Too many choices (long time reader, new member)

[petersw]

After living the wireless camera life for a number of years (Nest and Wyze), I'm ready to move our home to the "big leagues" of wired IP cameras. But there are so many choices!!

I've read the wiki, cliff notes, etc., but still feel confused with so many different camera models. So I'd be very grateful for some advice.

The plan is to install 4 or 5 PoE cameras. Locations would be:

1) Indoor ceiling to monitor an elderly relative who lives with us in an in-law unit.
2) Outdoor on covered porch by front door, pointing down a set of steps
3) Outdoor on front of house, looking out to cars parked on street (about 40 to 50 feet away)
4) Outdoor on back of house by patio
5) Maybe one additional one by back door

I'm thinking of monitoring using BI on a dedicated machine, to monitor both in house and remotely (although I've been spoiled by the Nest moble app and it's timeline scrubbing features).

So, help with the following issues would be great:

1) Looking for good quality, long lasting cameras. Could go up to $200 per camera, but less is obviously fine.
2) I know this isn't a BI forum, but one question I had was being able to monitor cameras at different locations. For example, best way to put a small monitor by the front door or in another room (especially for monitoring camera #1 above)

Thanks in advance!

 

[samplenhold]

Welcome to the forum. I am partial to Dahua cams and use BI. For your #2 question, you could easily mount a tablet anywhere you want and have BI's UI3 showing whatever cams you want.

It is difficult to give you any cam recommendations that are meaningful for each of those positions without knowing particulars, like lighting etc.

For the in-law unit there are a few cams that Dahua makes that could fit the bill depending on your requirements. You need to decide on those. What is it you want to be able to see? Just a general view of one room? How big is the room? Do you want a PTZ or will that be too intrusive to the person if they could tell the cam was moving? I use two different cams indoors since each position had different requirements. One I use is a Dahua SD1A203T-GN
which is a dome PTZ cam that is a 2MP dome on a 1/2.8" sensor with a 2.7-8.1mm zoom lens. It has IR and is low profile. It is a few years old now and there maybe a newer version available. It was about $165.
I put some black electrical tape around the white part of the base to make it blend in better. Dahua has some other domes that are good for indoors including a 360 cam, but that is probably more than you want to spend.

I also use a Dahua IPC-T2431T-AS-S2 in my garage. This is a 4MP turret on a 1/2.8" sensor and is a fixed lens cam. I have two in 2.8mm. They are relatively inexpensive, about $79 when I bought it, and do a decent job in full light and on IR. But they are really for monitoring and less for facial ID. They do not do real well with low light motion, yielding some motion blur.


For outside you really need to define the requirements for each position in order to select a cam. But you can't go wrong with the Dahua T5442T-ZE. This is a 4MP varifocal (2.7-12mm) turret on a 1/1.8" sensor and is really the best low light cam in the prosumer line today. It is about $200 I think. Get one and use a test rig to see what your cam positions would be like and you may find that a fixed lens version of that cam (2.8, 3.6, or 6mm) will do fine in certain positions. The fixed lens is cheaper, about $160.

 

[VorlonFrog]

After living the wireless camera life for a number of years (Nest and Wyze), I'm ready to move our home to the "big leagues" of wired IP cameras. But there are so many choices!!

I've read the wiki, cliff notes, etc., but still feel confused with so many different camera models.

You're off to a good start, then.

2) I know this isn't a BI forum, but one question I had was being able to monitor cameras at different locations. For example, best way to put a small monitor by the front door or in another room (especially for monitoring camera #1 above)

Believe it or don't, we have a few BI forums here. Go to the "Forums" link on the top-left of this page. Scroll down a bit and you'll find them.

 

[petersw]

Welcome to the forum. I am partial to Dahua cams and use BI. For your #2 question, you could easily mount a tablet anywhere you want and have BI's UI3 showing whatever cams you want.

Thanks for the comprehensive response. To answer a few of your questions:

1) The in-law unit is one open room (sort of like a studio apartment), about 300 sq ft (15x20). One camera mounted in the corner should be able to see the entire room without having to move (so no PTZ needed). Good IR would be important, but it seems most cameras could fully illuminate a room this size with IR.
2) For the outside cameras, it would be good to have the ability to clearly see faces (especially on the porch cam) day or night. That would be less important on the other cameras, but not bad to have. There is some street light around the front of the house, so it's never really pitch black.

I'll take a look at the BI forums for my other questions, but in general I'm looking for a wired monitor solution rather than a tablet. I want something that's always on, fool proof, and family-friendly.

Thanks!

 

[samplenhold]

I would really suggest starting with one varifocal cam to test positions. The Dahua T5442T-ZE would be perfect for this. It would help you decide what fixed lens cam to put in the in-law room. Probably a 2.8mm or a 3.6mm would work there. But without testing it, you may not get what you need. Mounting the Dahua T5442T-ZE would be overkill for that room. Possibly the HDBW4231FP-AS would work for you there. It is a 2MP fixed lens on a 1/2.8" sensor. It comes in 2.8, 3.6, and 6mm versions. I have three in 3.6mm at my front door. There is a newer version I believe. Ask @EMPIRETECANDY for more info.

