Contemplating a video surveillance camera set up (insurance, crime)

[Voebe]

How would I go about finding someone to set up some kind of video surveillance cameras on my roof for a few months? No idea if I need a real pro or a casual hobbyist, but I wouldn't be doing this myself. There's apparently some guy who likes to sprint across roofs, mostly at night, and I'd like to get this guy identified, maybe to get the police on it. If it weren't for the fact that I have a foam roof, I'd consider barbed wire.

[Rick Lee]

Subscribing. After some miserable POS stole my $400 helmet off my bike in my garage last week, I'm about ready to put some bait out there, use motion detectors and catch this guy.

[bigDwiki]

Originally Posted by Voebe

How would I go about finding someone to set up some kind of video surveillance cameras on my roof for a few months? No idea if I need a real pro or a casual hobbyist, but I wouldn't be doing this myself. There's apparently some guy who likes to sprint across roofs, mostly at night, and I'd like to get this guy identified, maybe to get the police on it. If it weren't for the fact that I have a foam roof, I'd consider barbed wire.

Why not do it yourself? I did mine myself. Wasn't hard.

This is the kit I used. Works well and you can watch it over the internet and on a phone.

[MotleyCrew]

Wished we had installed a camera while under construction to catch the creep that took $3,000 worth of our tools. I think you can get them at Best Buy or other sources and install them yourself.

[pbenjamin]

When we moved into our house we found all sorts of video surveillance stuff, both inside and out. It had been set up by the company that did the alarm system. You might try somebody like that.

[Rick Lee]

I have to wonder how effective these systems are. When I've seen footage on tv news of crimes in progress, it's almost always impossible to make out the perp's face unless it's already someone known to you. Sure, the footage is good evidence to have for the police report or insurance claim. But if you're not there to confront the perp or thwart the crime AND the perp doesn't know or doesn't care that he's being recorded, how does the video help you keep your belongings? Not knocking the idea, as I'd love to catch the kid (very likely a neighbor) who stole my helmet. And it'd always be good to get license plate numbers on passing cars.

[jimj]

You can get systems at Costco and many other big box stores. As for video quality, those grainy shots you see are usually due to old cameras or old recording media/devices.
A lot of places still use VCR tapes which they record over and over again and don't check them until there's a problem so have no idea they're pretty much useless.
I'd use either a DVR or at least a re-recordable DVD and cycle them weekly.

[Voebe]

Okay, so I got some information, but no help. Again, I do not want to do this myself, for a variety of reasons, nor a whole company. I'm figuring on either who someone who does this informally on his own, or maybe a small one-man operation.

I'm honestly not sure what the result would be. But if, for instance, the cameras would show that it tends to happen Thursdays at midnight, maybe one night we could have the cops ready and waiting.

[MN-Born-n-Raised]

I have video cameras in all of my homes as well as a ton of home automation. I've studied the topic intensely.

As an overview, in order to see at night, the camera needs infrared lighting (light that the camera can see but your eyes cannot). Infrared (a.k.a. IR) is the same wavelength as your remote control. You cannot see IR but it will light up the image when you watch it back. See Newegg.com - Surveillance Cameras, Security Cameras for some examples.

The analog cameras that cost under $200 are junk unless your face is close. So yes, the Costco kit is terrible because of the camera (the rest of the system is good). But you would need a $500 analog cameras to get incredible resolution. Those Costco bullet style cameras that are included are $10. Just walk back 15 feet and you cannot make out who the person is unless you already know them. Certainly a licence plate cannot be viewed.

The new CMOS sensors that are linked to the internet have great looking images but they have fixed lenses and they are not as good with low level lighting. For indoors, this works out well (see Network IP Cameras - Astak Mole IP Camera ). Costco sells them for $180. It's a piece of cake to set-up and it is also wireless (and IR).

I went with IP based cameras and I networked them onto an offsite recorder. You need POE (power over internet) unless you plug in a wall wart (step down transformer). POE is a cleaner install. You can also stream the data over an existing 120 volt line. But that takes more hardware and it is not t a stand alone camera like that Mole.

[caryberry]

This thread was started last year but since several PHX Forum regulars chimed, so perhaps someone in the know will respond.

How do your outdoor surveillance cameras behave during dust storms?

Not the video (everyone gets the rolling beige - thanks to repetitive local news reporting) but the outside of the camera housing, lenses, moveable parts, etc. Does the AZ heat have an impact on the cameras? Recommendations?

Thanks in advance!