New - Need Recommendations PoE Home Security

[IslandKinsman]

Hello! New here. I'm a decently techie guy as far as computers go but all the options for security cameras are a bit overwhelming. As are all the conflicting information about different brands.

So. I'll go right into what I'm looking for.

I know I want an 8 channel system that supports PoE cameras. I have direct cat5e lines to the 5 spots I want the cameras already. I have a two-story family home with a finished basement.

The positions for the spots are:

• OUTSIDE Wall Beside/Above the garage door, facing the driveway
• OUTSIDE Wall Above and to the side of the front door
• OUTSIDE Wall Back corner of the house facing the deck entrance and a heavily wooded area.
• INSIDE Wall Covering the dining room and living room at an angle. (The most vulnerable windows)
• INSIDE Ceiling Basement pointing at the sliding glass doors that go to the back yard

I am not adverse to getting more but they would likely not be PoE. My thoughts are bullet cameras for the three outside spots... night vision would be useful especially in the back. There is a street light right in front of the house. I was thinking a dome camera for the basement inside, it is at a good spot to focus on the doors. and there are only four steps so it would also be looking some into the woods and back yard. For the other inside one... something a bit more subtle (not hidden just... not jarring) that has a wide view to cover that side would be good. It is wall mounted so that seems to be more difficult to find for that sort.

I am worried about computer security as much as I am the security of my home. I don't want others using my cameras to either look in on me or my family or to use them as as always on zombies in a bot net. I don't mind spending a bit extra but I am still looking for best bang for the buck.

For the back outside camera, I am especially interested in the wildlife and wary of people going through the woods. At night it is in fairly complete darkness as well.

Any recommendations would be appreciated both on types of cameras, brands and things I should consider. Thanks and I hope you can help me find something that is right for me!

 

[fenderman]

Read the wiki...avoid both bullets and domes.

 

[IslandKinsman]

Checked wiki, wasn't much of a wiki. Currently reading through cliff notes though if you could point me toward a particular part of it or the wiki? I assume you mean the wiki link that leads to a forum post with a couple of links.

Why avoid bullets and domes, what do you suggest?

 

[fenderman]

Checked wiki, wasn't much of a wiki. Currently reading through cliff notes though if you could point me toward a particular part of it or the wiki? I assume you mean the wiki link that leads to a forum post with a couple of links.

Why avoid bullets and domes, what do you suggest?

The wiki includes the cliff notes...start reading...it's all been discussed a million times...

 

[IslandKinsman]

Went through the entirety of the 51 pages of cliff notes. Didn't help. The cliff notes did list some bullets and domes that it recommended.

 

[fenderman]

Went through the entirety of the 51 pages of cliff notes. Didn't help. The cliff notes did list some bullets and domes that it recommended.

Then I guess bullets and domes it is...

 

[mat200]

Went through the entirety of the 51 pages of cliff notes. Didn't help. The cliff notes did list some bullets and domes that it recommended.

Welcome Island,

Recommend reviewing the cliff notes again... giomania has done a great job assembling the notes, and including all the numerous points which members w/knowledge and experience have been sharing here.

If there is something not clear in the cliff notes please let us know so we can address it.

Furthermore there's a pile of great discussions covering the questions you've brought up - just a simple search away ( hint search on title can be very useful )

Thank You

 

[mat200]

@IslandKinsman I suspect the locations you have noted for your cameras maybe too high.

You'll want to test those locations with a friend wearing a hoodie and cap playing prowler to see if you can get any good potential facial ID images.

Normally I would place 2 cameras covering where your cars are parked to increase the chances of a good ID image capture.

 

[SirVenom]

This is my first post . Long time lurker.

You will have to read a lot if you want the best for your particular case. Unfortunately there is now quick recipe for these DIY systems. Or there is but is not the best.

I have to say that the advice given by many here on the forums is very valuable. They have spent their time and money filtering what works and what doesn't. They are real experts at this. So would recommend listening to them they will point you in the right direction.

I also have some strong PC background and have to say this is a different ball game altogether. Lots of things to learn and consider.

What is your budget?

I can share what I have found provides more value for me. This after reading the good info here in the forum:

Turrets have proven to be best camera type for me.
Dahua IPC-HDW5231R-ZE are known for being one of the best for Low light performance.
Get a managed fanless POE switch with at least 8 ports. Would recommend 16 if budget allows.
Get a dedicated office PC. Dell Optiplex 9010 has worked a treat for me. Nothing will beat their power efficiency compared to custom PC builds.
Get a WD purple Hard Drive. 4tb will record for 10~15 days for 5 cameras. YMMV
I secured my remote access using a VPN server.

