Designing a new system: Begin w/ 5231 as default cam and then find exceptions ?

TundraCam

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Designing a surveillance system for our new house has suddenly fallen in to my lap so I'm trying to do so rather quickly. We are scheduled to move in on 5 Jun. The camera locations (27 in all) and focus points have been determined and pre-wired. I'm trying to pick the best cameras for each.

It seems that perhaps the best approach is to use Dahua IPC-HDW5231R-ZE as the default camera for each location and then figure out which need something different such as higher resolution vs Starlight or PTZ?

Does this sound reasonable? Is there something I should be doing differently?

I am using the IPVM tool (great tool) but it won't allow me to import an image without the expense of joining and the Google Maps image they have is quite old and shows only a portion of the footings (and can't do more than 4 cameras and can't save, ...)

(I have read the cliff's notes (thank you to contributors!) and much of the rest of the wiki).

Thanks,
 
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fenderman

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There are newer 5442 dahua cameras that are superior to the 5321. There is a varifocal turret but it was just released and not available. The fixed turrets have review thereads.
 

TundraCam

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Thanks. From what I've seen the varifocals, besides the zoom capability, have better optical performance than fixed?
 

TundraCam

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Here's what I'm able to do w/ IPVM's 23 month old Google Maps image. I'm just going through and doing 1 camera at a time.

Screen Shot 2020-05-24 at 4.33.52 PM.png
 

TundraCam

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Thanks. One place I'd gotten that was: Starlight: Varifocal vs Fixed. Perhaps no longer accurate. I do really like the idea of varifocal to prevent me selecting the wrong FOV and in several cases it seems something longer than 6mm is necessary.
 

fenderman

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Thanks. One place I'd gotten that was: Starlight: Varifocal vs Fixed. Perhaps no longer accurate. I do really like the idea of varifocal to prevent me selecting the wrong FOV and in several cases it seems something longer than 6mm is necessary.
apples to oranges. That is a fixed camera vs varifocal where the sensor is the same but the aperture is different.
 

TundraCam

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Here's one example where a longer lens would be helpful. This (darker blue) is on our porch which is long and narrow. Screen Shot 2020-05-25 at 12.15.03 PM.png
 
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The 5442 bullet varifocal would be a good one to use on a test rig to help you decide, at each position, what camera/lens combination to get.

If you do not think that you want a bullet and prefer a turret for outside, then there is a newer camera that is just a little better than the 5231 turret. It is the IPC-HDW2231T-ZA-S2. IT has a 2.7-13.5mm varifocal lens. It does not have audio and has less IVS features than the 5231. Below is a comparison between the two taken after dark of me walking. Snapshots from the same frames out of Blue Iris.

D2 5231.jpgD2 T2231T.jpg

Either way, it is recommended to buy just one and use it to help plan your system. Realize that with the pandemic, you may have to get your cameras as they become available, which may take some time.

I have found that he IPVM tool is a good place to start for a general design plan, but in reality the example shots are only estimates. They do not take into account the angle as the subject is shown facing the camera. Below is a comparison between the IPVM and an actual shot for LPR.

Design model cam2.JPGLPR-E.20200317_184515_1b.jpg
 

TundraCam

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Thanks. I was hoping to stick w/ turrets but perhaps it'd be better to go with bullets (or some bullets) and put up with the spider web problems and more obtrusive aesthetics for the better image available (e.g., a 4m starlight)?
 

fenderman

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Thanks. I was hoping to stick w/ turrets but perhaps it'd be better to go with bullets (or some bullets) and put up with the spider web problems and more obtrusive aesthetics for the better image available (e.g., a 4m starlight)?
The newer bullets with spaced out IR leds are much better with respect to spiders than the old cams with led ir rings
 

TundraCam

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There are no words to express my frustration with myself on this. I am usually able to narrow down to choose appropriate bits for various applications and hit a price/performance I'm at least somewhat content with but I've never met up with anything like surveillance cameras. Argh!

Quick question. Is this ( ) effectively just a lower cost (International?) version of an N45DB7Z? The former appears to not yet be available, the latter available but, for me, too expensive.
 

TundraCam

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Thanks. Done.

Here's part I of a draft plan. This is for the house. The studio will have a separate system as will the detached guest quarters. This is a combo private residence + commercial production facility so gets interesting from a legal/privacy standpoint. I'm thinking that many of these can be the DH-IPC-HFW5442E-ZE with a few needing to be PTZ and a couple (looking towards lake, long shot down entry drive) higher rez fixed focus.

Cams.Sched.png

Cams.Main.Doors.png
 
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