Camera/Setup Recommendations

[ramk13]

After doing some reading on the forums, I've planned out most of my setup. I want to get some feedback on what I'm planning.

I'm planning to put up 4 cameras up around my new home (under construction). I've already selected locations for ethernet drops, so now I'm picking the cameras and the DVR. The main purpose of the cameras to cover the entrances (front door, garage side door, back patio) to the house. I'm not expecting to ID faces or license plates unless someone actually tries to enter a door.

I have four locations with ethernet already run and was planning cameras covering the areas marked here. Ethernet Drops are in red, doors to the house are in green, side gate is light green and approximate FOV is marked in blue. The FOV is just an idea and will change based on camera selection.

Here are pictures of front, back, side and close up of the entry. The entry ethernet drop has an obstructed view in the entryway, but I can mount the camera anywhere.
Front: Entry: Back: Side:

As for equipment my current plan is:
NVR: NVR5216-4KS2 - Dahua NVR which should cover my needs and has room for expansion. I'll have a separate POE switch. It allows for use of the built-in features of the cameras.
Front/Garage camera: Fixed LXIR Turret (50m) (2.8mm, 3.6mm, 6mm) - IPC-HDW4231EM-AS - for maximum FOV (110 degree coverage @ 2.8 mm)
Back camera: Fixed LXIR Turret (50m) (2.8mm, 3.6mm, 6mm) - IPC-HDW4231EM-AS - for maximum FOV (110 degree coverage @ 2.8 mm)
Side: Varifocal Starlight Turret IPC-HDW5231R-Z - unsure of the FOV for this camera, so going varifocal
Entry: Varifocal Starlight Turret IPC-HDW5231R-Z - this will be right by the front door and doorbell, so it will also be used to see who's at the door. I feel like there may be better/cheaper options for this, but I'm not sure what to pick. It's basically a doorbell-like camera. Another option would be to put an doorbell cam instead of a normal IP cam.

Does this seem like a reasonable plan? I think this will price out at around $900 based on pricing from @EMPIRETECANDY . This is at the high end for my budget, so I don't want to go a lot higher. Any recommended changes?

Credit to several forum posts for background and information, including nayr's excellent Starlight summary post.

 

[mat200]

Hi Ramk

Sweet! You're still in the building stage!

PLAN FOR A LOT MORE cameras and wiring pulls NOW! Even if you won't need them in the future you will be happy to do them now while it is easy.

Remember the hardest part is typically the wiring work, and you can always add more cameras as your budget permits.

Also
Please check out @giomania 's notes:
Dahua Starlight Varifocal Turret (IPC-HDW5231R-Z)

I have also made which are a summary of a lot of the reading I've been doing here,:
Looking for some advice and direction!

Have FUN doing this, you're in a great stage right now.

btw - this maybe worth looking at, I know people like purple HDDs, however hard to beat this Red HDD deal
WD 8TB HDD on Sale at Best Buy

 

[Augus]

front camera is back down the entrance way, you don't have full coverage of front window on the left, I would move front camera to left side. Now you have front left and garage cover the front of the house and front window.
move side camera back next to back camera (change to cheaper bullet camera, not sure about this recommendation).

 

[mat200]

Hi @ramk13

Do take a look at @looney2ns post a about the 100 ppf spec and camera calculator ( see his post on link below )
You will notice that cameras with wide FOV will require that suspects be very close to the camera to get a chance to ID them - thus one reason why I strongly recommend planning for more cameras now.

Hello

 

[mat200]

Hi Ramk,

I have calculated the ID distance based on the 100ppf spec - it is shorter than the ID distance which Dahua lists - they are probably using less ppf in their calculations.

IPC-HDW4231EM-AS 1080p 1920x1080:
2.8mm - FOV H = 110 degrees - ID distance 10 feet - area covered 95.94 sq feet
3.6mm - FOV H = 87 degrees - ID distance 12.65 feet - 121.43 sq feet
6mm - FOV H = 51 degrees - ID distance 21.58 feet - 207.16 sq feet

Considering the short range to ID and wanting to increase your chances to ID I would add 4 more cameras / camera locations to your setup
Total of 8 cameras. summary

1x each corner - pointed inwards to cover entry into the front / back of the house ( subtotal 4 )
1x each side of the house - covering the side gate and side fence ( subtotal 2 )
1x each for front and back door - ( subtotal 2 )

total = 8

I would also plan for future camera options to cover the front of your house better - and find a way to attempt to capture any car passing your front house well enough to help ID any potential package thief or home invader who may have driven by your house. Thus I would pull extra line(s) for additional future cameras before it gets more complex to do so.

 

[Fastb]

ramk13,

Welcome to the forum!

Mat200 makes a good point:

PLAN FOR A LOT MORE cameras and wiring pulls NOW! Even if you won't need them in the future you will be happy to do them now while it is easy.

- Most people start out thinking they only need 4, or 6, or 8 cameras. Most people underestimate, and add cams later. Pull wire for 12 cams.
- Everywhere you think you need 1 cable, pull two or three.
- If you ultimately only use 50% to 75% of the installed cable, you'll be far ahead!
- For the "home run" to the NVR, say from the attic or crawlspace, consider installing conduit, ABS or PVC pipe. Leave a string inside, to allow pulling more wires later, easily, to the NVR. Pulling wire through conduit/pipes is easier than through studs and over sharp bends.
- leave extra cable coiled at the cam end of each run, in case the cam gets relocated by several feet, to get better coverage.
- maybe a cam inside the garage? Some users like being able to check if they forgot to close the door when groggily driving to work in the early am, lol.

Exterior, before paving/landscaping:
- Bury conduit under sidewalk locations.
- "Overview cams", aimed at the house from outside, can be useful.
- consider running a conduit to the mailbox. Some folks put a switch on their mailbox door, to alert them to when someone checks the mailbox.
- The conduit to mailbox can be handy if you ever want to put a license plate cam out there, to id cars as they drive by.
- again, leave string in the conduit.
- if you're getting sprinkler system installed, take advantage of the ditch witch. Digging trenches for irrigation pipe is identical as digging a trench for conduit to mailbox, a tree (bird cam?), or backyard overview cam.
- I used the landscaper's trencher while it was here over a weekend during the irrigation project. I installed several AC outlets around the property. Boy, I'm glad I did. It helped with landscape lighting, providing AC power near the firepit, near the bbq, and for a laser line sensor that triggers when a car comes up the driveway. (laser line is 99% dependable, unlike MD or IVS)

Planning now will help in the future! Have fun!

 

[looney2ns]

Now would of been the ideal time to have a cam or two already in hand. And with a test rig of 2x4, 5gal bucket, and some rocks, you could test locations.
If you expect to id anyone, don't mount cams higher than 8ft, unless you like tops of heads.