Beginner with Camera System (First time)

[Jeremy Adams]

Hello!

I have been searching the site and read the cliff notes and just wanted to review what I was thinking to see if its accurate.

I'm looking to get 2 or 3 cameras. I have decided on the IPC-HDW5231R-ZE or the HDW2231R-ZS I was thinking use the 5231 by the door and by the garage door and use the 2231 more on the side of the house.

For the NVR I was thinking of the NVR4108-8P-4KS2. I believe this has POE and I would just need to buy a HD to put in it? I assume this would be enough to power the three cameras and be a good start.

Question is around accessing the video and setting triggers. Do most people use the SmartPSS software on a computer to monitor (of course if you have the nvr plugged into a TV or monitor you could do it this way too) The reason I ask is I would probably have the NVR upstairs in our bedroom hooked up to our TV but downstairs in the office I would want the ability to check the cameras. Can I also use the iphone app iDMSS lite to view the video and receive push notifications if it detected movement? Maybe another question if I set the cameras to record 24/7 can I get notifications if they detect movement or is that only if set them to record on movement?

I have a linksys router running tomato by toastman and I have read about locking things down and using VPN. I have no problem connecting to VPN to view the cameras but would I lose the notifications? Just curious how people check the cameras or get notified without going directly to the NVR and scouring tons of footage. Sorry for the long post but is just intimidating jumping in. A buddy told me to just get the Arlo Pro2 but I dont want to change batteries all the time.

Thanks for reading.

 

[mat200]

Welcome Jeremy,

Your buddy is misleading you. If he has a Arlo Pro 2 system - be certain to compare the above cameras you are looking at with the Arlo Pro 2s he may have. Your planned setup will significantly out perform his.

NVR4108-8P-4KS2 - yes you just need to pickup a HDD and cabling.

I have my NVR directly connected to a VGA / HDMI monitor ( can use a TV also ) - it is a fairly simple setup.

 

[aristobrat]

For the NVR that you're looking at, the -8P- in the middle means it has 8 PoE ports on it. This may not be a big deal for you, but with PoE NVRs, the ethernet cables from the cameras have to plug into the back of the NVR. If you're going to have this NVR in your bedroom, then that means all of the ethernet cables for your cameras will need to also run into your bedroom.

Another option you have is to buy the non-PoE version of the NVR, then buy a separate PoE network switch. You may be able to install the PoE network switch in a location where having the camera ethernet cables run to it may be less visible, such as the top of a closet, in the garage, etc. You'll then need to run an ethernet cable to your main router for the PoE switch, and then another ethernet cable to your router for the NVR. May not be worth the extra work, but just wanted to mention it.

I started with a Dahua NVR last year, but the model I used had some firmware issues (since fixed). While they were being sorted, I started playing with Blue Iris running on a spare PC and ended up liking that better than the NVR, so I stuck with it.

You shouldn't have a problem with the Dahua NVR recording 24/7, then additionally setting up IVS on the cameras (which is advanced motion detection, much better than regular motion detection). IVS will put flags on the 24/7 recording that you can use to quickly see when motion happened. You can also have it alert you when an IVS event detects.

The Dahua NVR firmware has changed a lot since I last played with it, but using iDMSS to connect back in and review motion clips was sort of a pain back when I had the NVR. You had to give iDMSS a date/time range to look for events, and then it would give you a list of events to view. It was definitely workable, but I just liked Blue Iris' method better (where you connect, it tells you which cameras have new alert clips you haven't seen, and then shows you thumbnails for them) better -- no having to specify dates/times to see new alerts.

In regards to connecting back to my Dahua NVR, I flipped back and forth between using VPN and using Dahau's P2P service (which uses NAT traversal) to connect. I did receive alerts to my phone/watch regardless of the method I was using, but what messed me up on my iPhone (when I was using my VPN to connect back) was that I didn't have the VPN running 24/7, so when I'd get an iDMSS alert and click on it, it'd try to connect back to my NVR regardless of if the VPN was connected or not. Most of the time the VPN wasn't connected, which means iDMSS would fail to connect... I'd have to connect my VPN, go into iDMSS and then search for new alerts. Again, that process may be better now, ... probably worth some of your time reading the NVR threads and seeing what current owners think.

Couldn't agree with @mat200 about the Dahua Starlights being significantly better than the Arlo Pro 2 in terms of night-time image quality.

