Camera Advice

[broconne]

New construction home of which I am not allowed to do any wiring myself, nor can I bring in my own sub. So, pre-wiring is expensive. I am trying to bring down my pre-wiring/pipe chase cost down from 16k to something more palatable (around 10k).

One thing that is expensive is pre-wiring for camera runs $210 for Cat5/18-2/RG59.
I can get a single non terminated cat5 for $60 or a pipe chase for $130.

I spec'd out pipe chases for camera runs (cheaper than the actual run) for 2 bedrooms (when we have kids) and a bonus room. $390
I spec'd out two camera pre-wires for the driveway and the front door. $420

If I could get away with just Cat5 for those I could save $510. Is there a strong reason to avoid PoE IP cameras?
I was thinking of this camera from OnQ for the secondary bedrooms: http://www.onqlegrand.com/products/CM5002
I would mount that in the upper corner of both rooms (Umm, I assume I can aim that ball? the site doesn't say.. anyone know?)
I would either use that ball camera or a bullet camera in the bonus room.

For the front door/garage I would use this camera: http://www.onqlegrand.com/products/F2287

Is there a good reason to not just run cat5 only and save myself $500? I will mention that we are exceeding our budget in other ways - so $500 here and $500 there can add up

 

[sic0048]

I think the biggest reason why people don't use POE camera (for residential use) is still the cost. A analog camera will be cheaper than a POE camera with similar specs and image quality. So just keep that in mind. You might save a few hundred bucks on the front end, but it might cost you a few hundred more dollars when you actually have to buy the cameras. Of course if this will be well into the future, then perhaps the prices will have fallen.

 

[personalt]

Can you get to the attic over these rooms? If so, cant they just run a single 3" chase from basement up to attic and not run any wire?
They way you are taking is they want to chase out each room?

For a small number of interior cameras I think IP is without a doubt the way to go. They are plenty of inspensive good ip cameras rated for inside. The exterior IP cameras at least the last time I bought some 6 months ago were fairly expensive compared to the non ip versions.

Personally I like the ip camera software better, milestones xprotect is great. I use it for construction sites. It might be overkill for home use but I think they dropped the prices some. If you use traditional cameras you then need a ip camera server(like axis makes) and that adds a few hundred to the cost.

New construction home of which I am not allowed to do any wiring myself, nor can I bring in my own sub. So, pre-wiring is expensive. I am trying to bring down my pre-wiring/pipe chase cost down from 16k to something more palatable (around 10k).

One thing that is expensive is pre-wiring for camera runs $210 for Cat5/18-2/RG59.
I can get a single non terminated cat5 for $60 or a pipe chase for $130.

I spec'd out pipe chases for camera runs (cheaper than the actual run) for 2 bedrooms (when we have kids) and a bonus room. $390
I spec'd out two camera pre-wires for the driveway and the front door. $420

If I could get away with just Cat5 for those I could save $510. Is there a strong reason to avoid PoE IP cameras?
I was thinking of this camera from OnQ for the secondary bedrooms: http://www.onqlegrand.com/products/CM5002
I would mount that in the upper corner of both rooms (Umm, I assume I can aim that ball? the site doesn't say.. anyone know?)
I would either use that ball camera or a bullet camera in the bonus room.

For the front door/garage I would use this camera: http://www.onqlegrand.com/products/F2287

Is there a good reason to not just run cat5 only and save myself $500? I will mention that we are exceeding our budget in other ways - so $500 here and $500 there can add up

 

[broconne]

Can you get to the attic over these rooms? If so, cant they just run a single 3" chase from basement up to attic and not run any wire?
They way you are taking is they want to chase out each room?

For a small number of interior cameras I think IP is without a doubt the way to go. They are plenty of inspensive good ip cameras rated for inside. The exterior IP cameras at least the last time I bought some 6 months ago were fairly expensive compared to the non ip versions.

Personally I like the ip camera software better, milestones xprotect is great. I use it for construction sites. It might be overkill for home use but I think they dropped the prices some. If you use traditional cameras you then need a ip camera server(like axis makes) and that adds a few hundred to the cost.

New construction home of which I am not allowed to do any wiring myself, nor can I bring in my own sub. So, pre-wiring is expensive. I am trying to bring down my pre-wiring/pipe chase cost down from 16k to something more palatable (around 10k).

One thing that is expensive is pre-wiring for camera runs $210 for Cat5/18-2/RG59.
I can get a single non terminated cat5 for $60 or a pipe chase for $130.

I spec'd out pipe chases for camera runs (cheaper than the actual run) for 2 bedrooms (when we have kids) and a bonus room. $390
I spec'd out two camera pre-wires for the driveway and the front door. $420

If I could get away with just Cat5 for those I could save $510. Is there a strong reason to avoid PoE IP cameras?
I was thinking of this camera from OnQ for the secondary bedrooms: http://www.onqlegrand.com/products/CM5002
I would mount that in the upper corner of both rooms (Umm, I assume I can aim that ball? the site doesn't say.. anyone know?)
I would either use that ball camera or a bullet camera in the bonus room.

For the front door/garage I would use this camera: http://www.onqlegrand.com/products/F2287

Is there a good reason to not just run cat5 only and save myself $500? I will mention that we are exceeding our budget in other ways - so $500 here and $500 there can add up

I can't really get to any of the rooms above the bedrooms. The entire attic is floored - glued/tounge and groove plywood/and nailed in place.

 

[programmergeek]

Hell it is your house I don't know how builders get away with not letteing you do some wireing. Oh well. If you run just cat5 you could alwas use video blams.

 

[TCassio]

Axis sells ethernet cameras that will work with just a cat5 run. You will need to use power over ethernet to power the cams. I installed a bunch for a business and they work well.

 

[Kevin L]

Hell it is your house I don't know how builders get away with not letteing you do some wireing. Oh well. If you run just cat5 you could alwas use video blams.

Many times the builder owns the house until it's completed and title passes. Though it's frustrating, I imagine the builder's had some bad experiences with owner installs.

Kevin

 

[Neurorad]

I've heard good things about POE, with no need for the coax + 18-2.

Search for 'power over ethernet camera' to view options.

 

[broconne]

Hell it is your house I don't know how builders get away with not letteing you do some wireing. Oh well. If you run just cat5 you could alwas use video blams.

Yeah - it is frustrating to a degree. But, it actually isn't my house until we close. The builder owns the land and the buildings on it. I just put a deposit into an escrow account so that I get to choose what gets put in the house and which house gets built.

The reason the builder claims to have this stance is twofold. 1) The insurance they carry doesn't let unlicensed people in construction zones. 2) The 10 year warranty (which I am sure is pretty useless if I ever had to file a claim anyway) that comes with the house is voided if anyone without a license works on the house - even if it doesn't directly contribute to a fault.

Unless you are doing a more traditional build where you own the land, have a construction loan and have brought in a GC - it is difficult to get access to wire.

 

[TCassio]

I know that in the Northeast, you don't have to be an electrician to run low voltage cabling. Why not try a find someone with a low voltage license to do the work. They probably will charge alot less for there work. Usually a builder will use there own contractor to do the work and you are billed by the builder. Thats so he can add $$$ to what the contractor charges for doing nothing.

 

[amirm]

I debated the same for a while and then decided on IP camera/POE cat-5. The technology is only going to get better and cheaper in the future. Analog cameras on the other hand, are stuck where they are.