How effective are cameras triggered with lighting?

[JDuc]

Like many here, I'm wanting to trigger my cameras/DVR off of the alarm. I'm also wanting to have the lights in the house turn on, both to ensure adequate lighting for video footage, and to alarm anyone that might have made their way inside as well as to illuminate the interior of the house to anyone that might be outside able to see in.

I'm wondering how effectively this has been implemented for those that have done so. How long is the delay? How difficult was it? Any snags to be on the look out for?

Also, since I'm looking at going this route, would you say I would be fine to stay away from IR based cameras since I will have adequate lighting. Is this an accurate assumption? I'm also thinking that I don't need IP based cameras since this will all go back to a server via coax or the like. I will then be able to remote into the server and switch to all cameras quickly and efficiently. My thought is that this will allow me to spend the money instead on higher quality cameras rather than IR/IP cameras. Does this thought process make sense or are there holes here that I am not seeing?

Any recommendations on cameras in this regard?

I appreciate your feedback.

 

[Rupp]

I do this and it's very easy. I use HomeSeer and several motions sensors. If the house is in an unoccupied mode (based on setting of several motion sensors) and motion is sensed in the rear of my home (for example), HomeSeer activates my rear flood lights and activates my cameras to record until the motion is no longer detected. I currents record 5 minutes at a time. The key is getting a DVR that you can integrate with your automation system.

 

[video321]

I'm building up to this same task as well.
My Elk is being installed now and I have a CCTV DVR waiting for it's moment. I plan to integrate it with exterior motion detectors (have no idea which ones yet....anyone?) that tie back to the Elk and will trigger the DVR and lights.

Since you're not looking for anything "crazy" I could recommened what I purchased. It's a Q-See 16 ch. DVR with 8 cameras for $500 at Costco. The cameras are garbage, but the DVR is nice (to this noob anyway.) Full tri-mode, networked, h.264 recording with 120 fps @ D1 to be split between the channels however you want, comes with a 500GB HD (up to 2TB) and even has clients for ipad/phone, droid, blackberry and Win Mobile.

 

[JDuc]

I notice that both of you are triggering off of only outside movement being detected. My only concern there is wildlife, outdoor pets, etc. I'm not so much interested in outdoor triggers as I am with someone being inside.

I'm mostly wondering about the system sensing a trigger, turning on the lights inside the house, as well as outside, and triggering the DVR at the same time.

I'm also interested in having the cameras go to a computer based DVR rather than a stand alone DVR.

Has anyone else come across a system set up like this in the past?

 

[video321]

It doesn't matter either way as long as you have a trigger and rules that follow.
Basically, whenever any alarm (sensor) is triggered then turn on all house lights and send an alarm signal to the DVR to start recording on all channels.

 

[Rupp]

I notice that both of you are triggering off of only outside movement being detected. My only concern there is wildlife, outdoor pets, etc. I'm not so much interested in outdoor triggers as I am with someone being inside.

I'm mostly wondering about the system sensing a trigger, turning on the lights inside the house, as well as outside, and triggering the DVR at the same time.

I'm also interested in having the cameras go to a computer based DVR rather than a stand alone DVR.

Has anyone else come across a system set up like this in the past?

This too is easy depending on your rules. I can only tell you how I do it with HomeSeer, but if you have a security system installed you can use the motion action within HomeSeer to turn on any light you have remote control of, as well as activate your software of choice. What you need to do is break this project in peices and plan from there. If you are set on a PC based DVR then start looking for this peice of the puzzle. Once you get this setup then decide what lighting protocol you want to use. Then what software you want to use, etc.

 

[vbdino]

Initially, I opted to use an ip camera in the living room and basement to send e-mail snapshots if the input was triggered by the alarm. But without IR, it was useless when dark and the camera angle view could not possibly cover all possibilities. I had chosen DLink DCS-5300 cameras that have very good picture quality with daylight.

