Home Surveillance System recommendations please

[fimpBIKES]

Hi Fight-nutters,

as some of you may have read on FB i had some stain on society try to come and take whats mine on wednesday.
to be honest its probably my own damn fault for having a good steady income and using it to buy things to fill my house up and make me happy...

so the next item on the shopping list is a home surveilance system
need at least 3 channels to cover all the angles around the house + a spare for when the shed goes in.
im liking how a lot of them seem to be able to be accessed remotely via my android phone or the internet, but not sure if i can make that work on my home wifi system (i cant get traditional broadband where i live so only have wireless 4g internet network)

im wondering what people are using out there in their homes or businesses
i have lived in a few shitty areas in my time and from my experience once the fuckers turn up once they almost definitely come back more prepared. i need to be ready for em

oh, and how do people handle power outages? i would need an ups for each camera wouldnt i? or an heap of extension cords and powerboard to a single ups LOL

ones i have found so far are the swann 4channel which is at masters or jaycar
http://www.masters.com.au/product/100004068/swandvr4-1200-4-channel-dvr-with-smartphone-viewing-camera
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=QV8106&form=CAT2&SUBCATID=1034#5
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/SWANN-4-CAMERA-SECURITY-SYSTEM-500GB-PVR-PACK-DRV4-1200-PRO-560-HOME-BUSINESS-/170943207063?pt=AU_Home_Personal_Security&hash=item27cd025697

or the uniden wireless setup (i should note that there is currently an extra camera for systems puchased up until end of march by redemption, so it would be a 3 camera system for $450)
http://www.uniden.com.au/AUSTRALIA/p_g2711_index.asp#
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/UNIDEN-G2711-Guardian-Digital-Wireless-Surveillance-System-2-Cameras-New-Wty-/170990476749?pt=AU_Home_Personal_Security&hash=item27cfd39dcd

sold the van today to a nice sydney chap for $750
my budget is approx $750 plus a ups (probably get one off ebay slightly used)


anyone muck around with this sort of stuff?

shaken and stirred
fimp

[MattyDucati]

Interesting thread as i have been thinkin the same thing. a key point is you need a good picture as is not worth having if ya cant use it in court.

[K6Thou]

Amphetamine and small calibre rifle will sort out the cunts real quick......... Failing that get a big dog.

[Large]

Dig a pit under each window.
Fill with punji sticks.
Smear sticks with shit,
Camoflage pit.
Profit!

[mozza]

I work as a sales manager for Australia's largest distributor of Security systems - we normally dont sell to the public but I can probably help you if you would like.
To be honest, swan is pretty crap stuff - our products are more based towards commercial and high end, not residential (price being the factor).
If you wanted a pretty decent system expect to pay around $700 for a 4CH DVR (digital video recorder) at w/sale price and you can get some pretty good vandal proof IR led auto iris vari focal domes for about $160 -$200 +gst. A small UPS will run everything depending on how long you want it to hold up with-out power. You can remote connect with a 4G wireless router but you need your service provider to supply you with a PUBLIC IP address that sits in front of their firewall, I think OPTUS these days will even give you a static IP on these type of routers.

Have a look at www.pacom.com.au (http://www.pacom.com.au) - its not cheap but it's very good and reliable, we do everything from homes -banks - goals.

Another option is a cheap IP camera that comes with free 4CH software that can be loaded onto a PC - the advantage is much higer resolution but they wont perform as well in low light and you may need to introduce lighting with this application.

My cheapest 4CH DVR starts at around $450+gst but does have trade-offs compared to the more expensive systems.

Based on the above info you can see why SWAn is in the residental market - Price ! Dicksmith sell swan but funny thing is that they dont use it for security in any of their stores ? Harvey Norman is the same - sell it but dont use it ? This normally says everthing.

[mozza]

AXIS IP cams wil come with a free 4CH license and can be had for a reasonable price

[Redmohawk]

I prefer Large's option, I used to install systems of various setup.

Forget wireless camera units (battery's are a P.I.T.A) but what really sucks is your broadcasting your video for all to see, some of these low life fuckers know this and for very little you can buy a unit to pick it all up. Then casing your house is so much easyer !

Matty is correct the best video is the only video, you want full colour high res with infrared night vision. Better yet mount a movement sensitive spotlight beside each camera so it lights the area up for colour night video. (and it has more "scare effect" for the dumber drugos)

Cops will take a copy of the video and file it in there "we dont give a fuck cabnet" if your really lucky they might remember the drugo enough to bag him if they trip over him knicking shit at K mart, but I doubt it. A back to base alarm system that calls your mobile number (and thats all it does, no noise flashing lights that just pisses everyone off) is your best option to save your shit. Alarm goes off , calls you , you look up video survalance call cops and tell them your watching the fuckers, you have it on video and your recording the conversation with them atm. They might get there in time.

If your still keen on a video alarm system use "hard wired" Then you only need a battery backup at the main unit. And no transmissions to pickup.

[mozza]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/16-ch-Security-DVR-Hikvision-CCTV-/140921709641?pt=AU_Home_Personal_Security&hash=item20cf96a449

This is a competitors product but if you got it for $250 it would be a pretty good system - its running SATA drives, running 6 cams would give you decent frame rate, resolution isn't great but ok for a home system.

