Best value home security cameras?

Bargainbeth on 03/04/2025 - 20:43

I live in a ground floor unit and have had the challenge of having rubbish dumped into my verandah when I am not home, and have a new housemate that has forgotten to lock the front door, empty the Lint tray or open the window when the multiple ceiling exhaust fans are running at once (I fear a break in, fire hazard from the fan motors burning out, or just the costliness of installing new fans).

I would like a camera system that fits the unemployed persons budget, obviously doesn't have to be super clear, but would help if it could see distances of 10m in order to cover the distance from kitchen to verandah. And potentially a lens wide enough to capture 3m kitchen and 4m living room widths.

I have seen some options on temu with 5 star reviews, for cameras that use rechargeable lithium batteries.

Not too sure whether to trust these or go with a store bought gadget.

Would like the feature of recording and like watching footage live, as I am often not home for longish stretches.

To those saying I need a new room mate, it is not that easy, as I have other requirements and this person will hopefully slowly get used to maintaining a mould free, safe, fireside environment.

Electrical & Electronics Security Camera

Comments

  • Duckie2hh on 03/04/2025 - 21:02
    +3

    Best value home security cameras?

    parents in law

    • Bargainbeth on 03/04/2025 - 22:22

      Hahaha if only a small unit could house them or if i had parents in law to use šŸ˜…

  • bazingaa on 03/04/2025 - 21:07
    +1

    you can get c210 indoor camera pair when there are deals, now it is bit expensive but goes like $44 for 2 cameras with deals. I have 2 like that

    ex: https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/881283

    • Bargainbeth on 03/04/2025 - 22:23

      Oo thank you. I'll keep an eye out for deals! Did you have any internet issues though, the product reviews mention that. Does it auto reconnect if it drops out or do you manually have to do it? Would be a concern if i had to manually do it as I'm often not home.

      • bazingaa on 04/04/2025 - 00:02

        no issues at all, i have also connected these to software NVR too.

        • Mugsy on 04/04/2025 - 08:40
          +1

          I also concur that the Tapos are great value (though, i have the C220). Have bought 8 of them… 2 I gave to my bro as they also make for great baby monitors, 4 I have set up at home, and 2 I've been using at my parents' place when they're overseas so that I can monitor it.

          See this guide on how to get an indoor cam to monitor the outdoors provided your window locations are ideally placed.

          https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CCjXDxWtpk

          • bazingaa on 04/04/2025 - 09:33

            @Mugsy: i just keep it on window sill and keep night IR light off, I can even see stars :D

            • Mugsy on 04/04/2025 - 12:23

              @bazingaa: Same.

              It's mainly turning off IR and the status light that one needs to do. Window sill is good enough and at night, if there is ample street lighting and the window area is dark enough, not an ounce of glare will show up and you can see the street as if the camera was mounted outside. Such an economical way to keep an eye on the happenings at the front of the house.

              • Kelpei on 04/04/2025 - 13:39

                @Mugsy: I have the c100 and I find that I have to put the lens right up against the glass in order to get no glare. IR and status LED turned off. If there is a 1cm gap between the lens and glass, the footage is unusable. It might just be the window location and angle of the sun.

                • Mugsy on 04/04/2025 - 16:03

                  @Kelpei: Yeah, the eufy C220 I have facing our front gate will have glare in the morning no matter how close to the glass I put it (it's an east facing window so is hit by sunlight directly), By the arvo, once the sun is above or behind the camera/window, the image is clear.

                  At the end of the day, we're trying to use a camera behind glass and it was never designed to operate that way so there will be varying degrees of success.

  • Fredfloresjr on 03/04/2025 - 21:09
    +1

    Bored neighbours

    • Bargainbeth on 03/04/2025 - 22:24

      Haha its an apartment set up so they're all pretty useless in this regard. Everyone's confined to their own box.

  • sumyungguy on 03/04/2025 - 21:11
    +1

    Wyze Cam v3 Pro $77

    • Bargainbeth on 03/04/2025 - 22:24

      Have you personally used this and how did you find it. Thanks for the rec btw

      • sumyungguy on 03/04/2025 - 22:40

        I have one in a window mount looking out to the street. I know another happy customer who has a bunch of them. Wyze cams are a great low-cost option if you don't mind wired.

  • Shitforbrains on 03/04/2025 - 21:32
    +4

    If you are worried about fire, you probably shouldn't trust Temu lithium-ion batteries.

    • Bargainbeth on 03/04/2025 - 22:25

      Thank you! Im useless with tech know how like this. Very useful to know

  • SYLTB on 03/04/2025 - 21:32
    +3

    Reolink

    • Bruceflix on 03/04/2025 - 22:12
      +2

      Can't fault reolink

      • Bargainbeth on 03/04/2025 - 22:25

        Thank you, do you guys recommend a specific product for home security?

        • FoxJump on 04/04/2025 - 01:39

          i love my frigate and home assistant setup.
          expect much pain on setup and 3months spend setting it up

          otherwise, record to camera's sd card and review via correspondence camera manufacturers app

  • FoxJump on 04/04/2025 - 01:38

    im a fan of tapo cameras. though, you're mostly limited to 4x per wifi channel.

    if you have a mesh router system where each node retransmits at the same 2.4ghz band, then 4 tapos is your practical limit

    if you have a special mesh router system where each node transmits on a different 2.4hz band, then, you can do 4 per node.

    • pabxman on 04/04/2025 - 08:31

      Who says only 4 per channel? I'm running 13 Tapo cameras with no problems.

      • FoxJump on 04/04/2025 - 12:50

        wowee!
        what wifi AP do you have?
        what models of camera are they?
        I have 4x C200s and if i add 4x C720 it all goes to hell.
        i do also have a bunch of wifi IOT devices too.
        i'm on a deco XE75pro

        I'm also streaming from all of them constantly into Frigate for NVR

        • pabxman on 04/04/2025 - 15:29

          Camera models are -
          3 x C200
          3 x TC60
          2 x TC70
          3 x TC71
          2 x TC41

          7 of these connect to my routers wifi (TP-Link Archer AX55)
          6 of these connect to my remote access point (TP-Link TL-WA1201)

          I also have 3 P100 Smart Plugs.
          All working fine with no problems.

          • FoxJump on 04/04/2025 - 18:15

            @pabxman: are you streaming the cameras non stop?

            • pabxman on 05/04/2025 - 09:39

              @FoxJump: No, I am recording each cam to SD cards, but if I do using iSpy, there's no problem.
              I can view all 13 cams live rtsp streams OK with no lag.

    • Bruceflix on 04/04/2025 - 17:38

      you're mostly limited to 4x per wifi channel.

      Sounds more like it's your configuration that is at fault.

      • FoxJump on 04/04/2025 - 18:16

        shrug
        deco doesnt give much configuration.
        ive about 12 smart plugs and the cameras etcetc.

  • JIMB0 on 04/04/2025 - 07:06

    a camera system that fits the unemployed persons budget

    What do your neighbour's have?

    open the window when the multiple ceiling exhaust fans are running at once (I fear a break in, fire hazard from the fan motors burning out

    No need to worry about the fan burning out with our poorly built, leaky homes in Australia.

  • Easyteas85 on 04/04/2025 - 08:05

    Just go on marketplace and get a google nest indoor. Yes there are cheaper options on temu but google home app works well and the cameras are clear. I've been using google nest indoor cameras everywhere outdoors undercover and they work well

  • HelpMeiCantSee on 04/04/2025 - 08:17
    +1

    Value? Reolink. Though Iā€™m partial to Hikvision, they are expensive. reolink is not expensive, and very good price to feature and quality ratio

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