 

[Jeremy Adams]

For the NVR that you're looking at, the -8P- in the middle means it has 8 PoE ports on it. This may not be a big deal for you, but with PoE NVRs, the ethernet cables from the cameras have to plug into the back of the NVR. If you're going to have this NVR in your bedroom, then that means all of the ethernet cables for your cameras will need to also run into your bedroom.

Another option you have is to buy the non-PoE version of the NVR, then buy a separate PoE network switch. You may be able to install the PoE network switch in a location where having the camera ethernet cables run to it may be less visible, such as the top of a closet, in the garage, etc. You'll then need to run an ethernet cable to your main router for the PoE switch, and then another ethernet cable to your router for the NVR. May not be worth the extra work, but just wanted to mention it.

I started with a Dahua NVR last year, but the model I used had some firmware issues (since fixed). While they were being sorted, I started playing with Blue Iris running on a spare PC and ended up liking that better than the NVR, so I stuck with it.

You shouldn't have a problem with the Dahua NVR recording 24/7, then additionally setting up IVS on the cameras (which is advanced motion detection, much better than regular motion detection). IVS will put flags on the 24/7 recording that you can use to quickly see when motion happened. You can also have it alert you when an IVS event detects.

The Dahua NVR firmware has changed a lot since I last played with it, but using iDMSS to connect back in and review motion clips was sort of a pain back when I had the NVR. You had to give iDMSS a date/time range to look for events, and then it would give you a list of events to view. It was definitely workable, but I just liked Blue Iris' method better (where you connect, it tells you which cameras have new alert clips you haven't seen, and then shows you thumbnails for them) better -- no having to specify dates/times to see new alerts.

In regards to connecting back to my Dahua NVR, I flipped back and forth between using VPN and using Dahau's P2P service (which uses NAT traversal) to connect. I did receive alerts to my phone/watch regardless of the method I was using, but what messed me up on my iPhone (when I was using my VPN to connect back) was that I didn't have the VPN running 24/7, so when I'd get an iDMSS alert and click on it, it'd try to connect back to my NVR regardless of if the VPN was connected or not. Most of the time the VPN wasn't connected, which means iDMSS would fail to connect... I'd have to connect my VPN, go into iDMSS and then search for new alerts. Again, that process may be better now, ... probably worth some of your time reading the NVR threads and seeing what current owners think.

Couldn't agree with @mat200 about the Dahua Starlights being significantly better than the Arlo Pro 2 in terms of night-time image quality.

Thanks Aristobrat and Mat200, I will do some more reading on the NVR and network security in general on VPN. Just intimidating trying to make my home network safe. Good points on the NVR and separate POE switch. Got me thinking on where to organize things and thinking where is the best way to run the cabling for the cameras to the locations I want.

Also thanks for letting me know that IVS will allow 24/7 recording and flag motion events. Need to brush up on what all these acronyms and options mean for these cameras.

Thanks

 

[mat200]

Thanks Aristobrat and Mat200, I will do some more reading on the NVR and network security in general on VPN. Just intimidating trying to make my home network safe. Good points on the NVR and separate POE switch. Got me thinking on where to organize things and thinking where is the best way to run the cabling for the cameras to the locations I want.

Also thanks for letting me know that IVS will allow 24/7 recording and flag motion events. Need to brush up on what all these acronyms and options mean for these cameras.

Thanks

Happy to help Jeremy,

Remember the cliff notes are your guide here, and that a security camera system and security alarm system augments each other.

 

[aristobrat]

Just intimidating trying to make my home network safe.

If you can possible save doing remote access to your NVR to the end of your project (after everything's been installed/configured/running good for awhile), that might take some of the intimidation away!

IMO, setting up remote access is about the only thing in this project that could jeopardize your home network security. Being able to have time to focus just on that one step (vs. trying to juggle that step in when you're also installing, configuring, etc) is a good thing, IMO.

 

[Jeremy Adams]

Thanks everyone. I have been looking at the following POE switch - HP ProCurve 2520G-8-PoE (J9298A) 8+2 Port Gigabit Ethernet Switch POE
Can I hook the router to port 9 or 10 and use the 8 ports to attach to cameras in the future or do I need to use one of the 8 ports to attach to the router? I never used a managed switch before so not sure what ports 9 and 10 are. It looks like they could attach to another switch but I only have one other un managed switch in the house.