I read the guide and wiki and still have questions. Dahua camera selection help.

[Simcole]

I moved into my forever home and I'm ditching my old security camera in a box for something better. I'm rolling a Blue Iris box here soon (unless someone else convinces me otherwise for a different VMS). There are so many cameras and options I'm lost. I've spent a fair amount of time reading the guides/wiki here but I don't want to make the wrong call. Please look at these pictures and give me your best input.


Each picture is captioned. I'd like to eventually have people alerts and facial recognition when they get close with push notifications for IOS.

Basically I know I can get a 2MP starlight turret for the covered front door and be fine. What I don't know with the other two cameras is how I should plan to use each one. I'd like to have a "wide angle" overview of the house and yard, but at the same time I'd like to get alerts (vehicle, person, animal) if someone gets close to the house. I'd also like facial recognition software if they get to the door. I played with the planning tool but my house is so new it doesn't show up on the map.

What cameras am I looking for?

 

[Sybertiger]

Nice house! What I've learned is you aren't going to cover all the bases with a house/yard that size with three cams. Just for starters I'd probably put a real nice PTZ cam in that left position. In that right position I'd put a varifocal cam. The front porch I'd put a dedicated cam to look down at the porch floor to see packages and doorknob hangers, etc. Plus I'd look into POE intercom cam at the doorbell location or perhaps just a small cam. Take a look at these two links to give you some ideas.

Boobie Cam install

Wedge Cam install

 

[Simcole]

I like the Wedge Cam. Unfortunately when the guys wired my doorbell I asked them to use cat6. They used two conductor wire instead. I don't think I want to re-drill and pull wire to get a camera there that's not wireless. I was looking at a Netatmo if it will ever come out.

I like the "Boobie Cam" idea. That one might be a winner except that the location where it's going has a lip that will block vision. It's a recessed ceiling porch with a 1 foot beam at the front. I updated the imgur post to show it.

I have a question about the Varifocal you mention. Does Blue Iris auto control the focus? Like it does it track motion and start moving the focus to track objects as they get closer/farther away?
Same goes for PTZ. How hands off is it once BI is going?

For my distances do you have recommendations on PPF or resolution to get the identifications I want? (4M 4K 6M etc?)

 

[looney2ns]

Please study this Wiki and this Cliff Notes.
More fixed cameras are almost always better than a PTZ. A PTZ has a high probability of looking the wrong direction when something happens.
Don't chase megapixels. PPF of 100 is what to shoot for. See Cliff Notes.

 

[SouthernYankee]

A quick look at the house I see at least 6 cameras to start
Two at the front door, one point out, one pointing at the package drop location
Two on the garage, right and left side, no higher than the door
Two on the front of the house far right side , far left side.


------------------------------------------------

My standard welcome to the forum message.

Please read the IP Cam Talk Cliff Notes and other items in the IP Cam Talk Wiki. (read on a real computer, not a phone). 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 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, Arlo 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
16) POE list PoE Switch Suggestion List


Cameras to look at
IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED Review IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED (Full Color, Starlight+) - 4MP starlight
Dahua IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED review
IPC-T5442TM-AS Review-OEM 4mp AI Cam IPC-T5442TM-AS Starlight+ - 4MP starlight+
IPC-B5442E-ZE Review - OEM IPC-B5442E-ZE 4MP AI Varifocal Bullet Camera With Starlight+
IPC-T2347G-LU Review of the Hikvision OEM model IPC-T2347G-LU 'ColorVu' IP CCTV camera. (DS-2CD2347G1-LU)
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
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

Newbie Starter Guide to IP Cam System – VPN setup – Computer Hardware – Blue Iris – Dahua Cameras

This is an intermediate / newbie guide for people just starting out looking for a surveillance setup. I know this setup might not be for everyone and there are many options. You can find a lot of this information in the Wiki: IP Cam Talk Wiki | IP Cam Talk A great place to start in the Wiki...

ipcamtalk.com

Camera Sensor size info Sensor Size Chart Generally bigger is better

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

 

[ip_poe]

@Simcole I agree with others, that more lines and static cams are needed for an ideal setup.

Here's what I recommend for the 3 wired locations you identified (Referencing from the image from the end of the driveway looking towards the house):
1) Left position (left side of garage) - This looks like a great spot for a PTZ as you can have another static camera (#3) looking down the driveway keeping an outlook on the entire approach. The PTZ can default to be zoomed fully out and looking towards the end of the driveway. When it sees someone/something passing a line (IVS rule) it can zoom in and see them approaching. Autotracking is largely hit-or-miss but it would be in a great position to follow someone around the entire front of the property. But if not, you can set various IVS rules on other cameras and use it to help get a closer view or better angle.
2) Over the front door - Yeah a turret or "boobie" cam would be ideal here. For that lip-you should be able to use an extension pole to bring the camera down a bit to get a view under it, however it looks like you might not have enough extra cable length :/
3) Right position, approaching the front porch - I'd go with a wide angle (2.8mm lens) static camera here covering the garage, the #1 cam, and as much of the driveway as it can fit in view.

