For long rambling and not too well formed reasons I am thinking of adding cameras to my home, and would appreciate insight as to whether I am thinking of this in a rational fashion.
First, I want to do it myself, and slowly, so I want something that is expandable, and not (necessarily) all one vendor. So the video software shouldn't be tied to one camera type.
Secondly - all hard wired of course, and all IP. The hard wired is a bit of an issue near our boat dock, but am at least going to try. And I see no point in analog at all in 2015.
Third - I'm thinking of this at least at the beginning mostly from a software standpoint -- what can I do with the video to make it manageable, and to get it off site in the event of a break-in, so I've been concentrating more on the VMS' than on specific cameras. What I plan to do is get one or two cameras early on while I get all the system and networking in place, and make sure it actually can do what I think it can.
My thought is to have a system which, on either M1G alarm, or certain motion events, will actively upload to an off site location periodic images in case a thief finds and destroys the actual system. Most I have seen say they do that, but am going to actually experiment first and see it.
In that vein I first tried Zoneminder, as I like Linux and open source. It's up, it works... but the user interface seems really buggy. Some browsers (Firefox) seem to work better than others (Chrome), but even then controls that should work seem inactive at times, displays a bit flakey. But it works. I haven't put in postfix yet to do email, but it looks like I can hang any kind of hooks on alarms I want. But so far not impressed.
After a lot of reading I decided to try Blue Iris next, just got it running last night and have not gotten too far, but clearly more slick. But...
The Fourth thing is where to put all this. I am thinking a small headless PC (Like building my own) of in a closet somewhere. Which means I want to figure out how to get displays elsewhere. Was thinking of something like old tablets hung on the wall in the bedroom, as well as able to display from elsewhere. I haven't tried either of these with remote displays (though zoneminder of course is always a remote display, haven't tried it on mobile browsers).
Which finally brings me to hardware... I'm thinking I need about 6 cameras to cover the major portions of the exterior - (1) boat dock, (2) jet skis, which are just far enough away they probably need their own, (2) side with AC and some tool storage, (3) side with kayaks, (4) front approach, (5) garage itself (probably looking in from outside, in case there is ever a problem when we left it open, and (6) front door area where our dog stays, mostly in case there is ever a "dog event".
And I want decent details. A 2+/- MP camera for each requires decent processing capability (and maybe more since they get better and cheaper all the time), and I've mixed things about both Blue Iris and Zoneminder, some saying they are highly efficient, and some saying the exact opposite. So I expect the ability to motion analyze all these may be a limiting factor. Am I going to be able to do that on a modest PC?
And on a related note -- many of the cameras now seem to do their own motion analysis and alarm settings. None of the DIY oriented software seems to rely on outsourcing the analysis to the cameras, which seems a natural progression. Am I missing anything -- are camera processing routines just no good? It seems a waste to be buying cameras with significant smarts, and then using them as little more than a A2D converter.
Am I thinking about the right things? Obviously camera choice will come into this, placement, illumination, etc. Need to understand how Florida bugs and IR work together (we have strangely few, probably due to mosquito spray, but still... not zero). Not suggesting I am done with questions.
But am I right to focus on the processing if I may eventually have about half a dozen cameras?
I read the software list in another topic and looked at each, these two are the only ones that jumped out -- maybe Sighthound but it's even more pricey and had eve more mixed reviews. Others I should consider? Am I right that Zoneminder seems a bit dated and buggy?
Basically would appreciate any pointers or suggestions on approach to the whole problem. Not looking for answers per so so much as whether I'm off in a grossly wrong direction.
First, I want to do it myself, and slowly, so I want something that is expandable, and not (necessarily) all one vendor. So the video software shouldn't be tied to one camera type.
Secondly - all hard wired of course, and all IP. The hard wired is a bit of an issue near our boat dock, but am at least going to try. And I see no point in analog at all in 2015.
Third - I'm thinking of this at least at the beginning mostly from a software standpoint -- what can I do with the video to make it manageable, and to get it off site in the event of a break-in, so I've been concentrating more on the VMS' than on specific cameras. What I plan to do is get one or two cameras early on while I get all the system and networking in place, and make sure it actually can do what I think it can.
My thought is to have a system which, on either M1G alarm, or certain motion events, will actively upload to an off site location periodic images in case a thief finds and destroys the actual system. Most I have seen say they do that, but am going to actually experiment first and see it.
In that vein I first tried Zoneminder, as I like Linux and open source. It's up, it works... but the user interface seems really buggy. Some browsers (Firefox) seem to work better than others (Chrome), but even then controls that should work seem inactive at times, displays a bit flakey. But it works. I haven't put in postfix yet to do email, but it looks like I can hang any kind of hooks on alarms I want. But so far not impressed.
After a lot of reading I decided to try Blue Iris next, just got it running last night and have not gotten too far, but clearly more slick. But...
The Fourth thing is where to put all this. I am thinking a small headless PC (Like building my own) of in a closet somewhere. Which means I want to figure out how to get displays elsewhere. Was thinking of something like old tablets hung on the wall in the bedroom, as well as able to display from elsewhere. I haven't tried either of these with remote displays (though zoneminder of course is always a remote display, haven't tried it on mobile browsers).
Which finally brings me to hardware... I'm thinking I need about 6 cameras to cover the major portions of the exterior - (1) boat dock, (2) jet skis, which are just far enough away they probably need their own, (2) side with AC and some tool storage, (3) side with kayaks, (4) front approach, (5) garage itself (probably looking in from outside, in case there is ever a problem when we left it open, and (6) front door area where our dog stays, mostly in case there is ever a "dog event".
And I want decent details. A 2+/- MP camera for each requires decent processing capability (and maybe more since they get better and cheaper all the time), and I've mixed things about both Blue Iris and Zoneminder, some saying they are highly efficient, and some saying the exact opposite. So I expect the ability to motion analyze all these may be a limiting factor. Am I going to be able to do that on a modest PC?
And on a related note -- many of the cameras now seem to do their own motion analysis and alarm settings. None of the DIY oriented software seems to rely on outsourcing the analysis to the cameras, which seems a natural progression. Am I missing anything -- are camera processing routines just no good? It seems a waste to be buying cameras with significant smarts, and then using them as little more than a A2D converter.
Am I thinking about the right things? Obviously camera choice will come into this, placement, illumination, etc. Need to understand how Florida bugs and IR work together (we have strangely few, probably due to mosquito spray, but still... not zero). Not suggesting I am done with questions.
But am I right to focus on the processing if I may eventually have about half a dozen cameras?
I read the software list in another topic and looked at each, these two are the only ones that jumped out -- maybe Sighthound but it's even more pricey and had eve more mixed reviews. Others I should consider? Am I right that Zoneminder seems a bit dated and buggy?
Basically would appreciate any pointers or suggestions on approach to the whole problem. Not looking for answers per so so much as whether I'm off in a grossly wrong direction.