Home security system suggestions
Discussion
Hi all,
Soon to be moving house to somewhere I can actually put cameras etc up and am looking for suggestions on what to do.
I've been getting bombarded with SimpliSafe adverts recently, but after a bit of research it seems they're rubbish. Most people seem to suggest setting up your own system, but am looking for suggestions here as well.
Will ideally be a doorbell camera, 1 or 2 external cameras, then another in the garage.
Not afraid of networking etc, will need to brush up my skills but work in IT so should be fine.
Thanks
Soon to be moving house to somewhere I can actually put cameras etc up and am looking for suggestions on what to do.
I've been getting bombarded with SimpliSafe adverts recently, but after a bit of research it seems they're rubbish. Most people seem to suggest setting up your own system, but am looking for suggestions here as well.
Will ideally be a doorbell camera, 1 or 2 external cameras, then another in the garage.
Not afraid of networking etc, will need to brush up my skills but work in IT so should be fine.
Thanks
Just get a Hikvision or similar system for the cameras and NVR and then a ring doorbell, eufy doorbell etc.
I think IIRC Reolink do a POE doorbell that can record to an NVR but no idea how good it is.
I wouldn’t bother with these systems like simply safe or verisure. They are just re-selling existing systems and putting their chunky margin on top.
I think IIRC Reolink do a POE doorbell that can record to an NVR but no idea how good it is.
I wouldn’t bother with these systems like simply safe or verisure. They are just re-selling existing systems and putting their chunky margin on top.
The easiest way is to use TP-Link tapo stuff. I think 2 types of doorbell and a wide range of cameras, including battery powered and now has a hub that everything can connect to.
Oh, they also have door and motion sensors and other bits.
Oh, they also have door and motion sensors and other bits.
Edited by SlimJim16v on Thursday 28th August 18:51
Agree re Tapo suggestions. Ours have been invaluable. Easy to setup and can be used with a Tapo subscription for cloud storage if you want, or SD card alone. So you're not forced to have a subscription.
Regular firmware updates, even on older cameras.
Decent night time image quality for the price.
App is easy to use and reliable.
We have a mix of C310 and C320WS.
Regular firmware updates, even on older cameras.
Decent night time image quality for the price.
App is easy to use and reliable.
We have a mix of C310 and C320WS.
I would suggest getting something that does not rely on having access to the internet for smart features such as detecting if it saw a car, person or animal, etc.
Companies either get bored of paying for server and shut it down or start trying to charge monthly subscriptions.
There are or were a couple of posters (VEX and IIRC cctv24?) on here who were very knowledgeable and could supply equipment, etc.
If you are expecting to read a numberplate from an angle at 10m in the dark you need some pretty decent cameras i.e. 1080p resolution isn't going to do the job.
Companies either get bored of paying for server and shut it down or start trying to charge monthly subscriptions.
There are or were a couple of posters (VEX and IIRC cctv24?) on here who were very knowledgeable and could supply equipment, etc.
If you are expecting to read a numberplate from an angle at 10m in the dark you need some pretty decent cameras i.e. 1080p resolution isn't going to do the job.
Edited by Inbox on Thursday 28th August 20:24
I seem to recommend them on a regular basis but I'm happy with Eufy.
I use a selection of solar wifi cameras and a doorbell.
No wiring and very easy to fit assuming you have a WiFi signal.
There is a bit of lag when the doorbell rings but it doesn't bother me as we have an internal ringers as well.
Footage gets uploaded to a well hidden base unit in the house so no subscription.
Years ago WiFi cameras were rubbish but I think technology has moved on. Mine have been up over a year now and they still work fine. I've had no issues or resets needed - now I have jinxed it!
I use a selection of solar wifi cameras and a doorbell.
No wiring and very easy to fit assuming you have a WiFi signal.
There is a bit of lag when the doorbell rings but it doesn't bother me as we have an internal ringers as well.
Footage gets uploaded to a well hidden base unit in the house so no subscription.
Years ago WiFi cameras were rubbish but I think technology has moved on. Mine have been up over a year now and they still work fine. I've had no issues or resets needed - now I have jinxed it!
We have 3 Ring Doorbells and 4 Ring Cameras and also 2 Ring Chimes.
We pay the max Ring subscription which means that some cameras record 24/7 with everything hosted on the Ring cloud servers.
Anyone approaching the house or interfering with the cars will trigger a Ring alert on our phones and will sound the Ring Chimes which are located inside the porch and inside the garage door so the intruder will hear the tinkle of the chime and know that they have been detected.
The chimes are great for knowing that a package is being delivered.
