# Home security cameras - inexpensive and good?



## yzingerr

Is there such a thing with inexpensive but good systems ?
I'm looking for good resolution, night capable, 4 camera, with dvr system.
There are a myriad of choices out there, but I've seen some $200 systems that are terrible in ideal conditions.
Possibly thinking of building my own piece by piece to be able to afford it. Any suggestions, tips, etc?
Ideally would have smart phone access too!


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## countdown

Subscribed. I'm looking for the same, but with 8 cameras (4 indoors, 4 out).


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## survival

x3. Looking mainly for outdoor with night vision, not wireless because I don't want to replace batteries all the time. Looking to piece mine together and add more as time goes on depending on where I need them.


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## fedorthedog

I dont know the cost or number of camera's but last years one of my officers was involved in a shooting that was captured on video by a costco home security system. They photos were great and very clear.


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## Southern Dad

I have a Night Owl camera system at my house. Four cameras plus two decoys. It works great, I can check it from my iPhone. Remember to put one aimed at the house from the yard. I have one on a utility service pole. It doesn't do you any good to have cameras on the house looking out if they are under it.


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## survival

Those night owls look like a great product. Glad to see a "real person" instead of a sales person recommending. Going to look more into myself.


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## AvengersAssembled

I was looking for one about a year back, key word was cheap though, so I picked this one up for $40 with free shipping. I needed it to be infrared and weatherproof. If your looking for a very cheap single camera, the link is to the one I purchased. You need a DVR or even a VCR to record, and it doesn't come with a microphone (although I picked one up for $10). I've been using it pretty regularly, and no complaints. I did buy an extra 100 foot power supply cable, though. The resolution is pretty good for the price. Easy to use, it seems fairly reliable, and the casing around it is aluminum.

Amazon.com: VideoSecu Outdoor Day Night Security Camera Infrared Weatherproof CCTV Home 1/3" CCD 420 TV Lines 28 IR LEDs Wide View Angle Lens with Free Power Supply A71: Camera & Photo


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## yzingerr

Thanks for the replies, checking out the links now.
I know its quite the conundrum, but there has to be something good and inexpensive out there. My issue is clarity. How can you catch a perp if you can't id them?


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## yzingerr

The night owl stuff _looks_ promising. Just wondering how good their complete 4 camera kit is.. price is right ($289.89).
Im so skeptical of claimed specs. Ive seen three supposed "420tvl" cameras side by side and they can have a huge variance of clarity.


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## SOCOM42

I have a 4 camera system, outside only, 250' ir night, 1/3", high res, 0 lux system with a dvr and removable hard drives. 

I cannot see my driveway from my bedroom or from my shop (concrete, no windows), thus the system.

Dvr is in a secure room. 

Each camera is powered through the coax cable linking it to the multiplexer.

This system is not "cheap", cheaper systems are really only good for active monitoring.

I put it together myself with components from a texas company called supercircuits. 

This operates in conjunction with my alarm system.

I do operate a gun-smithing shop, hence the security.

For your own info you can compare the the quality of all the cameras on their site and what they can do.


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## Southern Dad

After reading this, I pulled out my iPhone and screen shot what it looks like with the Night Owl. If you notice camera two is not on the house but high on the utility service pole in my yard. The resolution is excellent and I can clearly view what is happening in real time. The app I use to view is ASee which is a free app. The ASee+ app is also good but it splits the screen into four parts. I would rather have larger views.


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## countdown

My next door neighbor (actually, two houses down) just bought a surveillance system a few weeks ago. THE VERY NEXT DAY...some douchebag tried to siphon gas (with an electric pump :shock out of another neighbor's truck in broad daylight. The pump and the thief catch on fire, he jumps into his truck to make a quick getaway, catches his truck on fire and jumps out while it's still moving, and the truck crashes into another neighbor's house and catches it on fire while he tries to book it out of the neighborhood on foot. His cameras caught it all, and all the news stations had to pay him for use of his captured video...paid for the system about 3X over.


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## Southern Dad

Sounds like a Darwinian Moment.


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## countdown

Southern Dad said:


> Sounds like a Darwinian Moment.


Pretty much. Here's one of the news clips:

http://www.azcentral.com/community/...g-stolen-gas-crashes-into-mesa-home-abrk.html


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## Southern Dad

One of my neighbors has complained that he believes that one of my cameras is filming the cul-de-sac and that I shouldn't be allowed to do it because of privacy reasons. What is odd is that I live in the cul-de-sac, he lives four houses down and really has no need to pass the camera in question. Another fact that he doesn't need to know is that camera is one of two that are decoys...


