any cctv experts on here. looking best night vision cameras

[jjcool]

hi there,

i need a bit of help with CCTV system with very good night vision cameras, trying to do much research as possible. notice lots of misleading information.

Recently i have been victim of car vandalism with someone pouring painstripper of me and wires cars at back of house.
so i really need to take some precaution now, police cant really help in this situation as no proof.

So am looking for two cameras for outside side of my house and drive at back as well.

i really need 2 very good night vision cameras but not sure whats the best night vision cameras on the market that are not over £200.00 but cope very well in darkness with good picture quality as i mainly want it for at night. running to a dvr.


i know one can spend thousand and thousand pound, am looking to decent range but reasonable price.

i phoned one company today and they said they can fit me a cctv system, with dvr and two Qvis 600TVL dome cameras for £400.00 but not sure if thats a good price & if its a good dvr and if these dome cameras are any good for night vision?. as its night time i really need it. as not bothered about daytime use. just need a good quality night vision camera.

heres the system they offer

i dont mind spending a bit more and fitting a system myself if there is better dvrs & cameras for night vision for around the around the same amount of money or a bit more money.

[Bald Bouncer]

I think lithho is involved in CCTV

[jjcool]

I think lithho is involved in CCTV

ok thanks mate will ask him for some advice.

[BigBird]

If I was in your position I would consider a black and white camera. They require less light than colour, and at night you will only get a black and white image anyway unless you provide enough artificial light. Invisible infra red light also works well with black and white cameras. Black and white should also be cheaper for a given resolution - but not by much these days. (">

[BigBird]

Ideal for use with black & white cctv at night. Will work with colour cctv in black & white mode - but not as good in my opinion:

140 Led IR Infrared Lamp Illuminator Light 850nm For CCTV Camera + Power Adapter http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140-Led-IR...ht_2594wt_1397

Built-in sensor
Illuminating range: Detecting range is 80m, viewing range is 60m (outdoor)
Definition Consumed power: 18W
Wave length : 850nM
Structure: All weather aluminum and reinforced glass
Power: DC 12V 1500mA
Power Supply : AC 100V-240V / DC 12V
Size: 17x13x11 cm

[jjcool]

thanks bigbird what camera would you suggest that will give good image quality at night so they can be identified if the crooks come back.

and if you use the 140 infared illuminator i take it no external light is needed??

[cosmicma]

those 2 dome cameras they show at around 10 seconds into the video are pretty good i have on pointing into my back yard

i think the way to go nowadays is to use hd ip cameras which is something i am going to look into soon

something like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sanyo-VDC-...#ht_500wt_1300

[jjcool]

those 2 dome cameras they show at around 10 seconds into the video are pretty good i have on pointing into my back yard

i think the way to go nowadays is to use hd ip cameras which is something i am going to look into soon

something like this
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sanyo-VDC-...#ht_500wt_1300

thanks cosmicma

what are ip cameras are they the same as wireless cameras? as heard wireless cameras are bad as you get interference.

and can you tell me advantages of ip cameras over normal cameras, and are better for night vision.

thanks

[BigBird]

thanks cosmicma

what are ip cameras are they the same as wireless cameras? as heard wireless cameras are bad as you get interference.

and can you tell me advantages of ip cameras over normal cameras, and are better for night vision.

thanks

In my opinion IP cameras have some limitations and have no real advantages over standard cctv cameras.

An IP camera sends its data over a computer network rather than through a video coax cable. One advantage is that you can use longer lengths of cable (up to 100 metres), and being connected to your network means they can be viewed anywhere in the world . You would need an IP dvr or use your computer to record the video.

Having said that: You can also use normal video cctv cameras over even longer distances by using video baluns. They are small passive devices (need no power supply) that connect to the camera and to the dvr which then allows you to send the video signal through a twisted pair cable. A network cable has four twisted pairs so you can connect four cameras up to 600 metres away using a cheap cat 5 network cable. You could also connect a standard video dvr up to the network so that it can be viewed anywhere in the world.

