Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop,comp.home.automation,alt.security.alarms (More info?)

I desire to set up a couple of security cameras at my home and the local
church school principal asked me to make recommendations for a video
security system there. Can you please give me guidance on any of the
following questions that I have.

For purposes of conversation, I doubt that the school would want to spend
more than $2,000 for the equipment (Recording equipment and three or four
cameras) and they will install it themselves (money is tight in a self
supporting school). For my home application I do not want to spend more
than $1,000 for the same and it will also be DIY. A lot less at my home
would be even better, of course!

Which is best for video with minimal to moderate hassle, on the low to
middle of the price spectrum, and bang for the buck (value) perspective? A
Network/Internet camera (one with a built in web server, not a USB webcam)
or the traditional cameras that are not networked. My observations are that
the decent network cameras are still quite expensive while you can buy all
sorts of video security cameras on eBay for < $100. It seems like much of
the time that I try to view a camera on-line it seems to not work at all or
not work well, causing me to question their reliability. Also, in reading
product reviews on Amazon.com and other sites, I see that a lot of people
seem to have trouble with the initial configuration of such products thru
firewalls and such. I'm also not sure if the video quality is generally as
good as a traditional camera or not. Nonetheless, it seems like it would be
nice to not have to route thru a PC and still make yourself directly
available on the net.

What is the best hardware to record the video? You can buy 4-camera video
capture cards with software on eBay for $20 - 50. You can buy a dedicated
DVR to do the same for several hundred dollars. If one has a late model PC
with a large hard drive and fast processor, is there a good reason not to
use it for video surveillance? Does the software that's out there work good
or is it bug and hassle prone? What are the pros and cons and issues here.

There is also a $100 device on eBay titled "IP Network web camera video
server 9100A, DVR, AXIS" that looks impressive and supposedly turns regular
cameras into a network based system. It can be viewed at
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d [...] 5610&rd=1.
I wonder if that would work well.

Is there something better that is beyond what I've spoken of here?

If anyone could speak to the pros and cons of the various options, including
naming any makes and models of specific products and/or web links, I would
be forever grateful. Without actually buying and trying all the options,
it's so hard to know what is best. I hope that some of you on these
newsgroups have gone before me and got it figured out and tested some of
these products.

--
David Jensen
Change the xx in my email address to MJ for my real email address. Thanks.

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop,comp.home.automation,alt.security.alarms (More info?)

David, Look at Panasonic's (Consumer) Network Cameras. They range in price
from about the $150.00 Range up to about $900. They also have monitoring and
recording software that support the cameras, as well as a **Free** DDNS
service that lets you view the cameras from anywhere on the web. These
cameras do not need a PC to function, and can be wired, or wireless 802.xx
They are easy to set up, from a home page (web server like) program. You can
also set up an FTP server (Free Software) if you don't want to use their
recording software.

