial recognition. Varifocal cameras can zoom in to an area for facial recognition.

Review-OEM 4mp AI Cam IPC-T5442TM-AS Starlight+

Dahua OEM IPC-T5442TM-AS from EMPIRETECANDY 4MP WDR Turret AI Network Camera Review unit courtesy of Andy (@EMPIRETECANDY) in exchange for a fair and honest review. Andy's ipcamtalk store: link Andy's AliExpress store: link Andy's Amazon store: link Price Approximately US $160 Link to camera...

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ipcamtalk.com

Your front door install and captures ?

Hello just wondering if you could post up what your front door installation looks like and also what kind of Image it produces?

ipcamtalk.com

Review-OEM IPC-T3241-ZAS 2mp AI Lite series Varifocal

IPC-T3241-ZAS from EMPIRETECANDY 2MP WDR Turret Varifocal AI Network Camera Review unit courtesy of Andy (@EMPIRETECANDY) in exchange for a fair and honest review. Purchase in the IPCT Store Andy's ipcamtalk vendor forum: link Andy's AliExpress store: link Andy's Amazon store: link Price...

ipcamtalk.com

Thank you djernie. That is correct. I am not in a rush, but now I have it on my radar and will be looking to make a purchase within the next month or so. The weather will be getting better, which will make it easier to climb the ladder and change the cameras. You are correct. In my driveway i have 4 cameras, 2 pointing out from different distances, and 2 pointing into the driveway from different distances (driveway is 100 Feet long). the front has two cameras in a V pattern. I camera placed on the left, pointing to the right, and one placed on the right, pointing to the left. THis is where i would put one PTZ in the front. In the Rear, i only have one camera in the corner, which i would put the other PTZ, to track movement, etc.

 

[djernie]

Thank you djernie. That is correct. I am not in a rush, but now I have it on my radar and will be looking to make a purchase within the next month or so. The weather will be getting better, which will make it easier to climb the ladder and change the cameras. You are correct. In my driveway i have 4 cameras, 2 pointing out from different distances, and 2 pointing into the driveway from different distances (driveway is 100 Feet long). the front has two cameras in a V pattern. I camera placed on the left, pointing to the right, and one placed on the right, pointing to the left. THis is where i would put one PTZ in the front. In the Rear, i only have one camera in the corner, which i would put the other PTZ, to track movement, etc.

Now i have cameras crossing each other as well, but do you have one of the crossing cameras zoomed in to the street or sidewalk area to get facial recognition. Check out the post, why do i need two cameras, i put a link in the previous post.

 

[Arjun]

Make sure you have overlapping coverage, and get two more varifocal cameras (turrets or bullet cameras, its your preference although many here prefer the turret design) to assist and refine upon the autotracking feature in the PTZ. The PTZ option is not a bad idea at all. In fact, I encourage it seeing that you've already had experience with a CCTV system in the past.

Thank you djernie. That is correct. I am not in a rush, but now I have it on my radar and will be looking to make a purchase within the next month or so. The weather will be getting better, which will make it easier to climb the ladder and change the cameras. You are correct. In my driveway i have 4 cameras, 2 pointing out from different distances, and 2 pointing into the driveway from different distances (driveway is 100 Feet long). the front has two cameras in a V pattern. I camera placed on the left, pointing to the right, and one placed on the right, pointing to the left. THis is where i would put one PTZ in the front. In the Rear, i only have one camera in the corner, which i would put the other PTZ, to track movement, etc.

 

[James022]

Now i have cameras crossing each other as well, but do you have one of the crossing cameras zoomed in to the street or sidewalk area to get facial recognition. Check out the post, why do i need two cameras, i put a link in the previous post.

no, unfortunately, they are not. They are wide angles or 120 angle view and they are zoomed out. Actually, i dont even think i can zoom in other than digital zoom which sucks.

 

[James022]

Make sure you have overlapping coverage, and get two more varifocal cameras (turrets or bullet cameras, its your preference although many here prefer the turret design) to assist and refine upon the autotracking feature in the PTZ. The PTZ option is not a bad idea at all. In fact, I encourage it seeing that you've already had experience with a CCTV system in the past.

yes. I already convinced my wife that, it may look ugly, but will be worth every penny. I am reading up on everyone's information and i really appreciate it. Does that PTZ cameras need to talk to the varifocal cameras? Meaning do they need to be the same brands, etc. Does the PTZ do audio?

 

[djernie]

no, unfortunately, they are not. They are wide angles or 120 angle view and they are zoomed out. Actually, i dont even think i can zoom in other than digital zoom which sucks.

Yeah digital zoom sucks you can't get facial recognition from digital zoom. So i would get 2 varifocal cameras like the ones @Arjun posted above. I think they have audio on them as well.

 

[Arjun]

The PTZ do audio as well as the varifocal cameras. They don't interfere with each other as well, the more mics the better (you can disable them in the camera's web UI if you choose to). If you're going with the Dahua NVR, its best to keep it all Dahua. The 4mp model turret doesn't have varifocal capability, but the 2mp turret does. If you want varifocal for the 4mp model, you will have to opt for the varifocal bullet instead. Mind, the 4mp is amazing 24/7, with its 1/1.8" (larger sensor) than the 2mp's 1/2.8" sensor

yes. I already convinced my wife that, it may look ugly, but will be worth every penny. I am reading up on everyone's information and i really appreciate it. Does that PTZ cameras need to talk to the varifocal cameras? Meaning do they need to be the same brands, etc. Does the PTZ do audio?

 

[djernie]

here is one corner of my house, i am still upgrading my system. I have to get more varifocal cameras to support some of my fixed lenses. Here i have one ptz sd49225t-hm, it does not do auto track. which is fine with me. the others are fixed and varifocal.

 

[Arjun]

Never rely on digital zoom, this is Mistake #1. You need the correct focal length, which can be determined by the IPVM calculator. The varifocal is the best way to go if you're unsure and just starting out. Otherwise, if you buy a 3.6mm focal length fixed lens turret and realize that you need the 6mm focal length instead, you'll be spending double. With the varifocal range you can set it anywhere between 2.7 and upwards to 13.5mm on the varifocal turrets.

no, unfortunately, they are not. They are wide angles or 120 angle view and they are zoomed out. Actually, i dont even think i can zoom in other than digital zoom which sucks.

 

[Arjun]

This is absolutely how it should be setup in conjunction with a PTZ @James022
@djernie great job, this is very encouraging, I thought I was mounting too much on one corner
Like they say, if you want to get it right the first time, this is the way.

here is one corner of my house, i am still upgrading my system. I have to get more varifocal cameras to support some of my fixed lenses. Here i have one ptz sd49225t-hm, it does not do auto track. which is fine with me. the others are fixed and varifocal. View attachment 59334

 

[Arjun]

@James022

 

[djernie]

This is absolutely how it should be setup in conjunction with a PTZ @James022
@djernie great job, this is very encouraging, I thought I was mounting too much on one corner
Like they say, if you want to get it right the first time, this is the way.

Ha i know it's crazy how you realize, in order to cover all the angles one cam can't do it.