Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVision

[MonitorMyHome]

Hello

We have a 3 month old at home and my wife is about to return to work so it's time to set up the nanny cams. I've been dragging my feet on the decision at first really pushing for Foscams instead of a DropCam. I'm tech savvy enough that I wasn't concerned about the setup issues but form factor won and I ordered a DropCam Pro. It's yet to ship and I already have buyers remorse. I've been reading around here and I am beginning to think I should have gone with a HikVision Cube like the DS-2CD2432F-IW.

Foscams are out because 1) I have been reading around here and you guys seem to discourage them and 2) wife won't allow the hideous creatures in our home. So now the debate is whether to return the DropCam Pro and go with the HikVision DS-2CD2432F-IW.

What are your thoughts? Do I need any additional software with the HikVision to get alerting etc setup? Any vendor recommendations for purchasing the HikVision?

Thanks
Sam

 

[fenderman]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

Welcome to the forum..return the dropcam..the dropcam monthly fee is basically a "stupid tax"...
Get the 2343 with a wide 2.8mm lens...pop a 64gb card in there..the camera can send alerts on its own...
The 2432 is available from our site vendor nellys http://www.nellyssecurity.com/cameras/hi-def-cameras/ip-cameras/3-mp/hikvision-ds-2cd2432f-iw-3mp-cube-camera.html
as well as others like wrightwood and aliexpress...you will not get support or warranty from ali express...

 

[MonitorMyHome]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

Thanks for the reply. Do I need anything if I want to record to the cloud like say a google drive? Also will I miss the 120 degree viewing angle of the DropCam?

 

[fenderman]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

if you get the 2.8mm lens and run the camera in 2mp mode you will get about a 90 degree fov, maybe a bit more...I dont know if it can record directly to google drive...but you can record to nas or to a pc then to google drive.....For the price of their service and cams you can get two hikvisions and be ahead of the game..

 

[fenderman]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

Hikvision also has their own cloud service http://www.ezviz7.com/
I have never tried it..confirm with your seller that this will work

 

[RyanODan]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

They can record to an FTP server or to a NAS. The viewing angle is 98 degrees @ 1080p or 78 Degrees @ 3MP. 120 is nice but I believe you'll be very happy with the 2432. It's a feature rich indoor camera.

- - - Updated - - -

You're quick Fenderman!

 

[fenderman]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

@RyanODan thanks for the viewing angle specs.....also note that the 2432 has a pir sensor that is very useful in preventing false triggers.

 

[MonitorMyHome]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

Google Drive has a local install that allows you to "mount" the drive to the your computer so it looks exactly like a folder on your hard drive. However whatever your write there gets mirror to the cloud. While I want to support the site vendor, they are the only ones that charge shipping on top of the unit price. Unfortunate....

 

[fenderman]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

Nelly's does have a 5% coupon http://www.ipcamtalk.com/showthread.php?1807-IPCT-Members-Only-Promo!
and they provide a three year warranty.

 

[MonitorMyHome]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

Hmm... that definitely changes the equation! Thanks!

 

[pal251]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

Nellys is pretty good, their shipping I'd reasonable and quick.

 

[MonitorMyHome]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

already ordered with them. The forum discount makes shipping a non issue and they are extremely helpful. I had to negotiate a bit with the wife and I got it to the point were we are doing a head to head of hikvision vs Dropcam and then keeping and buying 2 or 3 more of the winner. I'm hoping you guys have me in the right corner.

 

[fenderman]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

already ordered with them. The forum discount makes shipping a non issue and they are extremely helpful. I had to negotiate a bit with the wife and I got it to the point were we are doing a head to head of hikvision vs Dropcam and then keeping and buying 2 or 3 more of the winner. I'm hoping you guys have me in the right corner.

Good idea with the comparison...make sure you point out the significant additional cost of dropcam...if you are going to have 4 cameras total..the dropcam will cost you 250 a year for only seven days of recording and a whooping 750 per year if you want 30 days of recording...you can start a college fund on the 750...

 

[MonitorMyHome]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

30 day recording was never an option. By the way I wish you were right about the college fund but I did the math. For a child burning in 2014, I need $500 a month until she's 18 to send her to school.

 

[MonitorMyHome]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

Oh I forgot to ask since you guys said I don't need Blue Iris or other software with the Hikvision what instead do you use?

 

[spyfly81]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

You can record directly to an SD card that you can place in the camera or you can purchase a cheap NAS to save your video too

 

[MonitorMyHome]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

How do you setup the write to NAS? What about the alerting? Is there a manual I can read online?

 

[fenderman]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

In addition to the sd card or nas, you can record to pc using hikvisions free VMS software...or direct to the pc from the camera. Using the sd card is a good idea for backup even if you end up using a pc...sd cards are cheap...

 

[MonitorMyHome]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

You mean if it fails to write to the PC then you have backup on the SD card?

 

[fenderman]

Re: Wife pushed me to buy a DropCam but I'm thinking about returning it for a HikVisi

You mean if it fails to write to the PC then you have backup on the SD card?

Yes, or your pc crashes/stolen etc...