Jack

"David Jensen" <DJNews1@xxAssociates.net> wrote in message
news:3ZZ1e.7655$z.6814@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...
> I desire to set up a couple of security cameras at my home and the local
> church school principal asked me to make recommendations for a video
> security system there. Can you please give me guidance on any of the
> following questions that I have.
>
> For purposes of conversation, I doubt that the school would want to spend
> more than $2,000 for the equipment (Recording equipment and three or four
> cameras) and they will install it themselves (money is tight in a self
> supporting school). For my home application I do not want to spend more
> than $1,000 for the same and it will also be DIY. A lot less at my home
> would be even better, of course!
>
> Which is best for video with minimal to moderate hassle, on the low to
> middle of the price spectrum, and bang for the buck (value) perspective?
A
> Network/Internet camera (one with a built in web server, not a USB webcam)
> or the traditional cameras that are not networked. My observations are
that
> the decent network cameras are still quite expensive while you can buy all
> sorts of video security cameras on eBay for < $100. It seems like much of
> the time that I try to view a camera on-line it seems to not work at all
or
> not work well, causing me to question their reliability. Also, in reading
> product reviews on Amazon.com and other sites, I see that a lot of people
> seem to have trouble with the initial configuration of such products thru
> firewalls and such. I'm also not sure if the video quality is generally
as
> good as a traditional camera or not. Nonetheless, it seems like it would
be
> nice to not have to route thru a PC and still make yourself directly
> available on the net.
>
> What is the best hardware to record the video? You can buy 4-camera video
> capture cards with software on eBay for $20 - 50. You can buy a dedicated
> DVR to do the same for several hundred dollars. If one has a late model
PC
> with a large hard drive and fast processor, is there a good reason not to
> use it for video surveillance? Does the software that's out there work
good
> or is it bug and hassle prone? What are the pros and cons and issues
here.
>
> There is also a $100 device on eBay titled "IP Network web camera video
> server 9100A, DVR, AXIS" that looks impressive and supposedly turns
regular
> cameras into a network based system. It can be viewed at
>
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d [...] 5610&rd=1.
> I wonder if that would work well.
>
> Is there something better that is beyond what I've spoken of here?
>
> If anyone could speak to the pros and cons of the various options,
including
> naming any makes and models of specific products and/or web links, I would
> be forever grateful. Without actually buying and trying all the options,
> it's so hard to know what is best. I hope that some of you on these
> newsgroups have gone before me and got it figured out and tested some of
> these products.
>
> --
> David Jensen
> Change the xx in my email address to MJ for my real email address.
Thanks.
>
>

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop,comp.home.automation,alt.security.alarms (More info?)

"David Jensen" <DJNews1@xxAssociates.net> wrote in
news:3ZZ1e.7655$z.6814@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net:

> Which is best for video with minimal to moderate hassle, on the low to
> middle of the price spectrum, and bang for the buck (value)
> perspective? A Network/Internet camera (one with a built in web
> server, not a USB webcam) or the traditional cameras that are not
> networked. My observations are that the decent network cameras are
> still quite expensive while you can buy all sorts of video security
> cameras on eBay for < $100. It seems like much of the time that I try
> to view a camera on-line it seems to not work at all or not work well,
> causing me to question their reliability. Also, in reading product
> reviews on Amazon.com and other sites, I see that a lot of people seem
> to have trouble with the initial configuration of such products thru
> firewalls and such. I'm also not sure if the video quality is
> generally as good as a traditional camera or not. Nonetheless, it
> seems like it would be nice to not have to route thru a PC and still
> make yourself directly available on the net.
>
> What is the best hardware to record the video? You can buy 4-camera
> video capture cards with software on eBay for $20 - 50. You can buy a
> dedicated DVR to do the same for several hundred dollars. If one has
> a late model PC with a large hard drive and fast processor, is there a
> good reason not to use it for video surveillance? Does the software
> that's out there work good or is it bug and hassle prone? What are
> the pros and cons and issues here.
>
> There is also a $100 device on eBay titled "IP Network web camera
> video server 9100A, DVR, AXIS" that looks impressive and supposedly
> turns regular cameras into a network based system. It can be viewed
> at
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d [...] 8634&item=
57636
> 15610&rd=1. I wonder if that would work well.


Do you need full motion video capture? Or will stills do?

You can purchase a decent video server for ~300 - 400.00 USD. Hook your
cameras to the video server and archive the stills to a FTP Server or
File Servfer.

Video servers convert analog CCTV camera pictures into JPEG/MJPEG or a
variety of other formats. Video servers can produce a better quality
picture than IP cameras since the lenses and quality of CCTV cameras
tend to be better than 90% of the IP cameras out there. Not to mention,
CCTV cameras are MUCH cheaper.

There are several brands of video servers out there. I can't really tell
you which is the best one, since each have their own feature set that
you might find useful. One useful feature you might want to look for is
compactflash slot on the video server - this allows the server to
archive a backup copy of the still onto a local card... in case the
remote server is down. I've seen one or two video servers with this
feature.

BTW, you asked why not use an old PC? Since this is for security you
probably want high availability. Unless your old PC an provide quick
recovery, ease of use, etc, it's better off buying a dedicated recording
device.

You really don't want to find out the next day after the school has been
broken into that the PC you set up has crashed : )

Oh, might want to add a UPS to the recording device too!