I bought five pairs of video baluns for £20 and a 100 metre reel of cat 5 cable for £16. That will allow me to connect four standard video cctv cameras up to 100 metres away without a noticable loss of quality. And my dvr will allow me to view them from anywhere in the world.

Be aware that the chaper cctv dvr's do not give very good quality. If I am really concerned about something, I record with an old video recorder on long play so I get 8 hours overnight. You could also use a normal hard disk dvr. Quality is much better than a cheap 4 channel cctc dvr but you only have one channel. You can still use the 4 channel dvr for other cameras, but also use a seperate recorder for the most important camera. If you use an IP camera you will not have this option and you may end up with poor quality recordings where you cant recognize individual faces. Using an IP camera to record to a pc may give better quality but I have never used one so cant comment on it.

I have a top of the range Sony PTZ 520 line camera which gives super quality when connected to the video recorder but the playback quality is poor when connected to my Avtech 4 channel cctv dvr which cost me £200.

Other people may have a different opinion. I have not used any IP cameras. This is just my experience and thoughts on the subject. Im sure someone who has used IP cameras will correct me if I'm wrong. (">

[BigBird]

10x CCTV BNC VIDEO BALUN UTP CAT5 RJ45 CABLE TRANSMITTER FOR SECURITY CAMERA DVR - £10.19

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/10x-CCTV-B...ht_2676wt_1397

Features:
* Single channel passive Video Balun.
* Full-motion CCTV video at distances up to 600m when used with any passive transceiver.
* Video transmission via UTP CAT5 cable.
* Receiving and transmitting video signals over UTP cable without using the power supply.
* Up to 300m with any active UTP video receiver.
* The CCTV Passive Video Balun supports all video device, such as camera, monitor, DVR card and recorder etc.
* No power required.
* The Video Transceiver is easy to install, using the standard UTP cable system.
* Connectors: Male BNC and terminal blocks.
* Size of each CCTV BNC Video Balun: L4.5xW1.4xh1.5cm.Approx.
* Color: Gray.
* Weight: 17.5g/pcs.

[BigBird]

Whether you go for IP or standard cctv cameras, DO NOT use cat 5 cable bought from ebay. There may be some decent ones on there but you wont know until you receive it. I bought some for my remote backup network drive and it was taking 6 hours to transfer 3gb of data over 20 metres. Bought some decent cable from TLC electrical supplies and am now sending 3gb in a couple of minutes over the same distance. (">

Cat 5 100mts - £12.85 + vat

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/CACAT5Eslash100.html

They also do 50 mts for around £7 + vat

Can't see a store in birmingham but they do post out, but any decent, local elecrical wholesaler will stock the right cable.

[jjcool]

thanks bigbird

the guy who fits 2 cameras and dvr fitted for £399 just came out.

he said the camera he uses is qvis 600tvl anti vandel domes with sony lens & the dvr is a qvis h.264 dvr

would you say its a good camera and dvr package??



i also just seen someone advertize a system a bit cheaper local to me for £349.99 [Limited Time Offer]

heres the advert
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/4-...cord/111439157



this compnay is also doing a outdoor ptz on special offer for £299.99 it says good night vision
heres the link
http://www.gumtree.com/p/for-sale/ou...ance/110685587


i could just get ptz fitted at rear with a dvr if thats a better option.


what do you think mate go with first offer for 399.00. 2nd offer for 349 or the ptz option.

[cosmicma]

In my opinion IP cameras have some limitations and have no real advantages over standard cctv cameras.

(">

the main reason i will be looking into hd ip cameras like the one in the link i posted is quality
they stream full hd 1080p which as we know is 4 times the resolution of standard definition cctv
the detail they pick up is quite impressive but it's not a cheap option

i'm not aware of any dedicated hd dvr / cctv combo's with a reasonable price tag

here's a short vid of the type of camera i will be looking into

[BigBird]

what do you think mate go with first offer for 399.00. 2nd offer for 349 or the ptz option.

600 tvl should be a good camera. Mine is a sony 540tvl and i cant fault it.

As for the package with the four cameras, it seem to me good value. but be aware that the quality I had with an Avtech h264 dvr is ok but far from ideal.

