Recommended front porch/door camera? (PoE, ONVIF, etc)

[sofakng]

I'd like to setup a camera on my front porch (next to the front door) but I'm looking for recommendations.

The camera will be used to monitor package deliveries and security especially at night when it's completely dark. There are no street lights near my house and I don't leave on the front porch light (maybe I should?).

I'd like it to have the following features:

• Wired (power over Ethernet)
• ONVIF/RTSP (for Blue Iris, etc)
  • Does not require cloud storage
  • Does not fail during internet outages
• Extremely reliable
• Good night time performance (to see persons in completely darkness)
• Camera angle wide enough to allow camera to be placed within ~3 feet of front down and angled down.

I'm going to use using this with my Control4 system, but really anything with Blue Iris support should work fine. I love Ubiquiti equipment but I'm not sure on their camera performance and I don't believe it works with Blue Iris, etc.

Can anybody give me any suggestions?

One big reason for installing cameras is that a few neighbors have reported hearing their front door attempting to be opened in the middle of the night which is really scary. Last night we had a terrible scare as well but turned out to be nothing (or the guy got away).

 

[giomania]

I'd like to setup a camera on my front porch (next to the front door) but I'm looking for recommendations.

The camera will be used to monitor package deliveries and security especially at night when it's completely dark. There are no street lights near my house and I don't leave on the front porch light (maybe I should?).

I'd like it to have the following features:

• Wired (power over Ethernet)
• ONVIF/RTSP (for Blue Iris, etc)
  • Does not require cloud storage
  • Does not fail during internet outages
• Extremely reliable
• Good night time performance (to see persons in completely darkness)
• Camera angle wide enough to allow camera to be placed within ~3 feet of front down and angled down.

I'm going to use using this with my Control4 system, but really anything with Blue Iris support should work fine. I love Ubiquiti equipment but I'm not sure on their camera performance and I don't believe it works with Blue Iris, etc.

Can anybody give me any suggestions?

One big reason for installing cameras is that a few neighbors have reported hearing their front door attempting to be opened in the middle of the night which is really scary. Last night we had a terrible scare as well but turned out to be nothing (or the guy got away).

I have a Dahua DH-IPC-HDW4231EMP-ASE (3.6 mm Lens) fixed focal length camera I have on my porch, oriented vertically, about 3 feet from the door, and it works great. That model number is from memory, so hopefully correct.

Mark







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[sofakng]

Thanks very much! I've been researching Dahua for the past few minutes and I think I'm sold on buying them. It looks like they had a recent security vulnerability but I'm OK with creating VLANs and isolating the traffic from the internet, etc.

Where's the best (quickest?) place to buy them? I've been seeing people buying them from "Andy" (Empire Tech?). How do I get in touch with him to buy anything or is there another option?

 

[giomania]

Thanks very much! I've been researching Dahua for the past few minutes and I think I'm sold on buying them. It looks like they had a recent security vulnerability but I'm OK with creating VLANs and isolating the traffic from the internet, etc.

Where's the best (quickest?) place to buy them? I've been seeing people buying them from "Andy" (Empire Tech?). How do I get in touch with him to buy anything or is there another option?

Send Andy a PM through the forum:

See the Wiki Cliff Notes:

The IP Cam Talk ‘Cliff Notes’ is a document containing a lot of collective wisdom, and is incorporated into the IP Cam Talk Wiki

To access it via IPCamTalk.com, find the horizontal blue navigation bar at the top of any page, and select "Wiki", then in the "Everything Else" category, and then click on "IP Cam Talk Cliff Notes.

Here is a direct link: IP Cam Talk Cliff Notes | IP Cam Talk


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[giomania]

Thanks very much! I've been researching Dahua for the past few minutes and I think I'm sold on buying them. It looks like they had a recent security vulnerability but I'm OK with creating VLANs and isolating the traffic from the internet, etc.

Where's the best (quickest?) place to buy them? I've been seeing people buying them from "Andy" (Empire Tech?). How do I get in touch with him to buy anything or is there another option?

Here is the correct model: Dahua DH-IPC-HDW4231EMP-ASE (3.6 mm Lens)




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[sofakng]

Thanks again very much.

How is the 3.6mm compared to 2.8mm? Is the variable focal length with the extra?

Do you have any pictures/videos of your 3.6mm angle?

EDIT: Here is a picture of my front porch and where I'm planning on putting the camera. My main concern is to watch the door itself.

 

[giomania]

Thanks again very much.

How is the 3.6mm compared to 2.8mm? Is the variable focal length with the extra?

Do you have any pictures/videos of your 3.6mm angle?

These are fixed focal length cameras, not Varifocal. I tested with one of my Varifocal cameras before deciding between the two options.

Here is a picture:

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[sofakng]

Thanks so much for the picture! It looks like 3.6mm is a good focal length.

Did you consider a doorbell camera? (Doorbird?)

 

[fundean]

Put it on the other side... that way you capture more... high up so that you can get close to the house yet not so much of the street... also high up will help with sun issues


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[usaf_pride]

Check this thread out. Very clean install, proper height to get face shots instead of top of heads,

Front door ID camera IPC-HDBW4231F?

 

[sofakng]

Thanks!

I’ve sent Andy the pictures and he recommended an IPC-HDBW4431F-AS for the front porch location. He didn’t mention focal length (2.8mm vs 3.6mm?) and I’m confused because this looks like a dome instead of turret so there might be IR reflections?

 

[looney2ns]

Thanks!

I’ve sent Andy the pictures and he recommended an IPC-HDBW4431F-AS for the front porch location. He didn’t mention focal length (2.8mm vs 3.6mm?) and I’m confused because this looks like a dome instead of turret so there might be IR reflections?

The goal is to see who did it, not just what happened.
First of all, you want the cam at no more than 5-7ft high, or will will see tops of heads.
This cam would work well mounted next to your door, under the light at 5ft, where the plague is hanging.
Use a 2.8mm lens: IPC-HDBW4231F-AS | Dahua MiniWedge.
Don't try to do too much with too few cams.
Or some like this cam mounted next to the door instead, one lens for face capture, and one for looking down at the packages.
Again, in 2.8mm lens: Review-dahua-ipc-hdbw4231f-e2-m-dual-starlight-cam

 

[giomania]

Thanks so much for the picture! It looks like 3.6mm is a good focal length.

Did you consider a doorbell camera? (Doorbird?)

I have been waiting for a good doorbell cam that will just work without a lot of issues.

The Doorbird is 720p resolution and over-priced.

The HikVision clones for two successive generations of doorbell cameras have various issues with Wi-Fi signal and App connectivity.

The Dahua DB-11 has a few issues with App connectivity that might be fixed via firmware update, so that is the current front-runner for me.

This information is from memory, but I think it is fairly accurate.

Mark


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[aristobrat]

this looks like a dome instead of turret so there might be IR reflections?

Looking at the pic of your porch, I don't think you're likely to get too much IR bounce-back (as long as you keep the wall to the side of the porch out of the image).

Another option to consider is the 1831C-PIR model. Rereading your first post about night time security made me think of this model. The big con is that it's not a Starlight model, so its low-light image quality isn't as smooth/grain-free. On my front porch, I find the image quality acceptable. The pros are mostly security related -- it has a bright LED light and a speaker, both of which can be used for alarm purposes. It also has a PIR sensor, which can significantly reduce false motion alerts. I have mine set to turn on the bright LED on for 30 seconds when the camera is triggered from 10PM-6AM... The PIR sensor senses folks walking up before they get close to the door, so it's been a good deterrent. Its design is unique and IMO it won't blend in as well as the 4231, but if you're after security/deterrence, that may a good thing.