jeff oakley Posted October 12, 2014 Posted October 12, 2014 After my recent break in my wife now wants to live in Fort Knox, so as a dutiful husband I am looking at CCTV system. Knowing nothing about them I went to Maplins where one of the guy's (not a spotty youth) explained many systems from cheap to OMG. I was quoted about £2.5k for a fitted system from a security company for something that seemed to no more than what he showed me. I am looking at a Swann system with a 1TB hard drive, up to 9 cameras, but probably just need two extra to the basic kit so 6. It has a facility to dial in from your phone so you can then look at the CCTV if the alarm goes off. It uses black magic to connect the WiFi via the electric sockets via Ethernet? I know most things about cars but this is strange when you are told electric kills you. So any one got any experience of the subject or thoughts on the Swann systems Thanks in advance Quote
s2rrr Posted October 12, 2014 Posted October 12, 2014 There are quite a few a lot cheaper than that, I haven't got one yet but mates have systems with 4+ cameras and remote access etc. The usual stuff you can watch the place from your phone. Its not that hard I think to set up but the gurus will be along soon to confirm or disprove. I recall systems only being several hundred pounds so not a ball buster. Costco etc etc Hope the shock reduces over tile which I'm sure it will but still a kick in the pants which ever way you look at it. Good luck Bob Quote
AdamR Posted October 12, 2014 Posted October 12, 2014 I can't help with the specs of the cameras, sorry, but what I will say is that our very expensive all singing all dancing system was completely useless when my van got stolen in full view of it. Police didn't wanna see the footage, the criminals knew what to do to prevent the footage being of any use. Maybe some dummy cameras would have the same effect? Quote
John K Posted October 12, 2014 Posted October 12, 2014 Hi Jeff, A friend at work is into this sort of stuff, let me ask what he has got and I'll write it up. He goes for well featured stuff but doesn't pay the earth for it. From previous conversations with him and like Bob says, 2.5k is quite steep... Quote
Stuart Posted October 12, 2014 Posted October 12, 2014 I been using ethernet over the mains for a couple of years now to feed video from my NAS to the WDTV Live box under the TV. Quite robust. Never questioned it but assume it uses the earth circuit rather than the live or neutral. Faster and more stable than wireless so can stream some quite high bitrate files no problem. Quote
s2rrr Posted October 13, 2014 Posted October 13, 2014 The use of mains for internet/data transmission has been available for years now and I used it for BT vision and the like for ages no major issues but I guess should the power go off you would lose the video or data transmissions anyway not the connection if you get my drift. Not like an alarm with battery back up, but you can only do so much to deter the criminals. You could go covert cameras etc but then the scallies would maybe not see them and be deterred. Visible or obvious subtle forms of asset protection seems to work best because it raises the question with the burglar. The opportune thieves are the ones to be more aware of rather than the pro's. Don't advertise what you have and protect it without getting paranoid. My neighbour was told to remove shielding overgrown garden plants and substitute those with great big thorns, I personally liked that idea. Bob Quote
Dibby Posted October 13, 2014 Posted October 13, 2014 Set your own up. I've had a cheapo chinese wireless camera from ebay talking to a small, low power computer that's on 24/7. You can add on as many cameras as you want but I have one in the garage to keep an eye on the car and bikes because it's remote from the house. Free software like iSpy (many others available) enable the phone dial-in, record on motion detection, upload to the net in case the camera and computer are stolen too. Just google it, never trust a salesman, of course he's going to sell you the most expensive system he thinks you can afford, he's a salesman. Quote
jeff oakley Posted October 13, 2014 Author Posted October 13, 2014 I had the police expert round and it was his recommendation to have CCTV, but I am not sure if that really is for our protection or improving their chances of apprehending the culprit. Where our home is, we are on the edge of a country park with a lake to the front and open fields to the side. By jumping over the wall they have three routes to walk away from undetected but the theory is that if you do everything to your home they will move elsewhere as they want to be in and out quickly. Police said typical burglary with an alarm going of is 3 mins inside max as they then need to put a five min walk between them and the scene as a police car will typically take 8 mins to get there if they respond immediately. As the scrotes do not know if it is monitored or not that is why they work on these times. Yes we have a few nice bit's but it is not a fortune that got stolen, but the cherished items are the things that hurt, a cheap Lorus watch my dad bought for my 18th birthday, he gave it to me when I was 22 as I deserved it then. Made me smile everytime I saw it in the watch box, reminds me what a cantankerous Yorkshire man he is. He did say the best deterent is thorny bushes as they do harm but are legal whereas razor wire is not Quote
Lyonspride Posted October 13, 2014 Posted October 13, 2014 I have taken the webcam + old laptop approach, giving me time lapse images and the ability to remote view over the internet. But it's difficult/expensive to run more than one camera from one laptop. I've got two laptops with Logitec C270 webcams, one watching the back garden and one inside the house with a wide angle stick on lens (for mobile phones) watching the stairs/landing. The one at the back is for my crazy neighbour, the one inside is for any would be thieving gits. Quote
