Need Help and Advice

coty5

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Hello everyone, been reading the forums for for a while trying to learn and understand more about various types of setups. At the present time I am running a Swann DVR 2MP with eight cameras going on three years, I am satisfied because it has served my needs without any problems for the past three years, but it doesn't supply my wants as to what I would like to have, example some cams with varifocal lens and Swann does not provide this option. So this will have to be a NVR setup but I am a little confused about some things.

1. The FOV that I have right now I really don't want to lose that, I understand the higher the degree the wider the view which I currently have. My first system from Swann came with four T855 cams FOV 90° then about 4 months later bought another system on sale with 8 cams T852 with a FOV of 80° so when changing out the cams I noticed the lower degree cams gave me a wider view which I like and Swann does not give the specs for the lens type. Also I have read that different lenses on different sensors Will not be exactly same FOV??????
2. So what I am thinking of doing instead of buying a whole new system and may not liking it, is to buy just the camera and test it out for the FOV

My question after reading some post on here I believe this is what I am able to do Yes Or No????
1. Buy the cam hook it up to my router
2. Go into the router and get the IP of the cam
3. Put the IP in the browser and I guess I will be able to look at the FOV Yes Or NO????
4. If I like what I see then I can buy a complete system

Pics and Video attached to show you what I am talking about that the 80 vs 90 gives a wider view

Another question if you don't mind, When I buy the new NVR I understand to change the password on the NVR, when changing to the new password will the cameras take that password? Or do I need to give the caners a different password? I would like to have only one password for the NVR and just one for the cameras and not eight different passwords for each cameras, do I really need to change the password for the cameras if it takes the one from the NVR confused.

Thanks for for your help

Coty5

Drive FOV 80° T852.jpg Drive FOV 90° T855.jpg Drive FOV 80° T852.jpg Drive FOV 90° T855.jpg DW-Cam T852.jpg
 
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mat200

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Welcome @coty5

Thanks for posting those videos. Do feel free to post them on youtube ( makes it easier to share ).

I'll update my post shortly after reading your's in more detail
 

mat200

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upload_2019-8-31_9-13-9.png

Q1) Can you ID the make and model of this car?

upload_2019-8-31_9-15-53.png

Q2: Can you ID this suspect in a line up? Or if you knew him?

upload_2019-8-31_9-17-18.png

Q3: How about now? Notice that once the white light kicked in the image is significantly better.

upload_2019-8-31_9-18-32.png

Q4: How about now? What if he was wearing a hoodie and cap?

upload_2019-8-31_9-19-49.png
upload_2019-8-31_9-20-35.png

Q5: Can you ID this vehicle make and model?

upload_2019-8-31_9-21-42.png
upload_2019-8-31_9-23-48.png


Q6: Can you ID this suspect? What if you knew this suspect would you recognize him in this picture?
 

mat200

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Hi @coty5

It is very good that you have these 2 sample videos to look closely at and consider what you may want.

Clearly it would be nice to have a more effective setup.

This is what I would want in a set up:
Info to ID the suspects and provide that info to the law enforcement and reduce the crime rate.

For that I would want:
1) Good mug shots
2) Color data - thus a good low light camera that I can keep in color mode all the time
3) Good images of the car
4) License Plate of the car
5) Watch the mail box as that can also be a target

now let's look at the number of cameras
A) 1 camera on each side of the garage door mounted 6-8 feet high. = 2 cameras
B) 1 camera zoomed into the mailbox area to get 100 ppf density about 8-10 feet beyond the mail box ( I want to ID the driver of any car getting out to check my mailbox ) = 1 camera
C) 1 camera zoom in to catch the license plate of cars driving away = 1 camera

You noted that you like the current placement of your camera - so I would put another overview camera there.

I would also cover my front door area with a camera at face level, and a camera watching the package drop area.

==== ok now for your questions ==== ( note the above is also for those coming by and reading this ) ====

My question after reading some post on here I believe this is what I am able to do Yes Or No????
Q1. Buy the cam hook it up to my router
A1: You can, but I prefer to have a separate switch and not have more load on the router. ( i.e. get a POE switch )

Q2. Go into the router and get the IP of the cam
A2: You can use the router DHCP to assign the IP address to the camera - I prefer to make the IPs static and print out that IP address on a paper that I keep next to the router. ( for cases when I need to replace the router )

Q3. Put the IP in the browser and I guess I will be able to look at the FOV Yes Or NO????
A3: Not all cameras have browser interfaces and browsers are getting their security updated which often breaks "the old way of doing things". See the wiki notes on viewing cameras from a browser as well as what others will chime in with.

