Checking in with ozbargainer's and putting the question out there - Do you protect your house with a home security system?
If so - is there a good brand/model you can recommend for a 2 storey house?
Do You Have Cameras outside Your House?
Lbargainhunter87 on 23/07/2018 - 11:56
Poll Options
- 48Yes I do (real camera)
- 7Yes I do (but the camera is a fake/doesn't work to deter unwanted enrants)
- 11No I don't
- 27No but I have considered it
- 2It's a waste of money
Comments
Nunya
Voted "no but I have considered" as I will be installing cameras once my new house is built - currently living with parents.
I'm not at home for a decent portion of the day thanks to work and social/family life on the weekend, so having decent cameras with remote access to view them makes a lot of sense to me, just to make sure things are okay. I'm also a pretty techy guy, so it really appeals to me. I've heard this can lower your home insurance? Seems like a great un-planned perk.
I'm going to be going with Ubiquiti cameras. Seems like anything else decent relies on some cloud based subscription which means you're constantly uploading, I'd prefer local storage with on-demand streaming, plus Ubiquiti software gets updates and you can set up motion based alerts, etc… basically all the good stuff with no ongoing fees which feels like I'm being indefinitely charged which I don't like.
Look into getting a Synology NAS which can run “Surveillence Station”. You can hook it into virtually any camera, even the cheapies, and it will perform all the recording, motion detection and alerting locally. Hat said, Ubiquiti is an excellent brand also.
Yes but:
- You need to buy a NAS
- You need to buy HDD's (preferably for NAS)
- You need to purchase a Surveillance Station licence (no idea how much that is & usually for multiple cameras.)
- You need to purchase HTTPS security licence (not sure for Synology NTC) as generally files are transferred un-encrypted
- You still need to buy camerasSo it may be better just to buy a dedicated POE ~ 4+ x cameras 1TB+ NVR 1080p for the same cost.
I guess it is worth it if you like to fully utilize NAS features other than IP Cameras.
But depending on the model of the NAS, is the processing power good enough for multiple functions?Cheers
Dupe - removed
I went with Netgear Arlo cameras. they work well for my needs, easy to set up and capture anyone approaching my place. Also hooked up to my Philips hue light which means I get a little flashing light when someone approaches the front door, better than any doorbell.
I've heard this can lower your home insurance?
Nope.
Insurance won't look at this.
Only for "Monitored Security Systems" - such as return back to base organisationsIMO, they know that many will start investing in CCTV hence they love to wriggle out of discounting (and sometimes paying out a claim) :P
Cheers
Great to have that knowledge so I know it's not a done deal for a discount. Cheers.
I wonder if you could negotiate a lower rate with them for being willing to forego protection against theft?
By my experience, they don't care about added security or any legal items (unless you want to change the insured value of contents/structure). Only monitored alarm systems that you pay an external org to monitor for you. And having said that, i'm sure the discount wont be significant.
However it doesn't hurt to ask.
Some insurance companies differ however IMO they all sleep with each other and some what related/subsidiary companies.
Suncorp ->AAMI->Bingle->Just Car … etc
Cheers
Recommend checking out ipcamtalk.com - the main forum for this stuff.
On there you'll see some of the super popular cameras - I didn't need PTZ so I got a Dahua 5231R-Z PoE (and don't even use the zoom). I recall there were some amazing PTZ cameras on there though. And order direct from a guy in China (Andy - handle: empiretecandy). Cheaper and very responsive.
Blue Iris is superb, super cheap, multi-camera software. It was a no-brainer to pay $35 once the trial finished.
So for about USD200, I have a single camera setup that sends me a crystal clear 1920x1080 video stream of what's going on to my phone with great motion detection options so I could eliminate false triggers from bush turkeys, swaying tree branches and shadows disappearing.
Whilst I like the idea of outdoor cameras (Arlo Pro was at the top of my shortlist), a hat/balaclava will easily hide someones facial features.
yes but someone with these on will look suspicious - I wonder how many people who break into houses actually wear this as they come up to a house.
What about cameras inside your house?
