Need Recommendations On First Cam Setup

[Yourrid]

Hey guys/gals,

I'm brand new to the forum (Said Hey Over Here) and I'm in need of some recommendations. I've tried to research as much as I could on security cameras, including the resource guides on here, but I need some "real world" insight instead of Amazon reviews. I know you guys probably get these "recommendation" threads every day, so go easy on me

What I'm looking for:

• $1k or less price tag
• 6-8 bullet style cameras = 4+MP, Strong Night Vision, PoE, HDR/WDR
• NVR with room to add more cameras and a larger hard drive
• Nice App integration for viewing cameras on iPhone/Android
• Reputable manufacturer
• Preferable all-in-one package (would rather not piece it together from different companies)

I'm currently looking at this 4MP Annke Setup (Here) which seems like a reasonable deal. The problems I see with it is the NVR is 8CH, so I'd already be at my max (I'd like to get a dome style camera for inside eventually). Also max playback is 6CH, and finding reviews for this particular Annke camera seems to be difficult.

Here is the house, and what I'd like to install

• 2 on each 2nd story corner looking at the driveway/road
• 2 on each 2nd story corner looking at the back yard
• 2 covering the sides of the house (maybe a bit overkill)
• Eventually 1 at the front door (dome style)
• Maybe 1 above the garage

I'd really appreciate any insight you guys/gals might have as far as a brand that's good/bad, or even specific setups that you recommend.

Thanks!

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

IPC-HFW5431E-Z5 is a good choice. dahua

 

[fenderman]

Annke is complete garbage with fake reviews..stay far away...more megapixes will give you worse night vision (in general)..those annkes will be awful...
Look at turret style cameras, those bullets will have terrible issues with spiders...see the 2mp dahua starlights. Start reading the forum before you flush your money down the toilet.

 

[EMPIRETECANDY]

Annke is complete garbage with fake reviews..stay far away...more megapixes will give you worse night vision (in general)..those annkes will be awful...
Look at turret style cameras, those bullets will have terrible issues with spiders...see the 2mp dahua starlights. Start reading the forum before you flush your money down the toilet.

Yes @fenderman is right, ANker not good at cams, they just get some small factories to print logo on it, dahua and HIKVISION still the best manufacturers from China. Just select which is good for you.

 

[bigredfish]

You may want to think about your placement and what you want to achieve. With most of those box systems you get fixed 2.8mm or 3.6mm lenses. Great for wide overview of a large area to see "what" happened, poor for identifying details of "who" dunnit. Varifocal cameras with 2.8-12mm zoom allow you to focus on the important stuff.

Consider choke points, particularly your front/back doors, this should be #1 followed by driveway/vehicle surveillance. These are the places where you want close in ID captures to provide to LE and are most likely to be where the problem occurs. Then you can fill in with overview cameras to see where the BG came from or went.

You're about $500 short in budget to do 8 good cameras, DVR, cable, networking stuff, etc. Of course many hear will advise going the PC/Blue Iris route which I'm not familiar with.

 

[Yourrid]

Annke is complete garbage with fake reviews..stay far away...more megapixes will give you worse night vision (in general)..those annkes will be awful...
Look at turret style cameras, those bullets will have terrible issues with spiders...see the 2mp dahua starlights. Start reading the forum before you flush your money down the toilet.

I never even thought about spiders, but that makes a lot of sense. Maybe something more along the lines of this...
IPC-HDBW5831E-Z5E

You may want to think about your placement and what you want to achieve. With most of those box systems you get fixed 2.8mm or 3.6mm lenses. Great for wide overview of a large area to see "what" happened, poor for identifying details of "who" dunnit. Varifocal cameras with 2.8-12mm zoom allow you to focus on the important stuff.

Consider choke points, particularly your front/back doors, this should be #1 followed by driveway/vehicle surveillance. These are the places where you want close in ID captures to provide to LE and are most likely to be where the problem occurs. Then you can fill in with overview cameras to see where the BG came from or went.

You're about $500 short in budget to do 8 good cameras, DVR, cable, networking stuff, etc. Of course many hear will advise going the PC/Blue Iris route which I'm not familiar with.

I was hoping for a good view of the front and back, with enough definition to zoom in and still see faces, license plates etc. The choke points is a great idea. I might be better suited getting a dome/turret style camera for each door, and then concentrate on wide angle cameras for the "overview." Getting it to a $1500 budget is do-able, as long as I can piece it together (not buy everything at once). I've heard about Blue Iris, but it seems like you need a powerful computer running 24/7 to make that possible. Which I don't have.

 

[looney2ns]

In general, cameras mounted higher than 8ft, won't get face ID's, just tops of heads.
Avoid Domes outdoors, many negative reflection issues, especially as they age.

This is the cam to beat at the moment: Dahua Starlight Varifocal Turret (IPC-HDW5231R-Z)

Take the time to learn how to use this: Camera Calculator / Design Software keep PPF>100. Tutorial upper left.

More info here: Dahua 2MP Starlight Lineup

There is tons of info here, take your time and do it right.

Buy once, cry once.

 

[randytsuch]

Domes look good, but the plastic will fog over time when exposed to uv.
That's why the dahua starlight turret is currently the standard recommendation right now.

For BI, you would need to buy a dedicated PC. You can find them on ebay, but would eat a good chunk of your budget, maybe $500 for an I7. I think you can get away with an I5 though, maybe $300-$400. Plus a big WD purple HD and the cost of BI itself.

Randy

 

[Yourrid]

More info here: Dahua 2MP Starlight Lineup

There is tons of info here, take your time and do it right.

Buy once, cry once.

I'd much rather spend the extra $ and have a reliable system, then buy one at Costco and hate it. The Starlight looks really nice, and I think I may use that for the doors, but what do you guys recommend for an "overall" view. IE, the entire yard and road.

Domes look good, but the plastic will fog over time when exposed to uv.
That's why the dahua starlight turret is currently the standard recommendation right now.

For BI, you would need to buy a dedicated PC. You can find them on ebay, but would eat a good chunk of your budget, maybe $500 for an I7. I think you can get away with an I5 though, maybe $300-$400. Plus a big WD purple HD and the cost of BI itself.

Randy

Good info, I figured the dome would be good for protecting the lens, but if its going to cause problems then I guess a turret/eyeball would be better.

As far as the BI, I think that may be light years ahead of me. As long as my NVR can stream to an app, backups to a hard drive (maybe an online backup), and streams to a TV, I think I would be happy.

 

[tangent]

In general, cameras mounted higher than 8ft, won't get face ID's, just tops of heads.
Avoid Domes outdoors, many negative reflection issues, especially as they age.
There is tons of info here, take your time and do it right.
Buy once, cry once.

Yep.

Don't go putting 8 cams under your 2nd story eaves. That would be an awful lot of bald spot cams.

Cams I'd suggest are:

• Front door / porch no higher than 9-10' max, preferably 5-8' from the ground turret or wedge style
• Driveway (2) angled towards each other <10' off the ground, turret style
• Inside garage near door to the interior pointing towards garage door (see if the door's open or if somebody wanders in)
• Backyard overview / back door
• play room / baby's room
• gate to back yard

side yard coverage needs would depend on placement of windows and doors

 

[looney2ns]

I'd much rather spend the extra $ and have a reliable system, then buy one at Costco and hate it. The Starlight looks really nice, and I think I may use that for the doors, but what do you guys recommend for an "overall" view. IE, the entire yard and road.

With the varifocal lens, The starlight turret works great at all locations.