--
Lucas Tam (REMOVEnntp@rogers.com)
Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop,comp.home.automation,alt.security.alarms (More info?)

And don't forget physical security for the DVR/PC/Recording Device! A
perfect video of someone's face as they break in doesn't help if he steals
the computer it's recorded on. . .


"Lucas Tam" <REMOVEnntp@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9627C00543A5Dnntprogerscom@127.0.0.1...
> "David Jensen" <DJNews1@xxAssociates.net> wrote in
> news:3ZZ1e.7655$z.6814@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net:
>
>> Which is best for video with minimal to moderate hassle, on the low to
>> middle of the price spectrum, and bang for the buck (value)
>> perspective? A Network/Internet camera (one with a built in web
>> server, not a USB webcam) or the traditional cameras that are not
>> networked. My observations are that the decent network cameras are
>> still quite expensive while you can buy all sorts of video security
>> cameras on eBay for < $100. It seems like much of the time that I try
>> to view a camera on-line it seems to not work at all or not work well,
>> causing me to question their reliability. Also, in reading product
>> reviews on Amazon.com and other sites, I see that a lot of people seem
>> to have trouble with the initial configuration of such products thru
>> firewalls and such. I'm also not sure if the video quality is
>> generally as good as a traditional camera or not. Nonetheless, it
>> seems like it would be nice to not have to route thru a PC and still
>> make yourself directly available on the net.
>>
>> What is the best hardware to record the video? You can buy 4-camera
>> video capture cards with software on eBay for $20 - 50. You can buy a
>> dedicated DVR to do the same for several hundred dollars. If one has
>> a late model PC with a large hard drive and fast processor, is there a
>> good reason not to use it for video surveillance? Does the software
>> that's out there work good or is it bug and hassle prone? What are
>> the pros and cons and issues here.
>>
>> There is also a $100 device on eBay titled "IP Network web camera
>> video server 9100A, DVR, AXIS" that looks impressive and supposedly
>> turns regular cameras into a network based system. It can be viewed
>> at
>> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d [...] 8634&item=
> 57636
>> 15610&rd=1. I wonder if that would work well.
>
>
> Do you need full motion video capture? Or will stills do?
>
> You can purchase a decent video server for ~300 - 400.00 USD. Hook your
> cameras to the video server and archive the stills to a FTP Server or
> File Servfer.
>
> Video servers convert analog CCTV camera pictures into JPEG/MJPEG or a
> variety of other formats. Video servers can produce a better quality
> picture than IP cameras since the lenses and quality of CCTV cameras
> tend to be better than 90% of the IP cameras out there. Not to mention,
> CCTV cameras are MUCH cheaper.
>
> There are several brands of video servers out there. I can't really tell
> you which is the best one, since each have their own feature set that
> you might find useful. One useful feature you might want to look for is
> compactflash slot on the video server - this allows the server to
> archive a backup copy of the still onto a local card... in case the
> remote server is down. I've seen one or two video servers with this
> feature.
>
> BTW, you asked why not use an old PC? Since this is for security you
> probably want high availability. Unless your old PC an provide quick
> recovery, ease of use, etc, it's better off buying a dedicated recording
> device.
>
> You really don't want to find out the next day after the school has been
> broken into that the PC you set up has crashed : )
>
> Oh, might want to add a UPS to the recording device too!
>
> --
> Lucas Tam (REMOVEnntp@rogers.com)
> Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
> http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop,comp.home.automation,alt.security.alarms (More info?)

For a PC, http://www.pysoft.com/ActiveWebCamMainpage.htm and other such
programs work well with cheap webcams.

The better ones easily take as many feeds as you want, dump them to
files on the HD for later review, can be triggered by motion (saving
disk space), etc.

The all-in-one solutions like
http://support.dlink.com/products/ [...] DCS%2D1000
are more expensive, but they're just easy-to-setup IP devices accessible
anywhere in the world.

---

Keep in mind that commerical security cams have improved as well, and
many models have replaced the tape deck with a digital recorder that
accepts multiple inputs.

Of course, it's easier to archive, search and control remotely the PC
solutions...

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop,comp.home.automation,alt.security.alarms (More info?)