Ideally I'd put the effort into adding these extra cams if I was in your situation:
4) Far-far left corner (back of your garage, but at the front of property) - I'd have two static cams here, one pointing towards the front of the driveway and also looking over cam #1. A second looking more to it's right and watching the other exposed corner at the front of the property.
5) Far-far right : At least one static camera looking over the other corner at the front entrance of the property, starting at the area cam #3 has out of view.
6) Some other type of eye-level (or wedge camera mentioned) a few feet off the ground, at the front door, one that supports face recognition is you're really interested in that. If you have an attic above the front door this shouldn't be too difficult to add. Might be able to get away with a good wireless doorbell camera here (no face recognition on these though from what I've seen) since you should have the other cams to look over the entire approach.
7) The rear of your property looks very exposed, if it was me I'd put at least 3 (ideally 4) cameras back there in the corners watching the major spots where the front cameras can't see (Especially looking over windows and a back door).

 

[Sybertiger]

I don't think that "porch lip" is an issue at all. The camera will be pointing at a downward angle. Unless you have Sasquatch running loose in the area I don't think you need the camera pointing higher than the front door height. And, while a PTZ is not everything if you are going to install only one cam on the left side the PTZ will give you the most options but really you're going to find that 10+ cams is what you're going to need around your house.

 

[sebastiantombs]

My take on cameras for a rectangular or box shaped house is a minimum of eight. Two in the front looking back at each other and the same on the sides and rear. Then add in a front door camera, or two, and maybe, depending on the lot size, two more looking straight out into the front and rear yards. If you have a garage at least two more, one on each side of the door. So say a dozen, total, and that doesn't include inside or if you want to add a PTZ for a toy to play with or any special areas that those 12 might not cover well.

 

[Simcole]

Wow. Some great responses. I appreciate it greatly. I’m not ready (see $$) for 8+ cameras. I can access every eve of my house except the front door. I’m going to start with the 3-4 I mentioned before. Does anyone have suggestions on what PTZ on the left would be best? Which fixed on right? I’m not trying to cover every square inch it’s a pretty quiet area I just have one bad egg around.

 

[sebastiantombs]

As long as your eaves aren't over, or too far over ten feet depending on door and windows locations that you want to monitor carefully, you're in good shape. If the camera is too high all you'll get is the tops of heads. The big trick, like Looney2ns always says, is you want to know who did it not just what happened.

 

[mat200]

I like the Wedge Cam. Unfortunately when the guys wired my doorbell I asked them to use cat6. They used two conductor wire instead. I don't think I want to re-drill and pull wire to get a camera there that's not wireless. I was looking at a Netatmo if it will ever come out.

I like the "Boobie Cam" idea. That one might be a winner except that the location where it's going has a lip that will block vision. It's a recessed ceiling porch with a 1 foot beam at the front. I updated the imgur post to show it.

I have a question about the Varifocal you mention. Does Blue Iris auto control the focus? Like it does it track motion and start moving the focus to track objects as they get closer/farther away?
Same goes for PTZ. How hands off is it once BI is going?

For my distances do you have recommendations on PPF or resolution to get the identifications I want? (4M 4K 6M etc?)

welcome @Simcole

"Unfortunately when the guys wired my doorbell I asked them to use cat6. They used two conductor wire instead.."

( note - the following is for others following this new home / new build thread and contractor failing to do a proper job )
This is why you always need to inspect the build out each day, and why you also need to hire an independent inspector.

In your situation I would use the inside of the garage as a starting point to install cameras at an appropriate height to be useful.

Go for one test camera first and test possible locations.

 

[Sybertiger]

( note - the following is for others following this new home / new build thread and contractor failing to do a proper job )
This is why you always need to inspect the build out each day, and why you also need to hire an independent inspector.

1000 percent! I was on the job site everyday on my lunch break and most evenings. Even with detailed blueprints it's amazing to see how things can get misinterpreted and you want to catch if a shortcut has been taken.

 

[Simcole]

I work a travel job and I left them the spool of wire ar the door. I figured how could they screw this up? Well Surprise.

 

[mat200]

I work a travel job and I left them the spool of wire ar the door. I figured how could they screw this up? Well Surprise.

lol... oh, you'd be surprised at what they can screw up on...

Here's a good example of a walk through on a pricey new construction home:

and...

 

[looney2ns]

And thats not counting what is wrong inside the walls that you can't see.
Pathetic.
It's going to get worse as the experienced labor pool continues to dry up.

 

[Simcole]

All in all I had 3 screw ups on the house all minor like that one and one is being fixed soon. I’m still counting my blessings.

 

[tangent]

Slab, basement, or crawlspace? Relevant if you ever decide you really need a different camera at the front door.

 

[catcamstar]

I fully agree with all the great options/alternatives offered, but one seems missing ;-) It does take a bit of work to pull the wires (under/next to your driveway), yet your mailbox is a perfect spot for a hidden cam to monitor your full house. It won't be good to identify the guy getting out of the van at your front door, yet it will fully monitor your entire house (with all the windows in front), with the great advantage that it will grab all license plate and maybe frontal driving facial recognition. Burglars/thieves tend to be in a hurry to leave the premises yet do not want to run masked across the street, so you might have a secret "captcha".

But like I stated: difficult to wire it up with such a nice garden, plus, if you're planning for garden decorations, the cam might become less useful.

Nice house by the way! Congratz!
CC

 

[Simcole]

It's a crawlspace. It's just a lot of wood and concrete there to get through.