Picking cameras for my first security system, and found this thread while trying to find a camera that will play a pre-recorded audio message ("Just letting you know you're being recorded" in lieu of siren) when it senses motion, to put near four areas I want to deter people from poking around. I've got 4 detailed questions for the experienced people here, if you don't mind:
1) Is the Lorex LNB8105X really the same camera? I've looked through the sticky's on this forum to see what's best practice, and it seems many here like Dahua because they make Lorex but put their best sensors in their own versions of the cameras. But if it's actually the same camera in this case, this Lorex-branded 4-pack for $96 each after 15% discount seems like a good deal:
4K Active Deterrence Network Security Camera (4-pack) Although maybe
@EMPIRETECANDY Andy can beat that?
2) I like this camera's features, but can anyone figure out a way to keep it from being easily (& expensively) disabled with no more than a pair of scissors, because of the exposed cord? I have an 8' ceiling on my porch where I want to mount this by the front door (and 3 other locations ~8'), and anyone over ~5'10 could prob snip the cords on tip-toe with wirecutters. It seems people don't like dome cameras because of the potential for IR reflection, but if I mount an acrylic dome housing over this camera and keep the housing clean (& provide a few holes for the speaker), could that work? With the incorporated white LED, do you experts think that would eliminate the IR-flare issues with image quality, or do you think the white LED through an acrylic housing would potentially cause even more issues than the IR LEDs?
If I go with this 4-cam package, I would set up a used PC/
BlueIris system ~$400, 2 other cams (possibly starlight 2231 ~$250), & $200 wiring/misc = $1250 total. But in looking at other Lorex packages on their website and elsewhere, I found this active deterrent 4-cam non-IP system for only $200 at Costco:
Costco apparently also has an IP/NVR system with 6 of the Lorex versions of this Dahua cam, plus 4TB WD Purple NVR for $740.
3) Can anyone explain how an analog active deterrent cam system works with 2-way talk etc? I guess I'm just surprised analog connections can carry PIR motion detection signals/2-way audio and all that. Could the pre-recorded message be different for each camera over analog? If experts here think an analog system might work even remotely as well as a PoE system, I will give that a shot first to see if it does what I need. Basically, do you think a PoE/BlueIris system is honestly 5 TIMES as valuable? (Quite the upcharge!) Similarly, what advantages does the PC/BlueIris system have over an NVR? Does that justify an extra 70% to the system cost?
I know I could just buy these systems, and try them out in the return period, but I'd rather spend my time asking experts who've been down that road what they think, rather doing everything 2-3 times. If it helps in answering any of my questions, keep in mind that I care far more about deterrence than catching criminals/facial recognition. I've been the 'victim' of theft before where the criminal was caught (due to my own investigation), and it wasn't at all worth my time and effort to get police to eventually arrest the guy when the system gave him a slap-on-the-wrist plea bargain of home arrest for 6 months, DESPITE his prior record with theft. I have zero faith in the system here, so I just want criminals to move along to an easier target. I want to make it obvious to people poking around that their presence has been detected and is being recorded. I want something that will record even when the power goes out (I have a UPS system), and has reliable wired recording rather than say wifi cam with SD card so criminals can't just knock the cam off with a stick and walk away with the recording.
4) My final question is related to other cams I may add to this system: I was thinking the 5231 or 2231 starlight turrets based on popularity here, but they're expensive, and do I even really need starlight or varifocal lenses given my focus on deterrence rather than image detail? Especially if I provide lots of supplemental motion-detection light? One of the best things about these active deterrent cameras to me is the ~130 FOV compared to ~80 on the turrets. I've plotted the angles to cover my property, and if I go with 80 FOV cams instead of 130 for the remaining spots, I'm going to need 3 more instead of 2. And they're more expensive. Seems like in my situation with lots of supplemental light I'll be better off with fewer, cheaper, 4k sensors...and if I just get 2 more of these active deterrent cams, I gain those deterrent features everywhere, which is a big plus in my estimation.
But I'd like to know what the experts think.
Oh well, goes to prove fenderman was right in thinking that the BI settings were correct and had not been the source of my problem, it was the antivirus/security program I was running. Hopefully this helps others in case someone has a similar issue: don't forget the obvious, and check your antivirus or firewall settings! You live and learn..