"Lucas Tam" <REMOVEnntp@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9627C00543A5Dnntprogerscom@127.0.0.1...
> "David Jensen" <DJNews1@xxAssociates.net> wrote in
> news:3ZZ1e.7655$z.6814@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net:
>
> > Which is best for video with minimal to moderate hassle, on the low to
> > middle of the price spectrum, and bang for the buck (value)
> > perspective? A Network/Internet camera (one with a built in web
> > server, not a USB webcam) or the traditional cameras that are not
> > networked. My observations are that the decent network cameras are
> > still quite expensive while you can buy all sorts of video security
> > cameras on eBay for < $100. It seems like much of the time that I try
> > to view a camera on-line it seems to not work at all or not work well,
> > causing me to question their reliability. Also, in reading product
> > reviews on Amazon.com and other sites, I see that a lot of people seem
> > to have trouble with the initial configuration of such products thru
> > firewalls and such. I'm also not sure if the video quality is
> > generally as good as a traditional camera or not. Nonetheless, it
> > seems like it would be nice to not have to route thru a PC and still
> > make yourself directly available on the net.
> >
> > What is the best hardware to record the video? You can buy 4-camera
> > video capture cards with software on eBay for $20 - 50. You can buy a
> > dedicated DVR to do the same for several hundred dollars. If one has
> > a late model PC with a large hard drive and fast processor, is there a
> > good reason not to use it for video surveillance? Does the software
> > that's out there work good or is it bug and hassle prone? What are
> > the pros and cons and issues here.
> >
> > There is also a $100 device on eBay titled "IP Network web camera
> > video server 9100A, DVR, AXIS" that looks impressive and supposedly
> > turns regular cameras into a network based system. It can be viewed
> > at
> > http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d [...] 8634&item=
> 57636
> > 15610&rd=1. I wonder if that would work well.
>
>
> Do you need full motion video capture? Or will stills do?
>
> You can purchase a decent video server for ~300 - 400.00 USD. Hook your
> cameras to the video server and archive the stills to a FTP Server or
> File Servfer.
>
> Video servers convert analog CCTV camera pictures into JPEG/MJPEG or a
> variety of other formats. Video servers can produce a better quality
> picture than IP cameras since the lenses and quality of CCTV cameras
> tend to be better than 90% of the IP cameras out there. Not to mention,
> CCTV cameras are MUCH cheaper.
>
> There are several brands of video servers out there. I can't really tell
> you which is the best one, since each have their own feature set that
> you might find useful. One useful feature you might want to look for is
> compactflash slot on the video server - this allows the server to
> archive a backup copy of the still onto a local card... in case the
> remote server is down. I've seen one or two video servers with this
> feature.
>
> BTW, you asked why not use an old PC? Since this is for security you
> probably want high availability. Unless your old PC an provide quick
> recovery, ease of use, etc, it's better off buying a dedicated recording
> device.
>
> You really don't want to find out the next day after the school has been
> broken into that the PC you set up has crashed : )
>
> Oh, might want to add a UPS to the recording device too!
>
> --
> Lucas Tam (REMOVEnntp@rogers.com)
> Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
> http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/

I think that video would be preferable unless there were a large number of
stills taken per minute. I would certainly hate to miss some action becuase
it happened between frames. You are right though that a still picture can
have a much higher resolution that a single frame from a video feed. Maybe
one decent sill per second would be better than 30 FPS video, I don't know.

When I was talking about using a PC, I would referring to a current
generation PC loaded with a large hard drive, a gig of RAM and plenty of
excess processor time running a stable version of XP - that is to say, as
stable as Microsoft is able to get it! A high speed Internet hookup opens
up the opportunity to back up any images remotely, further increasing
security. The truth is, every decision in life comes down to tradeoffs in
one way or another. Yes, the PC might not be as reliable as a dedicated
DVR server but if dollars prohibit purchasing a DVR for home use, perhaps a
PC that is already sitting there in the office, doing nothing much of the
time is a cost effective alternative. If it is up 80% of the time, you're
still better off than not having any system.

Thanks for your input.

David Jensen

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop,comp.home.automation,alt.security.alarms (More info?)

