IP Camera Recommendation

[MrBobC]

Hello! I'm new to the forum, and have been looking at all the different IP cameras out there, but I decided I really needed to find a forum with people more knowledgeable than myself. I'm looking for a recommendation for a camera that does the following:

1080p
I'm thinking all indoor cameras, but would be nice if that line of cameras had an outdoor version for the future
Two-Way Audio (Built-In Mic & Spkr) via phone or PC
< $200
Can be accessed via Windows or Mobile Device
Pan/Tilt
Zoom not necessary, but nice
Local Storage (I'm not looking to have another bill by paying for cloud storage)
Also, I'm not aware of special IP camera software, but I'd like to be able to set up motion recordings, and to be able to view all cameras on one screen as I have a second monitor I rarely use and can use that.

I've been looking around and was looking at Lorex but didn't see anything that was 1080p with two-way audio, the Nest one doesn't offer local storage, the Samsung only has two-way audio over phone, etc.

If anyone could point me towards something that meets those requirements that would be great. If such a camera doesn't exist (likely due to price point), I still want to know about it even if it's over, as if it had what I wanted, I might make it work but would prefer < $200/camera. Most PoE cameras also have DC outlets so PoE/Not PoE doesn't really matter.

Also, this is not really meant to act as a home security system. Everywhere I want to put a camera has at least one RJ45 running to it already, so wired/wireless doesn't matter either.

Thank You!

 

[klasipca]

ds-2cd2432f-iws, one caveat though, two way functionality is not that great in my experience

 

[MrBobC]

I was unable to find that this camera had pan/tilt. It appears to have a fixed lens. Is that not the case?

 

[klasipca]

I was unable to find that this camera had pan/tilt. It appears to have a fixed lens. Is that not the case?

You said it's optional. In my experience PTZ cams are useless for indoor usage. It's nice to play around but in the end it will be static. I prefer wide angle option.

There is PT camera, but I am no sure it has built-in speaker

http://overseas.hikvision.com/en/Products_accessries_512_i5612.html

 

[MrBobC]

I had actually meant the Zoom part was optional, although you have a good point, eventually it doesn't need to move once you figure out where it goes. What about software? I've been reading up on Blue Iris. Are there any others?

 

[klasipca]

There are plenty, but BI is the most popular, I am sticking with free software from Hikvision.

 

[mrvelous01]

I have both Hikvision and Foscam indoor and outdoor cameras (total 8 now). I started with Foscam and soon learned that they were not very highly regarded on certain forums. Assistance was available but definitely prejudiced. I switched to Hikvision cameras and have been very happy.
I am a recovering Unix Sysadmin and really prefer to "roll my own", but after a LOT of trial and error with crappy OEM provided software, and some unix and windows camera software, I settled on Blueiris to manage the cameras, and I'm damn happy I did it.

For about $60 this software has everything you want. It's pretty much camera agnostic (even handles my old Panasonic BB-HCM381a's), uses local storage, network storage, ftp, image snaps, video, motion sensing, secure access via web, dynamic DNS (I think?), user profiles, camera profiles, camera scheduling, alerts via email or txt. I can't really think of anything that I need that it doesn't have.

There's also a BI mobile app (not written/supported by the BI author) and it's MOSTLY reliable, but still a must have (bugs and all, but it's getting better) that works with local and internet IPs, shows clips and snapshots, and allows some limited BI server control from the app.

It takes a while to get comfortable with BI but once you do you won't look back.

p.s. I learned the hard way with junkbox PC's and even an Enterprise class DL-360 running ESXi, and ended up buying an off-the-shelf whitebox PC to run BI on Win8 exclusively.

 

[mrvelous01]

One more thing - the BI developer answers his own email, too, and usually pretty quick. You don't get that with big companies. There's also a guy named Fenderman that is usually around these forums that is a great resource for BI and cameras, too.