TechBill's surveillance build

[TechBill]

Here what I have so far

Dahua NVR5216-4KS2
2 - IPC-HDW5231R-Z (front door / garage door)
1 - IPC-HDW4231EM-AS (inside garage)
1 - Huisun 10x V1 (somewhere on corner use for fun camera wildlife, bird watching, sky glazing, etc maybe set PTZ preset to point to mailbox when PTZ not in use)


I am bit struggling on deciding where to mount the camera at the front door and I could use some feedback on it.

Ideally I would have mounted it facial level next to the door but as you can see in the photo there a window in the way so mounting there is not possible. I could mount it on soffit above the window then the camera will be above the facial level.

There a wall on the other side of the door but with camera there will not see the front yard instead if would be seeing the garage wall.

For the garage door camera, I plan to mount it on the brown wooden beam in the middle just right above the opening of the garage door.

Bill

 

[TechBill]

One more thing I would like to add, the mailbox is out in the street but it directly straight out front of the front door.

Bill

 

[TechBill]

I could mount it sideways on the garage wall next to window at facial level but I am not sure how much rotation does this camera have in the mount to be mounted sideways and still pointing straight outward to the yard and mailbox.

Bill

 

[nayr]

mount it on the top left corner looking at the door, with the doorbell there people might even look up and see it.. might put a CCTV sticker on that window to encourage it

might try it above the window too and see how you like that.

The camera has full range of rotation if you want to mount it onto the wall, if you have the camera make a mounting rig and play with it.

 

[TechBill]

mount it on the top left corner looking at the door, with the doorbell there people might even look up and see it.. might put a CCTV sticker on that window to encourage it

might try it above the window too and see how you like that.

The camera has full range of rotation if you want to mount it onto the wall, if you have the camera make a mounting rig and play with it.

I am leaning toward above the window too.

I am sure it will get some facial shots before anyone reaches the porch steps so I will temporary mount it there and see. Also to make it more difficult to reach the camera if anyone ever had an idea of trying to rip it off the wall or ceiling. I plan to drill a 3/4 hole for the tailing cables and it easier for me to drill a 3/4 hole in a soffit knowing I could easily replace it if I messes it up than it is to drill in a sliding panel that is from the 1975 era.

Bill

 

[tangent]

The IPC-HDW5231R-Z is all metal so it's harder to mess with than you'd expect. The soffit or wall to the garage make for the easiest install, but you'll want to play with the positioning of the camera relative to the porch light.

While you're in the attic I'd wire up one of these to cover your porch: New GE Security RCR-REX-G Request To Exit Dual Tech Sensor, Grey | eBay
near the trim board at the front of the porch that sticks below the soffit.

And one of these at the bottom of your driveway:
Amazon.com: Seco-Larm E-931-S35RRQ Enforcer Indoor/Outdoor Wall Mounted Photoelectric Beam Sensor with 35 Foot Range: Camera & Photo

 

[tangent]

Minxax High Performance Wood Filler works pretty well if you need to fill holes (basically bondo + crystalline silica). It's better on solid wood than fiber board siding but it'll do the job.

 

[TechBill]

While you're in the attic I'd wire up one of these to cover your porch: New GE Security RCR-REX-G Request To Exit Dual Tech Sensor, Grey | eBay
near the trim board at the front of the porch that sticks below the soffit.

I download them manual for this and it look like that it designed to release the maglock allowing people to leave the building but I notice there a contact point for "failsafe" which probably can be use as alarm out.

Any specific reason why you recommend something that normally use for releasing maglock? Better sensor? Manual said it a PIR based sensor which is good and range from 3 to 15 feet adjustable that good too.

Thank you
Bill

 

[nayr]

those door entry PIR sensors are nice because they are fast and have a limited close but wide view point.. perfect for choke points, where you dont want to detect cars moving off in the distance.

These make fine perimeter motion sensors when stuck under a soffit and overlooking areas w/little vegetation.. the'll go off when anyone gets close enough to the wall to be a threat.

I use one like it on the long term parking area next to the house.

 

[TechBill]

Since my driveway does not have any lights at all. I am thinking of installing a security light at the peak of the garage wall right under the soffit for a wide light spread with a LED security flood light something like this.