This is true. This is another reason to at least upload some of the video
or still images to a remote server. Than there is basically nothing they
can do to destroy the evidence unless they cut your phone line - which I ran
underground and into the house instead of outside the house - to prevent
this from happening.

David Jensen


"Fred" <mbunnell@verizon.net> wrote in message
news:4Y02e.33054$mq2.10078@trnddc08...
> And don't forget physical security for the DVR/PC/Recording Device! A
> perfect video of someone's face as they break in doesn't help if he steals
> the computer it's recorded on. . .
>
>
> "Lucas Tam" <REMOVEnntp@rogers.com> wrote in message
> news:Xns9627C00543A5Dnntprogerscom@127.0.0.1...
> > "David Jensen" <DJNews1@xxAssociates.net> wrote in
> > news:3ZZ1e.7655$z.6814@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net:
> >
> >> Which is best for video with minimal to moderate hassle, on the low to
> >> middle of the price spectrum, and bang for the buck (value)
> >> perspective? A Network/Internet camera (one with a built in web
> >> server, not a USB webcam) or the traditional cameras that are not
> >> networked. My observations are that the decent network cameras are
> >> still quite expensive while you can buy all sorts of video security
> >> cameras on eBay for < $100. It seems like much of the time that I try
> >> to view a camera on-line it seems to not work at all or not work well,
> >> causing me to question their reliability. Also, in reading product
> >> reviews on Amazon.com and other sites, I see that a lot of people seem
> >> to have trouble with the initial configuration of such products thru
> >> firewalls and such. I'm also not sure if the video quality is
> >> generally as good as a traditional camera or not. Nonetheless, it
> >> seems like it would be nice to not have to route thru a PC and still
> >> make yourself directly available on the net.
> >>
> >> What is the best hardware to record the video? You can buy 4-camera
> >> video capture cards with software on eBay for $20 - 50. You can buy a
> >> dedicated DVR to do the same for several hundred dollars. If one has
> >> a late model PC with a large hard drive and fast processor, is there a
> >> good reason not to use it for video surveillance? Does the software
> >> that's out there work good or is it bug and hassle prone? What are
> >> the pros and cons and issues here.
> >>
> >> There is also a $100 device on eBay titled "IP Network web camera
> >> video server 9100A, DVR, AXIS" that looks impressive and supposedly
> >> turns regular cameras into a network based system. It can be viewed
> >> at
> >> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d [...] 8634&item=
> > 57636
> >> 15610&rd=1. I wonder if that would work well.
> >
> >
> > Do you need full motion video capture? Or will stills do?
> >
> > You can purchase a decent video server for ~300 - 400.00 USD. Hook your
> > cameras to the video server and archive the stills to a FTP Server or
> > File Servfer.
> >
> > Video servers convert analog CCTV camera pictures into JPEG/MJPEG or a
> > variety of other formats. Video servers can produce a better quality
> > picture than IP cameras since the lenses and quality of CCTV cameras
> > tend to be better than 90% of the IP cameras out there. Not to mention,
> > CCTV cameras are MUCH cheaper.
> >
> > There are several brands of video servers out there. I can't really tell
> > you which is the best one, since each have their own feature set that
> > you might find useful. One useful feature you might want to look for is
> > compactflash slot on the video server - this allows the server to
> > archive a backup copy of the still onto a local card... in case the
> > remote server is down. I've seen one or two video servers with this
> > feature.
> >
> > BTW, you asked why not use an old PC? Since this is for security you
> > probably want high availability. Unless your old PC an provide quick
> > recovery, ease of use, etc, it's better off buying a dedicated recording
> > device.
> >
> > You really don't want to find out the next day after the school has been
> > broken into that the PC you set up has crashed : )
> >
> > Oh, might want to add a UPS to the recording device too!
> >
> > --
> > Lucas Tam (REMOVEnntp@rogers.com)
> > Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
> > http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/
>
>

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop,comp.home.automation,alt.security.alarms (More info?)

