Newb here. Questions on my first IP Camera System Purchase

[DadBod]

Hi all, I've been looking into purchasing a camera system for a while and studied this site over the last week (you guys kept me from purchasing a Reolink kit from Amazon -thank you). I'm looking to get my feet wet with an NVR with a couple of IP cameras. I've reached out to Andy at EmpireTec. He recommended the Dahua NVR4108-P-4KS2 with IPC-HFW2320R-ZS cameras. I'm okay with the NVR. I'd prefer to buy 1 basic bullet style camera (like 3MP with IR) to put near my front door to recognize faces. I'd like a 2nd camera that I can point out towards the street and zoom in to pickup license plates and such. I would need to be able to read plates from about 100ft or better. See picture attached (lines represent where the zoom cameras would be located approximately and where they would be pointing)

Eventually I'd like to get more cameras, but for now just playing around with a basic bullet and a zoom lens will be enough to learn from (gotta learn to walk before you run).

I'm planning on putting the NVR in my master closet where i have a panel for the old security system and a cable/phone line manifold. Running the Ethernet lines through my attic shouldn't be too terribly difficult.

Some questions

1. What's a good camera that i can control the zoom on to read license plates in the street?
2. Are the Dahua IPC-HFW2320R-ZS cameras good for putting near the front door to see faces (20-25ft)
3. What size HDD should I get for the NVR? Anything i need to know about purchasing the right kind of HDD?
4. If i run the NVR to my router (also in my closet), can I view the cameras remotely using my Wifi from say my laptop, or do i need a dedicated monitor in the closet?
5. Anything special about the POE cables? A specific model or brand i should buy? I plan on getting premade cables.

I appreciate all the great information on this site.

 

[zero-degrees]

1 - get your NVR and cameras for the house/entry point monitoring first and learn how to use your hardware.. Lean to crawl first before you try to do a marathon.
2 - LPR is complex and takes understanding of both hardware and software. You are going to need something with a high zoom to start catching plates at that distance. Also understand that camera will be useless for anything and everything else. In order to configure LPR properly you will not be doing anything else with that camera.
3. Size of HD depends on quality of cameras/amount of recording/bit rate/etc. Find a calculator to understand what you need. My recomendation for only 2 cameras is a WD Purple Drive of 2Tb or more.
4. You can access your camera feed from devices on the same network with little to no additional configuration.
5. Their are not "poe cables", for the most part any standard network cable Cat 5e or above can support the POE standard. Bottom line - assure you get 5e or better, solid (not stranded), and make sure it is pure copper (NOT CCA).

This is a quick notes answer because this same situation has been asked a hundred times here.

 

[looney2ns]

For best night time viewing, stick with 2mp cams.
Don't mount cams higher than 8ft, unless you like tops of heads.
WD Purple HD, big as you can afford.
See the LPR subject area here.
Use this to help decide where to put your cams and such: Camera Calculator / Design Software Keep PPF> 100

 

[DadBod]

get your NVR and cameras for the house/entry point monitoring first

good idea. the posts i've seen regarding hardware/software settings are beyond me at this point. I'll stick with something simpler.

WD Purple Drive

assure you get 5e or better, solid (not stranded), and make sure it is pure copper (NOT CCA)

night time viewing, stick with 2mp cams

Don't mount cams higher than 8ft

This is great advice -I'll look into all of it.

See the LPR subject area

Didn't even know that was a term, i have so much studying to do.

I know I'm not asking new or original questions, but the comments are very helpful and will guide my decisions going forward. I've spent hours and hours just getting my feet wet learning about security cameras (much to the chagrin of my wife who was the driver behind this in the first place), and feel like i've got more work ahead. This site has been very helpful BTW -thanks.

Follow-Ups:

1. Any particular 2MP Dahua basic cameras to consider for my front porch? I'm thinking bullet but someone keeps posting about spiders on this forum. Figure i can brush them off with a broom.
2. I forgot to mention I don't plan on getting BI unless there is a compelling reason not to use the basic Dahua software (i assume I'll get some sort of software with the NVR). This goes back to crawling before walking.

 

[rnatalli]

Go with turrets (not domes) outside if possible.

 

[mat200]

fyi - Fry's electronics has a 4TB WD Purple for $118 this week ( 4/16/2017+ ) for those who subscribe to their email blast, you'd need Sundays code, iirc in store and online .. note that Best Buy or Staples may price match if there is a Fry's near you.

 

[mat200]

fyi - Fry's electronics has a 4TB WD Purple for $118 this week ( 4/16/2017+ ) for those who subscribe to their email blast, you'd need Sundays code, iirc in store and online .. note that Best Buy or Staples may price match if there is a Fry's near you.

View attachment 17441

FYI - Newegg just sent this out, WD purple 4TB HDD for $129 w/code ( you will need to subscribe to their emails )

 

[zero-degrees]

Just saw this today as well. Reds on sale at Best Buy - 4TB $119
4TB Western Digital NAS 3.5" SATA Internal Hard Drive $120 + Free Shipping

 

[looney2ns]

If you want a small cam above your door: IPC-HDBW4231F-AS | Dahua Technology
Or the best all around camera by far is: DAHUA 2.7mm ~12mm motorized lens 2MP WDR IR Eyeball Network Camera IPC HDW5231R Z ,free DHL shipping-in Surveillance Cameras from Security & Protection on Aliexpress.com | Alibaba Group

If you want to stay basic in the beginning, you can put SD cards in the cameras, then record to the SD cards.
You can view the cams, and the SD cards recordings from a web browser.
Or
You can use Dahua's SmartPSS software that you can set up to record on your hard drive. Free download: SMART PSS | Dahua Technology

The learning curve is real.

good idea. the posts i've seen regarding hardware/software settings are beyond me at this point. I'll stick with something simpler.





This is great advice -I'll look into all of it.


Didn't even know that was a term, i have so much studying to do.

I know I'm not asking new or original questions, but the comments are very helpful and will guide my decisions going forward. I've spent hours and hours just getting my feet wet learning about security cameras (much to the chagrin of my wife who was the driver behind this in the first place), and feel like i've got more work ahead. This site has been very helpful BTW -thanks.

Follow-Ups:

1. Any particular 2MP Dahua basic cameras to consider for my front porch? I'm thinking bullet but someone keeps posting about spiders on this forum. Figure i can brush them off with a broom.
2. I forgot to mention I don't plan on getting BI unless there is a compelling reason not to use the basic Dahua software (i assume I'll get some sort of software with the NVR). This goes back to crawling before walking.