Beyond The Lurk

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Hey Everyone,

I have been learning from the threads for a couple of weeks now, not much personal experience other than trying to make a Lorex bundle do what I need it to. I have accepted that my needs go beyond what the bundled system can do (well/reliably) and am ready to throw some dollars, time and effort at a better solution - hoping to find the info and guidance to make reasonably well informed choices .

Best,
PIT
 
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Cliffs of cliffs: Dahua 2 MP starlights and junction boxes from Empiretecandy, 4th generation or later i5/i7 PC with an SSD, WD Purple hard drive, and Blue Iris software, POE switch, Cat5e/6 cable - solid conductor - no copper clad aluminum, 5 gallon bucket, rocks, and a 2x4.
Now that is seriously "cliffy"! Thank you very much. During my lurking, I have seen the widely held, high regard for the Dahua 2 MP starlights, I will have to read up on the junction boxes.

The system I had in mind is probably way overkill, I will check to make sure I did not end up with copper clad cable - much of it is run already.

Maybe these are only needed if things do not go well? but... bucket, rocks and dimensional lumber; check, check and check!

I was reading looney2ns' review of the newly released starlights and I have to say that potential for longer cable runs are enticing as I am trying to capture activity at the end of a very long driveway.

I digress.

Thanks again,
PIT
 
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If your wire says "CCA" anywhere on it, the box or label printed on the cable, it's copper clad aluminum and should not be used.
A follow up on your tip:
I had purchased two 1000' spools of CAT 5e, one for about $150.00 and the second for nearly one third of the price. I checked my order and found(not surprisingly) that the cheaper of the two products was indeed CCA cable. I made this order in haste(due to the nature of the situation that that drives the need for surveillance on my property), did not think enough about what drove the pricing difference not realizing the conductors were not all copper... I guess I assumed that it was due to the rating for underground burial and shielding.

I've since read up on the many ways that CCA is inferior to all copper conductor Ethernet cable and think I have the culprit for the second half of my run to the end of my driveway. I am headed out this afternoon to make that run a second time, using non-CCA cable this time.

So again, thanks - very helpful.

PIT
 

mat200

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I've since read up on the many ways that CCA is inferior to all copper conductor Ethernet cable and think I have the culprit for the second half of my run to the end of my driveway. I am headed out this afternoon to make that run a second time, using non-CCA cable this time.

So again, thanks - very helpful.

PIT
Hi PIT,

Indeed CCA wires just will not perform as well carrying power or signal. Let us know how it turns out.

How long is the run btw?
 
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Hi PIT,

Indeed CCA wires just will not perform as well carrying power or signal. Let us know how it turns out.

How long is the run btw?
Hi Mat200.

The run I am trying to make is between 650' and 700'.

An update on that effort:

Following the initial run of CCA, I ran new cable the evening before last. Another thing I am (probably) doing wrong is running the cable along the ground, held in place with landscape staples("temporary" setup, with the intent of burying the cable at a later date). As stated before there is some urgency in getting the cameras out due to the level of malice being directed at our home. I am a competent person when it comes to technology but new to security cameras

That aside, as I was following the initial run, I made it to a point in the cable where it had obviously been cut, this was not a surprise as the situation I am trying to address has involved many trespassing and property damage events. After getting the new run completed I setup the camera but am dropping frames or (insert correct technical description here). The video often jumps and I lose (on average) 3 or 4 seconds of video at a time.

Here is a breakdown of my (ahem) setup.

Costco bundle Lorex NVR 400 with 2MP cameras - six bullet and three eyeball.
I have split the run out to the pasture at the front of our property by putting a cheapo POE switch in the middle of two ~300' runs - this is the switch I am using: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005GAATOG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

As it gets warmer I expect the switch I am using to experience problems as it "lives" inside a large cedar Net Geo bird feeder in the middle of the property, and that area does get beat on by the sun.

I recently bought the TP Link POE switch recommended in the Wiki for this site and also another box of cable(also from the Wiki), because I know I am in this for the long haul and civil action takes time.

I want to buy additional cameras(Dahua 2 MP starlights) like the ones I have read about on this site but powering supplemental IR lighting (for cams that depend on ambient light) is another conundrum. This is a rural setting and it is quite dark at the front of my property - the mouth-breathers I am dealing with use that to their advantage.

I also bought a license for Blue Iris but have not started up that learning curve yet because I am too busy trying to extract proof of the activity around our home and if I am really lucky the identity of those responsible, for now I am using the FLIR cloud client software.

Once I get ANY camera operating correctly in the areas away from the house, I am open to suggestions on how to cut down the time I am spending sifting through motion events. I have looked (briefly) at sensors on Amazon that detect body heat. Most of the Lorex cameras have and audio connector and I'd really like to pull audio from the end of the driveway too but am not sure how possible/practical that is either.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions and for the time it takes to consider all or parts of this drivel.

Best Regards,
PIT
 
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awsum140

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In terms of the Dauhua Starlight cameras, they all have their own IR sources, to my knowledge. The Starlights work well with random, ambient, light sources even with their own IR shut off, experimentation will show which is best, as well as having on-board microphones. You can install a PoE splitter at the camera if you need additional IR illumination for fill or extension of view at night. You would need a "Y" splitter for the coaxial power connector as well. That allows powering the camera and the additional IR. PoE is not passed by those splitters. The big limitations are the power capability of the splitter and the power from the port of the PoE switch. Believe it or not, a 6 to 11 watt IR illuminator provides a large amount of extra illumination.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00EDRMWVG/?coliid=I3C7EH57X6X6OZ&colid=3DJ96FH498CMH&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075ZYG89D/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GPRLQCC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01GPRLQCC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B077982XCS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And one more, a microphone. I haven't bought one of these but it is well liked by several members of this forum.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00M5P7HCW/?coliid=I1I73X0CFVYHCI&colid=3DJ96FH498CMH&psc=0&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it
 
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mat200

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Hi Mat200.

The run I am trying to make is between 650' and 700'.

..PIT
HI PIT,

I would also consider the wireless tower option used here #42
Looking for some advice and direction!

Also I would get a trail camera or 2 to assist until you can get a better setup up.

I would also look at a PTZ w/good zoom as an option, and have it focus'ed on what they are likely to vandalize.

Remember to have no trespassing signage up.
 

looney2ns

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Be sure to check your state laws on recording audio.
Hi Mat200.

The run I am trying to make is between 650' and 700'.

That aside, as I was following the initial run, I made it to a point in the cable where it had obviously been cut, this was not a surprise as the situation I am trying to address has involved many trespassing and property damage events. After getting the new run completed I setup the camera but am dropping frames or (insert correct technical description here). The video often jumps and I lose (on average) 3 or 4 seconds of video at a time.

PIT
If you are making these cables up yourself, at the distance your running, any minor problems with the crimping of RJ45's, will cause what your experiencing. They must done correctly, and using the 568B standard.
 
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