Hi everyone. I'm in the process of researching options for a small business office system (a couple of small, unobtrusive POE cameras + NVR) as well as a more powerful system for home. Looking forward to learning from you all!
Newb hoping to learn
- Thread starter zonefive
- Start date
sebastiantombs
Known around here
Start out by reading the Cliff Notes in the WiKi that's in the blue bar at the top of the page. If you have any experience with traditional photography and cameras forget everything you know about them when dealing with surveillance cameras. They are totally different.
Flintstone61
Known around here
Welcome.
Avoid buying stuff until you get more information.
And think about making a diagram of what you're trying to do...
Trust me, I did not, and misspent some Condo money that would have been better served towards an IP system initially.
I would have fired myself for misappropriation of funds, But I'm a one man show
But eventually I got on track.
These guys have really expensive ideas though LOL.....
Avoid buying stuff until you get more information.
And think about making a diagram of what you're trying to do...
Trust me, I did not, and misspent some Condo money that would have been better served towards an IP system initially.
I would have fired myself for misappropriation of funds, But I'm a one man show
But eventually I got on track.
These guys have really expensive ideas though LOL.....
sebastiantombs
Known around here
Expensive? Which is less expensive, jump based on price with not knowing any better and do it wrong the first time only to have to spend again to do it right the second time? Or just take a little time, learn, plan, ask and spend once to do it right the first time?
Far too many, myself included, have been down that first road and it always ends up more expensive in the end.
Far too many, myself included, have been down that first road and it always ends up more expensive in the end.
mat200
IPCT Contributor
- Jan 17, 2017
- 15,135
- 25,584
Welcome @zonefive
My recommendation:
Pick up one 4MP 1/1.8" varifocal IP PoE camera and a small PoE witch and length of cat5e cable ( good copper wired cable ) and setup a test rig and start playing .. this is imho the best way to learn.
Note, Andy currently has some Oct sales on,
2022 EmpireTech Autumn Oct. Sales
Hey guys The 7 years promotion we did going very well and people were happy with the lottery, i appreciate all guys here help and support for us. So we make some plan for another promotion in Oct. We offer some package price for people who want to set up a kit., can include NVR or without NVR...
Came here in 2020, read, asked questions, learned, started slow, followed the recommendations of the smart people here, 100% happy
I think @Flintstone61 was being sarcastic LOL, but if not LOL:
We generally propose gear comparable in price or cheaper to what people pay for a Ring camera LOL.
I think the example that @samplenhold provided a while back in this thread shows the difference in quality and that should negate the argument that you have to spend more than consumer grade prices to get quality images.
So they had a door checker one night in 2020.
@samplenhold is using IPC-HDW5231R-ZE which sold in the $150ish range, which has since been replaced with the 5442-ZE that sells for $190ish and here was his capture in a position similar to what his neighbor captured with a Ring:
Meanwhile his neighbor has the Ring system and his Ring Camera depending on the model ranges from $200 to $250. Here was his image when the perp rang across the street to his house:
Which camera do you think provides a better image - the expensive cameras we recommend at $150-190ish or the consumer grade Ring at $200-250ish? True expensive top shelf would be going to Axis and better with starting price points around $1,000 per camera. For most of us, we do not see as big of an improvement for a camera 5 times more expensive as we do going from a cheaper reolink to a Dahua OEM as an example.
Unless common core math has changed basic arithmetic, our "expensive" camera is cheaper than the consumer grade camera and provides much better results....plus no annual fee that is needed with many of these consumer systems!
I can assure you the Arlo, Reolinks, Nest, etc. will be no better than Ring and probably a lot worse.
If I can get better quality and cheaper cost with no ongoing annual fees, that decision is a no-brainer...and that is the point! Instead of buying a $250 Ring Camera that produces quality like we see here, one would be better off purchasing a $110 Dahua OEM varifocal and get much better quality. So start out small with just the Dahua OEM camera and the GMSS app which won't come with an annual fee like Ring and maybe someday one decides to add an NVR or BI to the mix.
We generally propose gear comparable in price or cheaper to what people pay for a Ring camera LOL.
I think the example that @samplenhold provided a while back in this thread shows the difference in quality and that should negate the argument that you have to spend more than consumer grade prices to get quality images.
So they had a door checker one night in 2020.
@samplenhold is using IPC-HDW5231R-ZE which sold in the $150ish range, which has since been replaced with the 5442-ZE that sells for $190ish and here was his capture in a position similar to what his neighbor captured with a Ring:
Meanwhile his neighbor has the Ring system and his Ring Camera depending on the model ranges from $200 to $250. Here was his image when the perp rang across the street to his house:
Which camera do you think provides a better image - the expensive cameras we recommend at $150-190ish or the consumer grade Ring at $200-250ish? True expensive top shelf would be going to Axis and better with starting price points around $1,000 per camera. For most of us, we do not see as big of an improvement for a camera 5 times more expensive as we do going from a cheaper reolink to a Dahua OEM as an example.
Unless common core math has changed basic arithmetic, our "expensive" camera is cheaper than the consumer grade camera and provides much better results....plus no annual fee that is needed with many of these consumer systems!
I can assure you the Arlo, Reolinks, Nest, etc. will be no better than Ring and probably a lot worse.
If I can get better quality and cheaper cost with no ongoing annual fees, that decision is a no-brainer...and that is the point! Instead of buying a $250 Ring Camera that produces quality like we see here, one would be better off purchasing a $110 Dahua OEM varifocal and get much better quality. So start out small with just the Dahua OEM camera and the GMSS app which won't come with an annual fee like Ring and maybe someday one decides to add an NVR or BI to the mix.
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Thank you all for the advice and welcome. A bit overwhelmed at this point but more info is a good thing at this point.
The common theme is don't buy anything yet, but I can't help myself, so I'll probably start looking for a used PC (HP/Dell SFF seems to be recommended) and pick up Blue Iris while it's on sale. Considering a couple of the IPC-K42a for each of our small ~400 sq. ft offices.
The common theme is don't buy anything yet, but I can't help myself, so I'll probably start looking for a used PC (HP/Dell SFF seems to be recommended) and pick up Blue Iris while it's on sale. Considering a couple of the IPC-K42a for each of our small ~400 sq. ft offices.