Indoor camera looking out window, or outdoor camera?

A place for discussion of topics that are not specific to ZoneMinder. This could include Linux, Video4Linux, CCTV cameras or any other topic.
Post Reply
archangel689
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2009 4:50 am

Indoor camera looking out window, or outdoor camera?

Post by archangel689 »

So, in the last several years I've lived here, I've had one attempted break in. The general neighborhood is far worse however. One person was shot in the face earlier last week, in a gang related incident. Additionally, there were two events on my block this year which involved the city's SWAT.

There's some generally shady activity that goes on, especially at night.Across the street, hookers take clients behind an abandoned building. There are drug deals sometimes probably too. I'd love to aim a camera right at it.

Both my neighbor and I own firearms and keep eye on each other's properties. I have bars on my lower windows and a 7ft fence surrounds the property--I've thought about the idea of cameras and I have plenty of experience with Debian.

My roomate's car was vandalized, yesterday right out front of my property.

I don't have the money for a big outdoor Axis camera and enclosure. I really want the deterrent that would bring. I could instead put indoor cameras looking out the upstairs windows but I would lose the deterrent factor...any ideas? I just need something that gets the job done. It's just the front of the house that's the problem. The rear and side are guarded by a pittbull while the other side is another house (my house is a row-end)

My entire house has ethernet and it would be easy to put a hole in the wall and shove cable out.
dhcpy
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2009 11:23 am

Post by dhcpy »

Maybe some fake cameras on the outside, just to make that sensation of a secure perimeter and also to not lose money in case they get vandalized.
You could then put real cameras on more safe spots, maybe even aiming at the decoy cameras.. or protected in some DIY enclosure.
I would also recommend dogs, big ones, like German Sheppard if there is a chance.
good luck!
User avatar
kingofkya
Posts: 1110
Joined: Mon Mar 26, 2007 6:07 am
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada

Post by kingofkya »

Maybe try BSTI cameras most say ther pretty good deal for ip cam its about $500 for 5 (shiping from twain)

http://www.bsti.com.tw/ip-surveillance/ ... index.html
archangel689
Posts: 7
Joined: Mon Nov 30, 2009 4:50 am

Post by archangel689 »

BSTI? That way, when they get smashed, who cares?

BSTI cameras are only a little more then the cost of a dummy camera.

My only concern with this is back end hardware. I have a machine sitting the basement that was used to run a debian sound system. It's a old ASUS board with 2 450mhz Xeons and two 40 gig drives. I'm under the impression it would get at least one, maybe two cameras running... will it work, or should I forget about it?

I thought about a Vivotek 7361 since it has internal storage....http://www.vivotek.com/products/model.p ... era=ip7361


What ever I put up will break before it comes down, I do have a hammer drill.
DaveQB
Posts: 59
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2010 4:30 am
Location: Sydney, NSW

Post by DaveQB »

Has the Vivotek IP7361 worked for anyone in Zoneminder?
danensis
Posts: 20
Joined: Tue Nov 13, 2007 7:39 pm

Post by danensis »

I have both indoor and outdoor cameras. The outdoor ones don't seem to deter the kids who are throwing stones at the windows. I was surprised that a friend's child, on a visit, spotted the internal camera on the upstairs windowsill. The problem with indoor cameras is (a), if you switch on a light in the room you get reflections from the window glass, even with the camera lens touching the glass and (b) unless you have good ventilation across the window glass there will be misting up in very cold weather.

John
Post Reply