Unusual request for advice

T

Tom Hughes

n3wb
Jan 30, 2017
3
0
I am looking to get some cameras to put up in a school classroom. My plan is to allow teachers to turn on the camera and send the footage to the office with any behavior referrals. Ideally, a solution would be one that mounts to a wall and can be started via computer or via a button on the device. Most cameras need a smartphone and wifi configuration which becomes more difficult in the school. Having recordings straight to a SD card would be nice and teachers could just pull it and upload the video with the referral. I would also like something with a timestamp (most seem to do this).
I currently use a few flip cameras with a tripod mount, but they run out of batteries pretty quickly and I would like something a little more permanent in the classrooms. I've been looking at some like the Yi Home IP security cameras and they look perfect aside from needing to connect a phone to it in order to start up the recording.
Please list some recommendations you would have for me to consider.
Thanks!
 
Do not get a Yi camera.

You can put a HIKVision or Dahaua camera in the class with a large SD card which will easily record a rolling 12 hours so at the end of the day if the teacher needs to download a portion they can. However, be aware the cameras will need to be on the network in order for recordings to be retrieved. It is not simple to just pull a card out and put it back in, they are inside the cameras and requite them to be removed via taking the camera apart.
 
zero-degrees said:
Do not get a Yi camera.

You can put a HIKVision or Dahaua camera in the class with a large SD card which will easily record a rolling 12 hours so at the end of the day if the teacher needs to download a portion they can. However, be aware the cameras will need to be on the network in order for recordings to be retrieved. It is not simple to just pull a card out and put it back in, they are inside the cameras and requite them to be removed via taking the camera apart.
Click to expand...
The issue is tying things to the network. Our network is a convoluted mess and trying to get our IT dept to be ok with that is another story so I'd like to avoid the network if at all possible. Is there any good option that would plug directly into a computer that we could leave recording to the computer hard drive? Ideally, it'd be something like the Yi Camera with a "record" button and a "stop" button that records directly to an SD card.
 
Whats the budget ? I would get a Dahua with a mic and a NVR and record all day, then if there were an issue I would email the clip or walk it over with a usb stick at the end of the day.
 
I'd like to be a fly on the wall the first time a parent finds out about this. Somehow being monitored all day long just seems like a really poor idea.
 
Jack B Nimble said:
Whats the budget ? I would get a Dahua with a mic and a NVR and record all day, then if there were an issue I would email the clip or walk it over with a usb stick at the end of the day.
Click to expand...
Budget would ideally be under $100 each. I have about 30 rooms that would need outfitted, so obviously the less money the better.

BLKMGK said:
I'd like to be a fly on the wall the first time a parent finds out about this. Somehow being monitored all day long just seems like a really poor idea.
Click to expand...
There is no reasonable expectation of privacy in the school classrooms. There are already 30+ cameras tied to our NVR in the building covering common areas, hallways, cafeterias, etc. The only battle that needs fought is with teachers not wanting cameras in the rooms and the union throwing a fit about that. Feel free to read more at National Institute of Justice Research Report: Chapter 2-Video Surveillance: Video Cameras-Legal aspects of the use of video cameras in schools or Classroom Cameras and Privacy Concerns – Education Facilities Clearinghouse the second article ties into the biggest goal I have which is making the teachers the ones in control of the recordings (sd card in which they can upload to the office) rather than "big brother" watching over them with an NVR type system.
 
BLKMGK said:
I'd like to be a fly on the wall the first time a parent finds out about this. Somehow being monitored all day long just seems like a really poor idea.
Click to expand...
I would actually prefer that...I know if anything happens, the truth will be easy to ascertain...
 
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Can't see a system that they have a button that records when they want then bring you the card. Sounds like they should just record with their phones when they have an issue as that's exactly what the kids would do and it efficient. Google anything in ALiexpress and you should be golden for $50.00.


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they could record all day to thier PC hard drives and put any clips into a flash drive if need be or set a button up on their keyboard as a quick record either or.

buy a few different ones till you find what works best and for what distance

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Tom Hughes said:
Budget would ideally be under $100 each. I have about 30 rooms that would need outfitted, so obviously the less money the better.


There is no reasonable expectation of privacy in the school classrooms. There are already 30+ cameras tied to our NVR in the building covering common areas, hallways, cafeterias, etc. The only battle that needs fought is with teachers not wanting cameras in the rooms and the union throwing a fit about that. Feel free to read more at National Institute of Justice Research Report: Chapter 2-Video Surveillance: Video Cameras-Legal aspects of the use of video cameras in schools or Classroom Cameras and Privacy Concerns – Education Facilities Clearinghouse the second article ties into the biggest goal I have which is making the teachers the ones in control of the recordings (sd card in which they can upload to the office) rather than "big brother" watching over them with an NVR type system.
Click to expand...

I have installed cameras for say UNION based agency's, If a employee is made uncomfortable by such cameras they will come down. I had to take it down. Only after the fact did the Agency come out with a security camera policy. Now and hereafter, the Union has to approve Camera locations. How about that for the tail wagging the dog? Does your school have a Camera Policy? If Not you might better get one in place before you go ahead and do this. I have a 6 year old little girl, in a public school, I would not 24*7 in the classroom on her. I agree with the choke points, hallways and doorways though. If they were going to do that I would want to know about it and sign off in writing that I approve or disapprove.
 
You'd never get 100% of any group of parents or employees to agree or disagree on cameras in a classroom. It's either the policy or it isn't. Follow policy if one is specified and you'll be fine. If there is no clear policy then expect to catch some heat. Definitely clear it with the principal.

Personally, if a camera was allowed and IT wouldn't help me, I'd stick one up with an SD card and attach it to its own router in the classroom. Then I'd dload footage to my laptop as needed but otherwise forget it was there. Make sure to set email notifications in case the SD card dies.
 
An idea;
If the camera;
- has an "external alarm" input, and
- the camera can be set to record on event,
- then connect a switch, with suitably long cable, to the camera.

Teacher would turn the switch on to record, and off to stop recording.
Teacher Union, if a camera policy doesn't exist, may have lower resistance to the idea, since the teacher is in control of what gets recorded.

Since the camera is mounted inside, maybe the cover could be left off. This would make it easier for the teacher to remove the SD card. Unfotunately, it would make it easier for the wrong people to remove the card.

Fastb
 
Not 100% sure this would work (hopefully somebody else could confirm)

You could mount a camera with an SD card inserted in a classroom then supply local power and have the camera connected directly to the teachers computer. The camera can be on continuous recording and should an event happen where recordings need to be extracted then the teacher can do this directly from their computer
 
Sorry for the confusion.
When SD was mentioned, it was an SD card inside the camera.
zero-degrees said:
You can put a HIKVision or Dahaua camera in the class with a large SD card which will easily record a rolling 12 hours so at the end of the day if the teacher needs to download a portion they can. However, be aware the cameras will need to be on the network in order for recordings to be retrieved.
Click to expand...

ie: the entire school day would be recorded to an SD card inside the cam.
Retrieving the recorded video would be easiest using a network cable. A cable from camera to a laptop. Or the camera is connected to the school's network, and retreiving the video would occur over that network.

zero-degrees said:
It is not simple to just pull a card out and put it back in, they are inside the cameras and requite them to be removed via taking the camera apart.
Click to expand...

ie: an alternative is no network cable. But then you need to remove the SD from the camera, and slip the SD into a card reader slot on a PC, to retrieve the video. "Remove the SD card" sounds easy, doesn't it? But the SD card is inside the camera.

Fastb
 
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