[Review Request] Please rip apart my proposed home monitoring system

[hevnsnt]

I would like to monitor the exterior of my home, and I have decided to but in a video monitoring system. After lots of time researching, reading reviews, and LOTS OF FRUSTRATION, I have decided that my best route is to put together my own kit.

I would very much like someone who actually knows what they are talking about to review what I am getting ready to purchase, and offer any opinions and/or suggestions.

Design Requirements:

• Monitor my driveway, front door, backyard.
• I do not have any indoor monitoring requirements, but I would like the option of adding additional cameras to the system.
• Set movement monitors, and line crossings, that trigger cell phone notifications.
• Monitor cameras remotely, supporting both Android and IOS platforms.
• Once installed, need to not feel 'hacked together' must pass the wife test.
• NVR PoE Cameras
• Cameras should include audio. If there is a speaker that is a plus, but not a requirement.
• Budget: I would like to keep it under $1000, but do not have a hard line there.
• I do not currently have any video monitoring equipment, nor any wiring pre-done.
• Location: United States
• I am very technical, and comfortable with running wire, firmware upgrades, tracking down user guides, etc.

Here is what I am currently looking at purchasing:

• (1) HIKVISION DS-7816 NVR (although I cannot find them -- I can only find the DS-7716 AliExpress - $520 (Can I get the China Ver and flash to US?)
• (1) Hikvision DS-2CD3345-I 4MP WDR EXIR Turret IP Network Camera US English Version -- 2.8mm Focal Length for front door camera AliExpress - $67
• (3) Hikvision DS-2CD3345-I 4MP WDR EXIR Turret IP Network Camera US English Version -- 4mm Focal Length for driveway, and backyard cameras AliExpress - $67

This gives me 4 PoE 4MP Cameras, & 16 Channel NVR (I already have the HDDs needed) for $835. But this does not include network cabling and mounting hardware.

This is where I start to get frustrated and would like some help. It seems that since I am buying everything all at once, I should be able to find a 'boxed' system that is similar in functionality, but less in price.

Can anyone offer any opinions or thoughts on what I have above?

 

[mlapaglia]

You'll want a narrower field of view than 2.8mm to get good pics of faces and details of people that are coming through the door. Check this site out Camera Calculator / Design Software

It helped me find out I needed a 6mm lens to get goot shots of people coming into the door from where the camera was mounted.

 

[Carcus]

Tried Amazon? https://www.amazon.com/HIKVISION-DS-7616NI-E2-8P-Resolution-Recording/dp/B00VQK2H4U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483165546&sr=8-1&keywords=7616NI-E2

System looks good. I would consider the DS-7616NI-I2/8P model of the NVR's better specs 4K output and other users on this forum as well as myself have experienced issues with the 7608NI-E2 (8 channel version) and 4MP cameras. (That said i haven't seen any issues with the 16 channel NI-E2)

You want the OEM International English models to allow firmware upgrades. Definitely for the NVR at least.

DS-7616NI-E2/8P (or 16P if you want 16 poe port built in) (The Chinese model has no I in NI being DS-7616N-E2 / 8P)
DS-2CD2342WD-I is the OEM English. The DS-2CD3342-I is the Chinese hacked to English it also has a plastic base.

The Chinese DS-2CD2345-I has a metal base. (nothing wrong with the Chinese ones if you don't plan to update firmware that can be fraught with its own danger) IMO having Auto WDR on Chinese cameras is a massive bonus.

You can find packages on the internet but its really a pick and choose scenario no real discounts for buying a package. Hikvision is really designed for the integrator not the home installer.

I would recommend Hikvision over Dahua and Uniview the competing brands.

Those model cameras don't include audio and no Hikvision outdoor cameras in the same price range have audio(I think). Dahua has audio build into their turrets.

IMO motion detect isn't very good and the alerting system isn't very good. Lots of false alerts don't expect anything amazing. 24/7 continuous recording is the best setup.

Blue Iris software has the best motion flagging system however that would require a pc instead of a NVR.

 

[hevnsnt]

mlapaglia Thank you! That was very helpful link! You are right -- I need to change my focal lengths, I thought I had a good idea until I saw that. Thanks!

Carcus: This was exactly the type of information I was hoping to get by posting here. Thank you so much. I am a cyber security guy, so firmware updates are extremely important, but I am comfortable with 'hacking' the firmware to get them on the cameras. That said, I would rather spend an extra $50 (or whatever) to not have to mess with it.

• Auto WDR on Chinese cameras: Does the American firmware not have this capability? Do I have to buy a Chinese firmware camera to get WDR?
• That said, how often does new firmware come out? Is it once a year/once a month? What do you have to interact with the camera to do? Where does Chinese firmware on the cameras suck to deal with?
• Is a PoE switch and a computer running blue iris a better setup than the NVR?

Thanks again!

