Hello, and thanks in advance.

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I followed mat2000 from slick deals here. I have 1000 foot of cat6 that is about to magically install itself throughout my house and to an undetermined amount of camera locations. I will try not to ask the same ole which camera for me questions but not gonna make any promises.

What I know this far: Im not interested in running blue iris mostly due to the fact that i'm not the most computer savvy guy and do not feel like tweaking days and weeks trying to learn new things. I have a central closest in my house that I intend on putting my router (asus AC-88u) , NVR, monitor, and all ethernet cables. My house is 3k sqf sitting on an acre partially lit via a few decorative outside lights. I do have on/off style floodlights mounted on all outside corners of the house from the soffit/overhang. Pretty much where the future locations of my cameras will be. I would rather spend the money once and not have to worry about upgrading 2 years from now when the next best thing comes out. I know I want 16 channels (for future additions) with probably 8 cameras to start off.

What I plan on achieving from my not yet purchased camera system is: Surveillance, obviously. a week of up recorded footage ( I figure that's probably how long it would take me to realize ive been ripped off). Remote viewing from smart phone ( not sure on this one due to the break-neck internet speeds at my house being 10 mbps tops). Clear enough images to ID a crook from 20-30ish feet. I dont care to see what the neighbor is doing 400 yards away but do want a good view of say 50-100 feet away from camera. I want good software that is easy to set-up and hiccup free, to the point, with minimal razzle dazzle. Would really like to be able to tune any tv in my house to a certain channel or input and view a live camera feed of all cameras.

At first I wanted 4k cameras, now not so much. The starlight 2mp dahua cameras are impressive, However as sacrilege as it may sound I am not really in the mood to design or build a system. Unfortunately I feel as though I missed the bus on getting a smoking deal on a kit as black friday has come and gone and I was not schooled enough at the time to know exactly what I wanted to pull the trigger. Cost isnt really an issue as much as bang for the buck is. I dont care to be top of the surveillance mountain, i just want my junk to work and not take a month to learn how to use it or setup.

My questions:
1, What are your thoughts on viewing the camera feed on all tvs in the house? All tv locations will have CAT6 ran to them (returning back to router) as I am too cheap to pay for a tv service. Easiest way to do this?
2, Will mounting my cameras near exterior flood lights mess up the image? The lights stay off mostly unless the dog is out or im outside cooking etc. What is best practice. Flood shinning from behind camera or camera looking from behind flood?
3. I kinda like montavue, lorex, even seen a samsung or something or another system. I know I know its all about the cameras, to be honest my head is just full at the moment.
4. How do you think the smartphone viewing will be with the crap internet speeds? Possible, Impossible?

Like I said above, thanks in advance.
 

TonyR

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Welcome to IPCT!

After reading your intro, I must say that you are asking and expecting a lot from your system but are not willing to invest a lot of your time in insuring that you get it.
You said that you "....do not feel like tweaking days and weeks trying to learn new things" and "..... I am not really in the mood to design or build a system. "

Certainly that is your right and privilege but the only alternative is to have someone else do it after you tell them what you want. That being said, they won't be omnipotent and clairvoyant so you must be prepared to KNOW what you want so you can impart that to them. That's going to take some of your time, my friend, so be prepared to invest that reading and studying the Wiki and Cliff Notes and investing also some money or you'll need to lower many of your expectations and be prepared for dissatisfaction with the results.

In short (I'm not know for brevity), it's up to you how satisfied you end up being with your system.
 
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Your absolutely right, thanks for whipping me into shape. I guess what I meant by not wanting to learn new things was basically referring to blue iris and not taking the time needed to become a network master. Hence the reason I was/ am trying to go with a kit type of system (same brand NVR as cameras) in hopes of plug n play, rather than piece milling a system together. I just need to keep reading and hopefully retaining. For me, pulling the wires and physically installing the system is child’s play. It’s the computer/ networking stuff that scares me. Getting it dialed in and working as it should and with my very limited knowledge in this field I guess I feel/felt like a kit would be the easiest to setup electronically.
 

SouthernYankee

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:welcome:
To view the NVR directly on the TV you will need to run the NVR HDMI port to an HDMI sliptter, then the HDMI splitter to a unused HDMI port on the TV.
OR set up a device PC (windows, Linux, standalone box) to run a web browser so you can long into the NVR, Smart TVs may work but most likely not.

If the cameras are near motion detecting night lights the cameras will be blinded by the light for a few seconds.
--------------------------------

My standard welcome to the forum message.

Please read the IP Cam Talk Cliff Notes and other items in the IP Cam Talk Wiki. 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 or ICPT Night eye cameras (Store | IP Cam Talk) 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 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

Cameras to look at
IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED Review IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED (Full Color, Starlight+)
IPC-T5442TM-AS Review-OEM 4mp AI Cam IPC-T5442TM-AS Starlight+ - 4MP starlight+
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
IPC-T2347G-LU Review of the Hikvision OEM model IPC-T2347G-LU 'ColorVu' IP CCTV camera. (DS-2CD2347G1-LU)
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

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

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
if you are interested in International Dahua cameras, a forum member sells dahua (and some Hikvision) and ships world wide. You can read some of the members recommendations on his service. He also provides cameras to other forum member for evaluation and reviews.
you can email him for a quote, or purchase from his Aliexpress store or his Amazon store. The cameras are fully upgradable, he posts upgarde software when available.