FYI I have no cameras installed anywhere
those cameras are for an entirely different purpose and has nothing to do with security
I just use a go pro in the bedroom now. Video camera not necessary nowadays
depends whether you want the other person to know about it or not.
same.. go pro and/or 360 cam works for me
I would certainly be considering cameras on the outside if I had an AirBnB property; just so I could keep on eye on what was happening during the rental. Too many people turn up I'd be ringing the cops to investigate.
That's mainly what I use mine for - no so much if they steal anything or a party turns up, but more so I know when they come and go so I can start making noise.
My bicycle got stolen, I'm going to be installing cameras.
I was going to get Xiaomi's security cameras, but now they only work in China with the new firmware :(.Yes I have 2 cameras one by the door and one over the driveway. Anyone who knocks on the door gets a good clear shot of their face taken. We also have an alarm, never been broken into.
Yes definitely though you can't ID the thieves yourself, the footage is great for cops to use as evidence to charge as they usually know a few of the "regulars".
The big 2 of CCTV is Hikvision and Dahua. You can get cheap international models from China with custom English firmware though if anything goes wrong it's like buying phones from HK dealers - crappy returns and warranty process.
A cheap Aussie supplier with 3 years Aussie warranty is www.securitywholesalers.com.au for hikvision. Seems like a cheap price https://www.securitywholesalers.com.au/product/5mp-4ch-hikvi…
Haven't found one for dahua yet. I wouldn't recommend Arlo or Swann. Big difference in quality to these cameras
Thanks Allan. I bought a set from them. Very happy with the product / remote viewing app (Hik Connect). Super fast delivery. Paid someone from Gumtree $550 to install 4 cameras.
So do people have motion sensitive lights as well? I would wonder how good an image you will get in the dark with most of the cameras. However, it would be good for capturing the images of the people stealing your couriered goods. You might get footage like this. (Probably want to skip through this to see the best bits.)
Ring Doorbell pro - we live in a townhouse so this picks up everything we need (driveway and front door) - had some issues installing it but once they sent the power pack thingo it hooked up to the existing doorbell nicely!
I wanted something that suited my medium level of technical capability. Synology NAS and a bunch of xiaomi (or equiv) cameras was too much effort. Netgear arlo etc too high cost and I just don't trust battery powered devices.
I went with Dlink in the end. The cameras are about $100 each. Add on $25 for a POE dongle per camera so that I can just run a single cat6 cable to them. Add on $100 for an 8 port POE switch. The dlink dnr322l (and similar models) I picked up for $200 with a hard drive. No ongoing fees. The footage is only 720p but I have total control over which cameras record 25fps, which ones record 3fps, etc. I have 9 cameras, 3 of which are weather-sealed. 3 of them are 720p but 'colour infra red' and the remainder are all 640x480.
It is far from perfect, and the technologist in me still knows I'd get better quality from a more expensive or more manually configured setup - but the lazy man in me thinks I've hit the sweet spot of effort/reward.
Yes we bought 4 of the Reolink Argus 2 cameras - really happy with them.
Voted No but considering it. Have been considering the Arlo for a while but the cost is quite high
Have just got a targeted Voucher from JB Hi-Fi for the Arlo, so maybe will buy itin the next few days.
"Do you protect your house with a home security system?"
Absolutely Halarious !!!!
Dream On
I have been running an IP security cam for about 3 years which also records to a USB stick so no need to run a computer or HDD. I have 3 USB which I swap on rotation once a week so I have 2-3 weeks history (probably not enough).
I'm considering swapping to using old Android mobiles and something like Alfred. Anyone else doing something like that? Old mobile phones have the advantage of built in battery backup, however they are not really suitable for mounting outdoors. My IP cam is just inside a window, so I would do similar with phones.I don't have my house yet, but yes I will have a camera system in place, likely with motion activated lights besides, and other measures depending on costs. Of course a camera can't protect anything, but it can deter, or help after the fact. No average house is really protected, but we can damn well make it as difficult as we can!
Suggest = Reolink Argus 2 and Solar panel Continuous Rechargeable Battery
Where can I buy the Argus 2?
I got mine off Ebay
I will grab 2 when they are on sale.
There might be an issue with wiring re: 2 storey as it probably be impossible to wire in between the levels. Assuming you are going wired POE with a Network Storage
I would recommend Netgear Arlo - Wireless cameras that use a battery, doesn't require a power source, mount it anywhere and uses cloud for storage/review.
Cheers