I've been robbed, need a video camera asap

[Vin Tekiel]

@bp2008: Hi, thank you for the info. I have Google dr and dropbox. Could you define the step to use it. Like which feature should I be looking at when buying the camera?
Vin

 

[bp2008]

Hard to say. I run all my cameras through Blue Iris which is Windows software, and it lets me specify a recording directory. You may want to find something similar for Mac that lets you choose where to save video. Or better yet, one that will save video locally and in the cloud.

I don't use MACs for much.

 

[Vin Tekiel]

@bp2008: Thank you, that's sounds straight forward. I actually like the idea and gives me lots of option . I'm starting to love this , if only I could have that camera up and running already we would feel much safer and my wife could start sleeping again....

 

[milkisbad]

Hmm If you want to use record to google drive, go to 'local configuration', set the record path to the google drive folder you desire, then hit the record button under live view.

Here's a picture of where the setting is. But Local configuration refers to whichever computer you are accessing the camera with, so you can actually directly record to your work computer at work.

View attachment 879

To start the recording, hit the camcorder icon on the bottom right under live view:

View attachment 880

Then it will show up as a mpeg4 file under the folder you specify, and also it creates a folder based on the date.

Advantage:
24/7 recording means you won't miss a thing.
saves to cloud drive

Disadvantage:

Must have live view on (or else the button is grey out)
Only records 24/7, a free account with google drive (15 gb) might only last a couple hours until its full (unless you lower the FPS by alot)
Have to manually press the button to turn on and off.

Here's what the files look like in google drive: (my 5 min video was about 160 Mb though at 3 MP)

View attachment 881

If we start using PC NVR software then motion detection should be no problem, you just need a spare hard drive that you can format with the software.

Networkcameracritic wrote a really good review and tips on how to use PC NVR here: http://www.networkcameracritic.com/?p=1729

You can download it here : http://www.hikvision.com/en/download_more.asp?id=1190 (but I think its PC only...)

so much options out there and many creative ways to use these cameras!

 

[nayr]

instead of storing on the cloud you could get a BeagleBoneBlack, install bare linux + ftp server and plug in a 1TB 2.5" USB HDD, put em in a little plastic enclosure with ethernet coming out and stash it somewhere in your house no thief will find it.. cloud storage space is bloody expensive for mostly useless data.. 1 year of 100GB Dropbox would run about the cost of a contraption like this.. if your a software engineer this will be a piece of cake; whip up a lil cron script to delete files older than XX days to keep the disk from filling.. mebe a simple web interface for browsing the ftp server and playing back video.. you could even make a duplicate device and stash it remotely at a friends/family/office that ssh+rsync's videos periodically when the donor's internet is likely to be unused.

Pickup a decent 3MP Hikvision or Dahua IR PoE Bullet/Dome for less than $250 and it will come with the ability to record 24/7 to FTP and you'll have the space and speed to accommodate that.. Software motion detection is kinda hit and miss depending on the environment (hint: clouds/rain/snow/headlights = motion), if you dont want to record 24/7 get a camera that has an alarm input and hardwire a motion sensor up to it to trigger recordings, this approach is much more reliable.

for a little bit more money you can buy a pretty small china 4CH NVR without a HDD..

ideas of hiding spots: exposed basement rafters, behind the mirror in your bathroom, air return vents for hvac, subfloors, stairs, etc.. if there is a nearby electrical junction box exposed you can hardwire a small power cord right in, might not be up to code but the power draw is minimal and it gets the job done.

Having alot more storage space allows you to crank the quality up and save higher frame rates which is very beneficial for investigations... even an onboard 64gb SD card will tend to fill up after a few days of just adequate levels of surveillance... not very useful when you want to go on a vacation.

 

[nayr]

Hikvision has a nice "covert" style camera, http://www.networkcameracritic.com/?p=2371

You could put one inside your house aimed at a choke point like a hallway/entryway hidden inside some sort of home decoration; I am going to hide one in the mouth of a Tiki Head on the wall in my living room.. it also takes alarm inputs so when you get a full security system installed you can command that camera to record only while your security system is armed, but not recording your daily lives inside when your home.

I am doing the same as you right now, after similar circumstances (ive lost more than this is going to cost) and as an engineer I tend to want to overdo it.. but im putting 2 outdoor PTZ cameras in this weekend, front/back that will focus on ingress points when perimeter sensors are triggered.. other times the'll be focused on vehicles/property and an indoor camera at the most strategic & discrete point.. I am going to use a Dahua NVR in my very secure basement wiring/computer closet (ie concrete block & metal door), by the time anyone makes it to that location alarms will be going off and it can be dumping live video to a free cloud storage account, presuming the internet hasn't been disconnected externally.

Next time the rats come out at night I'll be watching em...

 

[Vin Tekiel]

@milkisbad: Thank you, that's exactly what I'm looking for. Except that I don't have windows. If there is no way to run mac or linux, I'll probably have a windows vm running for now.
@nayr: Thank you. Yes, I totally agree with you. My goal is first to get something running. 1 camera, recording in the cloud. It's arriving today, so tonight, I'll have it up and running, maybe not installed yet, but if not, tomorrow morning. Then the fun start. I'm going to experiment with a few software, probably implement some part. Test more cameras, I'll need at least 4 other dome and one bullet, probably each one different so I can test things.

