Camera Location Advice

[jweage]

We had several vehicle breakins and a smashed window over the last month. So its time to upgrade. I've use wireless foscams in the basement/play area/rooms to keep eye on kids. But pointing them out windows didn't give a clear enough picture.

First I would like to put 3 HIK 2332 EXIR 3mp 4mm at Locations A, B, C

For the Front door/Covered porch there are a few spot that I could place the camera most likely a Hik 2032 3mp 4mm bullet, or should I go 2.8MM?
1 - to visible from sidewalk approach?
2 - Hidden behind beam, but may only see persons back
3 - outside covered porch, but may only see persons back.
4- pointing across the front of porch, Next to Camara A

Camera G, Right side of house. hik 2032 3mp bullet looking down side of house towards back yard?

Camera D. Left side of house, hik 2032 3mp Bullet looking down left side of house towards back yard. Just that there is a hill there and bushes next to house. So considering moving it under second floor D2 vs D1 to get a better view over them. The corner at the back of the house is sort of a blind spot, with the location of the storage shed under the deck. It puts a basement window in this blind spot. Considering just putting an LED motion sensor under the deck to point at this spot and shed.

E Hik 2332 pointing higher at shed and basement slider.
F Hik 2032 pointing lower at deck and deck slider.


In the future, possibly camera under deck to cover the blind corner basement window and storage shed.


I've been looking to find a low voltage tech/ cable installer to run all the cat 6 to the basement, or possible main floor closet. Will depend on their opinion. With it being a split level there are challenges with not having a single open attic. Basically 3 separate roofs/Attics over garage, over 2nd story and over right side of house. From back of house with a walkout basement the 2nd floor looks like a 3rd story.

 

[fenderman]

I would use the 2332 turrets all over...They are better than the bullets and cost about the same. Use a 2.8 over the door..make sure you mount it in a location where you can see someone at the door and also a package left there for you...You might want to order a 2.8 and 4mm then test each location to see which one you prefer at each then place the rest of your order.
You could probably get away with a single camera at point B instead of both b and c..
E and F are way to high to get a good capture...consider mounting them lower

 

[blake]

I would use the 2332 turrets all over...They are better than the bullets and cost about the same. Use a 2.8 over the door..make sure you mount it in a location where you can see someone at the door and also a package left there for you...You might want to order a 2.8 and 4mm then test each location to see which one you prefer at each then place the rest of your order.
You could probably get away with a single camera at point B instead of both b and c..
E and F are way to high to get a good capture...consider mounting them lower

I second using the 2332 turrets all over. I've just completed two installs using just turrets, and they are now my favorite for residentials. Much better look than bullets poking out, all metal construction and separate EXIR ir is a winner!

 

[jweage]

F is only 10' above the level it will be used for on the deck slider.

I would like to possibly mount them lower but the length of the basement is completely finished and don't want to poking holes in walls/ceilings to run the wires.

If they do break into the basement they would be captured on the internal wireless foscams.

 

[blake]

If you can drill up from the basement, then go out under your vinyl siding you'll be in great shape. If your worried, have an electrician come out and give you a quote just for running your cables.

 

[networkcameracritic]

Get a Google Map birds eye view of your home (or fly a drone up there and snap a pic). Print it out and use that to figure out camera location and lens FOV. Just draw straight lines out from each camera showing the field of view you want, measure the angle with a protractor and match that up with vendor specs. I like the 2332 or more popular 3332, but honestly, they are chunky and one reason I don't use them. High up I would use the 2032 bullets. Lower where someone can reach it by the front door, pay al little more and get the 2732. Solid metal vandal dome, good illuminator, varifocal so you can set it up the way you want.

The common strategy for surveillance cameras is to have a set of overview and closeup cameras. For example for the front, have one or two overview cameras with 2.8mm lens capturing the area for events like at the corner of your garage that may represent the middle of your property. Then have closeup cameras at choke points, areas where a suspect has to pass to commit a crime like front door, side gates, backyard fence for each side (it's like they will enter from the middle as they have to cross the edges of your backyard for example if they want to get in. You would be surprised, but many of my camera are 6 & 12mm to get the pixel density I need to ID someone but those suck at being overview cameras. For example, front of my home, one 4mm at my driveway, two 12mm looking to the sides. Why, because a suspect will pass the path of those 12mm cameras and when they do, I will have something I can hand to law enforcement they can act on.

 

[jweage]

playing around with temp camera locations in front of house

A 6mm

B 4mm

C 6mm

Porch spot #2 2.8mm

left Side yard location D1 (pointing at neighbors playset, but only way to capture anyone walking up hill.)
12mm

Right side yard location G
12mm, but going to change it to 6mm

 

[jweage]

Then Back yard

This is 4mm but going to change it to 2.8mm
Deck

Then the question is what should I do for the other 2 along back of house.
These are 4mm cameras.
Thought I read somewhere you can run them in 2mp and get a larger FOV?
not sure what settings to change on them for that



Is it better for the camera to be pointing away or towards the back of house?

I can put one under the deck and point it at the house, bc there is a window in a blind spot next to shed.

I can move it and point it away from house???? but still leaves that window in a blind spot?

Tried other spots under the deck

Then for other camera on other corner of house. Under the deck pointing at house?

Or on corner of house pointing out.

 

[bike_rider]

Thanks for taking the time to post sample positions.

I think of cameras in terms of "what" and "who". High cameras with a wide field of view show "what". Low, targeted cameras show "who". I don't try to cover everything; I focus on choke points. I'm used to yards with fences, so your layout is tougher. Where is your power meter? If I'm breaking in (and I'm serious), I'm cutting the power.

I'm not a big fan of cameras mounted high because you get lots of shots of the tops of heads. Put on a hoody and stand in those places and tell me what the camera shows. Cars in the drive way are very hard to cover at night well enough to get any identification without more light. Get some solar powered motion lights covering the cars.

Front of the house. I like that sample on the porch, get a longer lens so that you can see the front door better, that is a good spot - minimal backlighting.

I'd use the 2.8 on the car area to avoid blind spots. You are not going to get identification with the 4mm high mounts.

Back of the house. I like that under the deck location, pointing toward the house. Swing the camera to the right to get excellent coverage of people coming down the stone stairs.

I'd leave the top of the deck as a 4mm. Nobody is getting up there without coming up those stairs, so that's the shot you care about.

The opposite corner camera is a good "what" shot for the patio area, but I'm not sure how to cover that slider. A 4mm on the side of that garden shed might be good.

Right side of the house is tough. People walking up a hill look at their feet most of the time, so that's going to be strictly a "what" camera.