The PTZ camera is handy if you need that option. A single PTZ can only see one area at a time but can be set to automatically scan a wider area than four cameras will be able to cover. Some PTZ's also have inputs which can be connected to PIR movement sensors so the camera can be programmed to move to a preset position if someone triggers the PIR sensor. Advantage with a PTZ is that it can zoom in to a specific area although some fixed cameras can also be zoomed, but once set they are fixed until you manually adjust them again.

The PTZ will also need something to record to, which means adding a dvr so will be more expensive. Also be aware that some dvr's have a problem controlling ptz cameras. I only found this out after I purchased mine. It is advertised as having PTZ control, but in reality there are some incompatability problems so get some guarantees with the seller before purchasing. But you can program the PTZ camera with a joystick (more cost) or use software to do the job. I wrote my own program to do it and you are welcome to a copy if you do go down the PTZ route.

If the four camera package will do the job then I would probably go with that because its cheaper and easier to set up. If you need to scan a wider area and zoom in then the PTZ is the best choice. Be aware that the cctv dvr in the four camera package may give you disappointing results with video quality playback.

Choosing the right package can be a bit of a nightmare because there are so many options and different quality of systems, and there is the cost to consider. Can you get a demo from the guy that came out? At least with that you can see the quality before you buy.

IP cameras may end up being the easiest option if you can get the right quality of recording. Dont know how desperate you are for this. I would advise you to take your time and get it right.

You are probably more confused now than when you started. (">

Check out this guide on IP vs Analogue cctv:

http://www.aventuracctv.com/analog_vs_ip/

[jjcool]

the main reason i will be looking into hd ip cameras like the one in the link i posted is quality
they stream full hd 1080p which as we know is 4 times the resolution of standard definition cctv
the detail they pick up is quite impressive but it's not a cheap option

i'm not aware of any dedicated hd dvr / cctv combo's with a reasonable price tag

here's a short vid of the type of camera i will be looking into

cosmic ma what camera is that mate amazing quaility.


i heard with ip cameras they use all your internet bandwidth and you can get paused or recording can stop and u get interference so i heard they can be a bit dissapointing.

no sure if thats the case this is what ive read.

[jjcool]

600 tvl should be a good camera. Mine is a sony 540tvl and i cant fault it.

As for the package with the four cameras, it seem to me good value. but be aware that the quality I had with an Avtech h264 dvr is ok but far from ideal.

The PTZ camera is handy if you need that option. A single PTZ can only see one area at a time but can be set to automatically scan a wider area than four cameras will be able to cover. Some PTZ's also have inputs which can be connected to PIR movement sensors so the camera can be programmed to move to a preset position if someone triggers the PIR sensor. Advantage with a PTZ is that it can zoom in to a specific area although some fixed cameras can also be zoomed, but once set they are fixed until you manually adjust them again.

The PTZ will also need something to record to, which means adding a dvr so will be more expensive. Also be aware that some dvr's have a problem controlling ptz cameras. I only found this out after I purchased mine. It is advertised as having PTZ control, but in reality there are some incompatability problems so get some guarantees with the seller before purchasing. But you can program the PTZ camera with a joystick (more cost) or use software to do the job. I wrote my own program to do it and you are welcome to a copy if you do go down the PTZ route.

If the four camera package will do the job then I would probably go with that because its cheaper and easier to set up. If you need to scan a wider area and zoom in then the PTZ is the best choice. Be aware that the cctv dvr in the four camera package may give you disappointing results with video quality playback.

Choosing the right package can be a bit of a nightmare because there are so many options and different quality of systems, and there is the cost to consider. Can you get a demo from the guy that came out? At least with that you can see the quality before you buy.

IP cameras may end up being the easiest option if you can get the right quality of recording. Dont know how desperate you are for this. I would advise you to take your time and get it right.

You are probably more confused now than when you started. (">

Check out this guide on IP vs Analogue cctv:

http://www.aventuracctv.com/analog_vs_ip/

bigbiard you are correct am am confused.

dont know what to do really as if im reading it right as well as cameras you also need a good dvr.

the 399 deal i thought it was a good dvr concidering it was a hd h.264 box. but you said you already had one of those and dissapointed

and the 4 camera package is a unbranded.

