Thoughts on Active Deterrence Camera

M

Mike Baglini

n3wb
Oct 29, 2023
16
5
Northern Neck, VA
I'm planning out what cameras to use on my property. I've got all four sides of the home surveilled using various cameras. I've got a front entrance and driveway entrance that would be legitimate entrances for daytime or nighttime visitors. I've also got a couple of entrances in the back of the house that would not be appropriate to be approached by visitors during the day or at night, and it's those two entrances that I'm considering covering with one or two of the small turret active deterrence cameras, so that I can use the lighting and/or sound features to warn anyone that enters the zone I setup. Do you think these cameras provide value, or are they a novelty? What is the downside? They will be armed when we're not home.

Thanks
 
I have thought of doing the same. I have areas in my yard inaccessible unless someone was deliberately trying to get into the house. I look forward to whatever feedback your thread gets.
 
The active deterrence is kind a gimmicky, especially the TIOC with the blue and red lights.

But in your situation, where you are not after the high quality images that say the 5442 offers, they do fill a niche.

If you want active deterrence, your best bet is to go with the 2MP IPC-T5241H-AS-PV that will blink the white light (or you can leave it on all night or just come on solid with motion - a lot of options). This is on the ideal MP/sensor ratio and will perform comparably to any similar 2MP fixed lens camera by Dahua. I have two of them. I have some of the other active deterrence cams as well, and would opt for the 2MP in every instance except for indoor, one could go with the IPC-HDW3449HP-AS-PV that has the red/blue lights that will bounce off the walls and be much more impressive than outside. Outside the red/blue light is more gimmicky than anything else. Nobody will see it unless they are looking at the camera. And the distance isn't very far due to not being an ideal MP/sensor ratio.

Stay away from the IPC-HDW3849H-AS-PV as it has been well documented here how horrible that one is.

You can make it siren or say "You are under surveillance" or add your own audio.

The video quality at night is comparable to any similar camera on same sensor and lens size. The biggest problem is people buy this camera expecting to IDENTIFY at 60 feet and no 2.8mm or 3.6mm will do that. But if you are under 15 feet it will be ok.

I will warn you the lights are piddly and will only be seen in complete darkness or if the perp looks directly at it. We have seen motion activated lights are not a deterrent.

Watch this video someone posted and how the floodlight comes on and they don't even flinch. But then the audio comes on and they don't know which way to run LOL.

 
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Thanks for the thoughtful response. I watched the video and you're right, the lights were not even a thought, but the audio made them crap their pants! Nice! I'll check out the camera you mention.
 
The TiOC camera is good as an additive to other cameras. It is designed to deter, not capture great detail of the intruder.
At night the red & blue lights are really bright, but that depends on distance viewed from.




There is a lot of motion blur, expected on a tiny sensor for this resolution.
I don't like it changing from IR to white light when a person comes into view. I have this turned off after testing.

Red & blue lights I do not automatically use until I activate (from my phone, home automation or a button). Audio I have on when someone comes onto the driveway area. Siren I activate manually or via home automation.
This works well for me because my home automation handles multiple triggers (cameras, motion sensors, etc) and once a threshold is met it will activate the siren/lights.
I'm glad I had the flashing lights and siren for when an incident did occur. 99% of the time this camera is just a camera.

*Black pole on the right of the video is the stand holding this camera up.


This camera is best suited to a business with plenty of lighting in their car park/warehouse already and it wouldn't annoy anyone if the siren goes off at 3am.
 
I have a couple with TIOC capabilities and feel like they are toys. The flashing lights are weak and are of no use in daytime. The "canned" voices would not deter a true criminal.
 
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