CCTV Advise

[Squid_uk]

Hey guys,

I am after some advise regarding CCTV systems

I am after a system to watch over a Garage forecourt at night time where at the moment cars are being damaged on a regular basis, the system I would be looking for would obviously need night vision, also would be looking for 2-4 cameras, preferably wireless that would record onto a large hard disk (80gb-160GB) and in resonable good quality, my budget would cover up to £500ish, is there anything you guys could recommend from previous experiance?

[Nelson37]

Nothing specific, but I think you're either gonna have to up your budget or scrimp somewhere.

Maybe one camera on a panning mount?

Resolution needed will depend on distance and ID requirements, for night vision you could have $200-300 in each camera. Low-light cameras might be better. Don't forget outdoor mounts, unless this is a short-term operation.

Number of cameras also a major concern, once you pass 1 you need a specialized card, last I checked the 4-BNC card was around $200.00.

Wireless just ain't gonna happen, you need power anyway. PoE, Power over Ethernet, is the way to go, the adapters are $20-30 per camera.

Hard drive way too small, 400GB at least, depends on surveillance time, fps, and history storage.

Then there's software for PTZ - pan, tilt, zoom - control, motion sensing, and camera tour. Window Vision works well, accessable via Internet.

Cheap, low-resolution cameras with a low-bitrate recording just might show the damage happening, but almost certainly will not be enough to indicate exactly who is doing it. A single good quality camera with a good tour, PTZ, and motion sensing (the sensing is in the software) can often cover more area than several fixed cameras, with a picture good enough for a facial ID.

I've worked with several such systems and looked into it seriously as a sideline a while back. The cameras are the be-all and end-all for these systems, check some test videos and see what you think. First question is How good a picture do you need, and then How much area do you need to cover.

[offline]

I'm not an expert, just a user. Imo those all-in-one kits stores sell for surveillance are a waste of money in many cases - either the bundled DVR is rubbish, or the cams are poor quality.

A spare PC with windows XP can be used as a DVR. Webcamxp works ok. A decent stand alone DVR is a much better option though. http://www.webcamxp.com/screenshots.aspx Purchase one or more cheap chinese USB capture devices (or a multi video capture card). Match these with the best cameras you can afford. If HDD space is low, set to capture still jpegs on motion detection.

Alternatively, a high quality MP4 quad channel stand alone DVR costs around 500 Euros. 160gig gives approx 200-250 hours at 12FPS, 90-120 hours at 25FPS (depending on quality setting). 80 Gig is really too low to seriously consider.

The cheaper the cam, the closer they will have to be mounted to the target to have even the smallest chance of obtaining an ID. Roughly a subjects face must take up at least 1/3 of a 380 line "PAL" image for a facial ID in average conditions. It is often a good idea to get a camera that will take an after market lens.

Inexpensive but decent wired CCD based units can be had for under 50 Euros each. Something very low light (0.5 Lux black&white) with a brand name sensor (i.e. Sony/Samsung). Add external housing (including an inbuilt heater if condensation is a problem) and the right lens to focus on your target area. If the area is poorly lit at night, add an infra red lamp or two.

If wireless is a must, check out IP cameras. Of course POE cable is still required, and effective transmission could be less than 30 feet depending on walls etc. Inexpensive wireless cams are next to useless.