New and could use your advice! Need a total security system package.

Joined
May 16, 2020
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Location
Los Angeles
New to the forum and I joined to learn some information for an upcoming installation of security cameras for my home. I very new to this, but I have a technical background and will install this system on my own.

I am looking to put together a system that offers complete perimeter coverage with a camera in the front of the house that I can control that also offers great detail to capture license plates on the street. Specifically, I have been looking at the Amcrest line of cameras, but of course I am open to other suggestions as well.

The camera I was considering placing in the front of the house is the Amcrest PTZ Speed Dome Camera. This seems to have good control and really good resolution that should pick up license plates from the street. I am unsure as to what cameras to get for the rest of the house, what software is best, which switch to get, and the best recording option. I’d like an option that has some cloud storage for security, but I like the idea of storing locally because it’s much faster to search through the data locally vs. cloud.

Is it possible to work with a camera store that offers a service to put together a package best suited for what I am trying to accomplish?
 
Joined
Aug 8, 2018
Messages
7,386
Reaction score
25,889
Location
Spring, Texas
Read the Cliff Notes. Most of your questions are answered there.

Software: most folks here that do not use and NVR use Blue Iris.

For vendors, see the Vendor's Forum.

It is impossible to tell you what cameras to buy without knowing what each position's view and purpose will be.

LPR is a different beast than plain old security cameras. It is difficult. See the LPR Forum.

Cloud storage eats up bandwidth.
 
Joined
May 16, 2020
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Location
Los Angeles
Thanks for the advice. I am going to read the cliff notes now.

Do you happen to know if vendors will help plan out a system? Also, is there a particular format people submit to a forum to get help on where to place the cameras on a home and the various positions and purpose?

Thank you sir
 
Joined
Aug 8, 2018
Messages
7,386
Reaction score
25,889
Location
Spring, Texas
is there a particular format people submit to a forum to get help on where to place the cameras on a home and the various positions and purpose?
Not really. Realize that this is a member's forum. No one gets paid to do this here. There are hundreds of thread here where folks ask for help on devising a system. Look though them to get an idea of what to ask. Click on Home top left and browse through the topics.

I do not know if our vendors will help plan out a system. Never used them for that. I started with one varifocal cam and built a test rig to try it out in different places. Bought a few cameras at a time over the year as my understanding of security cameras changed and so did my plan.
 

SouthernYankee

IPCT Contributor
Joined
Feb 15, 2018
Messages
5,170
Reaction score
5,320
Location
Houston Tx
:welcome:

One camera one job. An LPR camera captures license plates, nothing else. I have 3 cameras for just the front door of the house. 2 cameras to cover the two car driveway.
Cameras are for surveillance they tell you what happened after the fact, and help identify the bad guys.

Go slow
Read,Study plan before spending money

---------------------------------------
My standard welcome to the forum message.

Please read the IP Cam Talk Cliff Notes and other items in the IP Cam Talk Wiki. (read on a real computer, not a phone). The wiki is in the blue bar at the top of the page.

Read How to Secure Your Network (Don't Get Hacked!) in the wiki also.


Quick start
1) If you do not have a wired monitored alarm system, get that first
2) Use Dahua starlight cameras or Hikvision darkfighter cameras if you need good low light cameras.
3) use a VPN to access home network (openVPN)
4) Do not use wifi cameras.
5) Do not use cloud storage
6) Do Not use uPNP, P2P, QR, do not open ports,
7) More megapixel is not necessarily better.
8) Avoid chinese hacked cameras (most ebay, amazon, aliexpress cameras(not all, but most))
9) Do not use reolink, ring, nest, Arlo cameras (they are junk), no cloud cameras
10) If possible use a turret camera , bullet collect spiders, dome collect dirt and reflect light (IR)
11) Use only solid copper, AWG 23 or 24 ethernet wire. , no CCA (Copper Clad Aluminum)
12) use a test mount to verify the camera mount location. My test rig: rev.2
13) (Looney2ns)If you want to be able to ID faces, don't mount cams higher than 7ft. You want to know who did it, not just what happened.
14) Use a router that has openVPN built in (Most ASUS, Some NetGear....)
15) camera placement use the calculator... IPVM Camera Calculator V3
16) POE list PoE Switch Suggestion List
17) Camera Sensor size, bigger is general better Sensor Size Chart


Cameras to look at
IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED . Review IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED (Full Color, Starlight+) - 4MP starlight
.................... Dahua IPC-T5442TM-AS-LED review
IPC-T5442TM-AS ..... Review-OEM 4mp AI Cam IPC-T5442TM-AS Starlight+ - 4MP starlight+
IPC-B5442E-ZE ...... Review - OEM IPC-B5442E-ZE 4MP AI Varifocal Bullet Camera With Starlight+

IPC-T2347G-LU ...... Review of the Hikvision OEM model IPC-T2347G-LU 'ColorVu' IP CCTV camera. (DS-2CD2347G1-LU)
IPC-HDW2231R-ZS .... Review-Dahua IPC-HDW2231RP-ZS Starlight Camera-Varifocal
IPC-HDW2231T-ZS-S2 . Review-OEM IPC-T2231T-ZS 2mp Varifocal Starlight Camera
IPC-HDW5231R-ZE .... Review-Dahua Starlight IPC-HDW5231R-ZE 800 meter capable ePOE
IPC-HFW4239T-ASE ... IPC-HFW4239T-ASE
IPCT-HDW5431RE-I ... Review - IP Cam Talk 4 MP IR Fixed Turret Network Camera
IPC-T5241H-AS-PV ... Review-OEM IPC-T5241H-AS-PV 2mp AI active deterrence cam
IPC-T3241-ZAS ...... Review-OEM IPC-T3241-ZAS 2mp AI Lite series Varifocal -- 2mp AI Lite series Varifocal
IPC-HFW2831T-ZS ... Review-Dahua IPC-HFW2831T-ZS 8MP WDR IR Bullet Network Camera -- 8MP Bullet 1/1.8” sensor variable focus.
DS-2CD2325FWD-I
N22AL12 ............ New Dahua N22AL12 Budget Cam w/Starlight -- low cost entry
IPC-T2347G-LU....... Review-Loryta OEM 4MP IPC-T2347G-LU ColorVu Fixed Turret Network 4mm lens & Junction Box -- 4MP ColorVu
.................... Review of the Hikvision OEM model IPC-T2347G-LU 'ColorVu' IP CCTV camera.

Other dahua 4MP starlight Dahua 4MP Starlight Lineup

My preferred indoor cameras
DS-2CD2442FWD-IW
IPC-K35A Review-Dahua IPC-K35A 3mp Cube Camera

If interested in Blue Iris and other setup items see the following post

Before asking a question search the forum first...
The best way to search the forum is to use Google
In the google search window enter.. site:ipcamtalk.com ?????? ..where ?????? is the items/terms you are interested in.
Example site:ipcamtalk.com PALE MOON BROWSER

Read,study,plan before spending money ..... plan plan plan
Test do not guess
 
Last edited:
Top