Configuration conundrum

[Zhinjio]

So I think I came into this problem space with an entirely wrong idea about how this software and cam setup and such was intended, and now I'm wondering if what I want to do is even possible. So please help me understand if my thinking is completely off and perhaps where to go from here. Here is what I --thought-- I was trying to accomplish:

• Cameras would activate with on-camera configuration of their motion sensing/audio trigger. They begin recording to their onboard sd card, and subsequently cache and forward that stream to BI. Stream shuts off after either some timeout from the audio or motion trigger being idle/inactive. network bandwidth is effectively ZERO when the camera is in the idle state.
• BI accepts the stream from the cam/sd card cache, does whatever encode/decode it is configured for, and then manages the video clip archives according to configured constraints/durations.

Everything I'm reading here is focused on 24/7 monitoring and the accompanying bandwidth needs, and that just isn't my use case. So help me out here ... is this just not possible?

Thanks much...
- ZJ

 

[Mike A.]

Yeah, doesn't really work like that but you can minimize storage and bandwidth requirements in other ways. What exactly are you trying to accomplish doing it the way that you describe?

 

[wittaj]

Nope, BI does not interact with the SD card.

BI simply takes the video feed from the camera.

You can set BI up to only record on motion, but the video feed needs to be going to BI 24/7.

That is where the substreams really help out.

Or you live with simply an SD card system without a VMS and use whatever app is native to the cameras to access it, but it will get cumbersome quick.

 

[Zhinjio]

A few constraints. The first is that I can't run wires. In fact, I'm hard pressed to even get power to where I want the cams. So I'm either going to use battery/solar cams, or try to minimize the holes I put in things but I have NO way to get network wiring there. I might be able to get one set of ethernet over power adapters to one of the two locations, but probably not the other one. 2 cams + one doorbell cam/ringer. So that led me to the wifi cam line of thinking, but that isn't really a good idea unless I have dedicated APs. I really don't want to use any subscription service. Maybe what I want isn't really reasonable. Bleh.

Ah well. I guess I have to scale back my expectations.

- ZJ

 

[The Automation Guy]

Obviously it all depends on the details and the budget, but getting network out to the cameras might be easier than you think. That's because you can use a type of wireless system to get network signals out to where you need to. Technically this is going to be different than running a wi-fi network out that far. In other words, you don't use regular Wi-Fi APs, but rather some special point to point network equipment. Of course this is assuming you can get power out to that area. If not, that is really going to limit your options.

I've never personally set one up, so I'll let someone else with more experience share what they have done.

 

[Zhinjio]

I appreciate the feedback. Time to rethink my strategy.

- ZJ

 

[The Automation Guy]

I appreciate the feedback. Time to rethink my strategy.

- ZJ

And not to leave you hanging until someone else can add more details, I'm thinking of something like the Ubuquity airMAX system. (That's not a ringing endorsement for that system, but rather just an example of they type of system I am referring to).

 

[Perimeter]

Is your system supposed to do night recordings? Is it for security?

 

[Zhinjio]

Is your system supposed to do night recordings? Is it for security?

Yes, it should begin capturing on motion detection and store the recording. Yes, for security.

 

[Perimeter]

A few constraints. The first is that I can't run wires. In fact, I'm hard pressed to even get power to where I want the cams.

I have been trying to find a solution with your parameters too and experimented a bit. I found a cam that does most of it quite well: It is configured through wifi but can then operate independently of wifi and electric power. It uses PIR motion detection to wake up, then analyses for person, car, pet or just motion and then reacts to each detection type individually according to your settings with email, push, SD recording and siren. You can configure them all independently. Obviously, you need a minimal Wifi connection to get email or push out. Where I installed the camera for testing, there is only just motion or people. We had no false human alarm so far. And the picture looks good too. The cam has individually selectable IR and white LED options and a solar panel. It all makes sense. Sounds great? Read on.

The cam only has one problem: Motion! You have a nice night view of your garden and wonder what that brownish cloud is doing in there. If it stops moving, it decloaks into a person for a second, then it vaporizes again and moves on. So if you want this thing for security at night, you are limited to siren alarm. It would not have had a false positive so far. But if you need to know more then "someone is there NOW", it won't work. It would have been so cool, if they had build it with only 2MP on a 1/2.8" sensor and allowed control for shutter and gain. But no luck. If you find a better solution, let me know!