Outdoor video cam recommendatios?

M

mikefamig

Senior Member
I'm shopping for a weather resistant, wifi, motion detector video camera that I can place around the yard. I have good wifi coverage and could add a wifi extender where necessary. The first job that I have for it is to aim it at my pool heater to see where the mice are entering the cabinet, I have a problem with them nesting in there. I plan to put it on a tripod and power it with an AC/DC wall-wart.
 
I would also like to place it around where I might like to later permanently install a surveillance camera. This will help me to find the best locations before going to the work of pulling cables.
 
I'm looking at this:
 
https://www.amazon.com/Hikvision-DS-2CD2542FWD-IWS-microphone-Firmware-Upgradeable/dp/B0798L3JSQ/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1521905129&sr=1-5&keywords=wifi+camera+hikvision++ip67
 
Any suggestions appreciated.
 
Mike.
 
There are tales about putting cameras inside of rabbit boxes in the UK for breeding purposes that I found while surfing the internet.
 
Here the issues relating to outdoor domes with IR have related to reflections if the IR illumination is inside of the dome unless the lens if flush with with dome.
 
Wireless might have an issue inside of a metal box.  You might want an el cheapo camera if you put it inside of the box.
 
Another thing that works is a small 12VDC ultrasonic blaster with a piezo transducer.  Can't find them here much in the US.  I purchased a couple on Ebay from the EU.  It's basically an amplifier with a volume control and ultrasonic frequency adjustment.  The speakers are tiny and I am thinking you need to find some that go up to 30-40K.  The mice will not go near the sound.  In fact if you listen to the sound it can cause nausua, vomiting and hearing loss after a bit of time.  In the EU many folks put them in their automobile engine compartments to keep mice away when leaving cars outside.
 
I had an issue with mice in the garage.  The camera in the garage never did catch the field mice...they were tiny though.
 
So I just used poison and it worked fine for me.
 
BraveSirRobbin said:
Not sure is this is a '1 to 1' comparison, but there are cheaper Hikvision cameras out there.
 
https://www.ebay.com/p/Hikvision-Ds-2cd2135f-is-Poe-3mp-30m-IR-HD-H-265-Network-Mini-Dome-Camera/1231623719?_trksid=p2047675.m4097.l9055
 
When it comes to this brand of camera, drvnbysnd is your guy to go to for recommendations!
Click to expand...
 
Minimum requirements are wifi, motion detection, weather resistant and sd card to record video when motion is detected. I know that I could record to a PC but I would have to buy software like blue iris to do that. It would be nice to have an SD card.
 
Mike.
 
That seems to have all the needed features, and then some.  POE and 12 VDC powered, inputs, 2.8 mm lens (wide field of view), WiFi, etc...
 
EBay does have that same model a bit cheaper FYI.
 
what about a wyze cam installed in some water proof box.  The cam is only $20 give or take - and weather proof may only need to be a cover to protect it from rain and or dew - at such a cheap price you can afford to take a risk.
 
znelbok said:
what about a wyze cam installed in some water proof box.  The cam is only $20 give or take - and weather proof may only need to be a cover to protect it from rain and or dew - at such a cheap price you can afford to take a risk.
Click to expand...
 
I have four Foscam wifi cams here that cost around $75 each and while the video is acceptable the wifi is weak on them. I understand about interference and have moved a cam around the house and property and they have little range. I'm thinking that spending a little more money may help that. Have you tried the wyze cam?
 
Mike.
 
Honeywell has the new OC1 outdoor WIFI camera. It's part of their new "Lyric" line of IP cameras which are much improved compared to their previous Total Connect 2.0 capable IP cameras. It's outdoor rated, 1080P, WIFI and powered by an AC adapter. The lens is fixed focus, 2.5mm and the field of view is 117 degrees diagonal and 113 degrees horizontal. With the live streaming through the supported apps, there's a 10X pinch zoom option as well. It's powered by the included 12 VDC, 2A power supply.
 
The OC1 currently only works with Honeywell's Total Connect 2.0 service which will have a monthly fee as it's offered through Honeywell AlarmNet dealers/providers but it should soon also work with Honeywell's free Lyric app that supports the existing indoor C1 and C2 Lyric cameras.You can read about the Lyric app and the C1 and C2 cameras online at Honeywell's retail site - https://yourhome.honeywell.com/en/lyric-c2-wifi-security-camera. Once the OC1 is Lyric app compatible, it'll be listed on their site as well. You'll have live streaming capabilities and 24 hours of recordings accessible using the unit's SD card as long as the WIFI is online still. 
 
You'd also have the option to use it with Total Connect 2.0 to be able to have 30 second recordings that would be stored up to 30 days and have computer and mobile app access to the live streaming. 
 
I use those Hikvision cameras - in fact, I put 10 on a client's house recently (multi million dollar property) and he's been very happy.  We didn't use wifi - we hardwired POE and paired with a SnapAV NVR for ease of use and good WAF.  The image quality is great, and no reflection issues with the IR.  I also like the 2.8mm over the 3.2mm lens of the cameras I was using previously. 
 
I've used foscams in the past, but the wifi implementation was terrible.  I ended up having to use TPLink pocket-routers to handle the wifi and used the cams as if they were hardwired.   You can always do that with a non-wifi camera, and separate out the wifi parts.  I used these as a cheap and reliable way to do it.
 
Also - I tend to buy the cams from bhphotovideo - they seem to get better pricing than I can get as a small dealer.
 
Work2Play said:
I use those Hikvision cameras - in fact, I put 10 on a client's house recently (multi million dollar property) and he's been very happy.  We didn't use wifi - we hardwired POE and paired with a SnapAV NVR for ease of use and good WAF.  The image quality is great, and no reflection issues with the IR.  I also like the 2.8mm over the 3.2mm lens of the cameras I was using previously. 
 
I've used foscams in the past, but the wifi implementation was terrible.  I ended up having to use TPLink pocket-routers to handle the wifi and used the cams as if they were hardwired.   You can always do that with a non-wifi camera, and separate out the wifi parts.  I used these as a cheap and reliable way to do it.
 
Also - I tend to buy the cams from bhphotovideo - they seem to get better pricing than I can get as a small dealer.
Click to expand...
 
I would still need to pull a cable near to the cameras for the pocket router to improve the wifi signal. Do you have any experience woith the wifi range on the Hikvision cams? Are they any better than the Foscam?
 
Mike.
 
EDIT - or does that pocket router not need to be cabled?
 
The pocket router would be a wireless client and it would need to be Ethernet cabled to the camera. 
 
I utilize these today with OpenWRT OS.  Most of the microrouters have the same chipset.  One testing one is using small antennas and works OK wirelessly in the home.  Not using it for wireless media here. 
 
They are very inexpensive and easy to hardware modify / OS modify. 
 
Started initially with the TP-Link Microrouter tinkering here...then last purchase was the Gli.Net microrouter.
 
Mostly because they were being made to tinker with.
 
Tweaking a GL.iNet AR-300M AKA Shadow MicroRouter
 
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