Re: CCTV cameras

["Bob La Londe" <usenet@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

"Periproct" <Periproct@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:dptijq$2u0$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Hope this is vaguely the right place to ask........

Its as good as any althouth this is an alternative
http://www.cctvforum.com/

> Does anybody know where I can get decent CCTV cameras in the UK at a
> reasonable price.

Somebody might, but not me.  Personally I have experienced a you get what
you pay for syndrome in CCTV cameras.

> Buying one and seeing if it works OK in low light levels is an expensive
> trail and error method.

Yep.

> I have a supposedly low lux radio camera from Ebay watching the rear of
> house from the garage which is next to useless in low light levels
> (completely black picture from around 16:00 to 10:00 this time of year).
> A second more expensive camera from Maplin watching the carport is OK for
> a longer period of the day but still not a lot of use at night. Both
> cameras have IR leds.


That's no surprise.  Most cheap cameras with IR LEDs rate the viewing
distance misleadingly.  When they say 30 foot range for instance they mean
against a highly IR reflective surface such as a sheet of glossy white sign
board.  Means nothing in the real world.  They seem to work better in
general indoors in rooms with dimensions smaller than their rated range.
Outdoors not so much.  Heck, most better quality cameras with IR
illuminators don't produce a usable image at more than half their rated
distance.

> IR illuminators seem very expensive and I'd like to avoid having the house
> bristling with large security devices or the neighbours are going to think
> I'm some kind of weirdo.

IR illuminators are expensive.  Well good ones that are rated for outdoor
use anyway.  How about motion activated flood lights instead?  There are
some starlight vision cameras around, but I have not seen any available
through DIY sources.  They are expensive and in the UK their use may be
limited as they do require some light to work.  They would be usless during
an overcast night.
--
Bob La Londe
http://www.YumaBassMan.com