Proposed Camera Layout - Any Changes Needed?

[bugsysiegals]

I've included an satellite image of my home with neighborhood below. I plan to install Dahua IPC-HDW5231R-ZE's and have added Red arrows for the cameras I propose to install this year and Purple arrows for the cameras I'll install next year.

Are there any changes or things you would do differently (to many cameras, different layout, etc.)?

1) covers garage/front doors and driveway.
2) covers front door, fence gate, and camera 1.
3) covers bedroom windows, side patio door, fence gate, and camera 2.
4) covers bedroom windows, back yard/fence, and camera 3.
5) covers back garage door, shed, yard/fence, and camera 11.
6) covers fence gate, front yard/street, and camera 8.
7) covers driveway/street and camera 8.
8) covers driveway/street and camera 7.
9) covers side patio door, bedroom windows, and camera 3.
10) covers bedroom windows, shed, back yard/fence, and camera 4.
11) covers fence gate, side yard/fence, and cameras 5 & 6.

 

[bigredfish]

I would find a way to add cameras to your driveway. Two is best, crossing.

Can you steal #2 and add another to use for the driveway?

 

[bugsysiegals]

Do you agree with cameras 7 and 8 location/position?

Camera 1 can see the front door but would not pick up faces if they approach from the East or with their head turned. I would also not have much visibility to camera 1 if somebody decided to vandalize it so I'd prefer not to eliminate that on the first batch. Would you eliminate camera 4 for the first batch so I only need 1 more camera or would that be a critical one for the first round?

 

[bigredfish]

Yes agree with 7&8

Maybe if #6 isnt covering an entry point, use it? Kinda nice to have overview of the backyard..

 

[bugsysiegals]

6 is covering a fence gate which could be covered by the back garage door cam 5 but also covers my neighbors driveway, street, and cam 8 on the front of garage. With some recent vehicle break ins I figure it could be helpful in case they hit my neighbor since they could come back for me another time and also to protect the other cameras as best as possible ... not certain how frequently people vandalize the cameras as I’m just getting them.

 

[bigredfish]

Maybe have the neighbor chip in for the extra camera then

 

[SouthernYankee]

Add a camera at the front door mounted at 5-6 ft up, pointed straight out, capture faces.

The test, have friend wear a hoody, baseball cap and sun glasses, If you can not easily identify them , then you do not have the cameras set correctly.

Test do not guess, use a 8-10 ft 2x4 and a bucket and long Ethernet cable, mount the camera on the 2x4 and test the location.

 

[looney2ns]

FYI - I didn't adjust any settings on the camera so they might be able to be dialed in a bit. I'll take some daylight photos this weekend and add those as well so I can try to better understand whether I should forget the 5831's and order 5231's for the rest of my cameras instead.

Please upload photos as jpgs, instead of bmp. Bmp, we have to download to view.

 

[looney2ns]

Ok I wasn’t sure if I needed to host them somewhere for them to show. I’ll re-upload.

Nope.

 

[bugsysiegals]

Would you put 5231's on each side of the door, at eye height, crossing each other like the driveway? Perhaps they're a little big and would look funny or are to expensive to put in a place people might vandalize or steal them?



And here's one from the soffit above which isn't eye level but out of the way and more visually appealing then right on the wall.

 

[mat200]

@bugsysiegals

Try testing the cameras lower now, also remember to use a friend as someone to play the prowler part wearing a hoodie and baseball cap - this will really tell you better how well things will work when you need them to.

For the front door - see the dual lens starlight mini-dome starlight and the mini-dome wedge - both are smaller than the 5231 and work well at eye level by the frontdoor.

If you mount it well you should not have anyone easily taking it.

For the garage, don't worry about the size of the 5231's - if you want you can paint the case to match the trim / wall and it will blend in nicer.

Remember you want to maximize the CHANCE of a good ID image. So place them low enough for that.

Also remember, if you have them locked up in a safe they will be safe from vandalism and theft - however they will not be doing the job you need them to do.

