[dalboy]

Hi guys

Can anyone recommend a decent Camera (Fixed, wireless, IP whatever) that is really good in the dark, and not too bad in normal light. Needs to do motion when triggered.

Basically I want to put a camera in my bedroom pointing out towards the front of the house. Its use will be obviously at night and also when im away from the house.

My bedroom has a PC in if this helps, and my wireless router is downstairs.

Any help greatly appreciated!

[malcolmk]

I have a camera that sees in the dark better than I can. Auto switches B&W/Colour according to the light level. But it cost around £1,000 so it's probably not going to be a popular choice. It comes with remote control and pan/tilt/zoom which unnecessarily (for me) bumps up the price but those without PTZ don't see as well in the drak.

Another that I have with built in IR at around £300 is noticeably less good even with the IR assistance.

If anyone knows of something as good and cheaper I would be interested too.

[graham.myers]

I am currently using AXIS 207W wireless IP cameras. They're about £208

I'll PM a link to an external view of the one I have exposed to the wide world (I dont want the world to see the exposed wbe address ). Have a look at the link it may do what you want. Its currently pointing out of our living room and monitoring all movement in the immediate area of our house.

They do motion capture on board and an email an m-jpeg. I actually dont use that as I have a linux security system I have built which polls the cameras at 5 fps and loads them into a 40 frame ring buffer. The linux server then looks thorugh the buffer for movement and dumps the images to disk with timestamps etc.

[edit]got price wrong

[jefff]

http://dynamic-cctv.com/PDF%20files/DTV-VLD.pdf

IMO one of the best day/night vandal domes available on the market.
We install loads of these.
Only available to the "trade" though......but most CCTV installers could source and sell/install.

[marty2005]

I want a new cctv camera and have been looking at this Swann camera.


http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...20738&doy=21m1

Should be better than my current cheap Aldi £24.99 camera which is supposed to see at night but as soon as it is dark you can't see Jack S***.

Maplin sell a lot of good cctv kit.

OP: Would you get reflection from the window since you are putting your camera in your bedroom?

It doesn't matter if it can detect motion if you are going to use your pc.
The benefit of using your pc is that you can mask out areas you do not want to be detected such as trees/bushes that move in the wind and cause false triggers.
Also it will only record if something moves in the camera's path, loads of good software out there.

If no one comes to your door then nothing is recorded, the software will tell you how many alerts you have had and record them.

A cheap pc will do the job.

If you go motorised you can control the camera/s from your pc.
With a pc you can control your camera/s from another pc over the internet so if you are away from home you can still look thru your camera/s.

You can also set up email alerts and mobile phone alerts. If you go on holiday you can read your email thru gmail in case you get an intruder email.

[dalboy]

thanks for that marty


good point about reflection - i suppose there will be some, unavoidable now?

basically want it pointing from bedroom to my car.

wireless and motorised will probably be best

many thanks!

EDIT: just looking at maplins

http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?...=21m1#overview

What do you think of that? Wireless as well

Quick question - it says link to PC with capture card - i need a special card then? cant record direct to hard drive?

Thanks!

[CO2000]

I was half thinking of the Mega Flood one

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?...source=15&SD=Y

for mounting outdoors but haven't got round to buying the kit yet.


As noted before the one below looks good too but better suited to outdoors again (no point in paying for high IP ratings when the money could go on a better indoor cam)

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...20738&doy=21m1


As noted before this one looks the best for indoors
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?...=21m1#overview

Co.

[marty2005]

You have to get the signal into your pc via a capture card so that you can record to your hard disk.

Get a cheap capture card or if you have an old tv card you can use that. Use the composite input.

[dalboy]

Originally Posted by CO2000

I was half thinking of the Mega Flood one

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Search.aspx?...source=15&SD=Y

for mounting outdoors but haven't got round to buying the kit yet.


As noted before the one below looks good too but better suited to outdoors again (no point in paying for high IP ratings when the money could go on a better indoor cam)

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?...20738&doy=21m1


As noted before this one looks the best for indoors
http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?...=21m1#overview

Co.

Last link said product unavailable.

[wywywywy]

Any software recommendations guys?
(For Windows)