We pay the max Ring subscription which means that some cameras record 24/7 with everything hosted on the Ring cloud servers.
Anyone approaching the house or interfering with the cars will trigger a Ring alert on our phones and will sound the Ring Chimes which are located inside the porch and inside the garage door so the intruder will hear the tinkle of the chime and know that they have been detected.
The chimes are great for knowing that a package is being delivered.
For me it would be a mini pc with a 1tb drive and some generic cameras capable of sending RSTP feeds. Install frigate, and have a very capable system all local. It will do face recognition, number plate recognition, send email notifications etc. etc. It is probably not that easy to setup, but it is 100% reliable.
I know its not for everyone but I feel its worth mentioning. Especially as it can cost far less than an equivalent of the shelf setup.
No way would I trust any camera manufacturer to carry on supporting the devices you buy for any length of time.
I know its not for everyone but I feel its worth mentioning. Especially as it can cost far less than an equivalent of the shelf setup.
No way would I trust any camera manufacturer to carry on supporting the devices you buy for any length of time.
Actual said:
We have 3 Ring Doorbells and 4 Ring Cameras and also 2 Ring Chimes.
We pay the max Ring subscription which means that some cameras record 24/7 with everything hosted on the Ring cloud servers.
Anyone approaching the house or interfering with the cars will trigger a Ring alert on our phones and will sound the Ring Chimes which are located inside the porch and inside the garage door so the intruder will hear the tinkle of the chime and know that they have been detected.
The chimes are great for knowing that a package is being delivered.
I've got a few Ring bits but will replace in due course - while the hardware is good their aggressive ramping up of subscription costs over the last 2 or 3 years once you have invested a not insignificant amount in the hardware means that "I'm out". Talk about biting the hand that feeds you.We pay the max Ring subscription which means that some cameras record 24/7 with everything hosted on the Ring cloud servers.
Anyone approaching the house or interfering with the cars will trigger a Ring alert on our phones and will sound the Ring Chimes which are located inside the porch and inside the garage door so the intruder will hear the tinkle of the chime and know that they have been detected.
The chimes are great for knowing that a package is being delivered.
I have a couple of cheap Tapo cameras indoors for cat monitoring and they are very good.
I have a Eufy setup and am fairly happy with it. Got the 1TB disk on the hub which provides a massive amount of storage. I have battery cameras and have added solar panels to keep them powered, although manual charging was genuinely only every 6 months.
Had some other Tapo kit around the house and found it very unreliable with devices failing within a couple of years.
Had some other Tapo kit around the house and found it very unreliable with devices failing within a couple of years.
s1962a said:
I have the Unifi ecosystem and it's fantastic. It's like the Apple of cameras (whether thats a good or a bad thing is up for debate). It's pretty much fit and forget.
It's also very Apple in the fact they release regular buggy software updates.I'm not a hater, either - I have Ubiquiti stuff in the house.
When considering Wi-Fi alarms and cameras also consider the security of your Wi-Fi.
Our fibre to the premises cable runs along the side of the house and comes though the wall in the hall. I am paying our service provider to shorten the cable and have it enter the house where I will be able to secure it outside with a screwed down metal shield. The BT telephone cable is not used and it is a very conspicuous dummy target with the normal plastic cable trunking and outside box.
The next vulnerability is our extremal electricity meter cabinet and the mains isolation switch. I would like to fit a locking metal box which goes over and surrounds the plastic meter box but I am concerned it will affect the smart meter operation which I do need to be working.
Our fibre to the premises cable runs along the side of the house and comes though the wall in the hall. I am paying our service provider to shorten the cable and have it enter the house where I will be able to secure it outside with a screwed down metal shield. The BT telephone cable is not used and it is a very conspicuous dummy target with the normal plastic cable trunking and outside box.
The next vulnerability is our extremal electricity meter cabinet and the mains isolation switch. I would like to fit a locking metal box which goes over and surrounds the plastic meter box but I am concerned it will affect the smart meter operation which I do need to be working.
For me, a Synology NAS running Surveillance Station and Amcrest cameras connected via ethernet / PoE. Haven’t looked at a doorbell cam to go with it
Not interested in anything involving a cloud subscription
The cameras all have high capacity SanDisk Max Endurance cards, just in case. I can access those using Amcrest’s app
I’m nervous of anything that might be sharing data with China - Amcrest are Dahua cameras re-engineered in the US
Not interested in anything involving a cloud subscription
The cameras all have high capacity SanDisk Max Endurance cards, just in case. I can access those using Amcrest’s app
I’m nervous of anything that might be sharing data with China - Amcrest are Dahua cameras re-engineered in the US
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