help with camera placement

[bhamon]

I have been researching setting up my home security camera system for a while. I have run cat 6 to 4 different locations outside. I can add more but would rather not if possible. I plan on VF turret (eyeball) in the back and front. My question is about the driveway. I originally thought about a PTZ such as SD49212T-HN and have it sweep from front to back (option1). However I may be fine with just having another turret instead(option2). If needed, I can add another run to the same place and have 2 turrets(option3). What do you experts think?

For reference the bottom of the pic is the front of the house. The back is a steep cliff beyond the camera FOV.

Also, would the junction box work to mount to a concrete wall or would the wall mount be better?

Thanks for your help.

 

[Mr_D]

I'm nearing the end of my planning phase and I'm in favor of more cameras.

 

[tangent]

Generally I think a wider X (2 cameras farther apart) with more overlap is better. 2 fixed cameras will probably do you more good than 1 ptz.

 

[handinpalm]

I would definately think about positioning some cams on the house corners and try to get a 90 degree overlap with the others, in mission critical areas (front/drive area). Use a different or narrower FOV than the other. Sometimes a 1 cam view is not enough for facial recognition. If you do not get recognition, you really do not have anything for prosecution.

 

[crw030]

I think the number of network points is really limiting you, I think you would want more cameras in the end than you have pictured. Are those mountings up in the eaves and dormers (via attic), or on the wall themselves (drilled up from a basement)? Also how long is that driveway, because it looks really long in the picture and if you want to make out anything over that distance will need a dedicated camera with narrow FoV just for that point alone imho.

There was a recent post about a double-camera-dahua, maybe if you are firmly opposed to more network points you could add one or more of those (Seeing double - New Dahua dual Starlight IPC-HDBW4231F-E2-M/M12) to increase coverage even though the current expert recommendation is to go with single cameras where possible. Another option (swiped from geomania Cliff Notes) might be a 1-to-4 adapter (here) if the number of cables running to the outside is your limitation.

I want to limit the number of holes I am drilling, so I have been seeing many of the professional/semi-professional installers are running conduit so one hole can feed cameras at multiple points on the building, running the cables nice and clean around the building in a conduit between boxes. My thinking has moved in that direction because some mounting locations would pose a significantly more difficult cable run for an amateur like myself.

 

[mat200]

..
Also, would the junction box work to mount to a concrete wall or would the wall mount be better?

Thanks for your help.

Hi Bhamon,

When cabling, pull extra cables. As you can see many of us would expect to eventually want to install more cameras for better coverage.

W/regards to the junction boxes - having used them I like them a lot, and if possible you should consider placement locations which allow you to bring the cameras 8 feet low or lower for cameras which you want to be able to get a better chance of an ID image.

Your home looks nice and large, so I would plan for a 16+ port switch or NVR as I could easily see myself installing more than 8 cameras for decent coverage.

 

[bhamon]

Unfortunately, I am stuck with only 1 run to the attic from the wiring closet in the basement. So I am stuck using a switch in the attic to wire as many cams as I can from the outside and second floor. I currently have an 8 port POE+ switch for the attic, but I have no idea how long it will last in the attic given then temp variations from winter to summer. It looks like I can use the splitter listed above to increase the number of total cams I can run from the attic. So I guess I will work on a few more cable runs. Do any of you have hardware in the attic and have any problems?

 

[mat200]

Unfortunately, I am stuck with only 1 run to the attic from the wiring closet in the basement. So I am stuck using a switch in the attic to wire as many cams as I can from the outside and second floor. I currently have an 8 port POE+ switch for the attic, but I have no idea how long it will last in the attic given then temp variations from winter to summer. It looks like I can use the splitter listed above to increase the number of total cams I can run from the attic. So I guess I will work on a few more cable runs. Do any of you have hardware in the attic and have any problems?

Hi Bhamon,

There are various things you can do w/regards to attempting to attempt to keep your switch(es) in the attic cooler.

If you have a lot of attic space you can build a separate insulated cabinet in the attic and add ventilation to the closet along with a temp monitor and fans.

Just adding airflow across the switch should be helpful.

 

[Mr_D]

I want to limit the number of holes I am drilling, so I have been seeing many of the professional/semi-professional installers are running conduit so one hole can feed cameras at multiple points on the building, running the cables nice and clean around the building in a conduit between boxes. My thinking has moved in that direction because some mounting locations would pose a significantly more difficult cable run for an amateur like myself.

This is my plan for the back of the house. Due to issues getting access to the attic back there, I plan on running conduit under the eaves from a part of the attic I can get into. I'll have 4 cameras fed through one hole. The trick was figuring out how to route things given the physical constraints of geometry and available conduit bodies, junction boxes, and elbows, but I think I have that figured out. I want to protect the cable from tampering, UV damage, and not have a bunch of ugly cables everywhere.

 

[bhamon]

This is my plan for the back of the house. Due to issues getting access to the attic back there, I plan on running conduit under the eaves from a part of the attic I can get into. I'll have 4 cameras fed through one hole. The trick was figuring out how to route things given the physical constraints of geometry and available conduit bodies, junction boxes, and elbows, but I think I have that figured out. I want to protect the cable from tampering, UV damage, and not have a bunch of ugly cables everywhere.

so you are running conduit outside the house with your wires to the attic? The person who built our house thought ahead and ran conduit to the attic. The only problem is he used the smallest one possible. It is barely big enough for 2 cat6 runs and 1 coax. I never thought about putting conduit outside the house to the attic. I don't think my wife would let me do that.

 

[tangent]

I'd try to keep the switch out of the attic. Tucked in the top of a closet on the 2nd floor would be better.

 

[Mr_D]

so you are running conduit outside the house with your wires to the attic? The person who built our house thought ahead and ran conduit to the attic. The only problem is he used the smallest one possible. It is barely big enough for 2 cat6 runs and 1 coax. I never thought about putting conduit outside the house to the attic. I don't think my wife would let me do that.

The conduit will be mostly up high and painted to match the stucco. It'll also be on the back of the house where it's less seen. These are older houses and lots of people have conduit and cables on the outside for TV, air conditioning lines, electrical, etc so it won't look out of place. At least with the paint and location it'll be minimally visible. One run will go over the top of a solid patio cover where you'd need to stand on ladder to see.

The cameras on the front of the house will be on the side of the garage so they'll be able to punch straight in without conduit, then into the attic from the garage ceiling.