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## Mr Ed

I have 2 systems one at my place of business one at home. I found the cost can be controlled by starting small and adding to it. The DVR Units were bought new for right around 900.00 Cameras i I picked up various places some used, some new. System At home is strictly outdoor one at work is indoor. For work I bought a group of used cameras (they had been in a Wal-mart) sorted through them and had good quality Cameras cheap. The outdoor ones being IR I bought new online. Both systems record, zoom,search everything you need for loss prevention. Like stated above alot of camera systems do not record, so you only have eyes on it when you watching the monitor.


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## MikeyPrepper

This is the actual camera system i have. Its not that expensive and you can add 2 more camera if you like which i did. Check it out..

4-Channel 2GB SD Card Wireless Surveillance System with 2 460 TVL Cameras, 7 in. Monitor, and Remote Viewing-LW2712 at The Home Depot


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## Mr Ed

Southern Dad said:


> After reading this, I pulled out my iPhone and screen shot what it looks like with the Night Owl. If you notice camera two is not on the house but high on the utility service pole in my yard. The resolution is excellent and I can clearly view what is happening in real time. The app I use to view is ASee which is a free app. The ASee+ app is also good but it splits the screen into four parts. I would rather have larger views.
> 
> SD I take it you used a wireless camera on the pole. Nice set up- looks good.


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## yzingerr

MikeyPrepper said:


> This is the actual camera system i have. Its not that expensive and you can add 2 more camera if you like which i did. Check it out..
> 
> 4-Channel 2GB SD Card Wireless Surveillance System with 2 460 TVL Cameras, 7 in. Monitor, and Remote Viewing-LW2712 at The Home Depot


thanks for the link. im going to have to check those out. a couple of my local stores have them instock.


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## Southern Dad

Mr Ed said:


> Southern Dad said:
> 
> 
> 
> After reading this, I pulled out my iPhone and screen shot what it looks like with the Night Owl. If you notice camera two is not on the house but high on the utility service pole in my yard. The resolution is excellent and I can clearly view what is happening in real time. The app I use to view is ASee which is a free app. The ASee+ app is also good but it splits the screen into four parts. I would rather have larger views.
> 
> SD I take it you used a wireless camera on the pole. Nice set up- looks good.
> 
> 
> 
> No, I didn't use a wireless on that pole. It's wired. Since that was the service pole to my home it already had electric, phone and cable on it. I felt very confident that it could handle one more line. My line for the camera is about 1 foot below the cable television with just about the same amount of slack. The problem with a wireless camera is that you still have to get power to it. It was just as easy to have a combination power/video as a power run that far.
Click to expand...


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## MikeyPrepper

yzingerr said:


> thanks for the link. im going to have to check those out. a couple of my local stores have them instock.


Yea def man. Its a nice set up. I like it alot, im actually adding a camera saturday


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## Camron

I am using the security company services that gave me 8 motion sensor camera and other security devices that are connect with gsm techbology.So if any person enter in my property in my absence i get an alert on my phone and the security company sends the officer to ta


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## PaulS

Electronic security is fine as long as you have power and telephone lines but in a SHTF senario all those cameras do is tell anyone looking that you have something of value.
Once the SHTF you want to be invisible. You want the front yard to look like the house has been cleaned out of any valueables. You might even want some DBs out at the edges to show people that death is all that awaits them here. You certainly don't want lights on at night, nicely manicured front yard or cameras on the old homestead.


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## Edwin

CCTV camera system with the dvr are best for the security of your home and they are also available in affordable price.But they me more than your budget.SO try some local company to get the cameras in your budget range.
Brisbane Security


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## BigCheeseStick

I've been using a Logitech HD 1080p web cam with a 20' extension usb cable to a computer that acts as the dvr for a few years, and have been looking to upgrade myself recently. After a few months of shopping these are the best value I've been able to find so far. You can see a few of the systems at Samsclub. Depending on which system you choose the cameras are up to 600TVL. NICE!

Google the model #'s for prices.

SamsungSV :: Samsung Home & Business DVR Security System / Baby Mornitoring System


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## Cygnus

I found that x10 has the best deals on quality stuff.

