Camera security systems?

[filmidget]

Had my car broken into last week, and found my tyres slashed this morning (along with many other cars on the roads nearby). Also there have been other instances of vandalism against other cars on the street.

I am wondering if a camera system may help. We are also planning more 'neighbourly' organised action, but I think a camera and recording system has got to be a deterent as well?

It's either that or I sat at the window with a crossbow

Anybody have any good web links for reasonably priced, preferably PC based, *effective* systems? The ones at DIY places to me look like they would have trouble with anything more than 2 metres away.

Cheers, Phil

[TheLemming]

Im fairly sure there was a very similar topic not all that long ago.

Have you checked the archives?

[rich1231]

You cannot film secretly!! You have to put up a sign saying there is CCTV in operation and who the system is administered by.

Forgot to say, there are the crap £50 web cams or you can go for the £300ish IP based cameras.

I cant remember names of them at the moment.

Rich

www.axis.com

>> Edited by rich1231 on Tuesday 31st December 11:35

>> Edited by rich1231 on Tuesday 31st December 11:38

[filmidget]

Was still steaming too much earlier to remember about doing a search

Will do now.

Cheers, Phil

[MikeyT]

I had one on the side of our house overlooking back garden and garage. It was OK, cost about £70. You could wire it so it appeared on any TV in the house, but you obviously had to be viewing that channel to see anything happen. Unless you had your video on record permanently of course.

Decent alarm and your steering wheel tied to your big toe with a bit of string would work better IMO.

[adrian jaye]

cuple of points

1> using CCTV in a "home" envoirnment, as in, monitoring the limits of your own property, you dont need to put up any signs whats so ever.

2> if your cctv can and does overlook the road a sign may help, but I douibt anyone would prosecute you.

3> a sign is a good detterenet, wether you HAVE cctv or not, same as a dummy camera

though sometimes it may suggest you have expensive goodies your trying to protect, so LOW KEY security is the way to go.

[deltaf]

If cameras are what youre into, you need to have a Black and White unit.
These can usually see in the dark by using infra red.
Go for one that has the largest number of "Tv lines" , something like 420 or greater as this gives good resolution.
Then look at its low light capacity.
This is measured in Lux.
The lower the number the better it will see in the dark.
Forget anything greater than 0.2 lux, they just dont have the sensitivity to see much.
Mine has a capability of 0.02 lux( lot lower than 0.2) and 420 tv lines.
This one can see just using ambient light levels so i have no need to use any illumination.
Also another thing to look for is the construction.
If its a cmos chip detector being used for the camera element, then dont buy it, these are the kind of crappy systems that get plugged into your tv, and have poor resolution and low light capability.
Go for a CCD camera(charge coupled device).
Maplin electronics is where i got mine from, product code number YD66.

Hope this helps you some.

[rich1231]

If you have CCTV on your property and you catch a scroat at it, you would not be able to use it as evidence without signage.

[loserkid]

Having a similar problem down my road over the last 6 months.

I was wondering about a PC based system that would record only during movement so I didn't end up with 24 hours of footage. Any ideas?

Also how big does the sign have to be etc just in case we don't just deal with this ourselves