 

[Dodutils]

Why 4MP cameras ? you may get better results with 2MP in low light condition.

as said by @mlapaglia check the focal length to get to angle that best fit your need and view field, don't forget that the wider angle you see the "far" you are so less details you'll get, and it's example of getting good face details is a good one.

for wife's test ... well may that is the most complicated part sorry can't help you, too difficult ;-)

Also take care about the capabilities at night IR mode because flying bugs like IR lights so you may have a lot of close fliying "objects" that can trigger alarms so depending the NVR motion alert filtering capabilities you'll have to make some adjustments or you can also use an external IR light you can move away from camera.

Check also night shutter speed performances (@nayr reviewed a 2MP Hikvision that seems good at it) to avoid blur/washed moving object because if there is a guy moving too fast for camera's shutter speed capacicity you'll see only a ghost.

 

[hevnsnt]

Why 4MP cameras ? you may get better results with 2MP in low light condition.

Honestly, because I thought it was better? Is this not true?

here is what I was thinking for my house

 

[Dodutils]

Honestly, because I thought it was better? Is this not true?

here is what I was thinking for my house

Well its like the run for high pixel count on Digital Cameras or smartphones it is not because you have more that it is better all depend how many pixel you have on which sensor's size all is question of density because the more pixel you have on same sized sensor the smaller they will be and the less amount of light they will receive.

And also as you will certainely record this in a FullHD 1920*1080 format, 2MP is enough.

 

[nayr]

Check out this camera: Dahua Starlight Varifocal Turret (IPC-HDW5231R-Z)

Varifocal means you dont need to worry about Lens selection; and in that thread you can see many direct comparisons w/4MP Cameras and its quite clear the 2MP whops the shit out of 4MP..

Megapixels dont mean Megashit.

 

[Dodutils]

Is watching actual night recordings the only way to validate that a 2MP camera may be better in low light than a 4MP camera, or can specs (like the size of the image sensor) give you a good indication?

Looking at the Hikvision turrets, it seems like the 2MP has the same size image sensor (1/3" progressive scan) on the 2MP and the 4MP. Was curious what other specs (I guess shutter speed and f) factor into low-light performance.

As I said in my previous answer I wrote after your question it's mainly a question of pixel's density (so per pixel size) but of course you also have the quality of the lens and the quality/constructor of the CMOS sensor itself like the very good Sony Exmor-R IMX290.

Of course you have the spec tech but they are sometime fooled by the constructor or good by ruined by the material design itself for example I create a camera with 2MP sensor but I use a 1MP quality lens (cheaper) so on the paper I can say 2MP but picture will look too soft and not reach 2MP details, but yes you always need to test the camera in bad condition because it is like digital cameras, they should all perform quite well in good light condition but as soon as you get bad weather low light then you'll start to see huge differences between models.

 

[aristobrat]

DS-2CD3345-I

Does the first 3 in the product number above indicate that it's a Chinese version of the camera?

I didn't see any DC-2CD3* products listed on their US site...

....

OK, I found the answer to that question. So plastic base and no WDR?

When it says DS-2CD3 , this means it is from the 'consumer' range and has plastic base. DS-2CD2 is distributor range and has some small improvements.

 

[Fastb]

hvnsnt,
Welcome to the forum.
On bit of guidance: Motion Detect outdoors does NOT work well. False alarms on bugs, moving trees/shrubs, shadows, etc. Consider IVS, the tripwire and intrusion zone capability is heads and shoulders above MD.
You might consider a [PIR + Radar] sensor for even fewer false alarms.
When my cell phone receives 3, 4 or more alerts at the same time, I know someone is on my property. They broke trip wires, intrusion zones, and my laser line and [PIR + Radar] sensors saw 'em.
Fastb

 

[hevnsnt]

@Fastb appreciate that guidance, got any links to IVS to research?

 

[Fastb]

no links offhand. Tidbits sprinkled across many threads.
- Search for "missed snapshots" to learn about IVS events sending snapshots to phone (inconsistent results. Push is superior to gDMSS Plus, $3 price)
- Search for IVS, tripwire, intrusion
- here's a recent thread: IVS setup help
- and another: Tripwire repeteadly losing tracking.
- yet more: https://ipcamtalk.com/posts/143850/
- https://ipcamtalk.com/posts/143046/

It requires experimentattion

Fastb

 

[aristobrat]

@hevnsnt, if you go with Hikvision cameras, I think the functionality is called Intrustion Detection and Line Crossing Detection.

I have one Hik camera that I record from currently... It's on the front side of my house and has a view of the porch, walkway to the porch, some of the front yard, and the street in front of that. I have it set to record on motion, and like Fastb mentioned, all sorts of things (shadows, headlights, etc) set that off. I do not have it send me alerts for motion detection. I have Line Crossing Detection setup where I drew at line at the end of my porch. If anything crosses that line, it will notify me. The only false alarms I get with Line Crossing Detection are major swings in light, like when it's dark at night and the porch light turns on. That'll trigger an notification.

I'm just starting to play with Intrustion Detection. That's similar to motion detection, but you can specify how long something has to be in the area before it notifies you. That won't solve the issue of major swings in light, though.

Anyhow, still playing here. It's been a lot of fun tinkering and learning.