 

[framednlv]

How about this for Linux:
"Welcome to the home of Motion, a software motion detector. Motion is a program that monitors the video signal from cameras. It is able to detect if a significant part of the picture has changed; in other words, it can detect motion"
http://www.lavrsen.dk/foswiki/bin/view/Motion/WebHome


I believe some of the retail NAS systems use it. If you do go that route, it would be a great to see your progress in a new thread.

 

[bp2008]

A bit easier than a tiny linux box with external HDD would be to buy a Western Digital MyCloud drive. These are just a little larger than an ordinary external drive, but they connect via LAN and run an FTP server among other things. I use one for my camera backups, although I really should find a better hiding spot for it than the back closet.

 

[framednlv]

A bit easier than a tiny linux box with external HDD would be to buy a Western Digital MyCloud drive. These are just a little larger than an ordinary external drive, but they connect via LAN and run an FTP server among other things. I use one for my camera backups, although I really should find a better hiding spot for it than the back closet.

I always thought about putting my NVR inside an old VCR case.

 

[Vin Tekiel]

@framednlv: I will create multiple threads for different topic. I'm getting my first camera today and will take picture and record everything so that new like me to this area can get started right away. I will try WebHome and give feedback.
@bp2009: I found 2 great spots. The first one is in the attic, you actually need a ladder to get up there, the second one, is the crawling space under my house. You would have to crawl all the way from one side of the house to the other side to get the harddrive

 

[bp2008]

@Vin Tekiel
I strongly recommend a WD My Cloud as I mentioned, if you want a hidden backup location. You would need to run ethernet and power to it, wherever it goes, but mine has been flawless for automatic backup via FTP. It used to be at my brother's house, and we had a wireless bridge between us. But then he moved away so now I need to hide it somewhere better than my closet.

 

[nayr]

in the crawl space is probably going to be more temperate; attics can get extremely hot in the summer and hdd's are rarely fond of those kind of conditions under operation.. board it up it between floor joists so it can get some radiant heat in the winter and dont freeze the bearing grease.. if your clever and tuck back wires I doubt few would find it if they even knew it was down there...

dont forget to tape up any blinkey lights

 

[Vin Tekiel]

Ok, got the camera. Before putting under the eave, I plugged it in to my mac and was able to change the IP address. Now I'm connecting to it through the web browser. I tried with safari and chrome. Attached are the screenshot. Don't look at the image yet, I've set it up outside of course...

The first question I have, is that I don't have a menu at the bottom to start/stop live view (I know, it's in french... my wife mac..., but you can figure out what's written ). The second question is that I have the ptz control and the preset menu, but can't do anything with it. If I click somewhere, nothing happen.

any hint on what's happening?

 

[milkisbad]

Hi Vin,

using quicktime plugin you won't see the start/stop view i believe, use this Mac plugin:

http://www.ltsecurityinc.com/upload/download/WebComponents.pkg

after downloading, exit out of safari completely then install the pkg. then select webcomponent to view your camera

since its not a ptz camera, the ptz menu won't do anything =x you can hit the joystick icon on the right to hide it.

 

[Vin Tekiel]

Hi Milkisbad,

I installed the pkg, restarted my browser (tried chrome and safari), now I have the menu, but I don't have the view. It says something like "Failed live view".

ptz, yes, that was a stupid question

Hi Vin,

using quicktime plugin you won't see the start/stop view i believe, use this Mac plugin:

http://www.ltsecurityinc.com/upload/download/WebComponents.pkg

after downloading, exit out of safari completely then install the pkg. then select webcomponent to view your camera

since its not a ptz camera, the ptz menu won't do anything =x you can hit the joystick icon on the right to hide it.

 

[milkisbad]

Oo that's odd. But with QuickTime no live view failed error right? Only with webcomponet? Can you check the firmware version? (Should be 5.1.2 )

 

[Vin Tekiel]

Yes, with quicktime, no errors, but no menu , with webcomponent, menu but no videos. Attached the firmware version. yes, 5.1.2.

I have iVMS 4200, maybe I should try to do the recording with this?

Oo that's odd. But with QuickTime no live view failed error right? Only with webcomponet? Can you check the firmware version? (Should be 5.1.2 )

 

[Vin Tekiel]

@milkisbad: Thanks, I was able to set the parameters there. But how do you actually start the recording? If I just press on the recording icon in iVMS, it just tells me that there is no space on the HD, since I did not configure a HD, just the google dr.

Well, it did take into account some changes. when I capture an image, it is added in my dropbox. But when I try to record, it tells me the HDD is full...

On linux, I have in the browser, Quicktime working and also VLC, but no menu either.

 

[Vin Tekiel]

@milkisbad: lol, when it was telling to restart the software, I was rebooting the camera not restarting iVMS. Now that I restarted it, it started recording. Thanks!

Now to the next step. I set up a ftp server on a linux machine. It's actually straight forward. I tested it from an other machine, it works. Then I entered all the information in the device settings. I don't have any error, but I don't have anything recording on that FTP server either.

Tomorrow morning, I'll attached it under the eaves. Now time to sleep

Thank you so much for your help with this.

Vin