Help with selecting new IP cams for use with Blue Iris

[Brian K Bertalot]

Hello All,

I am looking for assistance/opinions on what new cameras I should buy. I'm looking to get at least 10 cams as it allows for monitoring of pets throughout the day when not home. Currently using D-link cams (mix of different models) and they seem to dropout quite a bit. Here is what I am seeking:

• Must be able to be recorded locally to a NAS with the use of Blue Iris - no cloud recording unless it's free or really cheap but at a minimum MUST be able to record locally
• 720p or greater resolution if possible - currently on 480p
• Prefer an ethernet port to use as sometimes wifi can get interference and cause dropouts but am open to ethernet/wifi combination cams for sure
• Nightvision with at least 10 foot vision
• Wide angle if possible - the more field of vision, the better
• Affordable - preferably less than $40 a cam
• Longer power cables than just 5-6 feet. I've seen some cameras run power over USB cables with a power/usb adapter (like a lot of phone chargers have today). I'm not an electrician and don't want to attempt to wire up longer power cables. Also, not necessarily against battery based cams with rechargeable batteries.
• Indoor cams primarily but also a few outdoor cams (can withstand Midwest USA weather - hot, cold, rain, snow/ice) - can be different models if need be
• Preferably not a super easy hackable Chinese cam like the Wyze cams

Any guidance that you all can lend would be much appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[SouthernYankee]

Are these cameras inside or outside the house ?
If inside do you want them permanently mounted, for example on the ceiling or wall ?
Do you need low light, night cameras or just daytime, or good lighting ?
The $40 per camera is going to be a problem for a quality product! Most products in this price range are chinese junk !

If the cameras are hardwired ethernet then you can use a POE ethernet and not worry about power at the camera.
Most cameras now are 1080p or more.
If the network is configured correctly and you have blueiris, there is no need for the cameras to have access to the internet, so hacking is not a problem.
Strongly recommend against using wifi.

 

[Brian K Bertalot]

Are these cameras inside or outside the house ?
If inside do you want them permanently mounted, for example on the ceiling or wall ?
Do you need low light, night cameras or just daytime, or good lighting ?
The $40 per camera is going to be a problem for a quality product! Most products in this price range are chinese junk !

If the cameras are hardwired ethernet then you can use a POE ethernet and not worry about power at the camera.
Most cameras now are 1080p or more.
If the network is configured correctly and you have blueiris, there is no need for the cameras to have access to the internet, so hacking is not a problem.
Strongly recommend against using wifi.

Thank you for the reply. They will primarily be for inside use but a few outdoor ones would be nice for outdoor areas. Today, I just use 3M Command Strips to mount my current cams and that works well so far as I rent and don't want to leave a bunch of holes in the walls. Low light/Nightvision is a must. I'm open to pricing but since I need to buy so many cams, I don't want to take a big pocketbook hit if I don't need to - this isn't a pro company coming in and installing cams at a retail store. Maybe I missed a setting in Blue Iris for allowing cams to have internet access? Or is that something I need to block in the firewall or somewhere else?

 

[SouthernYankee]

The cameras have internet access because they are on you network. You must specifically configure them to not have internet access. Also if your router is capable you block the cameras for calling home. Blue iris just allows access to the camera video with out directly accessing the camera.

Any good ning vision camera is over $100.00

I recommend a dahua starlight camera for excellent night low light video.
cameras are
IPC-HDW5231R-Z $170.00
IPC-HDW2231R-ZS $120.00

 

[SouthernYankee]

My standard welcome to the forum message.

Please read the cliff notes and other items in the wiki. The wiki is in the blue bar at the top of the page.

Read How to Secure Your Network (Don't Get Hacked!) | IP Cam Talk in the wiki also.

Quick start
1) Use Dahua starlight cameras or Hikvision darkfighter cameras or ICPT Night eye cameras (https://store.ipcamtalk.com/) if you need good low light cameras.
2) use a VPN to access home network (openVPN)
3) Do not use wifi cameras.
4) Do not use cloud storage
5) Do Not use uPNP, P2P, QR, do not open ports,
6) More megapixel is not necessarily better.
7) Avoid chinese hacked cameras (most ebay, amazon, aliexpress cameras(not all, but most))
8) Do not use reolink, ring, nest cameras (they are junk)
9) If possible use a turret camera , bullet collect spiders, dome collect dirt and reflect light (IR)
10) Use only solid copper, AWG 23 or 24 ethernet wire. , no CCA (Copper Clad Aluminum)
11) use a test mount to verify the camera mount location. My test rig: rev.2

Read,study,plan before spending money ..... plan plan plan
Test do not guess

 

[Brian K Bertalot]

I appreciate the insight. Is there something maybe quite a bit cheaper that fits my criteria? I just can't swing that much money with how many cams I need/want. I don't need cams that are in a business and remember that I rent, so I can't run wiring in the walls. Thanks.