Happy to add further but you will have to research a bit more to ask more specific questions.

 

[IslandKinsman]

@mat200 Thanks! Went through them further when I had a bit more time to explore the included links. A lot of great information there! Especially in some of the links. It's not the best format for easy browsing to answer more generic questions but it looks like giomania had it as a reference and then made it available to all for well... just the sheer amount of info it had in one place. Searched and browsed through past posts as well. Getting it all sorted would take a good amount of work so I can appreciate why it hasn't been, but such an amazing resource it would be.

I also think you're right... probably all 3 outside points are a bit higher than would have been useful. The installer said it was best to put them so they'd be out of range of tampering. Had a good number of issues with them so not surprised it turned out to be a mistake. For the driveway we keep our cars in the garage so we aren't too worried about having dual camera coverage. That wire is at about 8.5ft on the corner of the garage door. The back external camera is the highest due to the house being on a slight slope, though that will be mitigated some when we have the deck put in (another of the common mistakes, I know... I wish I had found this site while we were still building). On the plus side it should be pointing toward the door from the deck to the house as well as pointing at the stairs going up onto the deck.

@fenderman mentioned to avoid bullets and domes. I saw that domes tend to be bad outside due to sunlight effecting the plastic but I didn't see any information related to bullets or the other types of cameras. I hadn't heard much mention of 'turret' cameras before. Turrets look they are are pretty easy to mount on a wall and turrets more easily on a ceiling (or if mounted on a wall it has that awkward piece that makes it still be upside down. I also saw some of the mini wedge domes... one of those might be a solid option for the first floor.

@SirVenom Awesome! I appreciate your response! Have been reading quite a lot on the subject much material often contradictory to others so I've gotten a good bit of fatigue going through sites. It's hard to know where best to spend time digging down into things. And definitely a different ball game. Part of the challenge will be fitting the system into my network and having it segmented well enough so the security will matter. Thankfully I already have a VPN, firewall, and other network bits.

As for budget... I mostly want to get the best bang for the buck and where it can be expandable and relatively future proof. I do wish I had gotten more cat5e wired through the house for cameras. I have some cat6 but I have that set up for a different network and the locations of it aren't anywhere notably useful for cameras. Ideally I'd like to have the 5 cameras, NVR, and any mounts come in under 2k USD.

At present I'm tentatively looking at:
Dahua PoE NVR with 16 channels (at least 8 PoE)
Dahua Verifocal starlight bullet for the rear external camera.
Dahua Mini wedge dome or turret for rear-basement interior camera.

I'm trying to figure out if the dahua mini done or wedge camera can be put on a wall and still have a relevant view. It is in a major traffic area of the house... high enough that I don't worry about it really being hit but... I just don't want it to be obtrusive.

Also trying to figure out what would be best above the door and at the corner of the garage door (both external). I'm leaning toward bullet cameras. I don't think a PTZ would be useful at any of the spots.

For the back... it is very heavily wooded and it gets very dark back there. I'm not worried over much about people coming through the woods and I am just curious about the wildlife and what people might be going through back there. I don't think there's a solid solution for that (the trees start about 6-12 feet from the back of the house).

 

[looney2ns]

Bullets should be avoided because spiders love them. You will do much more cleaning on a bullet than on a turret.

Famous last words of many of us "I think I only want 4-5 cams".

 

[IslandKinsman]

Got it! So if I get a bullet only do it where a turret or something else wouldn't work better or if I can clean it of spider webs fairly easily.

Can turrets go on walls well enough so their base is vertical rather than horizontal?

Edit: And yeah... just planning that for now. Depends how much of an argument for that I can convince the wife with. But... 5 to start at least ;-)

 

[Bubs]

Take if for a guy who has made a lot mistakes go for the turret will over bullet (but if want to but some used bullets I will sell you some of mine so I can upgrade to turrets) Turrets reduces spider issue and have better IR (Dahua models) . (unless of courses you like watching spiders spin webs) couple of recommendations

IPC-HDW5231R-ZE best all-round choice great low light and 2.7~13.5mm varifocal lens

IPC-HDW2231R-ZS (Slighter lower performance) $50 cheaper, but still 2.7~13.5mm varifocal lens

Dahua Starlight Fixed Lens Turret (IPC-HDW4231EM-AS) great low light, you lose varifocal lowest cost

 

[SirVenom]

^ this. Great summary of the best cams in the market. Wish I knew this before buying mine.

 

[looney2ns]

Turrets can be mounted in any orientation you need.