 

[looney2ns]

This cam in the in-law room works well. Use the 3.6mm lens.
(13) Review-IPC-E3241F-AS-M Loryta (dahua) 2mp 2.8mm mini dome. | IP Cam Talk

Review-OEM Loryta IPC-T5442T-ZE Varifocal 4mp camera (Dahua) | IP Cam Talk

 

[Mike A.]

Also might look at one of these Amcrest (Dahua) cams for the in-law room:

3.6mm

Amazon.com : Amcrest UltraHD 5MP Outdoor Security IP Turret PoE Camera with Mic/Audio, 5-Megapixel, 98ft NightVision, 3.6mm Lens, IP67 Weatherproof, MicroSD Recording (256GB), White (IP5M-T1179EW-36MM) : Camera & Photo

Amazon.com : Amcrest UltraHD 5MP Outdoor Security IP Turret PoE Camera with Mic/Audio, 5-Megapixel, 98ft NightVision, 3.6mm Lens, IP67 Weatherproof, MicroSD Recording (256GB), White (IP5M-T1179EW-36MM) : Camera & Photo

www.amazon.com

2.8mm

Amazon.com : Amcrest 5MP UltraHD Outdoor Security IP Turret PoE Camera with Mic/Audio, 5-Megapixel, 98ft NightVision, 2.8mm Lens, IP67 Weatherproof, MicroSD Recording (256GB), White (IP5M-T1179EW-28MM) : Electronics

Amazon.com : Amcrest 5MP UltraHD Outdoor Security IP Turret PoE Camera with Mic/Audio, 5-Megapixel, 98ft NightVision, 2.8mm Lens, IP67 Weatherproof, MicroSD Recording (256GB), White (IP5M-T1179EW-28MM) : Electronics

www.amazon.com

Or for other purposes if you wanted. I think that they're a little better than the HDBW4231FP. But also much larger so a little more intrusive maybe.

Code W44CKUSN takes $15 off of the price of the 3.6mm or $5 off the 2.8mm. OK cams and something to get started with for not much money.

 

[looney2ns]

Also might look at one of these Amcrest (Dahua) cams for the in-law room:

3.6mm

Amazon.com : Amcrest UltraHD 5MP Outdoor Security IP Turret PoE Camera with Mic/Audio, 5-Megapixel, 98ft NightVision, 3.6mm Lens, IP67 Weatherproof, MicroSD Recording (256GB), White (IP5M-T1179EW-36MM) : Camera & Photo

Amazon.com : Amcrest UltraHD 5MP Outdoor Security IP Turret PoE Camera with Mic/Audio, 5-Megapixel, 98ft NightVision, 3.6mm Lens, IP67 Weatherproof, MicroSD Recording (256GB), White (IP5M-T1179EW-36MM) : Camera & Photo

www.amazon.com

2.8mm

Amazon.com : Amcrest 5MP UltraHD Outdoor Security IP Turret PoE Camera with Mic/Audio, 5-Megapixel, 98ft NightVision, 2.8mm Lens, IP67 Weatherproof, MicroSD Recording (256GB), White (IP5M-T1179EW-28MM) : Electronics

Amazon.com : Amcrest 5MP UltraHD Outdoor Security IP Turret PoE Camera with Mic/Audio, 5-Megapixel, 98ft NightVision, 2.8mm Lens, IP67 Weatherproof, MicroSD Recording (256GB), White (IP5M-T1179EW-28MM) : Electronics

www.amazon.com

Or for other purposes if you wanted. I think that they're a little better than the HDBW4231FP. But also much larger so a little more intrusive maybe.

Code W44CKUSN takes $15 off of the price of the 3.6mm or $5 off the 2.8mm. OK cams and something to get started with for not much money.

Those will be terrible after sunset.
Buy once, cry once.

 

[Mike A.]

Those will be terrible after sunset.
Buy once, cry once.

I was thinking more for in-law use but they're not that bad. They are "Starlight" but on the more generous end of being called that. ; )

This is after sunset now. East Coast so pretty much complete darkness now.

 

[samplenhold]

This is after sunset now. East Coast so pretty much complete darkness now.

Without motion, everything looks good.

 

[Mike A.]

That cam's really intended to cover that window where someone can easily climb up on the roof of that storage area. Just happens to provide some overview too. For that it's fine and no problem with capturing motion. That's as set at 1/120, gain 0-50, NR 30. I'm not selling the damn things and trying to game it to make the image look better. lol

They're OK cams for the money. Indoor would be great. Clearly others better outdoor low light. No, not as good as my 2MP and 4MP Starlight/Darkfighter cams. My main complaint is that, like a lot of the Dahuas, they tend to blow out faces some with IR on auto if moving toward the cam quickly. Especially since anyone is so close to that one.