Home surveillance and security

L

leadcounsel

Moderator
Mods, before you delete this as 'off topic,' I suggest this relates to home safety, tactics, and personal and property security, safeguarding our loved ones and our guns, improving situational awareness!

This is currently on sale through 3/30/14 for $400 (normally $500).

Thinking of adding this 8 camera with DVR system to my security system. Great way to beef up security, and couple with your gun safes, lighting, situational awareness, dogs, etc.

Anyone have any experience with installation or use of this Q-See system?

Specific questions regarding ease of installation, quality and durability and whether this connects to Television rather than a monitor...

http://www.costco.com/.product.100096882.html

Or can someone recommend a ~$500 system that is significantly better?

Thanks.
 
B

btmj

New member
I will never have cameras in my home which are linked to an external network... a network which is outside of my total control. A web link to a camera is hackable by bad guys, and with a warrant, it could be used by the government to spy on you without your knowledge.

Close circuit video... maybe yes... video which is managed by a security company over the web? No way.

JIm
 
L

leadcounsel

Moderator
It comes with 8 cameras. All or most will be exterior.

I may do 1 camera on the inside of each door, and I see no security threat for external hackers if someone is going to hack... again, we're talking about the level of hacking ability that would not waste time/effort with my measly value...
 
S

skizzums

New member
if someone is taking the time to hack my system, they could much easier check the driveway/garage to see if they are any cars there

as for the govt/pd being able to hack in, well I never thought about that, im not a criminal ATM, but who knows what laws will be passed in the future

maybe the solution is cctv, or if you want the wireless deal, maybe just for entrance/exits and feed on your valuables to possibly ID intruder after a break in

wouldn't feel comfortable to online feed of my private life or my children, I can see ways that could be taken advantage of.
 
S

STEINER

New member
After having our car stolen, parked in front of the house, we put in a stand-alone four camera system. It is not connected to an outside agency.
The quality of the night infrared is important. It can be real dark and the
video monitor shows the view like day light.
I think the best way to protect your family and your valuables from theft or
invasion is rought iron window and door guards.
They are not bullet proof but whomever decides to target your house for entry is going to have to make a lot of noise trying to remove the guards.

If you decide on installing them yourself, check you local codes for the
egress requirements.
 
D

Daffy

New member
I went with Foscam IP cameras and BlueIris software. Very satisfied with my choice. Had cctv before this, too many better things about the IP route.

All my cams are wired (you can saturate 2.4 in your home) total cost of equip was under $500 sans the computer that was there and will always be.
 
G

Garycw

New member
Looks like a good deal. You'll need camera power supply simease coax, connectors and a ups power supply. You'll also need to set up IP address port forwarding.
I use a EverFocus system with Sony Hyperhad day/night cameras
 
O

OuTcAsT

New member
I went with Foscam IP cameras and BlueIris software.
Click to expand...

+1 on the Blue Iris software, I have it as well, D-Link also makes some great IP cameras that are about 100.00 each ( the PTZ cameras are a bit more expensive ) No DVR Required, records to your computer and, has connectivity to your smart phone/ tablet as well.
 
W

wabashman

New member
While the link tells me it's out of stock and I cannot view it, I imagine it's very similar to my Night Owl set up I have (as I looked at the Q-See system when I purchased mine). It's extremely easy to install. Is pretty much plug and play and the only 'hard' things you will come across is routing the wires to where you want the cameras.

At least this was my issue. I placed the DVR box on the second floor of the house and had all the wires go from there into the attic, then down the chimney chase into the garage attic and then dispersed them around the porch. Doing this I had to use a couple of the cable extension kits. Setting up the DVR unit itself was really easy, just follow the install sheet that comes with the kit.

With regards to the remote viewing, I cannot comment as I have no internet at my residence.
 
D

Daffy

New member
I'd go into the differences between a DVR setup versus a setup as I described above but really it comes down to a couple of facts.

1. DVR stuff works ok, you not need to be terribly tech savvy to install it and have it running.

Downside to it is functionality and specific hardware dependence.