Andy
@EMPIRETECANDY
kingsecurity2014@163.com
Andy's ipcamtalk vendor forum: EmpireTech Andy
Andy's AliExpress store: Empire Technology Co., Ltd - Amazing prodcuts with exclusive discounts on AliExpress
Andy's Amazon store: Robot Check

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
As an Amazon Associate IPCamTalk earns from qualifying purchases.

mat200

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Your absolutely right, thanks for whipping me into shape. I guess what I meant by not wanting to learn new things was basically referring to blue iris and not taking the time needed to become a network master. Hence the reason I was/ am trying to go with a kit type of system (same brand NVR as cameras) in hopes of plug n play, rather than piece milling a system together. I just need to keep reading and hopefully retaining. For me, pulling the wires and physically installing the system is child’s play. It’s the computer/ networking stuff that scares me. Getting it dialed in and working as it should and with my very limited knowledge in this field I guess I feel/felt like a kit would be the easiest to setup electronically.
Welcome @chopperfacel, good to have you join us.

Don't worry. If you're willing to take some time with DIY learning we'd be happy to help guide you as best as we can to getting a decent setup.
 

bigredfish

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Good advice above.

Nothing wrong with the higher end NVRs, many folks here including me use them. I’m guessing it will suit your needs just fine. Look at the 5216-16P-4KS2 fir starters

Your camera requirements are doable.

my experience with floods is they work welll with the camera Above the lights

Smartphone remote viewing is easy. You use a substream that the NVR puts out that requires minimal bandwidth

Read up! And Welcome
 

fenderman

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Your absolutely right, thanks for whipping me into shape. I guess what I meant by not wanting to learn new things was basically referring to blue iris and not taking the time needed to become a network master. Hence the reason I was/ am trying to go with a kit type of system (same brand NVR as cameras) in hopes of plug n play, rather than piece milling a system together. I just need to keep reading and hopefully retaining. For me, pulling the wires and physically installing the system is child’s play. It’s the computer/ networking stuff that scares me. Getting it dialed in and working as it should and with my very limited knowledge in this field I guess I feel/felt like a kit would be the easiest to setup electronically.
Blue iris takes no more effort than an NVR. You will have to learn how to use the nvr as well. Blue iris gives you many more options than an nvr, options that you might find necessary. Start with the NVR, then when you are sick of it, try blue iris.
 

triplec

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I just found and joined the forum and beginning a similar search as you are @chopperface . I am going the higher end NVR route as well but not that interested in the box kit camera selection preferring to get a good NVR and after reading the cliff notes and lots of posts here @SouthernYankee and others. I think it best to mix and match cameras based on their location and functionality. I did reach out to one of the companies you mentioned and was surprised at a pretty good quote they gave me on NVR and 2 cameras even though nothing was advertised as a sale. Just not sure quite yet how to tell if the NVR is up to the task and how to compare them. Didn't do anything yet just testing the water to see what's out there and following along here. Interested in what you ultimately end up with.
 
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Thanks for the direction And suggestions, it helps. I just finished walking around my house and it’s really quite bright for the most part, a lot brighter than I thought Previously. Now I sit and read.
Also I am attaching a picture of the cable I plan to pull for cameras, TVs, and whatever else I can think of. I don’t see copper clad aluminum anywhere nor do I see copper but I think it’s the right stuff, seems heavy enough.
 

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TonyR

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Thanks for the direction And suggestions, it helps. I just finished walking around my house and it’s really quite bright for the most part, a lot brighter than I thought Previously. Now I sit and read.
Also I am attaching a picture of the cable I plan to pull for cameras, TVs, and whatever else I can think of. I don’t see copper clad aluminum anywhere nor do I see copper but I think it’s the right stuff, seems heavy enough.
Looks OK to me, Southwire is a reputable company, used lots of their THW, THHN and UF from '73 to '04.
Says it's riser rated (CMR) so is great for walls, attics, and crawl spaces and in-between those spaces indoors.
The best for last: the UL Listing is a VERY good thing, as CCA cannot garner a UL Listing.
 

SouthernYankee

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The cable appears to be CU. It is very important that the cable be solid copper (CU). It is recommended to pull two wires to each location, Murphy's law appliers to pulling cable, the hardest pull will end up with broken wires.
 
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Went ahead and shot Andy an email to see what he can do on a NVR and a few or 4 varifocal turrets. Looking at the spots I want to add cameras around my house I will not benefit from crazy wide FOV cameras. And it seems all fixed lens cameras are 100 degree plus damn near. Only thing is the lowest ceilings im my house are 10 foot, Havent put a tape measure on the soffit yet but im guessing it to be higher than 8'

<shrug>
 
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