Sir V Lance
Getting the hang of it
Hello everyone. Thanks for having me here.
I am reasonably proficient with computers and networks, but I am fairly inexperienced with IP surveillance cameras. After browsing many threads here for about a week, it is clear this forum is a gold mine of information. I am in awe of the expertise here. I am definitely in the right place to learn, seek guidance, and purchase components.
I was using a Uniden 4-camera wireless system from Costco for a few years. Terrible performance, discontinued app support for newer iOS, constant false motion triggers, poor network security... ah hell, you all know this already. I finally took the useless thing behind the barn and shot it. More "suspicious" activity is being reported in the neighborhood than back in the good old days, so it is time to invest in a serious camera system to complement my wired intrusion security.
From my reading here, I have concluded I want to go this route:
My priorities are:
A few questions for which I did not find answers searching the threads:
- I ended up with a few Intel NUC NUC11PAHi7 barebone units from a computing array project that was dismantled. I am planning to use one for my dedicated Blue Iris machine. i7-1165G7 4-core 2.8 GHz (up to 4.7 GHz), 32 GB RAM, 4 TB SSD. I know there are cheaper solutions when going with refurbs, but I already have this hardware, so it is a sunk cost, and the small footprint is an advantage because it is very easy to hide away. Considering a max of 7 or 8 4MP cameras, do you think this machine is sufficient?
- Can Blue Iris be run on a headless computer (no monitor/keyboard)? In other words, after initial setup, can all of my viewing, maintenance, config, etc. be done with another computer on the network? If so, is it done with a client-server scenario hosted by Blue Iris, or is remote desktop the method to use?
- I grasp the basic concepts of IVS, detection, perimeters, trip wires, etc. What I am not clear on is how these things function in conjunction with a PTZ camera. Are they configured relative to a specific position of the PTZ, and then it must be left in that position while unattended in order to detect and notify? Is there some sort of "home" position that gets set up so it is easy to return it to the proper location for detection? Or am I overthinking this and it is really only applicable to fixed bullet type cameras?
- Many cameras are available in white or black finishes. Is this purely an aesthetic choice, or are there actually performance benefits (thermal soaking, light reflection, etc.) to one over the other? Is it better to blend cameras in with the environment to be less overt and prevent theft/tampering, or is it preferred to make them stand out to potentially deter nefarious activities?
- I am seeing references to a 5442-S3 camera that is frequently recommended, and I am also seeing mention of the IPC-T54IR-VE-S3. Are these the same cameras? Is there a secret decoder ring somewhere to correlate model numbers, particularly with regard to the units available from EmpireTech which may not be sold by other US distributors?
Sorry for the long-winded post. Thanks in advance for your insight and commentary.
I am reasonably proficient with computers and networks, but I am fairly inexperienced with IP surveillance cameras. After browsing many threads here for about a week, it is clear this forum is a gold mine of information. I am in awe of the expertise here. I am definitely in the right place to learn, seek guidance, and purchase components.
I was using a Uniden 4-camera wireless system from Costco for a few years. Terrible performance, discontinued app support for newer iOS, constant false motion triggers, poor network security... ah hell, you all know this already. I finally took the useless thing behind the barn and shot it. More "suspicious" activity is being reported in the neighborhood than back in the good old days, so it is time to invest in a serious camera system to complement my wired intrusion security.
From my reading here, I have concluded I want to go this route:
- Blue Iris on a dual-NIC PC
- PoE switch
- Eventually 6 or more Dahua cameras from EmpireTech
- Start with 2 PTZ varifocal to experiment and determine ideal locations/needs
- Complement with as many bullet cameras as needed
My priorities are:
- Usable/effective night time performance
- Prefer larger sensors, but ain't chasing megapixels (4MP is fine)
- Mostly outdoor surveillance, but 1 or 2 cameras indoors
- Reliable detection with minimal false alarms
- Capability to view video, control cameras, and receive alerts on phone
A few questions for which I did not find answers searching the threads:
- I ended up with a few Intel NUC NUC11PAHi7 barebone units from a computing array project that was dismantled. I am planning to use one for my dedicated Blue Iris machine. i7-1165G7 4-core 2.8 GHz (up to 4.7 GHz), 32 GB RAM, 4 TB SSD. I know there are cheaper solutions when going with refurbs, but I already have this hardware, so it is a sunk cost, and the small footprint is an advantage because it is very easy to hide away. Considering a max of 7 or 8 4MP cameras, do you think this machine is sufficient?
- Can Blue Iris be run on a headless computer (no monitor/keyboard)? In other words, after initial setup, can all of my viewing, maintenance, config, etc. be done with another computer on the network? If so, is it done with a client-server scenario hosted by Blue Iris, or is remote desktop the method to use?
- I grasp the basic concepts of IVS, detection, perimeters, trip wires, etc. What I am not clear on is how these things function in conjunction with a PTZ camera. Are they configured relative to a specific position of the PTZ, and then it must be left in that position while unattended in order to detect and notify? Is there some sort of "home" position that gets set up so it is easy to return it to the proper location for detection? Or am I overthinking this and it is really only applicable to fixed bullet type cameras?
- Many cameras are available in white or black finishes. Is this purely an aesthetic choice, or are there actually performance benefits (thermal soaking, light reflection, etc.) to one over the other? Is it better to blend cameras in with the environment to be less overt and prevent theft/tampering, or is it preferred to make them stand out to potentially deter nefarious activities?
- I am seeing references to a 5442-S3 camera that is frequently recommended, and I am also seeing mention of the IPC-T54IR-VE-S3. Are these the same cameras? Is there a secret decoder ring somewhere to correlate model numbers, particularly with regard to the units available from EmpireTech which may not be sold by other US distributors?
Sorry for the long-winded post. Thanks in advance for your insight and commentary.