SootySport Posted October 13, 2014 Posted October 13, 2014 My opinion is that CCTV does not stop intruders entering your house, it's retrospective policing, it's only useful if an intruder can be identified later, in most cases it won't if they wear hoods/masks. It may be a deterent if they know it's fitted but will not prevent anyone entering your house. I would spend some money on beefing up the door and window security to stop anyone entering in the first place. An alarm and bright lights will also deter the scumbags. Quote
Dibby Posted October 13, 2014 Posted October 13, 2014 You're never going to stop 100% of thieves. If they see something they want bad enough, they'll find a way of getting hold of it. I've seen Stihl saws taken to walls to cut a new door because doors have been beefed up, seen houses burned out because windows had bars - so they petrol bombed the place in frustration, seen a roof ripped off a garage to steal a £2000 mountain bike, all bike locks can be bust open with a bottle jack or big enough bolt croppers. And that's where your house insurance steps in when you've done everything reasonably expected and they still get in. Quote
John K Posted October 13, 2014 Posted October 13, 2014 Spoke to my mate at work and this is what he has. He is a complete gadget guru and properly knows his stuff. He also suffers from technology Upgraditis so this is his third CCTV system, so there is a lot of experience for a domestic user here... 2 of these... Swann PRO-642 High Resolution 700TVL CCD Camera - 2 Pack http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Swann-PRO-642-High-Resolution-700TVL-CCD-Camera-2-Pack-CCTV-/181550949124?pt=UK_Computing_Other_Computing_Networking&hash=item2a4547a304 (so 4 Swann Cameras for less than £130 – I paid more for the same cameras, wouldn’t hesitate buying refurbs since you still get a 1yr warranty with them). One of these... Maxx Digital Raven HD1000 CCTV DVR H.264 960H & D1 4 Channel With HDMI AND 2TB DISK http://www.amazon.co.uk/Digital-Raven-HD1000-H-264-Channel-Black/dp/B00DS6UDLO/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1413196948&sr=1-3&keywords=Maxx+Digital+Raven+HD1000 Alternatively buy the DVR without a disk for £109 and a Western Digital 2TB Disk (Make sure it’s a WD Green – quieter and cooler so better for CCTV) for £59 and save another tenner on the above putting the disk in yourself – also from Amazon. I have had a couple of premium Swann cameras in the past (£150-£200 each) and the above budget cams are just as good to be honest- was running two along side the premiums and decided just to get two more and have all the same). The DVR is well spec’d with network access to view on PC or via Android/iPhone apps. The apps and PC software are fairly simple to use, a bit of fiddling to set up but easier than systems I have had in the past (this is my third set-up). Easy to review and copy off/backup footage you want to keep. The 2TB will give you 4-6weeks of recording at the best quality (25FPS) and then starts to overwrite the older stuff for continuous capture. If you reduce the frame rate to say 12FPS you double the recording time. Some of these DVRs have a small fan which can hum a little – I always just disconnect them, Western Digital Green drives run sol cool and quiet there is no need for the box to be cooling them. You would need a monitor (VGA) or TV (HDMI) to connect it to to set it all up but once that’s done you don’t have to maintain those connections as you can do everything via the network on a PC. Only mention this as if you are not planning to run a cable to a TV permanently or have a dedicated monitor for the box you would need one or the other at least for the setup. At my dads I just moved his computer LCD Monitor to the box temporarily to set it up and now he accesses it on the network via his PC. With mine I ran a 20M VGA cable to the 42” tele downstairs and a 10m HDMI to the Monitor/LCD at my desk along with 10M Network cable to the hub so can access it in more places. All cables bought from eBay at a fraction of what Maplins/Currys ask for. Quote
Lyonspride Posted October 13, 2014 Posted October 13, 2014 You're never going to stop 100% of thieves. If they see something they want bad enough, they'll find a way of getting hold of it. Exactly!! If you don't flash it, then nobody will try to take it. £70k motor on the drive may seem like a leap up the social class ladder, but in reality it's just a dinner bell for thieves. If that's what you've got outside, then everything inside the house must be gold plated. Quote
OrmusKnight Posted October 13, 2014 Posted October 13, 2014 Sorry to hear about your break in. I've worked for major global surveillance company (sites with up to 30,000 cameras) for the last 12 years, deploying some of the most complex systems you could imagine. Also i am on the BSIA steering panel (British Security Industry association) for new technology standards, doing a significant mount with the Home Office. So lots I don't know, but about this subject i can bore most people rigid. surveillance will do little to stop break ins, if they know the camera is there (the visible deterrent), they will wear clothing so they are not identifiable if they really want access. If they don't know its there then it may help the Police but you'll still have been broken in. (My recommendation is to not have them visible, its the biggest percentage of getting them caught) So my two cents is for a domestic dwelling by all means put up cameras if it helps you or your other half feel more secure. But you a usually much better off spending that money on other defensive measures for your house if reducing the access potential is the priority. My personal home setup (cant afford the company kit) is a box DVR with low light high dynamic range cameras, the DVR has web access and on motion detection (the cameras are non visible) I get an alarm to my phone of the still picture and can see pre/post alarm video information as well. Tie that to a friendly bunch of neighbours who i could ring, if I couldn't get back quickly. How tackling an intruder is also not advised for obvious reasons. Quote
Paul Hurdsfield - Joint Manchester AO Posted October 13, 2014 Posted October 13, 2014 I have quite few Pyracanthas bushes here and there around my boundary, and it's allways painful when they need trimming Quote
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