[mozza]

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Pacific-Communications-PDRH-440-H-264-Digital-Recorder-/330878379312?pt=AU_Business_Industrial_Safety_Secu rity2&hash=item4d09e36530

make this guy an offer, they are a great little DVR they have a w/sale list price of $1100+gst, the best I can do on a new one is $700+gst. It would be chap at $250 and it also does 4CIF recording which is double the res of the 16CH HIKvision unit.

[xa-mont]

I have a sunluxy system. The quality is good and it's easy to install/adjust. The software is a little clunky, but it works (motion detect and whatnot)

They are pretty much the same site you'll buy at jaycar for 1000ish. My parents run 2 similar systems in their shop and the footage had been used to catch thiefs in the past

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com.au/viewitem?itemId=180884441576

[fimpBIKES]

thanks blokes,
made the bloke an offer moz

i like the idea of the system sending an alert like red said.
is there a way i can achieve this without a home phone line?

oh and any sort of system req a pc is no good, dont have one at home get enough of that at work :S

mighty fine of u to offer a system u dont sell moz, i appreciate it plus ofer of discounts etc

funny how u mention the swann being cheap, i find most things from jaycar work well until they dont (which is normally 6months or so)

already got an unfriendly half rotti btw
hes to be thanked for the f-stain only making it halfway thru the window
we think he grabbed his leg and dragged him out LOL

good news is police have been quite responsive, anne said forensic guy was here good few hours trying to find a decent print
bit of it going around the area lately...

[fimpBIKES]

I have a sunluxy system. The quality is good and it's easy to install/adjust. The software is a little clunky, but it works (motion detect and whatnot)

They are pretty much the same site you'll buy at jaycar for 1000ish. My parents run 2 similar systems in their shop and the footage had been used to catch thiefs in the past

http://item.mobileweb.ebay.com.au/viewitem?itemId=180884441576
jeez thats good value! obviously not a high-end system but bloody cheap for a working system.

heard back from ebay dude, he will do 320 posted
just gonna go read the manual to make sure it does everthing i want

[Redmohawk]

Fimp go see jacar about an alarm with Mobile phone system built in , you just fit a pre payed phone sim in it and you can set it to message 2 or 3 numbers in sequence when triggered, Not expensive from memory.

[Weaselman]

1. Buy shotgun
2. Buy rocking chair
3. Sit on porch

[StuNVA]

http://realsentrygun.com/

[mozza]

did you make the offer on the 16CH HIKvision or the 4CH Pacom -

with your alarm panel you can get a VTI - Virtual Telephone Interface or a SED dailer (mobile dialler with a SIM card with plan)

[El_Hefty]

and what does that do for us Mozza, your a system expert talking to in my case a numpty ....

Im moving into a new building and going to be storing my bikes there and want cameras and shit myself so im interested in all the advice your giving to fimp

[Bob]

I install security and cctv here in brisbane, those jacar systems do work well. I have set a 6 camera set up in a mates place, it can even turn on his slushy machine from his phone. But just a heads up on your insurance. I have know a few people I have done service for here in queensland who installed there own systems, nothing wrong wiht there systems operation or install, but some insurance companies require it be installed by a quilfied tech and have rregular maintence, and by not doing this your insurance could be voided. Mite be different for NSW but I do know some in queensland do.

[fimpBIKES]

good point bob! shall look into it

i missed out on that good system, off to jaycar now to chat

[mozza]

and what does that do for us Mozza, your a system expert talking to in my case a numpty ....

Im moving into a new building and going to be storing my bikes there and want cameras and shit myself so im interested in all the advice your giving to fimp

you will normally have a VTI when using a control room and you have no phone line and with a SED unit it's mainly used as a back-up to the main dialler if it fails. You could also use the Sed unit as the primary mode of communication reporting to your mobile if you dont have a phone line in place. Just buy the Sed unit and a cheap SIM card plan and plug it to the phone connection on your alarm panel...........non of this is exactly cheap though ! If someone REALLY wants your stuff nothing will stop them, CCTV and Alarm systems are simply a deterrent and most crims will target a house that has nothing compared to a house that has protection.

For this reason, why not simply install some dummy cams and give the illusion ? sounds funny but it works, if they ever go through and test it you may then need to up the ante and spend some coin but most times this actually works o.k.

I may have some warranty cams at work that are dead I can send your way - sometimes the cam is dead but the IR still lights up indicating its fully operational - if I have some you'll just need to cover the postage.

[Bob]

Or a gprs unit like an alarm panel uses back up battery to dial if power gos out. But like mozza said there not cheap.

[fimpBIKES]

went to jaycar and masters
none of the sales peeps could tell me if the whole internet viewing thing would work over my wifi with an ethernet adapter

so i have emailed swann, so far their system at masters seems better and $50 cheaper than the jaycar one
hoping they get back to me quick

bummed about taking too long to get back to the ebay guy about that other one, but looking at the swann one or the similar one at jaycar the quality seems good enough.
oh, apparently swann have decent tech support over the phone (or i can just harrass you bob LOL)

[fimpBIKES]

been backwards and forwarding with swann tech guy
found a site that sells swann stuff in aus cheap, will probably go with
http://www.swannstore.com.au/dvrs-kits/swdvk-430004-eol.html
im getting getting decent and quick replies so thats good

when fwit broke in it was thru one of 3 old wooden framed swinging windows in kitchen
so ive beefed up all the kitchen window hinge and lock screws from 7g x 30mm to 10g x 50 :D