Camera Placement?

[Mah1]

Hi everyone. l am going to be installing some ip cameras. l was wondering how high to install the camera in front of the garage. 1st option in the soffit above the garage door. My concern is at this level, anyone coukd easily damage the camera with the whack of a stick. My second option is 3 feet above that on the wall above the soffit. Here it is much harder to damage the camera from the driveway, but the wall is inset from the siffit a foot or so, so hopefullythe soffit beliw doesn't obstruct the view. This install is a bit harder in terms of running the wires. Third option is in the soffit on my 2nd floor. This is probably the easiest to in terms of running the wire in the atic, but l am wondering if this is too high?

Finally, any ideas on best placement for the camera in the front door.. just above the door ir just off to the side if the door in the porch soffit.

Thanks in advance to everyone for their assistance.

 

[djernie]

soffit under garage, is best. No one is going to knock them down. Once they see cameras they are more than likely to pass your house. There are a few threads on here with porch camera placement. Your front door install and captures ?

Also check out the wiki page at the top of the page it will also answer a lot of your questions. You can type your questions in the search window and you will get great results. Good luck and welcome

 

[Mah1]

soffit under garage, is best. No one is going to knock them down. Once they see cameras they are more than likely to pass your house. There are a few threads on here with porch camera placement. Your front door install and captures ?

Also check out the wiki page at the top of the page it will also answer a lot of your questions. You can type your questions in the search window and you will get great results. Good luck and welcome

Great! Thank you for for taking the time to respond.

 

[mat200]

Hi everyone. l am going to be installing some ip cameras. l was wondering how high to install the camera in front of the garage. 1st option in the soffit above the garage door. My concern is at this level, anyone coukd easily damage the camera with the whack of a stick. My second option is 3 feet above that on the wall above the soffit. Here it is much harder to damage the camera from the driveway, but the wall is inset from the siffit a foot or so, so hopefullythe soffit beliw doesn't obstruct the view. This install is a bit harder in terms of running the wires. Third option is in the soffit on my 2nd floor. This is probably the easiest to in terms of running the wire in the atic, but l am wondering if this is too high?

Finally, any ideas on best placement for the camera in the front door.. just above the door ir just off to the side if the door in the porch soffit.

Thanks in advance to everyone for their assistance.

Welcome @Mah1

Issue: My concern is at this level, anyone could easily damage the camera with the whack of a stick.
Solution: Keep the camera(s) in a box hidden in the closet.

Q: Will the camera be useful in the closet for the purposes which you bought the camera?
A: Of course not.

I recommend not worrying too much about that, as if you buy decent cameras and mount them well - they will be fairly well protected from hits.

Mounted too high and they will not be very useful for the purposes of getting a good ID image of anyone closer to the garage doors

Also get 2 cameras... mount one on each side of the garage about 6-8 feet high. See the attached image for recommended placements to start your testing with.

 

[Mah1]

Thank you for your reply and suggestions! Greatly appreciated! l didn't think about doing 2 cameras, but from your pic, it makes a lot of sense.

 

[windguy]

Welcome to the forum. Very nice house. I like the architecture. Nice lines. Looks new.
I'm a newbie but have spent enough time on this forum and camera testing now to throw some questions out.
What do you want to capture on video? Knowing that would help dictate where to put cameras.
Example - we park our cars in the driveway and want to capture anyone trying to break-in.
How far down the driveway do you want to capture on video? Your driveway is pretty long with a big parkway.
Top of your front door might be too high up. You'd have to share a more detailed picture and take measurements to know for sure.
BTW - I'd leave your house address of your snaps though.

I'm in the pre-install phase on my system and I started with one varifocal camera as suggested by the gurus here. I spent many hours/days testing (day and night) and learned a great deal in terms of where to place cameras and what the results would be. You can only do so much on paper. Then I got one 6mm turret and did more testing, then got a 3.6mm turret and did more testing. That process was very beneficial in figuring out what I need. I had to add a camera to cover a blind spot that I first didn't consider on paper. Also think about cable routing considerations. You may want to put a camera in a particular spot but aesthetically or logistically it's not feasible. It all comes into play. Get your wife to sign off on the project or better yet, get her involved as much as possible, especially testing. You walk around when she records and evaluate together. Good luck!

 

[Mah1]

Welcome to the forum. Very nice house. I like the architecture. Nice lines. Looks new.
I'm a newbie but have spent enough time on this forum and camera testing now to throw some questions out.
What do you want to capture on video? Knowing that would help dictate where to put cameras.
Example - we park our cars in the driveway and want to capture anyone trying to break-in.
How far down the driveway do you want to capture on video? Your driveway is pretty long with a big parkway.
Top of your front door might be too high up. You'd have to share a more detailed picture and take measurements to know for sure.
BTW - I'd leave your house address of your snaps though.

