First Timer - IP Setup and PC Instead of NVR

[JSR2019]

Hi all,

Looking to DIY some IP cams - I have a gen 6 i5 windows 10 machine running 24/7 doing backups, running a Plex server (family photos only, doesn't do anything major like transcoding) and an OPNSense (nano build) VM for VPN in/out and some basic routing. As it's not too heavily loaded and it's on all the time it makes sense to use it for DVR also.

Looking at five cameras, 1080p on four of them and preferably 4k (wide angle, 2.8mm) for the remaining one. Would like the ability to 'arm' and 'disarm' motion detection for all cameras in a similar fashion to a burglar alarm so that I can get a push notification/email/SMS or similar to alert me of any motion.

What's your thoughts on the most efficient way of running them? What's the right software? I was thinking straight stream copy in the camera's native formats (H264/265) to HDD and let the cameras do their own motion processing so that the CPU in my PC isn't going mad. Then I was going to set up the second stream on the cameras for on-demand live viewing remotely/via mobile app directly to the cameras as opposed to via the DVR software, so it doesn't have to do any transcoding.

Does all this sound plausible? A few unknowns:

- How would I get push notifications? Can the Hikvision cameras do emails?
- If I'm configuring each camera separately for alerting me, how can I 'arm' or 'disarm' the alerts easily?
- Is it possible for the cameras to attach the clip(s) triggering the alert to email or similar? I'm just thinking for example if I have a break in and the PC goes, I'd like to keep the footage.

Thanks!

 

[SouthernYankee]

Welcome to the forum.

Please read the cliff notes in the wiki. The wiki is in the blue bar at the top of the page.

Read, plan, study... Before spending money...... Plan plan plan.

 

[JSR2019]

Thanks for that - PDF is good.

Doesn't go into detail on my specific questions though. Any takers?!

Thanks again.

 

[SouthernYankee]

You need to reread the wiki again. This will take about 10+ hours to read and understand this information. You need to work at it. There is no quick answer.

Use Blue Iris to record to a standalone PC.

If the cameras are out side, use Dahua starlight 2MP or Hikvision dark fighter 2 ior 4 MP. The more MP is not necessarily better, it is the size of the sensor.

Think.. study .. plan.... Get off your lazy ass.

 

[JSR2019]

Or get off your high horse - I'm asking very specific questions; answers to which are definitely not within the referenced links. Some of us don't devote our lives to CCTV but are technically capable of installing a system. Most forums are more than willing to accommodate, or at least willing to link to relevant sections which would help the noob absorbing pointless information. Blue Iris just lost a potential customer with links to several more potential customers (several multi £m companies). Well done, thanks pal.

 

[SouthernYankee]

The question of what software is answered All the other question have been answered in the forum. READ

 

[mat200]

Or get off your high horse - I'm asking very specific questions; answers to which are definitely not within the referenced links. Some of us don't devote our lives to CCTV but are technically capable of installing a system. Most forums are more than willing to accommodate, or at least willing to link to relevant sections which would help the noob absorbing pointless information. Blue Iris just lost a potential customer with links to several more potential customers (several multi £m companies). Well done, thanks pal.

HI @JSR2019

I suspect you are misunderstanding what this forum is.

It is a group of us who volunteer OUR TIME and share our experience and knowledge with each other. We are a gathering of a group of individuals, each with different experiences who are willing to help encourage each other to learn.

We are not here to provide complex customized answers for those who just want someone else to do their work for them.

While at times there maybe contributors who work for any security camera related company participating here, this is not an exclusive forum for any particular vendor / company.

While there are many fans of Blue Iris here - we are not representing the company, just like we may have fans of Hikvision, Dahua, and other products here.

 

[JSR2019]

I suspect you are misunderstanding what this forum is.

It is a group of us who volunteer OUR TIME and share our experience and knowledge with each other. We are a gathering of a group of individuals, each with different experiences who are willing to help encourage each other to learn.

You mean like just about every other forum on the internet?!

You make statements and assumptions whilst having NO IDEA what the education level of the poster is and then expect them to spend ten hours reading irrelevant information before you'll even entertain answering a question. Great thumbs up to the noobs. Welcoming place, this.

Nobody is asking you to research and find the answer for them; but if you know the answer, why not share it? If you don't know the answer, don't respond. This is the ethos of 99% of all internet forums.

Won't post again, complete waste of energy.

Peace out.

 

[Jagradang]

Simple answer, if you want to run what your thinking you will need a dedicated machine. From what it sounds like, your machine will be run i g to many other things to be a successful blue iris nvr machine as well.

Blue iris is heavily resource hungry from what I understand hence why I just stuck to buying a dedicated nvr.

 

[fenderman]

Or get off your high horse - I'm asking very specific questions; answers to which are definitely not within the referenced links. Some of us don't devote our lives to CCTV but are technically capable of installing a system. Most forums are more than willing to accommodate, or at least willing to link to relevant sections which would help the noob absorbing pointless information. Blue Iris just lost a potential customer with links to several more potential customers (several multi £m companies). Well done, thanks pal.

lol fool, you think we care if you dont buy blue iris? screw you!

 

[fenderman]

Blue iris is heavily resource hungry from what I understand hence why I just stuck to buying a dedicated nvr.

That is not the case. You can run most setups on a 100 dollar i5-3570 machine. Blue iris makes a dedicated NVR look like a toy. You loose significant functionality with a dedicated NVR. There are also plenty of other VMS.

 

[TonyR]

you..... expect them to spend ten hours reading irrelevant information before you'll even entertain answering a question.

Apparently you missed the Cliff Notes which if you HAD read the wiki you would have found them...they answer every question you posed, making the info NOT irrelevant!

...Nobody is asking you to research and find the answer for them

But YOU don't want to even do that for yourself!

Won't post again, complete waste of energy.

Best idea you've had so far.

 

[mat200]

..
You make statements and assumptions whilst having NO IDEA what the education level of the poster is and then expect them to spend ten hours reading irrelevant information before you'll even entertain answering a question. Great thumbs up to the noobs. Welcoming place, this.

Nobody is asking you to research and find the answer for them; but if you know the answer, why not share it? If you don't know the answer, don't respond. This is the ethos of 99% of all internet forums.

Won't post again, complete waste of energy.

Peace out.

Hi @JSR2019

1) We make judgements based on what you have posted. This in theory will be related to education levels, skill levels, as well as temperament. Naturally it is up to you how you wish to present yourself.

2) We have spent countless hours assembling some of the better notes on IP security cameras that you will find out there, so individuals such as yourself can find better answers.

3) Each post we make, takes time - and those who come here looking for answers which take considerable time to post and re-post and repeat over and over again will find that forum members may not have time to go over details well enough for those wanting detailed answers to setup and integration issues. You really should not take offense at that simple fact.

Also remember there often are many ways to go about doing things, so that there maybe several answers to any question.

4) I see little reason to share solutions with those who are ungrateful of our time and effort.