Honeywell Outdoor LED Security Light/floodlight 4000 Lumens Dusk to Dawn LED Area and Wall Light Super Bright - - Amazon.com

It will be hooked to a wall switch and turn on only when needed. We live on a street a dead-end and I am pretty sure neighborhood like their street dark at night because nobody else have security light on all night long here.

Bill

 

[tangent]

I download them manual for this and it look like that it designed to release the maglock allowing people to leave the building but I notice there a contact point for "failsafe" which probably can be use as alarm out.

Any specific reason why you recommend something that normally use for releasing maglock? Better sensor? Manual said it a PIR based sensor which is good and range from 3 to 15 feet adjustable that good too.

Thank you
Bill

I like to set this one so the microwave range is a bit smaller than the pir range.

If you're trying to cover a bigger area / things farther away you'll need something else, but I think this one would be great for your porch.

 

[TechBill]

I like to set this one so the microwave range is a bit smaller than the pir range.

If you're trying to cover a bigger area / things farther away you'll need something else, but I think this one would be great for your porch.

I think you are right about this. the range on this one seem about what I want. I don't want to cover the entire yard just the porch area. I might get two of those and put one covering my back door at the lowest setting to keep the range small because I plan to hook it up to my light and the vibrator on my bed so it would wake me or my wife up if something triggers it so it would be annoying if we get too many false triggers on it.

Bill

 

[TechBill]

I been real busy with real life so the cameras been sitting on the shelf waiting for me to find some free time to resume on this project. The cold weather also discouraged me from working on it further.

Today I took both models apart to insert the macro SD card. The SD card went in the IPC-HDW5231R-Z fairly easy which I open had to unscrew the housing apart and insert the card into the card slot. But the IPC-HDW4231EM-AS require more effort to install the SD card in it. To install the SD card on the IPC-HDW4231EM-AS. I had to take apart the housing then remove another two black smaller screw to separate the circuit and Led assembly from the housing.

The SD card slot was found on the bottom of the last circuit board which the Len is mounted on. The door on the card slot slides to unlock and swings open to insert a SD card into it. Do not try forcing or sliding the SD card into the slot, it will damage it.

First photo is the IPC-HDW5231R-Z with it housing taken apart to insert a SD card which is pretty simple to do but be careful since the wires in it are very short and you don't have much room to work in.

The remaining photos are IPC-HDW4231EM-AS housing taken part then the circuit assembly removed to access the SD card slot. Notice how the card slot door swings open to place a SD card on it then shut and locked in place.

 

[TechBill]

Today I built a test board to compare between the IPC-HDW5231R-Z and IPC-HDW4231EM-AS. Now I am waiting for it to get dark out. It still dusk out.

 

[TechBill]

Here a comparison between the 4231 and 5231 at 1/30 with IR set at 20. I sent my wife outside to do a comparison test and she started to get cold standing there while I was switching camera, that why she making face on the last test and complaining she want to get back in the house.

5231


4231

 

[TechBill]

Either my 5231 is defective or 4231 seem to be little tiny better than the 5231 with same exposure by looking at the fences in the background which is more visible in the 4231.

 

[TechBill]

I will test it indoor with little external light and no IR later.

 

[ldasilva]

not 100 % sure but that looks a little off from all the other pics ive seen

 

[TechBill]

Normally it should been around 30 degree but it's 65 degree out right now so I thought I would spend some time outdoor today survey places for camera installation. I am using my iPhone to take screenshot to get an ideal what the camera will be seeing when mounted at certain locations.

Here example of screenshots below, I wanted to be able to capture part of the driveway from my front door which mean I need to put the camera on the right side (facing door / above the side with no windows) to be able to see the driveway.

But once I did a test shot, I notice that putting camera on the right side will be a waste of the camera and I am better off putting it on the left side above the windows. Then rely on the camera above the garage door for the driveway shots.

I have been thinking about putting a recessed PTZ in the front instead of turret. After seeing the screenshot, I am not sure if it worth the money to put a PTZ there.

One of the main reason I wanted a PTZ to be able to aim downward to see if there any package at the door and also have it zoom into the mailbox when someone open mailbox door which is right in front of my door out by the street.

Looks like the left side is the winner.

The right side (driveway)


The left side

 

[TechBill]

Above the garage door shot