[NBLUG/talk] Request for info on video cams for protection against burglary

[Jordan Erickson]

Axis (axis.com) and Foscam (foscam.us) are two cameras my buddy and I
have experience with setting up. Since this is a Linux list, these are
great because both companies make IP cameras that are easily integrated
into your existing network. Wired and wireless, PoE, PTZ... Foscam is
definitely cheaper than Axis, and both cameras seem to work really well
with Zoneminder (open source, web-based video surveillance system). I
have an Axis 206 (not being made anymore) in my garage and the power
supply went out about a year ago, but I was able to find a replacement
for $10 on Ebay.

Just yesterday I hooked up an el-cheapo Foscam clone (there's a lot out
there) and even for $45 (from China) it's not really worth the money.
The PTZ feature doesn't seem to work at all, even with the native
Windows software. I've heard this is common with the cheaper Foscam
clones. The picture quality, even at 640x480 is questionable and it
seems to throw many false-positive motion detection alarms because it
keeps switching light modes. With network cameras it seems you get what
you pay for.

Right now I'm looking at
http://foscam.us/products/foscam-fi8910e-white-poe-ip-camera.html to
replace the cheap-o. Seems someone even whipped up a nice ZM script to
get it working well, with PTZ control (
http://durdle.com/wp-content/uploads/FoscamFI8918W.pm_.txt ).


On 07/27/2013 11:01 AM, Roger House wrote:
> Thanks to everyone who replied to my query.  I've certainly got a lot
> of information to digest.
>
> In reponse to one question:  I live in western Sonoma County near
> Occidental and Freestone.
>
> Roger House
>
> On 07/25/2013 01:24 PM, s smith wrote:
>> On 07/25/2013 11:54 AM, Roger House wrote:
>>> My neighbor's home was burglarized yesterday.  He's the third or
>>> fourth burglary victim in our semi-rural area in the last month or
>>> so.  The burglars seem to be fairly professional, using
>>> sophisticated equipment to go right through deadbolts.  They also
>>> shut the power off to my neighbor's house, presumably to defeat any
>>> alarm system. Needless to say, this has got me worried.
>>>
>>> So, I've been thinking about video cams.  I saw a sign recently on a
>>> nearby road with a happy face on it saying "Smile, you're on
>>> camera."  I've been composing a similar sign saying something like,
>>> "If you can read this, your face is already on the Internet."  But,
>>> I'd like to back it up with something real.  I know next to nothing
>>> about video cams, so I'm requesting ideas and recommendations.
>>>
>> Yesterday I saw these at costco
>> <http://www.costco.com/Samsung-SmartCam-2-Pack-Security-Cameras.product.100056081.html>.
>>
>> There are also cheap fake videocams on Amazon that look like they
>> might be effective.  This link also pulled up a bunch of official
>> looking 'we're watching you' signs.
>> <http://www.amazon.com/OUTDOOR-SECURITY-CAMERA-Blinking-Silver/dp/B004D8NZ52/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1374783536&sr=8-4&keywords=security+camera>
>>
>> Sometimes just making it look like you've taken precautions is
>> enough.  After a break-in to my garage a couple of years ago I put up
>> a bunch of motion-detector security lights and installed an alarm. 
>> The alarm has gone off once since and it looked like someone had
>> opened a back gate, but the alarm scared them off.
>>
>> It sounds like they knew what they were going after...  Good luck.
>>
>> Steve S.
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>>
>>
>
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-- 
Jordan Erickson (PGP: 0xDA470FF8)
LNS: (707) 636-5678  - http://logicalnetworking.net