Camera - IP or ???

jpkishere

Member
Couple questions about cameras that I was hoping to get answered..

In the process of planning for a new home and just worrying about wiring, etc for now.. Was potentially planning on having about 4 cameras on the outside of my house to monitor different areas..

If it matters, the locations would be the front door entrance (covered but outside), over looking the deck area, the garage entrance and then I will have a backdoor I would like "covered" as well.

I thought I would use network based cameras that use POE (Power Over Ethernet), but after looking at prices I am not so sure that is the best route to go.. Since I am in the building stages I can add whatever from a cabling/power perspective..

In the end, I want to be able to (via a PC) able to record (based on motion) to my PCs hard drive. I also want to be able to use the PC to modulate (output to my cable line) a "screen" with all 4 cameras on it.. That I can watch via a TV channel (on all my TV’s) through cable.

So my questions are as follows...

(1) Distance limitations for non-networked cameras? I know cat5 is 100 meters, which would work fine, but what are non-networked cameras distance limitations?

(2) If I use a non-ip based camera I need to buy a 4 channel DVR card - I have seen a few folks comment on here that I need one w/ 4 chips on it to simultaneously capture video from them - what costs am I looking at?

(3) Was looking for the smaller the better type camera options - I haven't seen any "bullet" cameras that function on a network - are there any?

So what do you think my best options are? Since I am always on a budget, looking for ideas on how to do this cheap...

Thanks
 
One other option is a camera server. It will accept 4 to 8 analog cameras such as the bullet camera and serve a webpage with the camera images.

If you have multiple cameras, you may find that solution less expensive than all IP cameras.
 
1) no fixed distance limit for analog camera signals. Basically the signal decays gradually as the cable gets longer, so at what point it becomes unacceptable to you is somewhat subjective. A couple hundred feet of coax should be easy. A couple hundred feet of cat5 will probably require baluns at each end ($30-50 at each end?). Others can chime in here will real experience.

2) 4 channel, 4 chip cards are about $50 and up on eBay. Name brand cards with real tech support can be significantly more.

3) Most of the IP cameras I have seen are not that tiny, maybe since most of them have pan/tilt features.

IMHO, your best choice is to run a coax for analog signal, a cat5 for IP cam signal or other stuff, and a pair for power. Then you can use either coax or cat5 as the need arises.
 
Plus, has anyone found a "low light" reasonably priced IP camera (which is a big consideration for outdoor monitoring needs)?
 
BraveSirRobbin said:
Plus, has anyone found a "low light" reasonably priced IP camera (which is a big consideration for outdoor monitoring needs)?
I'm considering using the Greyfox Cat-5 cameras. They are VERY high quality (use the Sony Super-HAD sensor). They don't have built-in IP but you can easily serve them up on IP via a DVR box (which you'll have anyway if you plan to record).
 
They are pretty little cameras, but $185 at SmartHome! Be aware, that even though they are Sony HAD chipsets, they are only 1/4" sensors. I have heard others report that 1/4" is too small and make sure you get 1/3".
 
That's kinda interesting how the greyfox stuff works, the camera's only derive power and transmit via CAT5 but the don't actually use IP.. It looks like you have to buy the camera module when the output to RCA's or something like that then you choose what to output to.. (ie. IP or Modulator, etc..)

Not really what I was thinking of when I think of an IP camera..

I see Greyfox carries alot of "unique" things, anybody have any opinions as to quality and such?
 
I just thought of the Greyfox stuff as having a built in balun at each end. I hadn't noticed, do they have a gadget to directly convert the cat5 signal directly to IP in the structured wiring panel?
 
WayneW said:
I hadn't noticed, do they have a gadget to directly convert the cat5 signal directly to IP in the structured wiring panel?
Basically the cat 5 ends plug into a special module and then you would have to purchase their convert to IP module to get them out on IP..

The module to plug the cameras into is F7638
then the module for IP connectivity is F2295

Here is the link to the camera stuff their website: http://www.greyfox.com/products_camera.htm

Quick froogle search reveals about $90 for the F7638 and then almost 900 bucks for the F2295

While I am not sure those prices are 100% accurate, seems kinda pricey and that still doesn't include the cameras...

What do normal IP Camera Servers run for price wise?
 
Greyfox has a kit with 2 Color cameras, the cat 5 camera module (which acts like baluns for up to four cams PLUS it has a sequencer), and a modulator. A froogle search for "F7644" brings it up currently at $537.75. Not too bad I think.

As far as the IP server, I wouldn't pay a grand for one. In another thread, I tallied up the cost of making your own IP server + DVR, with the capability of advanced features like motion detection, triggering home automation systems, sending email, etc. Basically it went like so:

A nice barebones system (I'm partial to little aluminum cube cases); this one's $150. Add a Pentium 4 ($50), RAM ($40), and a HD ($50) (source: PriceWatch) to give you a pretty sweet and complete cube PC for $290. Get a quad-input video card; it turns out there's lots of decent choices around $100. Add Linux ($0) and ZoneMinder ($0) or Motion ($0) (both very nice apps) to complete it.

Total: $390. Some assembly required, but feature-wise it tops any dedicated IP server.
 
I know this is a super old post, but does anyone have these OnQ/Greyfox cameras??? I just got a bunch of new/old stock Onq stuff and wanted to talk to others that are using it?
 
I have 6 of the Leviton cameras that connect in the same way as the OnQ ones. They are ok...for home security, but they aren't great. I recently installed a bunch of Acti IP megapixel cameras at my work, and they are amazing. I am messing around with one at home now to see about swapping my Leviton cameras out.

My Leviton ones basically connected to the camera hub using a Cat5 cable, and were powered over the same cable. Each camera hub could power 4 cameras, and has its own power supply.
 
Sacedog, what software is being used with the Acti cameras? Acti software, or third party?

Seems like, from reading trade mags, that pros use third party SW with their IP cameras quite frequently.
 
Sacedog, what software is being used with the Acti cameras? Acti software, or third party?

Seems like, from reading trade mags, that pros use third party SW with their IP cameras quite frequently.

I tried the Acti software that came free with the cameras at first, and it is VERY nice. There were some issues with recording on a motion event though, which was very important, so I started looking around. The Acti software relies on the motion sensing on the cameras, and at the time that I was messing with it, they did not have all the bugs out. This was when they first started supporting their megapixel cameras on the NVR software, though, so it might be fixed now.

I looked at a few different software and hardware packages, including Nuuo, Exacq, and Qnap. I ended up with the Nuuo software, which I have been VERY pleased with. It is rock solid, has great remote capabilities, supports all of the features I was looking for, and wasn't too terribly priced.
 
I know this is a super old post, but does anyone have these OnQ/Greyfox cameras??? I just got a bunch of new/old stock Onq stuff and wanted to talk to others that are using it?
I have 4 ON-Q/Greyfox Cameras and for what I use them for, I am very Happy. I have attached a picture from the Internet of a cloudy day at a Lake house. I also have 2 Canon VB-C50ir and a D-Link camera at this location. Canon's are great. D-Link is OK.
 

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