Need some advice on installing front door camera

[Golfer]

I'm relatively new to all of this so bear with me. I currently have 6 of my 8 NVR ports in use and I'm considering adding a camera for the front door. What makes it a challenge is the brick, high ceilings, pillars, and recessed entrance style. I have a Nest doorbell camera so I'm debating if it is even worth the hassle.

Let me know if you think it is worth it, what type of camera (Dahua type), and where I should install it (and route the wire) I was debating the mini wedge as there is never direct sunlight in that space, but I'm primarily using turrets around the house.

Thanks!




The view from the Nest Hello doorbell

 

[samplenhold]

It is hard to say without knowing if you have access in the attic to the area over the door.

 

[Golfer]

I dont . I'd have to run conduit all around that front entrance.

It is hard to say without knowing if you have access in the attic to the area over the door.

 

[samplenhold]

Then it might be a good idea to get an installer. One that is experienced in low-voltage wiring. It would be a shame to put conduit on the outside of that house.

 

[windguy]

@Golfer - you provided very nice pics. Your house looks very sharp. Good looking front door and sidelights.
I would agree with samplenhold, that conduit in your front entry area would not look good. Personal preference.
What type of view are you looking to achieve? package monitoring, door monitoring, someone approaching the door?
The two cams I see on the eaves above the garage door are pretty high up, at least 8ft, maybe 9ft, yes? Are you happy with the video from those locations?
Other than your Nest doorbell cam, you don't seem to have a lower positioned cam to get that money shot of someone's face.
Where is your NVR located? How are the two cams above the garage door wired to the NVR?
One thought is to run a data line from the garage through conduit underground along the front edge of the house and then position a camera on the edge of your porch.
You can dummy up the camera inside a birdhouse, planter box, etc to hide it.
See Post #2 on the thread below plus some other birdhouse hiding ideas.

I need ideas, on where to install a camera at the entrance

Initial plan was to install it on the stucco, by the door, but I'm not able to do that anymore(inside on the wall). Running a pipe or something, to cover the wire on the wall would look pretty bad imho. I have tried above the column at the porch entrance, or under the porch roof, but none of the...

ipcamtalk.com

Curious, what are those two tall vent pipes on the roof for? Maybe a direct-vent for a fireplace?
Also, is that a swamp cooler on the roof?

 

[Golfer]

Wow! Those are very keen observations lol. The house was built with swamp coolers and as a result required taller vent stacks. It has since been converted to ac. This was all before my time. The issue with the house is that there is not attac crawl space. It's all vaulted ceilings. The only exception is above my garage, which is why I have 5 cameras installed there. I ran all the wires into the attic and then into an adjacent room. The entrance does not have that luxury sadly.

@Golfer - Curious, what are those two tall vent pipes on the roof for? Maybe a direct-vent for a fireplace?
Also, is that a swamp cooler on the roof?

 

[windguy]

@Golfer - Got it. So the box on the roof is now an AC compressor. With the vaulted ceilings that does limit ducting options. Understand about the obstacles you have. I say do the best you can based on your circumstances. Thanks for sharing the camera views. Great looking neighborhood and I like your drought tolerate landscaping and hardscape. I take it you're in a an arid part of Texas.

I think you did a good job positioning your cameras. Nice clear daytime images. Adding another camera near the entry might be redundant with your existing Nest, as long as you're okay with using the Nest. There have been lots of reviews on this forum for doorbell cams. I plan to add one in the future that I can integrate into BI. You may already have the best setup possible. You would know best how your video images look when someone is wearing a hat and approaches your entry area or parked cars both in daytime and night.

 

[Golfer]

Yea the desert has its drawbacks but at least our cars aren't rusting apart lol. My only concern would be a suspect wearing a hat, otherwise I think I have decent angles now. The bird house was a genius idea and something I'd seriously consider if I could find a nice place to install it. Thanks again for your help!

@Golfer - Got it. So the box on the roof is now an AC compressor. With the vaulted ceilings that does limit ducting options. Understand about the obstacles you have. I say do the best you can based on your circumstances. Thanks for sharing the camera views. Great looking neighborhood and I like your drought tolerate landscaping and hardscape. I take it you're in a an arid part of Texas.

I think you did a good job positioning your cameras. Nice clear daytime images. Adding another camera near the entry might be redundant with your existing Nest, as long as you're okay with using the Nest. There have been lots of reviews on this forum for doorbell cams. I plan to add one in the future that I can integrate into BI. You may already have the best setup possible. You would know best how your video images look when someone is wearing a hat and approaches your entry area or parked cars both in daytime and night.

 

[area651]

Wow! Those are very keen observations lol. The house was built with swamp coolers and as a result required taller vent stacks. It has since been converted to ac. This was all before my time. The issue with the house is that there is not attac crawl space. It's all vaulted ceilings. The only exception is above my garage, which is why I have 5 cameras installed there. I ran all the wires into the attic and then into an adjacent room. The entrance does not have that luxury sadly.

Some of the best pictures I've seen posted on here when someone asks questions. Hella good job!

 

[samplenhold]

For what it's worth, you could bring a piece of white 1/2 inch PVC pipe (Sch 40) down from your garage in the corner into the planting bed keeping it underground. Then over to the doorway. Put up a pole with a birdhouse camera from that planting bed. Since your bricks are white, try a piece of that PVC leaning up in that corner and see if it is noticeable. You could paint it to match your bricks. Just a thought.

 

[Golfer]

Not sure how safe it is but running on the inside of the garage and out of the bottom of the garage door area (assuming the wire wouldn't get damaged) it'd be practically invisible at that point. I just don't know how natural a bird house would be just poking out of those plants lol.

For what it's worth, you could bring a piece of white 1/2 inch PVC pipe (Sch 40) down from your garage in the corner into the planting bed keeping it underground. Then over to the doorway. Put up a pole with a birdhouse camera from that planting bed. Since your bricks are white, try a piece of that PVC leaning up in that corner and see if it is noticeable. You could paint it to match your bricks. Just a thought.

 

[samplenhold]

running on the inside of the garage and out of the bottom of the garage door area

Now you are thinking outside the box!

Another option: If it is not a problem to run the wire in the garage, then how about drilling through the brick at about 1 foot off the ground and using conduit from that point into the planting bed?

Maybe a birdhouse would not be the best, but white conduit could be run on the backside of the brick post to say 5' and mount a camera there?