Home security cameras anyone have any recommendations?

[Freightrain]

I'm not worried about having it saved for weeks, 48 hours is long enough before it overwrites.  I'm not gone for long periods of time.  I don't care if it runs constantly, heck my motion lights kick on for every damn moth flying by!

I think about 6 cameras would do me well.  The hard part is my garage is not attached and getting the cable pulled to it(through the existing conduit) would be a bitch, especially if more then for one camera.  There is only like a 1 1/2" pipe going and there is 100amp service already in it, so not much room for a bunch of cables.

Not that I wear a foil hat, but I don't really care for the internet style systems.  Seems that ANYONE could hack into it,  I'd rather have something more permanent at the house.  I'd like to use my phone to see it, but I guess I'm still hesitant of hackers.

Edited August 27, 2018 by Freightrain

[Ezrider]

iv got a detached garage as well but i think 2 camera on the back side of the house could probably cover the back door and the garage fairly well. wired probably wont be too bad to install run the wires threw the soffit and across the attic and drop them down a centralized place in the house. 

[steelman]

I have had a video security system at home and at work for over ten years  installed both systems myself.  I used hard wired systems (cat5e) that run the power to the cameras along side the cat wire.  Too many issues with wireless.  First systems were analog, very inexpensive, and were four camera systems I bought on line.  Worked great.  Recently upgraded with new eight camera digital systems I bought at Costco.  Less than $800.00 per system  work great, and zoom in and clarity of picture is really good( plate number picture).  I set to only record when they detect motion.  With 2 terabyte memory, you can record months of activity before it starts to write over what you already recorded.  With my system at work, we were able to identify three guys who broke in one rainy Sunday night and stole a rollback and forklift, and have identified a couple of people who dropped off truckloads of trash in our parking lot after the the local drop off station was closed.  Printed pictures of them and truck for the cops, and trash disappeared, and we got out vehicles and lift back.  

[Red Horse]

Well I got a mail solicitation from Simplisafe.  This is not a camera based system.  Just door alarms and motion detectors.  Motion detectors that.."can tell difference between family pet and intruder"   $15 monthly monitoring fee with no contract.  System for "large house" covering 6 doors, two motion detectors. 450 bucks.

Anyone have any experience?  check out website  ..simplisafe.com/go

[tjc transport]

with that you are paying someone to tell you that someone broke into your house and maybe call the police after they already left. 

it may work if you live next door to the police station.  .   

 

[Freightrain]

Just watched a newer This Old House show and they walked through a security install.  It was all web based, wifi linked stuff.  All battery operated units that you just stick to wall and magnet to door/window to monitor it.  Plus facial recognition cameras.  Of course you can upgrade it to offsite monitoring for a monthly fee.  Three story house and had about $1K worth of equipment.  Can't recall what brand, but I'm guessing kinda like Simply safe.  One wifi base and then link your modules.  Though if you loose internet or home power, it's dead.   You can loose cameras if you loose power, but I'm thinking battery back up and hardwiring would eliminate many chances of failure.

My neighbor sells ADT and has approached me about it.  Not sure I'm ready to pay monthly?

 

[Red Horse]

Well you can spend a ton of time checking all the stuff out.  The thing that caught my eye in the mailing is the simplicity. 450 bucks plus the 15 a mo. for the monitoring station.  No cameras but to TJC's point on lack of cameras, I'm not interested in looking at a guy in a hoodie so maybe there can be an ID.  I want a siren going off-which this provides-and a call to the cops.

My current hard wired system needs a back up battery plus I've got some zones out after I replaced all my windows.  Alarm co. wants 650 for new "state of art" hardware and a "deal on annual monitoring-$250.  Plus i'm sure they will whack me for 100 bucks an hour to restore window zones that are out.  So based on my current old school system that has no cameras, simplisafe makes sense.  Again, I don't care about an ID- I want their ass out of my house when that siren goes off.

At least that is how I look at it. PD station is 2 miles from my house