Which security camera?

[Stuart Wright]

Which security camera would you recommend with these features?:

• Good image quality in ultra low light
• 320x240 minimum resolution
• Wireless to the network
• Records video while motion detected
• Texts me to tell me it has recorded something
• Allows me to access the recorded footage on my mobile phone (iPhone which has internet connection). Can save the recorded footage.

TIA

[vex]

Hi Stuart,

Quite a spec list there and meeting them all is not going to be cheap.

Have a look at Panasonic, Motobix and Axis as the market leaders.

Don't forget that although some of them are wireless, they will still need power, then if you are having to run power you could look at either wired IP cameras or even analogue cameras with a networkable DVR for recording and network access.

HTH

V.

[hornydragon]

Good image in very low light means an expensive CAM and seperate IR illumination units...Panasonic IP units are available in wireless (still need power!!!) come with single cam software and have built in SD card slots (wont store long). SMS alerts of motion detection can get very frustraing as it will normally react to things like local wildlife, meaning alot of junk SMS messages (that you will be paying for somewhere along the line. ALot of IP DVRS can email you if the there is motion detection (alarm trigger) and your phone could alert you to an email (use a specific account CCTV@Stuartshouse.com etc) but the features you need/want wont be cheap, If you want the footage to be useable in court you'll need to check with local police on what they will accept interms of RES and framerates

[Stuart Wright]

Had time to refine my thoughts on this.
Getting power to the unit is no problem cos plug sockets are everywhere. Using a network bridge, I can use wired cameras via the wireless network.
The problem I can see now is that I want to point the camera at our front gate which means it will detect motion every time someone walks past the house.

Two recent incidents have prompted this. In the first someone stole my mountain bike out of our carport. I was thinking about getting a camera following this. The second incident was someone throwing a stone (pebble actually) at an upstairs window. The same yoof set off the neighbours car alarm. If I had that on video I could give it straight to the police.
Now I'm definitely getting a camera going.

For convenience I could put the camera inside in a downstairs window. That would point directly out at the front gates, though they are a little ways away meaning the target image area would occupy a smallish centre of the picture. So an optical zoom would be good.

I would want the camera to send the video a few seconds before up to a few seconds after motion has occurred to an FTP server.
I can have the FTP server delete files over a couple of days old.

How could I have it alert me though (by phone) when someone enters our carport?

[hornydragon]

By setting motion detedtion areas you can leave the road off the alerts and just keep your property in the alert zone.

Also i dont think mounting the CAm indoors will work at all apart from looking (amatuer) daft it will have issues with reflections abient light levels and all sorts of other things (being knocked, moved, uplugged...)

[CCTV Novice]

Dear Stu

A much more affordable way would be to use a DVR (Digital Video Recorder) which has the capability of A) taking in the signal of a very affordable analog CCTV Camera and B) providing you with a networkable setup.

Please find one Mini DVR Solution here. You will find that IP cameras to your specification will cost you around £300.00. The solution I am talking about gives you DVD ! Quality = D1 640 X 480 pixel, motion detection, send e-mail on event etc..

I hope it helps.

[wiz]

Do you have to be careful what you record as you are pointing the camera at the street ( data protection)?

[hornydragon]

Originally Posted by wiz

Do you have to be careful what you record as you are pointing the camera at the street ( data protection)?

YES but

Most CCTV is directed at viewing and/or recording the activities of individuals. This means that
most uses of CCTV by organisations or businesses will be covered by the Data Protection Act
(DPA) and the provisions of this code, regardless of the size of the system. This replaces our
previous guidance on when a CCTV system has to comply with the DPA.
The use of cameras for limited household purposes is exempt from the DPA. This applies where an
individual uses CCTV to protect their home from burglary, even if the camera overlooks the street
or other areas near their home. Images captured for recreational purposes, such as with a mobile
phone, digital camera or camcorder, are also exempt.

take from http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documen...final_2301.pdf

Normally as long as you are only covering your property or the street outside for domestic security the DPA doesn't apply, you do have to be careful tho that your cameras do not infringe on your neighbours privacy which may be quite hard in some properties