I'm in the pre-install phase on my system and I started with one varifocal camera as suggested by the gurus here. I spent many hours/days testing (day and night) and learned a great deal in terms of where to place cameras and what the results would be. You can only do so much on paper. Then I got one 6mm turret and did more testing, then got a 3.6mm turret and did more testing. That process was very beneficial in figuring out what I need. I had to add a camera to cover a blind spot that I first didn't consider on paper. Also think about cable routing considerations. You may want to put a camera in a particular spot but aesthetically or logistically it's not feasible. It all comes into play. Get your wife to sign off on the project or better yet, get her involved as much as possible, especially testing. You walk around when she records and evaluate together. Good luck!

Hi thank you for your input, you offered lots of great suggestions!

 

[Mah1]

Hi thank you for your input, you offered lots of great suggestions!

 

[SouthernYankee]

Do not mount the cameras higher than 8 feet. The purpose is to see who did it. Test the location ,at night, with a person wearing a hoodie, ball cap and sunglasses. Test with a car in the driveway and a door checker.
It is recommend that you use two cameras on the garage, one on each side, no higher than the top of the door.

Test do not guess.

 

[Mah1]

Do not mount the cameras higher than 8 feet. The purpose is to see who did it. Test the location ,at night, with a person wearing a hoodie, ball cap and sunglasses. Test with a car in the driveway and a door checker.
It is recommend that you use two cameras on the garage, one on each side, no higher than the top of the door.

Test do not guess.

Great, thanks for the tips. Yes, l will do 2 above each garage door. l think l will get a few cameras so that l can start to test the placements of thek

 

[SouthernYankee]

read study plan before spending money.
Test do not guess
----------------------------
My standard welcome to the forum message.

Please read the IP Cam Talk Cliff Notes and other items in the IP Cam Talk Wiki. (read on a real computer, not a phone). The wiki is in the blue bar at the top of the page.

Read How to Secure Your Network (Don't Get Hacked!) in the wiki also.

Quick start
1) If you do not have a wired monitored alarm system, get that first
2) Use Dahua starlight cameras or Hikvision darkfighter cameras if you need good low light cameras.
3) use a VPN to access home network (openVPN)
4) Do not use wifi cameras.
5) Do not use cloud storage
6) Do Not use uPNP, P2P, QR, do not open ports,
7) More megapixel is not necessarily better.
8) Avoid chinese hacked cameras (most ebay, amazon, aliexpress cameras(not all, but most))
9) Do not use reolink, ring, nest, Arlo cameras (they are junk), no cloud cameras
10) If possible use a turret camera , bullet collect spiders, dome collect dirt and reflect light (IR)
11) Use only solid copper, AWG 23 or 24 ethernet wire. , no CCA (Copper Clad Aluminum)
12) use a test mount to verify the camera mount location. My test rig: rev.2
13) (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.
14) Use a router that has openVPN built in (Most ASUS, Some NetGear....)
15) camera placement use the calculator... IPVM Camera Calculator V3
16) POE list PoE Switch Suggestion List


Cameras to look at
IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED Review IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED (Full Color, Starlight+) - 4MP starlight
IPC-T5442TM-AS Review-OEM 4mp AI Cam IPC-T5442TM-AS Starlight+ - 4MP starlight+
IPC-T2347G-LU Review of the Hikvision OEM model IPC-T2347G-LU 'ColorVu' IP CCTV camera. (DS-2CD2347G1-LU)
IPC-HDW2231R-ZS Review-Dahua IPC-HDW2231RP-ZS Starlight Camera-Varifocal
IPC-HDW2231T-ZS-S2 Review-OEM IPC-T2231T-ZS 2mp Varifocal Starlight Camera
IPC-HDW5231R-ZE Review-Dahua Starlight IPC-HDW5231R-ZE 800 meter capable ePOE
IPC-HFW4239T-ASE IPC-HFW4239T-ASE
IPCT-HDW5431RE-I Review - IP Cam Talk 4 MP IR Fixed Turret Network Camera
DS-2CD2325FWD-I
N22AL12 New Dahua N22AL12 Budget Cam w/Starlight -- low cost entry

Other dahua 4MP starlight Dahua 4MP Starlight Lineup

My preferred indoor cameras
DS-2CD2442FWD-IW
IPC-K35A Review-Dahua IPC-K35A 3mp Cube Camera

If interested in Blue Iris and other setup items see the following post

Newbie Starter Guide to IP Cam System – VPN setup – Computer Hardware – Blue Iris – Dahua Cameras

This is an intermediate / newbie guide for people just starting out looking for a surveillance setup. I know this setup might not be for everyone and there are many options. You can find a lot of this information in the Wiki: IP Cam Talk Wiki | IP Cam Talk A great place to start in the Wiki...

ipcamtalk.com

Camera Sensor size info Sensor Size Chart Generally bigger is better

Before asking a question search the forum first...
The best way to search the forum is to use Google Advance search

Google Advanced Search

set site or domain to ipcamtalk.com
OR
in the google search window enter.. site:ipcamtalk.com ?????? ..where ?????? is the items/terms you are interested in.

