Re: Advice needed on CCTV

["Philip Coombes" <philip.coombes@xxxxxxx>]

Hi Andrew,

I don't want people to think this is the only reason I'm here since I did mention this
in my introduction last week. But if you have a spare PC you can turn into = a
Linux
box you could do worse than trying ZoneMinder ( http://www.zoneminder.com )
which  I wrote originally for myself for precisely this kind of thing = after
my garage
was burgled.

I've got a camera pointing over my (admittedely short) drive but don't have=
a problem
with it resolving in the middle of the night with only it's onboard LEDs fo= r
illumination.
I can't remember the exact model (though I can find out) but I think I paid=
around =A360
quid each for a pair of semi-hardened B&W cameras which I've had no pro= blems
with at all. I got them from MASS CCTV (http://www.masscctv.co.uk) which has
a fairly comprehensive line-up and they are helpful, if you ignore their truly dreadful
website (which they think is brilliant!). I'm new here so I don't know if they are known
around these parts or not but I had no problem with them and they do have a=
good
range and decent prices, I would get their downloadable prices and document= s
though
as there's not much info on the site itself.. I think with cameras you get<= BR> what you pay for
and there's quite a range of prices and capabilities.

The other thing you'll need of course if a video capture card but for one input you could
get away with a WinTV type card. So for next to nothing you get video
capture and
recording plus configurable motion detection and if you network it up you can watch
your house from work!

Cheers,

Phil,

----- Original Message -----
From: "andrew_stanley68" <andrew@xxxxxxx>
To: <ukha_d@xxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, November 18, 2002 12:33 PM
Subject: [ukha_d] Advice needed on CCTV


> Hi
>
> After my car was vandalised on my drive, I decided to install some
> security cameras. I was already aware of the X10 equipment, and so
> purchased the XCAM2 (PIR) with VCR commander (plus three others). I > have installed the first one above my garage.
>
> The quality of the picture is pretty poor (sound is great!). It's very=
> difficult to make out faces as they are blurred and by the time the > VCR starts recording, the criminal could have done the damage and
> scarpered (and it isn't date/time stamped). It also needs *huge*
> amounts of light. I have a 500w floodlight lighting the drive, but
> this isn't enough. Another floodlight has been installed above the
> garage, but it's not wired up yet.
>
> Maybe that would help, but even in bright daylight, the picture isn't<= BR> > great. I know that colour is less sensitive than B&W.
>
> So ... what's recommended? I like the size of the XCAM, and the
> wireless is great, but the picture sucks. Is there a comparable
> system? I love the idea of their MultiView software, but can't find > it over here. Does anybody stock it? Is there a comparable system to > this? I see Dynamic Home sell the Stealth Big Brother, but at =A3160,<= BR> > plus cameras, it's a little steep.
>
> In short, I don't know what to do. I have 4 XCAMs (one PIR) with two > receivers and a VCR commander. I can send this lot back and start
> again or make this work. Any advice appreciated.
>
> Cheers
>
> andrew
>
>
>
> http://www.automatedhome.co= .uk
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