The cases are fairly sturdy and if installed properly the chances of someone stealing one is minimal.

If you run the cable to the camera from inside the wall - the chances of vandalism which destroys the camera is reduced.

Also, have enough cameras mounted in a manner that it will be impossible for someone from the front yard of the house to not be captured on at least ONE camera.

 

[bugsysiegals]

Would it make sense instead of dome cameras on the wall at eye height to get some sort of doorbell like the ring (but not the ring because I don't want to pay subscriptions)?

 

[mat200]

Would it make sense instead of dome cameras on the wall at eye height to get some sort of doorbell like the ring (but not the ring because I don't want to pay subscriptions)?

Hi @bugsysiegals

I would not do instead of - but in addition to.

This is because I think IP POE cameras are significantly superior to many of the consumer video doorbell setups for image capture unless you're going to spend some significant money on a more professional intercom product.

 

[bugsysiegals]

With such a skinny driveway and the goal of having good coverage on the front door ... what if I move camera 1 from the NE corner of the house to a foot East of the front door and eliminate Camera 7 from the NE corner of the garage with camera 1 taking it's place for covering the garage and entry in Wesward direction? In addition, I could move Camera 2 East to within a foot of the front door so they are symmetrical and cover the front door from both sides.

With my LED motion light between the garage corners I'd never have 2 cameras on the garage corners able to cover each other at night and so would only lose them covering each other during the day.


View from NW garage corner


View from NE garage corner


View from East of the front door. Seems it's a little forward from the house so would be like the previous post picture but higher.

 

[mat200]

..
View from NW garage corner
...]

Hi @bugsysiegals

I would mount the cameras lower. Remember to test the view with a friend acting the part of a prowler wearing a hoodie and baseball cap.

your goal is to get a chance at a good facial ID shot when they come to either side of the car to steal from you.

 

[bugsysiegals]

Here's some additional photos taken from the actual camera itself rather than my iPhone. I've positioned the camera about 7" away from the wall, not sure how far they should be, and tried to simulate the height it will be when attached to the PAF130-E mounting box.

NW garage corner ... I've taken photos with the camera aligned to the outside of the brick as seen in the daytime image and also taken some with it centered with the brick which is probably more aesthetically pleasing and doesn't seem to lose to much view??


NE garage corner ... same as above.


Corner of front stoop


2' to the West of the front door ... besides the obvious image settings adjustment needed ... what do you think about my idea to move the originally planned corner stoop camera here instead?


2' to the East of the front door ... what do you think about my idea to move the originally planned NE corner camera here instead? I could always add a NE corner camera later pointed more towards the East to cover the gate ... thoughts appreciated.


NE corner of the house


NE corner of house looking towards the backyard

 

[bugsysiegals]

Hi @bugsysiegals

I would mount the cameras lower. Remember to test the view with a friend acting the part of a prowler wearing a hoodie and baseball cap.

your goal is to get a chance at a good facial ID shot when they come to either side of the car to steal from you.

Everything I've read so far seems to say about 8 feet is ideal to prevent vandalism/theft and still get good image ... Are you recommending all the cameras around the house be mounted to the walls at 5 feet or just specific ones?

 

[mat200]

Are you recommending all the cameras around the house be mounted to the walls at 5 feet?

Hi @bugsysiegals

Typically 6-8 feet high for most positions, at the front door I like one at eye level ( 5 feet is good ) and a 2.8mm lens to catch someone 2-3 feet away from the camera.

 

[bugsysiegals]

Here’s a camera I installed above the back garage service door. Now you have me all confused whether I should be mounting under the soffits at ~8 feet tall or on the siding at ~6 feet tall ...

 

[mat200]

Here’s a camera I installed above the back garage service door. Now you have me all confused whether I should be mounting under the soffits at ~8 feet tall or on the siding at ~6 feet tall ...

View attachment 36680

HI @bugsysiegals

You'll need to test the positions, the general rule we share here is between 6-8 feet high. Closer to 6 feet is better when suspects get closer to the camera.