2. IP Cams and software if you choose to use it(not needed) can be somewhat more challenging to wire/configure.

Functionality of the cameras is way beyond the cctv ones and the cost margin is close to the same.

Here's a late night visitor from my back yard. Note the time... Pitch black out.
 

Attachments

  • Back yard visitor.jpg
    Back yard visitor.jpg
    62.6 KB · Views: 74
P

Pyzon

New member
You know, anything you do to decrease your vulnerability from the bads will help, to include cameras and the like. When the threads show up on this and other forums questioning "What is the best gun for home defense (for my 80 year old mom, my wife, this and that person...)I always seem to chime in about hardening your perimeter, with better door and window locks, motion detecting lights POINTING OUT INTO YOUR YARD-NOT TOWARDS THE HOUSE AND YOUR EYES, and making up a family SOP regarding things like answering the door with a stranger outside or what to do when the bump in the night occurs. And getting to know your neighbors and what their HD interests and abilities might be is good, so that a neighborhood security perimeter can also be established. Make the dirtballs choose somebody down the block that is easy pickings is what I am saying. But like mentioned here, I have concerns about the security of a web based camera monitoring system that can be cracked. Does it not feed off of your hopefully encrypted network ? Just askin'....
 
D

Dragline45

New member
I will never have cameras in my home which are linked to an external network... a network which is outside of my total control. A web link to a camera is hackable by bad guys
Click to expand...

+1 to this. Last year a major security company had the information for their security cameras leaked. As a result people were able to watch live feed off security cameras in thousands of peoples homes. This went on for months before they fixed it. It didn't even involve hacking to get into the cameras, it was as simple as finding the leaked document on the web and copying and pasting the URL into your web browser. Doing so would give you the live feed of said persons security cameras. Eventually people figured out you could just switch around the combination of numbers and letters in the URL and it would give you access to a different persons security cameras.
 
T

thump_rrr

New member
Cameras are great when used as part of a complete home security strategy.

Advanced setup features such as MAC filtering can be used to prevent strangers from viewing your camera feeds.

Interior camera feeds can be wired only to activate when the alarm system is armed in the away setting.

I don't need my cameras monitoring me while I am home.
 
G

Garycw

New member
My cameras to be viewed online need to go to the appropriate website or app then enter a secure user name and password. Otherwise it's not pulled up online. While at home they're used in conjunction with OPTEX wireless 2000 sensors that emit different tone patterns for different areas around the house and lane. At night perimeter and some interior sensors are activated into main alarm system.
 
T

TXAZ

New member
Get on the supercircuits.com daily deal list. You can get a better deal from their periodic packages than the costco offer, but you will have to wait and watch.
 
D

Daffy

New member
But like mentioned here, I have concerns about the security of a web based camera monitoring system that can be cracked. Does it not feed off of your hopefully encrypted network ? Just askin'....


Could mine be compromised?? Yeah probably, it would take a bunch of effort though.

Username is not set to "guest" or "me" or even a dictionary searchable term. Basically 2 very difficult passwords for both the username and password.

Since the software running the cameras is port sensitive and I have that port open through my router(port forwarding), port scans could be done on my public IP Address to see what ports are open and the "hacking" at it could commence.

Having done some of this kind of thing in a past life hasn't hurt on knowing better security habits of my own network. :eek:

Ok now lets say my system is compromised... Enjoy the view of my driveway and yard.. Only view is possible no adjustments to software or cameras can be done from the web... (Software settings) Oh and I get notified within the software of your IP address, better not be correct to where you live, after I change username/password, you might be in for some bad juju....

I've had this system up for ~ 1 year, never seen any ip address' listed from web access that weren't me.
 
O

OuTcAsT

New member
I've had this system up for ~ 1 year, never seen any ip address' listed from web access that weren't me.
Click to expand...

Same here, been using it for almost 2 years, never had an outside IP that was able to hack my cameras, I check the log daily.
 
C

chris in va

New member
Be sure and get an HD camera if you can afford it. We had issues with a next door neighbor and a trailer theft so I got a Swann two camera system. The included cameras are supposed to be one level down from HD but night operation is very grainy and vague. The online app is kinda cool though.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top