I then acquired two Foscam FI8908W camera that are wifi with IR and perform well under dark condition, considering the very low price. I was recording using a pc with BlueIris software. Compared to a standalone dvr, you have to check occasionnally if the computer is still doing its job, draws more power and requires more cpu performance as you add cameras. If you go with a dvr card, expect that frame per second recording to go down as you add cameras. The software solution doesn't have this limitation if you can provide ample cpu performance. BlueIris is a good software.

But since it wasn't a great setup yet, I opted to go with outdoor surveillance instead. I have 3 outdoor cameras connected to a dvr and a photoelectric detector in the driveway. If something cuts the beam, my M1 triggers two inputs in my dvr to send e-mail picture of channel 1 and 2. Then my computer at work process the image and change my desktop background using an outlook script. The best would be an iphone, but can't have everything. The beam is about 3 feet high, under two trees. Never got false alarms so far. I choosed Optex AX-200 Plus. Cameras and dvr (GS2003V) are from Gadspot. My system isn't great yet because I can't clearly see the licence plate but I do see what kind of car it is and if the burglar just drive in to check the area to plan his crime, I will be warned. See picture below from one camera.



Note: A standalone dvr or a dvr card (4 inputs), have a recording rate of 704 x 480 with 1 cam at 60 FPS (D1). You would have 4 cameras recording at 15 FPS. And even if you go with a 520, 560 or 600 tvl camera, you still record only at 480 tvl.

Budget wise if you have an available computer with a 2 core cpu or more, you could go with Foscam camera and BlueIris and set recording based on picture motion. But that doesn't alarm you except for sending an e-mail and you can't interface it easily to an alarm system except for using the camera internal relay as a zone detector.

Or you could go only with Foscam camera and send snapshots by e-mail if motion is triggered. That would be the cheapest solution but good solutions at not allways the cheapest.

Also, all exemples above offers a web access but attempting to reach them from work may be difficult because of the firewall and proxy server. You might also need a router at home that supports virtual server routing if you can't change your system port number.

 

[JDuc]

Once again, thanks for the valuable reply.

Initially, I opted to use an ip camera in the living room and basement to send e-mail snapshots if the input was triggered by the alarm. But without IR, it was useless when dark and the camera angle view could not possibly cover all possibilities. I had chosen DLink DCS-5300 cameras that have very good picture quality with daylight.

This is why I'm wanting to have the alarm trigger the lights indoors then start recording. I guess my main concern is the delay. I don't expect that it would be too terribly long.

The way this idea came about for me was as two separate thoughts. I wanted to have indoor DVR capabilities, and I wanted to have all of the lights in the house turn on when the alarm was triggered, so as to really startle the thief. When I started to look at cameras, I started to wonder how much I wanted to pay for a good IR camera then I realized that it wouldn't really be utilized if I'm going to have all of my lights on.

On top of that, I don't feel I have a need for IP based cameras if I'm just going to pipe it all back to a computer in the first place and utilize the web interface on the computer to view the camera images.

This is what makes me wonder about non-ir/non-ip based camera options. In saving money here, the money can be spent elsewhere on the project.

I then acquired two Foscam FI8908W camera that are wifi with IR and perform well under dark condition, considering the very low price. I was recording using a pc with BlueIris software. Compared to a standalone dvr, you have to check occasionnally if the computer is still doing its job, draws more power and requires more cpu performance as you add cameras. If you go with a dvr card, expect that frame per second recording to go down as you add cameras. The software solution doesn't have this limitation if you can provide ample cpu performance. BlueIris is a good software.

Thanks for the info on the software, I will add it to my ever growing list. The server won't be an issue. I'm a computer person anyways, thus the reason I'm wanting to tie as much as possible back to a computer.

Note: A standalone dvr or a dvr card (4 inputs), have a recording rate of 704 x 480 with 1 cam at 60 FPS (D1). You would have 4 cameras recording at 15 FPS. And even if you go with a 520, 560 or 600 tvl camera, you still record only at 480 tvl.

