My Dad Wants Cameras, help

tone363

Young grasshopper
Joined
Jan 19, 2016
Messages
41
Reaction score
5
Location
Tennessee
So as the title suggests my dad is looking to get cameras for his house due to recent burglaries in the area. My dad is older and is not technically inclined so making this as simple as possible is key. This is where I need help as he would like to have 3-4 cameras in all in one system going to an NVR, i currently use Blu Iris.

Budget would be about $400.

Is this possible to do without him ending up with junk? Hes looking at amazon etc and seeing the cheap systems on there so trying to steer him to something better. Or a thought would be to start out with a couple of cameras and an NVR then move to 3 or 4. Thoughts?
 

tangent

IPCT Contributor
Joined
May 12, 2016
Messages
4,338
Reaction score
3,519
You're not going to get 3-4 good cameras, an NVR, and HDD for $400. There's a lot of stuff that's absolute junk.
 

tone363

Young grasshopper
Joined
Jan 19, 2016
Messages
41
Reaction score
5
Location
Tennessee
Yeah that's what I'm trying to explain to him. I am just not sure where to start with the NVR.
 

fenderman

Staff member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
36,897
Reaction score
21,250
Yeah that's what I'm trying to explain to him. I am just not sure where to start with the NVR.
Do him (and yourself) a favor and just setup a BI server since you are familiar with it...this will help tremendously as you can easily setup teamviewer or similar to login and change settings...
make a 100 best offer on this HP Compaq Elite 8300 Sff Desktop Intel I5-3.2Ghz 4GB Ram 500GB HD W10P-64 | eBay
buy 3 dahua 2mp fixed starlight turrets for 100 each.
Blue iris 60...just over your budget...you may need a larger hard drive...
 
As an eBay Associate IPCamTalk earns from qualifying purchases.

tone363

Young grasshopper
Joined
Jan 19, 2016
Messages
41
Reaction score
5
Location
Tennessee
Thanks, i am going to try to steer him this route as it just seems easier. I just want to make sure its foolproof for him.
 

fenderman

Staff member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
36,897
Reaction score
21,250
Thanks, i am going to try to steer him this route as it just seems easier. I just want to make sure its foolproof for him.
Sounds like he shouldn't be messing with either system... Set it up for him and have him use the mobile app... With blue iris it will be easy for you to remote in and walk him through if need be...
 

tangent

IPCT Contributor
Joined
May 12, 2016
Messages
4,338
Reaction score
3,519
Sounds like he shouldn't be messing with either system... Set it up for him and have him use the mobile app... With blue iris it will be easy for you to remote in and walk him through if need be...
It isn't that hard to remote in to a nvr if you set up a vpn server on the router and use the web interface. A low ball offer on an ebay pc is a very good option.

I'd feed the pc / nvr hdmi connection to a tv or monitor for a simple viewing option.
 
Last edited:

mat200

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Jan 17, 2017
Messages
13,650
Reaction score
22,741

SantiagoDraco

Getting the hang of it
Joined
Dec 8, 2017
Messages
130
Reaction score
51
Amazon has only one thing going for it now and that's it's return policy. If not for that they'd have lost my business a long time ago. The fact that they refuse to really do anything meaningful about these fake reviews (like allowing you to filter to only "ships and sold by Amazon" or to use tools similar to what Fakespot does and take down these sellers).... sad to see as Amazon built it's business on trust and now they are using that trust to become nothing more than another Ebay.
 

fenderman

Staff member
Joined
Mar 9, 2014
Messages
36,897
Reaction score
21,250
For auctions like this (where the processor is listed just as "i5 3.2ghz"), is there a method to figure out the generation?
its always best to email and ask, however, the 8300's all had third generation processors..
 

Yollie

Young grasshopper
Joined
May 16, 2016
Messages
81
Reaction score
11
I read on BI website that to use it with 4k cameras you need i7. Is that true?
 

tone363

Young grasshopper
Joined
Jan 19, 2016
Messages
41
Reaction score
5
Location
Tennessee
Just to confirm on the Dahua 2mp cameras, were these bought from Andy or from another vendor?

As a side note I talked to him today about it and not even going to go in to what he had found and where but I told him about the Dahua cameras. He initially scoffed at the 100 each price but I am hoping to work him down. I told my mom to not let him buy anything without talking to me. If anyone has any other camera ideas just to have options any and all are greatly appreciated.
 

tangent

IPCT Contributor
Joined
May 12, 2016
Messages
4,338
Reaction score
3,519
Just to confirm on the Dahua 2mp cameras, were these bought from Andy or from another vendor?

As a side note I talked to him today about it and not even going to go in to what he had found and where but I told him about the Dahua cameras. He initially scoffed at the 100 each price but I am hoping to work him down. I told my mom to not let him buy anything without talking to me. If anyone has any other camera ideas just to have options any and all are greatly appreciated.
Show him some images from good and bad cameras. Fewer good cameras >> lots of junk cameras
 

aristobrat

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Dec 5, 2016
Messages
2,982
Reaction score
3,180
not even going to go in to what he had found and where
If he's savvy enough to be shopping around online, send him the link to the 5231 review/owners thread on here (below).

Dahua Starlight Varifocal Turret (IPC-HDW5231R-Z)

That thread has more than a few posts from folks who wished they had started with a Starlight camera (vs. sinking money into cheaper cameras that they're now replacing with Starlights). "Buy Once, Cry Once" is usually better than buying cheap, then replacing cheap with the more expensive model that was the best choice to begin with.

Maybe him starting out with just one camera + Blue Iris and seeing how it goes would be easier for him?
 

Attachments

looney2ns

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Sep 25, 2016
Messages
15,521
Reaction score
22,657
Location
Evansville, In. USA
Do him (and yourself) a favor and just setup a BI server since you are familiar with it...this will help tremendously as you can easily setup teamviewer or similar to login and change settings...
make a 100 best offer on this HP Compaq Elite 8300 Sff Desktop Intel I5-3.2Ghz 4GB Ram 500GB HD W10P-64 | eBay
buy 3 dahua 2mp fixed starlight turrets for 100 each.
Blue iris 60...just over your budget...you may need a larger hard drive...
:goodpost:

Here is the camera that @fenderman was referring to. New Arriving IP Camera 2MP IR Eyeball Network Camera IPC HDW4231EM ASE,free DHL shipping fee-in Surveillance Cameras from Security & Protection on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group
 
As an eBay Associate IPCamTalk earns from qualifying purchases.
Top