Re: CCTV at night

["Charlie Brown" <charlie.brown@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

You are all a great group of guys willing to help out us non techy people.
I am willing to spend whatever it takes balanced against what is reasonable.
It is annoying that advice is not easy to get from the institutions; the
insurance companies are not in the slightest bit interested if you try your
best using modern technology, it seems the old adage of bolt your doors and
keep your head down still applies.

thanks

Charlie Brown
"Jim" <alarminex@xxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1162102977.608963.299970@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> Charlie Brown wrote:
>> Hi
>>
>> OK, I didn't do my homework very well.  I have a digital video recorder
>> with
>> one wireless miniature camera attached, I did this initial set up because
>> I
>> wasn't sure how good it was going to be.  It works fine but has a range
>> of
>> about 20m instead of the 100m spec, but the signal is going through a
>> couple
>> of walls.  I now want to add cameras to it (3 more spare ports) but the
>> dealer tells me I need IR cameras if I want to record at night, they all
>> look a bit chunky and I like the discrete miniature type.  Is there a way
>> where I can use the miniature cameras but use separate IR lighting?  The
>> dealer says you can't do this, you need the IR cameras.
>>
>> Can anyone help?
>>
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> Charlie Brown
>
> No one seems to have remembered to mention that not only are
> "inexpensive" cameras not going to give you a good night picture .....
> they also don't have "day/night" capability.
> Even good color cameras don't do too good at night, even with infra red
> illuminators. Mfg's produce cameras that will convert to black and
> white cameras at night. Black and white cameras detect infra red
> illimination much better than color cameras. In some cases giving you
> much more than a two fold better picture than a color camera.  Also,
> even "day/night" cameras have a problem of staying in focus in both the
> day and the night conditions. Better cameras provide compensation for
> this.
>
> I do cameras ....  but truthfully .... I don't think they have much
> value. Usually you just wind up with a video of a complete stranger
> breaking into your house. No one will ever identify him. You can only
> hope that if the police keep the video that someday they may catch
> someone and remember that he's on your tape.
>
> In my opinion ....your best bet is good lighting, good locks, make your
> home look occupied when it's not, some lawn signs or window stickers
> and a reasonable security system. Then if you want to add some video
> .... go for it.
>