Read,study,plan before spending money ..... plan plan plan
Test do not guess

 

[Mah1]

read study plan before spending money.
Test do not guess
----------------------------
My standard welcome to the forum message.

Please read the IP Cam Talk Cliff Notes and other items in the IP Cam Talk Wiki. (read on a real computer, not a phone). The wiki is in the blue bar at the top of the page.

Read How to Secure Your Network (Don't Get Hacked!) in the wiki also.

Quick start
1) If you do not have a wired monitored alarm system, get that first
2) Use Dahua starlight cameras or Hikvision darkfighter cameras if you need good low light cameras.
3) use a VPN to access home network (openVPN)
4) Do not use wifi cameras.
5) Do not use cloud storage
6) Do Not use uPNP, P2P, QR, do not open ports,
7) More megapixel is not necessarily better.
8) Avoid chinese hacked cameras (most ebay, amazon, aliexpress cameras(not all, but most))
9) Do not use reolink, ring, nest, Arlo cameras (they are junk), no cloud cameras
10) If possible use a turret camera , bullet collect spiders, dome collect dirt and reflect light (IR)
11) Use only solid copper, AWG 23 or 24 ethernet wire. , no CCA (Copper Clad Aluminum)
12) use a test mount to verify the camera mount location. My test rig: rev.2
13) (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.
14) Use a router that has openVPN built in (Most ASUS, Some NetGear....)
15) camera placement use the calculator... IPVM Camera Calculator V3
16) POE list PoE Switch Suggestion List


Cameras to look at
IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED Review IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED (Full Color, Starlight+) - 4MP starlight
IPC-T5442TM-AS Review-OEM 4mp AI Cam IPC-T5442TM-AS Starlight+ - 4MP starlight+
IPC-T2347G-LU Review of the Hikvision OEM model IPC-T2347G-LU 'ColorVu' IP CCTV camera. (DS-2CD2347G1-LU)
IPC-HDW2231R-ZS Review-Dahua IPC-HDW2231RP-ZS Starlight Camera-Varifocal
IPC-HDW2231T-ZS-S2 Review-OEM IPC-T2231T-ZS 2mp Varifocal Starlight Camera
IPC-HDW5231R-ZE Review-Dahua Starlight IPC-HDW5231R-ZE 800 meter capable ePOE
IPC-HFW4239T-ASE IPC-HFW4239T-ASE
IPCT-HDW5431RE-I Review - IP Cam Talk 4 MP IR Fixed Turret Network Camera
DS-2CD2325FWD-I
N22AL12 New Dahua N22AL12 Budget Cam w/Starlight -- low cost entry

Other dahua 4MP starlight Dahua 4MP Starlight Lineup

My preferred indoor cameras
DS-2CD2442FWD-IW
IPC-K35A Review-Dahua IPC-K35A 3mp Cube Camera

If interested in Blue Iris and other setup items see the following post

Newbie Starter Guide to IP Cam System – VPN setup – Computer Hardware – Blue Iris – Dahua Cameras

This is an intermediate / newbie guide for people just starting out looking for a surveillance setup. I know this setup might not be for everyone and there are many options. You can find a lot of this information in the Wiki: IP Cam Talk Wiki | IP Cam Talk A great place to start in the Wiki...

ipcamtalk.com

Camera Sensor size info Sensor Size Chart Generally bigger is better

Before asking a question search the forum first...
The best way to search the forum is to use Google Advance search

Google Advanced Search

set site or domain to ipcamtalk.com
OR
in the google search window enter.. site:ipcamtalk.com ?????? ..where ?????? is the items/terms you are interested in.

Read,study,plan before spending money ..... plan plan plan
Test do not guess

thanks for all the info, will definitely take some time to read. Good news is that l ran into someone today who does this sortof thing for a living, and said he would easily help me set up the vpn and blue iris.
Thanks again for all of the info!

 

[samplenhold]

@mat200 gave you some good recommendations. Here is a shot of my driveway. It is probably about the same size as yours. My two cameras are mounted in the red circles pointed in a crossing pattern. They are varifocal cameras and are zoomed to get the best ID of someone at the location of any cars parked in the driveway. The shot from the camera is from the one on the left side of the garage.

Great, thanks for the tips. Yes, l will do 2 above each garage door

I don't think you need 2 above each door. One to each side in a crossing pattern would be fine.