My current ideal is to have at most 4 cameras. 2 indoor and 2 outdoor. 1 covering the front door (outside), one covering the formal entry & formal dining, one covering our living room & back door, and one covering the back door from the outside.

Budget wise if you have an available computer with a 2 core cpu or more, you could go with Foscam camera and BlueIris and set recording based on picture motion. But that doesn't alarm you except for sending an e-mail and you can't interface it easily to an alarm system except for using the camera internal relay as a zone detector.

I wonder if the BlueIris software either runs on Linux or has a Linux equivilant? I'm not so much interested in seeing the images immediately as I am about being notified about the alarm being triggered. For that I was hoping to be able to initiate text messaging from the alarm system some how, but that's for another discussion.

Also, all exemples above offers a web access but attempting to reach them from work may be difficult because of the firewall and proxy server. You might also need a router at home that supports virtual server routing if you can't change your system port number.

Already have that one covered. I've already set up my media pc to allow me to access it remotely. This wouldn't be any different.

 

[vbdino]

I think BlueIris is only for Windows because it needs directx.

To generate an e-mail when your alarm triggers, you can use a output from the ELK M1 to trigger the input on the foscam FI8908w which will in turn send an e-mail. That can be cheaper than adding a M1XEP to your system. The foscam camera is sold at around $80-$90 on ebay. Check first Foscam site for approved sellers as they are clones incompatible with future Foscam firmware releases. The latest cam FI8918w doesn't have the alarm I/O.

 

[JDuc]

To generate an e-mail when your alarm triggers, you can use a output from the ELK M1 to trigger the input on the foscam FI8908w which will in turn send an e-mail. That can be cheaper than adding a M1XEP to your system. The foscam camera is sold at around $80-$90 on ebay. Check first Foscam site for approved sellers as they are clones incompatible with future Foscam firmware releases. The latest cam FI8918w doesn't have the alarm I/O.

Any ideas about text messaging options that might be out there?

I really don't mind buying the M1XEP as there are other features that I want to have internet access to.

 

[vbdino]

To add inputs to a pc would cost more than the M1XEP.

With the M1XEP, you can also use eKeypad on a iphone to control your M1 and lighting. I have the full version on my itouch and like it very much.

 

[JimS]

To add inputs to a pc would cost more than the M1XEP.

You can get a simple 4 input analog capture board for about $40. That's a lot less than the M1XEP. I am not familiar with the M1 but I suspect you would need other things for the cameras. For software I hear zoneminder is good and it's free. But it is linux only.

 

[JDuc]

I will be utilizing Linux for my server and I am an Android phone user.

My idea is to find as much of this open source as possible.

I really appreciate all of the discussion around this. This project is a ways off from starting but I'm able to save the information in my planning notes, which is really helpful.

Thanks again!

 

[vbdino]

You can get a simple 4 input analog capture board for about $40. That's a lot less than the M1XEP. I am not familiar with the M1 but I suspect you would need other things for the cameras. For software I hear zoneminder is good and it's free. But it is linux only.

What he would need is a board that he can read the status on/off of the input. And then start recording if on.

 

[JDuc]

You can get a simple 4 input analog capture board for about $40. That's a lot less than the M1XEP. I am not familiar with the M1 but I suspect you would need other things for the cameras. For software I hear zoneminder is good and it's free. But it is linux only.

I'm finding the Avermedia capture cards, which are more than just $40, but they appear to have some really great reviews. The only thing I'm not finding in my brief searching is confirmation of Linux support for these cards. I can run on Win XP, if necessary, but I would really like to run on Linux.

This whole project is being undertaken as a learning process for me. Sure, I want to do it because it would be cool, but I'm also taking it on because I want to learn, I want to expand my knowledge base. I have a bit of experience in Linux and a whole lot in Windows.


Having said that, is anyone aware of any fully supported capture cards in Linux?