Where would you place these 3 cameras?

[timetofly]

Have 3 IPC-T5442T-ZE cameras.

3 spots I want to monitor.

1. Driveway
2. Car parked on street
3. Front door approach

Placement of camera A & C I think are good. Trying to decide where to put camera B.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

.

 

[sebastiantombs]

For the driveway you need two cameras, not one. One on each side of the garage door mounted no higher than the top of the door. Those cameras will cover both sides of any vehicles parked in the driveway. A single camera is partially blinded, blocked view of the "away" side of the vehicle, by any vehicle parked in the driveway

When you say "monitor parked cars" at the street, do you want to just see if something is happening or do you want to be able to positively identify who is doing what? If you want to actually identify the distance becomes critical because it determines how much zoom is needed. With a 5442-ZE anything much beyond 20 feet, even at maximum zoom, will make it hard to provide positive identity.

For the front door you'll also want two cameras, one to cover the approach and another to cover the package drop area. In fact you may want to add a doorbell cam to insure a good closeup of faces.

 

[bp2008]

I would go with the second picture, opposite corner from A, overlooking your driveway from the other side.

 

[garycrist]

6 cams and ask your neighbor if they do not mind you monitoring their cars for free.
1@ B, 2@ A, 1 between A and C, 2@C...

 

[timetofly]

For the driveway you need two cameras, not one. One on each side of the garage door mounted no higher than the top of the door. Those cameras will cover both sides of any vehicles parked in the driveway. A single camera is partially blinded, blocked view of the "away" side of the vehicle, by any vehicle parked in the driveway

When you say "monitor parked cars" at the street, do you want to just see if something is happening or do you want to be able to positively identify who is doing what? If you want to actually identify the distance becomes critical because it determines how much zoom is needed. With a 5442-ZE anything much beyond 20 feet, even at maximum zoom, will make it hard to provide positive identity.

For the front door you'll also want two cameras, one to cover the approach and another to cover the package drop area. In fact you may want to add a doorbell cam to insure a good closeup of faces.

We park one of our cars in the street. We want to monitor it.
We do have a doorbell camera.

 

[sebastiantombs]

The distance is still critical to get the focal length right. Keep in mind that both of these charts are approximations and many variables enter into the equation but they do provide a rough guide.

 

[timetofly]

The distance is still critical to get the focal length right. Keep in mind that both of these charts are approximations and many variables enter into the equation but they do provide a rough guide.

View attachment 116852

View attachment 116853

Thanks for this. So to be able to identify the parked street car, I would have to move the camera closer. Looks like I need to put two cameras at A. One watching driveway and the other watching parked street car.

 

[timetofly]

6 cams and ask your neighbor if they do not mind you monitoring their cars for free.
1@ B, 2@ A, 1 between A and C, 2@C...

Does this look about right?
Could my doorbell camera replace D?

 

[sebastiantombs]

That's a lot better. I know it seems like overkill, especially if you're just starting out with video surveillance. The thing is though, you'll be pulling cables to get three in so it isn't that much harder to pull in enough for full coverage. Plus, with just three cameras, the first time something happens and you miss it due to lack of complete coverage you'll be kicking yourself in the butt for not doing it right the first time.

 

[looney2ns]

And always use a temporary mount test rig made of a 8ft 2x4, 5gal bucket, rocks for ballast to test any proposed location for a min of 24hrs prior to permeant mounting.

 

[garycrist]

Crank F a little clockwise. Use the square box mounts too.
Like @sebastiantombs said, pull extra drops for later.
Someday, you might want to look down the sides too.
You will adjust, adjust, adjust!

 

[mat200]

Have 3 IPC-T5442T-ZE cameras.

3 spots I want to monitor.

1. Driveway
2. Car parked on street
3. Front door approach

Placement of camera A & C I think are good. Trying to decide where to put camera B.
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks

.View attachment 116846
View attachment 116847

Excellent start @timetofly

I really like the updated one you've done .. before you fully jump on pull cables and drilling holes please do the bucket rig test .. ( as @looney2ns recommends )

test your setup .. and remember .. run N+1+ cables to each location, just in case you want to add an additional camera to a spot ..

 

[garycrist]

Now @mat200, he has to learn algebra too? N+1 ha ha ha

 

[mat200]

Now @mat200, he has to learn algebra too? N+1 ha ha ha

FYI -

N+1+ => meaning:

N = number of expected cat5e/6 lines you want to run
+1 = add more more cat5e/6 line
+ = add potentially more than one

I can write the equation as >= N+1 also ... but many would only read that as N+1 ignoring the possible "+"

 

[garycrist]

I was joking