[BigBird]

Ok. Maybe this will help clarify. This is what I would do:

Personally I would avoid IP cameras because you want it for a low light application. At least with a standard video output you can connect to an old video recorder which you can pick up for £5 in a pawn shop. I know cos I bought one last week. Or get a cheap refurbished home DVR. Only one channel but you could use an automatic video switch if you want to switch every few seconds between up to four cameras.

H264 dvr's are not that good in my opinion. Add the fact that you will be monitoring in low light it will be even worse. Ok for general use but handy to be able to connect to a true video recorder as well if only for the night time.

A couple of questions: How far will the camera be from the area you are monitoring? How far will the camera be from the recording equipment? (">

[jjcool]

Ok. Maybe this will help clarify. This is what I would do:

Personally I would avoid IP cameras because you want it for a low light application. At least with a standard video output you can connect to an old video recorder which you can pick up for £5 in a pawn shop. I know cos I bought one last week. Or get a cheap refurbished home DVR. Only one channel but you could use an automatic video switch if you want to switch every few seconds between up to four cameras.

H264 dvr's are not that good in my opinion. Add the fact that you will be monitoring in low light it will be even worse. Ok for general use but handy to be able to connect to a true video recorder as well if only for the night time.

A couple of questions: How far will the camera be from the area you are monitoring? How far will the camera be from the recording equipment? (">

the camera viewing area is about 15m. & the distance to dvr box will be around 20m. as in a flat. ( car park at rear )

[BigBird]

the camera viewing area is about 15m. & the distance to dvr box will be around 20m. as in a flat. ( car park at rear )

Ok not a great distance so all options are open: Fixed camera should be close enough at 15m so no need for the zoom option. The higher the resolution the better but anything 480tvl or over should be fine. The main choice you have to make is about the quality of the recording.

An IP camera system with a computer to monitor and record may be the simplest option but I can't comment on the quality you will get.
I'm not happy with my Avatech H:264 DVR but I cant comment on other makes out there.

The trouble with a digitised signal whether from an IP camera or after digitising a standard video signal in a H264 DVR is the quality of moving objects. the signal pauses momentarily and is very fuzzy around a moving person. Every way I think about it I always come back to using a standard camera with a tape or home dvr recorder. A H:624 DVR may be good enough for the job and you may be happy with the quality - as long as you don't connect it to a normal video recorder or straight into the back of the TV and see the quality of true undigitised video. I connected my camera to the tv first so anything after that was not good enough. Because of my experience I suppose I am biased to some extent.

What we need here is more people with experience of different systems and dvr's so you can make a properly informed choice before spending any money on it.

Will try and sort some video footage later to show you the difference I get between a H:264 video and true video. (">

[jjcool]

Ok not a great distance so all options are open: Fixed camera should be close enough at 15m so no need for the zoom option. The higher the resolution the better but anything 480tvl or over should be fine. The main choice you have to make is about the quality of the recording.

An IP camera system with a computer to monitor and record may be the simplest option but I can't comment on the quality you will get.
I'm not happy with my Avatech H:264 DVR but I cant comment on other makes out there.

The trouble with a digitised signal whether from an IP camera or after digitising a standard video signal in a H264 DVR is the quality of moving objects. the signal pauses momentarily and is very fuzzy around a moving person. Every way I think about it I always come back to using a standard camera with a tape or home dvr recorder. A H:624 DVR may be good enough for the job and you may be happy with the quality - as long as you don't connect it to a normal video recorder or straight into the back of the TV and see the quality of true undigitised video. I connected my camera to the tv first so anything after that was not good enough. Because of my experience I suppose I am biased to some extent.

What we need here is more people with experience of different systems and dvr's so you can make a properly informed choice before spending any money on it.

Will try and sort some video footage later to show you the difference I get between a H:264 video and true video. (">

ok thanks bigbird would be good to see some video footage