"David Jensen" <DJNews1@xxAssociates.net> wrote in message
news:3ZZ1e.7655$z.6814@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net...
> I desire to set up a couple of security cameras at my home and the local
> church school principal asked me to make recommendations for a video
> security system there. Can you please give me guidance on any of the
> following questions that I have.
>
>SNIP> --
> David Jensen
> Change the xx in my email address to MJ for my real email address.
Thanks.
>
>

If you already have a decent PC (PIII or better), I would recommend a
Geovision video capture card. You can regularly get them on e-bay for 1/2
the retail price. Get a 4 channel model for $200 or less, and purchase some
B&W Xanboo cameras that operate on a single Cat5 cable for video, audio,
motion and limited IR, plus they're weatherproof. The cameras are around
$70/each.

The Geovision software will allow you to remote monitor via the web, record
on motion and/or schedules, send video or jpegs to your e-mail or cellphone
on motion events, etc.

Robert

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop,comp.home.automation,alt.security.alarms (More info?)

"David Jensen" <DJNews1@xxAssociates.net> wrote in
news:vrd2e.126$44.21@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net:

> I think that video would be preferable unless there were a large
> number of stills taken per minute. I would certainly hate to miss
> some action becuase it happened between frames. You are right though
> that a still picture can have a much higher resolution that a single
> frame from a video feed. Maybe one decent sill per second would be
> better than 30 FPS video, I don't know.

If you hook up your video system to your security system, you can do a
smart (or motion) trigger. Basically the video system will archive
pictures before the event and after the event and notify you via email
or pager. Some video systems can do this without integrating into the
security system by doing video motion detection but this is slightly
less accurrate.


Most video servers allow upto 1 FPS when you're doing JPEG uploads... so
it's quite a few frames. Otherwise they can also stream 15 - 30 FPS
MJPEG video to web clients (not sure if all servers have the ability to
archive MJPEG streams though).

Anyhow, just an option. For a school, I would opt for a video server,
DVR, or a packaged monitoring system since these are easy to maintain
without hassle. The video server option is probably the cheapest.

--
Lucas Tam (REMOVEnntp@rogers.com)
Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop,comp.home.automation,alt.security.alarms (More info?)

I would additionally suggest powering the equipment from a UPS
(Uninterruptible Power Supply), if you think there is a chance that
someone might also cut off AC power.

This could keep the data collection going for a few minutes, depending
on the chosen UPS and the load of the surveillance equipment.