Q4: Pics and Video attached to show you what I am talking about that the 80 vs 90 gives a wider view
A4: OK - not really a question - but you actually need more than one camera to get proper coverage.

Q5: ..password on the NVR, when changing to the new password will the cameras take that password? Or do I need to give the caners a different password?
A5: Up to you. NVR / VMS software iirc typically allows you have have separate user / passwords for each camera.. most of us probably keep the passwords between the NVR and cameras the same when the cameras connect directly to the NVR. In cases they do not, I would use a different user/password for the NVR / PC running VMS software and the cameras as it would be more secure that way against "intruders" listening into my network for passwords.
 
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coty5

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Thanks for your replay mat200,

As for the suspects I believe I can ID if seen on the street, their face is much clearer when zoomed in, as for the cars I cannot ID, that's why I am thinking of getting a couple cams that have varifocal lens that I can zoom in on certain areas.

As for cameras I am using eight for around my property, just that one for the center of the driveway it shows in the pic about 12 feet high but that is where I put it so I do not have to mess with going outside
and actually I can read my license plate at about 25 to 30 feet away from the camera as you enter my driveway, can I read out in the street no.

As for the camera hooked to the router I was going to use that for testing only to see FOV would be since all cams might be different as I explained with the T852 with a FOV of 80° & the T855 FOV 90°
as the pics show the 80 has a wider view then the 90 then if I am not satisfied I can return before buying a new system.

Thanks for your reply and suggestions I really appreciate it

Coty5
 

mat200

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Thanks for your replay mat200,

As for the suspects I believe I can ID if seen on the street, their face is much clearer when zoomed in, ..
Thanks coty5

Feel free to share any good zoomed in shots you have of the 2 suspects above. I only had the video you shared to pull from and would be very interested to see how good it looks with the motion detection light on.
 

looney2ns

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HI, on a real computer, study this: Cliff Notes.
You want to know who did it, not just what happened.
Your current driveway cam is too high for good face ID's.
As @mat200 said, you need to not mount a camera any higher than 8ft, lower is better.
Wide FOV cams make it harder to ID faces.
Here is an example of two cams on a driveway.


 

coty5

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Thanks for the suggestions I know the camera is to high but I don't want it to low so someone could grab it. I will be looking for new cams just trying to figure out what I need.

As for the mailbox take a look at this

Coty5
 

looney2ns

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That very rarely happens. If your system is properly installed, positioned, aimed and mounted. You would already have a face shot of the perp even if he did mess with a camera. Capturing the face is the entire goal.
Most mistakes that are made is trying to use too few cameras to cover too much area.
 

coty5

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Thanks for your replay and advice looney2ns, I understand that my pic's are not the greatest but they satisfy my needs but not what I want. You are correct with everything you are saying and that's why I will have to install a whole new system. I can't add anything to my DVR I will have to buy a NVR-POE vs my BNC-DVR. I am posting some pic's of what I can see during the day and the quality that they have. Keep in mind the one's on the porch with the officers are competing with the sun at that time and that camera is behind glass in the window.

This is what I am planning on doing as for my camera setup I am going to go with 4MP, I will keep my setup at 8 camera's

4 Turret regular
1 Turret 4x Zoom Motorized Vari-Focal Lens
2 Bullet regular
1 Bullet 4x Zoom Motorized Vari-Focal Lens

The way I look at, I really am satisfied right now with what I have, I just would like to have a clearer picture when zoomed in. What I have read and researched here and other places, everyone seems to agree that the 4MP camera's will give me a better picture along with the NVR vs my DVR. That the picture will be much better with the NVR.

My only concern is setting it up and learning to operate, I have been looking a manuals and they look almost the same as what I am using. My big concern as of now I have the DVR in the basement and 2 big screens in different parts of the house and am able to use a wireless mouse. Called the company to see if it would work with a wireless mouse there answer was it was hit or miss, one place said all Dahua NVR after 2015 will work with a wireless mouse. We will have to see

So I will have to bit the bullet and find our for my self to see if all the above will be to my liking, if not I can send it back

Coty5

P1.jpg P2.jpg P3.jpg P4.jpg P5.jpg P6.jpg P7.jpg
 
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