Help with building a system for a business

[car_wash_guy]

Hey everyone - my name is John. I've been lurking off and on the forums for a few months. I have a location with a 16 camera analog system ( 2 of them being PTZs) and I'm looking at putting together an IP camera system for a car wash. This will be my first system, and feel I can tackle the job.

What I'm looking for in a system:

1. Good remote viewing ability. Need to remote view from both an smartphone(iPhone and Android) and MacBook Pro
2. Good to very good ability to pick plates from at least one camera from a distance of up 30' day or night. Good night time performance. I'd like to use a PTZ for this.
3. Being able to scan specific cameras & motion detected events.
4. Under $5K.

I plan on pulling all new cat5e to a central location in my equipment room. The 12 fixed cameras basically oversee certain aspects of the wash. The self service bays, automatics, vacs, dog wash room, etc. The PTZ's are located on the SW and NE corners of the building. I monitor this wash pretty constantly and use the PTZ to zoom in on people using the vacs and other items. The wash is illuminated all night, I'd say 50% as bright as it is during a clear day. Everywhere where a camera is located is illuminated to some degree.

1. Need help deciding on what equipment is best given my situation, requirement and budget. Should I go with 2,3,4 or 5MB cameras?

2. I'd like to keep the budget around $4K =/- Regarding the NVR, will 12TB give me enough space to keep about a weeks worth of video? I hope the motion detection on the cameras is somewhat accurate solely in the name of saving space on the HDD. I also need to easily access remotely to view live and review recorded events from both my MacBookPro, iPhone or android.

3. It's either Hikvision or Dahua I guess. Just out of curiosity I built a system with the following ( From Nelly's, but am also considering AlieExpress and LTS):

A. (12) NSC-215-DM 5MP WDR Fixed Dome IP Security Camera 2.8mm
B. (2) NSC-71820X-PTZir Infrared PTZ Dome Hi Def 2MP 1080p 20x Security Camera 4.7-94mm
C. NSN-7164K-16P 16 Channel 4K POE Plug N Play Hi Def NVR Recorder
D. (3) WD Purple 4TB HDD from Amazon

I assume I won't need some type of POE switch given that NVR has 16 POE ports, no?

What do you guys think? This will be at the upper end of my budget and would like to spend less. Do you guys think it's overkill given my situation ( Location, Needs, Budget, etc?)

Any suggestions are welcomed. Thanks!

I can also add screen shoot pics of my current cctv screens on my iPhone so as to give an idea of what I'm watching.

 

[fenderman]

Use turret cameras not the domes...the 5mp will not have good low light performance...

 

[car_wash_guy]

Use turret cameras not the domes...the 5mp will not have good low light performance...

Thanks fenderman. My only concern, is although the cameras range from 8'-15' in height, I'm concerned about water mist coating the lens. Would the turrets be any better/worse than the domes in this regard?

Also, from my reading here, I've read that the lower MP cameras generally perform better in low light situations. At what point would the lower MP decrease my daytime picture quality?

2Mp, 3MP? Where would you say the sweet spot is in regards to the compromise between low light and day time performance is?

THanks

 

[fenderman]

2mp will be fine... 5mp will not result in a significantly better image...a turret will be much better for mist issues

 

[car_wash_guy]

I've read many people here champion the performance of 2mp at night. Is this absolute darkness performance, or reduced light - say 25% of daytime? Still not sure if I should buy 2 or 4mp's.

Like I mentioned in my OP, I have a lot of lighting on the premises, so I was just curious.

 

[Masejoer]

I've read many people here champion the performance of 2mp at night. Is this absolute darkness performance, or reduced light - say 25% of daytime? Still not sure if I should buy 2 or 4mp's.

Like I mentioned in my OP, I have a lot of lighting on the premises, so I was just curious.

I have two 100w-equiv 1600 lumen non-directional lights aimed at my driveway. Hikvision 3MP turrets. It's a pretty grainy image at night. I wouldn't want worse performance.

I expect my lighting issues will only go away once I finish my 2.5kW LED lighting project. I wouldn't want worse performance my these turrets. The image noise goes away with night-mode/IR, but identifying details quickly diminish with IR.

2MP is fine for general surveillance. I don't see the point of upgrading much further for less than UHD resolution/8MP on select cameras. Most of my cameras are 3MP.

 

[fenderman]

Here is a great example of what good lighting can achieve. The lights turn on at :25
https://www.ipcamtalk.com/showthread.php/12630-Amazon-Same-Day-Delivery?p=123640&viewfull=1#post123640

 

[Masejoer]

Here is a great example of what good lighting can achieve. The lights turn on at :25
https://www.ipcamtalk.com/showthread.php/12630-Amazon-Same-Day-Delivery?p=123640&viewfull=1#post123640

Great example.

I wonder what output that lighting is. I wouldn't be surprised if it's at least a 8,000 lumen lamp (100W LED flood).

Summer daylight has about 10,000 lumens of light per square foot. IMO you start to get a decent image out of cameras at 20 lumens/sqft. My current in-process projects will put me at about 50 lumens/sqft average of lighting within 30-feet of building perimeter, gates, and half of yard, if set to full output. It's pitch black out there, so having all of this light at and below the roofline will be very beneficial.

 

[fenderman]

I wonder what output that lighting is. I wouldn't be surprised if it's at least a 8,000 lumen lamp (100W LED flood).

No idea..but im gonna guess its less than 8000 lumen...most folks dont install that kind of lighting...hopefully @Cljs will let us know

 

[Masejoer]

No idea..but im gonna guess its less than 8000 lumen...most folks dont install that kind of lighting...hopefully @Cljs will let us know

Why would you think that? My front cameras don't pick up anywhere near that detail with two 16W LEDs. He's also covering a much larger area than I am - it's a very nice night shot, that's for sure.

 

[fenderman]

Why would you think that? My front cameras don't pick up anywhere near that detail with two 16W LEDs. He's also covering a much larger area than I am - it's a very nice night shot, that's for sure.

Are your led's wide angle floods? He could also be using 2mp cams...who knows...its a guessing game..

 

[Masejoer]

Are your led's wide angle floods? He could also be using 2mp cams...who knows...its a guessing game..

All LEDs are wide angle floods

No, the housings aren't deep reflector or any other type of optics that would cause hotspots/throw.

His shot simply looks like a big flood light to me, and that area looks like the type of property where floodlights would make sense, and not annoy neighbors nearby in a typical subdivison.