Gino

On 3/29/2005, David Jensen managed to type:
> This is true. This is another reason to at least upload some of the video
> or still images to a remote server. Than there is basically nothing they
> can do to destroy the evidence unless they cut your phone line - which I ran
> underground and into the house instead of outside the house - to prevent
> this from happening.
>
> David Jensen
>
>
> "Fred" <mbunnell@verizon.net> wrote in message
> news:4Y02e.33054$mq2.10078@trnddc08...
>> And don't forget physical security for the DVR/PC/Recording Device! A
>> perfect video of someone's face as they break in doesn't help if he steals
>> the computer it's recorded on. . .
>>
>>
>> "Lucas Tam" <REMOVEnntp@rogers.com> wrote in message
>> news:Xns9627C00543A5Dnntprogerscom@127.0.0.1...
>>> "David Jensen" <DJNews1@xxAssociates.net> wrote in
>>> news:3ZZ1e.7655$z.6814@newsread2.news.atl.earthlink.net:
>>>
>>>> Which is best for video with minimal to moderate hassle, on the low to
>>>> middle of the price spectrum, and bang for the buck (value)
>>>> perspective? A Network/Internet camera (one with a built in web
>>>> server, not a USB webcam) or the traditional cameras that are not
>>>> networked. My observations are that the decent network cameras are
>>>> still quite expensive while you can buy all sorts of video security
>>>> cameras on eBay for < $100. It seems like much of the time that I try
>>>> to view a camera on-line it seems to not work at all or not work well,
>>>> causing me to question their reliability. Also, in reading product
>>>> reviews on Amazon.com and other sites, I see that a lot of people seem
>>>> to have trouble with the initial configuration of such products thru
>>>> firewalls and such. I'm also not sure if the video quality is
>>>> generally as good as a traditional camera or not. Nonetheless, it
>>>> seems like it would be nice to not have to route thru a PC and still
>>>> make yourself directly available on the net.
>>>>
>>>> What is the best hardware to record the video? You can buy 4-camera
>>>> video capture cards with software on eBay for $20 - 50. You can buy a
>>>> dedicated DVR to do the same for several hundred dollars. If one has
>>>> a late model PC with a large hard drive and fast processor, is there a
>>>> good reason not to use it for video surveillance? Does the software
>>>> that's out there work good or is it bug and hassle prone? What are
>>>> the pros and cons and issues here.
>>>>
>>>> There is also a $100 device on eBay titled "IP Network web camera
>>>> video server 9100A, DVR, AXIS" that looks impressive and supposedly
>>>> turns regular cameras into a network based system. It can be viewed
>>>> at
>>>> http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.d [...] 8634&item= 57636
>>>> 15610&rd=1. I wonder if that would work well.
>>>
>>>
>>> Do you need full motion video capture? Or will stills do?
>>>
>>> You can purchase a decent video server for ~300 - 400.00 USD. Hook your
>>> cameras to the video server and archive the stills to a FTP Server or
>>> File Servfer.
>>>
>>> Video servers convert analog CCTV camera pictures into JPEG/MJPEG or a
>>> variety of other formats. Video servers can produce a better quality
>>> picture than IP cameras since the lenses and quality of CCTV cameras
>>> tend to be better than 90% of the IP cameras out there. Not to mention,
>>> CCTV cameras are MUCH cheaper.
>>>
>>> There are several brands of video servers out there. I can't really tell
>>> you which is the best one, since each have their own feature set that
>>> you might find useful. One useful feature you might want to look for is
>>> compactflash slot on the video server - this allows the server to
>>> archive a backup copy of the still onto a local card... in case the
>>> remote server is down. I've seen one or two video servers with this
>>> feature.
>>>
>>> BTW, you asked why not use an old PC? Since this is for security you
>>> probably want high availability. Unless your old PC an provide quick
>>> recovery, ease of use, etc, it's better off buying a dedicated recording
>>> device.
>>>
>>> You really don't want to find out the next day after the school has been
>>> broken into that the PC you set up has crashed : )
>>>
>>> Oh, might want to add a UPS to the recording device too!
>>>
>>> --
>>> Lucas Tam (REMOVEnntp@rogers.com)
>>> Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
>>> http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/

--
Gene E. Bloch (Gino)
letters617blochg3251
(replace the numbers by "at" and "dotcom" )

Archived from groups: rec.video.desktop,comp.home.automation,alt.security.alarms (More info?)

Thanks again for your input.

David

"Lucas Tam" <REMOVEnntp@rogers.com> wrote in message
news:Xns96286AA94C039nntprogerscom@127.0.0.1...
> "David Jensen" <DJNews1@xxAssociates.net> wrote in
> news:vrd2e.126$44.21@newsread1.news.atl.earthlink.net:
>
> > I think that video would be preferable unless there were a large
> > number of stills taken per minute. I would certainly hate to miss
> > some action becuase it happened between frames. You are right though
> > that a still picture can have a much higher resolution that a single
> > frame from a video feed. Maybe one decent sill per second would be
> > better than 30 FPS video, I don't know.
>
> If you hook up your video system to your security system, you can do a
> smart (or motion) trigger. Basically the video system will archive
> pictures before the event and after the event and notify you via email
> or pager. Some video systems can do this without integrating into the
> security system by doing video motion detection but this is slightly
> less accurrate.
>
>
> Most video servers allow upto 1 FPS when you're doing JPEG uploads... so
> it's quite a few frames. Otherwise they can also stream 15 - 30 FPS
> MJPEG video to web clients (not sure if all servers have the ability to
> archive MJPEG streams though).
>
> Anyhow, just an option. For a school, I would opt for a video server,
> DVR, or a packaged monitoring system since these are easy to maintain
> without hassle. The video server option is probably the cheapest.
>
> --
> Lucas Tam (REMOVEnntp@rogers.com)
> Please delete "REMOVE" from the e-mail address when replying.
> http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/coolspot18/