The Source for X10 & X10 Pro Genuine Products


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## Boss Dog

I'm... frugal, the family has another name for it. Plus I just like old stuff. 
I bought 4 of these and similar model cameras on ebay used for about $30 each, last year. Can't believe the prices now. 
They're not weather proof and enclosure cost as much as the camera so, they are mounted inside on medium size carpenter 'L' brackets, behind curtains and pointed out the windows.
Amazon.com: Toshiba IK-6420A Analog Camera, 540 TV Lines, 24V AC and 12V DC: Camera & Photo

I got an old Panasonic DVR free from work when they replaced it with a new one. The power supply inside went bad so I hooked it up to a generic 12V power supply from Radio Shack. Worky good! I'm at work and can't remember the exact model but it is a little older than this one but looks about the same.
http://www.panasonicclub.hu/pdf/20020526/hd.pdf

Got these monitors free from a law firm in my building because their IT people are goobers. 3 of them work perfectly fine, don't know why they were getting rid of them. 2 of them headed for the dump.
HP L1910 Flat Panel Monitor (GS918A8) specifications - HP Products and Services Products

After scrounging another power supply, some cables I already had and some given to me, I'm into it for about $300.


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## StarPD45

Harbor Freight has a 4 camera system. Have no idea of the quality.
For remote areas, if you're not going to monitor them, a game cam might work. Some of them have IR flash, also some do video.


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## Samuel477

Honestly it's hard to get quality yet inexpensive security cameras. You can check IGTA cameras, I have heard they offer pretty good quality/price ratio. If you don't want good security just get a siren box for outside and use the bluff approach


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## SierraGhost

Samuel477 said:


> You can check IGTA cameras, I have heard they offer pretty good quality/price ratio.


 @Samuel447

I find it curious that you've resurrected a 5 year old thread, with a link is to a company in Toronto Canada that only serves the Toronto area. I attempted to 'check IGTA cameras' yet there was no information on any camera system they offer and every single page had 'Get a Free Estimate' on it.









Plus every page launches a pop-up


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## A Watchman

Samuel477 said:


> Honestly it's hard to get quality yet inexpensive security cameras. You can check IGTA cameras, I have heard they offer pretty good quality/price ratio. If you don't want good security just get a siren box for outside and use the bluff approach





SierraGhost said:


> @Samuel447
> 
> I find it curious that you've resurrected a 5 year old thread, with a link is to a company in Toronto Canada that only serves the Toronto area. I attempted to 'check IGTA cameras' yet there was no information on any camera system they offer and every single page had 'Get a Free Estimate' on it.
> 
> Plus every page launches a pop-up
> View attachment 78722


Especially since PF has much better threads in the last 1-2 years on the same subject. Geez &#8230;..


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## dwight55

Our church got into this dilemma, . . . chose to go with an 8 camera system.

It was purchased from Micro Center, a computer store with an On Line ordering system. I cannot recommend Micro Center highly enough, . . . they have pretty much always done me good, . . . been dealing with them for close to 30 years now.

This is in my opinion an awesome system, . . . clear images even in the night time, . . . and the frame rate is good, not jerky, . . . easy to install and set up.

The "copying off" of footage for the police or others can be a bit tricky, . . . but we bulled our way through it, . . . produced a written procedure sheet for others, . . . I love it.

In my opinion, Swann makes good equipment.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## Malcom Renolds

Blue Iris
Blue Iris - Video Security Software

This allows up to 64 cameras, remote view app, motion "sense" zones, push alerts, for 44$ at amazon.

After you have it up and running on a PC you can "ad hoc" the CRAP out of this with just about anything with a lens.
USB web cam, WiFi IP camera, Wired PoE cams, you name it.

I have a "few" modified FPV cameras that guys use for drone racing. They run at 5.8G ANALOG and use very little juice and are cheap. I am able to get a feed through trees over .5 mile away with these on 600mw.
You can put them in bird houses they are so small. You can change out the lenses for cheap for some VERY good "zoom" action and even remove the IR filter so they have "night vision".

The cool thing about Blue Iris is you can use game cameras and have them drop the pics to Blue Iris live so you get PIR sensors WITH 8-10MB photos live, sent to your mobile phone if ya like.

It pretty powerful consumer grade stuff if you are willing to "tinker".


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## phrogman

I use the Ring doorbell and it works pretty good. The cost is only $3 a month if you want to store videos in the app. I have two other cameras inside the house, they are through YI Home and they work pretty good too. They have two way audio which works great when we live the kids home alone. You can also add a memory card to them if you want to store the videos or if not it is just real time viewing. Eventually, I will get something else for the outside perimeter.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk


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