I also have a few cameras that give an overview of the yard and street. While they will not give enough pixels over a face to give an ID, they do give other information on actors, like where they came from and where they went. Back in June we had two car door checkers come through the neighborhood. The driveway cameras gave a good face ID of the guy that tried my jeep. The other overview cameras gave information on the clothing of the second guy and hair length, what other cars they tried, a bike they stole from across the street, ect.

At your front door, consider a camera on one of the columns pointed back at your front door. Many folks tend to hide their faces on the way up, but tend to drop that ruse on the way out. A camera facing the door may get you a good face ID, especially if you disguise it so that it does not look like a camera.

My house faces South. Consider where the sun will be shining when picking locations. Also consider all seasons.

 

[Mah1]

@mat200 gave you some good recommendations. Here is a shot of my driveway. It is probably about the same size as yours. My two cameras are mounted in the red circles pointed in a crossing pattern. They are varifocal cameras and are zoomed to get the best ID of someone at the location of any cars parked in the driveway. The shot from the camera is from the one on the left side of the garage.

View attachment 54236View attachment 54237


I don't think you need 2 above each door. One to each side in a crossing pattern would be fine.

I also have a few cameras that give an overview of the yard and street. While they will not give enough pixels over a face to give an ID, they do give other information on actors, like where they came from and where they went. Back in June we had two car door checkers come through the neighborhood. The driveway cameras gave a good face ID of the guy that tried my jeep. The other overview cameras gave information on the clothing of the second guy and hair length, what other cars they tried, a bike they stole from across the street, ect.

At your front door, consider a camera on one of the columns pointed back at your front door. Many folks tend to hide their faces on the way up, but tend to drop that ruse on the way out. A camera facing the door may get you a good face ID, especially if you disguise it so that it does not look like a camera.

My house faces South. Consider where the sun will be shining when picking locations. Also consider all seasons.

Thank you for taking the time to reply. l will do 2 cameras in the corners as everyone is suggesting. Thanks for sending me the pics of your setup as well, and for the tip about the cameras on the columns. l am glad l came to this site before starting any of the work!

 

[looney2ns]

@mat200 gave you some good recommendations. Here is a shot of my driveway. It is probably about the same size as yours. My two cameras are mounted in the red circles pointed in a crossing pattern. They are varifocal cameras and are zoomed to get the best ID of someone at the location of any cars parked in the driveway. The shot from the camera is from the one on the left side of the garage.

View attachment 54236View attachment 54237


I don't think you need 2 above each door. One to each side in a crossing pattern would be fine.

I also have a few cameras that give an overview of the yard and street. While they will not give enough pixels over a face to give an ID, they do give other information on actors, like where they came from and where they went. Back in June we had two car door checkers come through the neighborhood. The driveway cameras gave a good face ID of the guy that tried my jeep. The other overview cameras gave information on the clothing of the second guy and hair length, what other cars they tried, a bike they stole from across the street, ect.

At your front door, consider a camera on one of the columns pointed back at your front door. Many folks tend to hide their faces on the way up, but tend to drop that ruse on the way out. A camera facing the door may get you a good face ID, especially if you disguise it so that it does not look like a camera.

My house faces South. Consider where the sun will be shining when picking locations. Also consider all seasons.

These cams are mounted too high for face ID's.

 

[looney2ns]

Great, thanks for the tips. Yes, l will do 2 above each garage door. l think l will get a few cameras so that l can start to test the placements of thek

See red X for front door placement.

 

[Mah1]

so instead of on the soffit, l am better to install in the corners on the wall?

 

[Mah1]

See red X for front door placement.
View attachment 54258

Thanks for your info...so, l thought about maybe the light impacting the image if the camera was on that side of the front doors, but l guess the light will be above and a bit behind the camera, there isn't a light on the other side of the door...but then the camera may look into the light and affect the image if it is the left side if the door..

 

[looney2ns]

so instead of on the soffit, l am better to install in the corners on the wall?

You want to know who did it, not just what happened. If you mount a camera higher than 8ft, it will most likely not catch a face ID.
Mounting the camera under the porch light, as close to the doors as possible, will work fine. Use a camera with a 2.8mm lens such as this one: IPC-HDBW4231F-AS | Dahua MiniWedge.
Paint it to match your brick. Study this>> Cliff Notes

 

[Mah1]

You want to know who did it, not just what happened. If you mount a camera higher than 8ft, it will most likely not catch a face ID.
Mounting the camera under the porch light, as close to the doors as possible, will work fine. Use a camera with a 2.8mm lens such as this one: IPC-HDBW4231F-AS | Dahua MiniWedge.
Paint it to match your brick.

Great. Thank you for your tips! Much appreciated.