Comments for Digital Video Security Systems

Comment on Q&A: Where can I find QUALITY home surveillance equipment? by gtcameras

gtcameras — Sat, 19 May 2012 21:30:50 +0000

Use your own computer junk? I hate to say it my friend, but you are ripping yourself off. I have a lot of experience in the industry and I made the switch 100% to computer based solutions about 16 months ago. I haven’t looked back and my customers are all thanking me.

When you buy a standalone DVR, you are buying a hard drive with buttons on it. Most imporantly, when your standalone DVR breaks, you have to send it to a manufacturer for repair. When I worked in the retail surveillance industry, we had all kinds of standalone units comeback for warranty work – they were gone for an average of 6 to 8 weeks. What are you going to do without a DVR for two months?

If you are smart enough to use a computer, you are smart enough to make it do all kinds of great things with your video. For example, you want to be able to read license plates. You can read license plates – even with a 3.6mm lens – if you can use a computer. Take a screen shot, load up photoshop, play around and away you go.

Based upon this question, you really seriously need to do some more research. Take a look at http://www.gtsurveillance.com/blog.php – I’ve got some installation tips and tricks and, if you go further down, you can find some links to some pages that will help you out. I especially recommend that you take some time to read http://www.wecusurveillance.com/page/435708 – that site will explain things like lens/sensor choice and how IR technology works.

If you don’t have a fortune to spend, stay away from pan/tilt/zoom cameras. Cheap ones will break. Guaranteed. If you set up the system properly, you won’t need PTZ functionality anyways – my experience is that most of the people who buy PTZ systems never actually use them anyways.

Cameras never list a frame rate. Recorders do. Remember that television only operates at 30fps, so if you have a 4 channel card with 120 fps, you are getting a good quality unit.

Comment on VideoSecu Outdoor Day Night Security Camera Infrared Weatherproof CCTV Home 1/3″ CCD 420 TV Lines 28 IR LEDs Wide View Angle Lens with Free Power Supply A71 Reviews by Mac Coder

Mac Coder — Fri, 18 May 2012 22:46:40 +0000

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful

Great little camera, January 5, 2012

Mac Coder (Tulsa, OK USA) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: VideoSecu Outdoor Day Night Security Camera Infrared Weatherproof CCTV Home 1/3" CCD 420 TV Lines 28 IR LEDs Wide View Angle Lens with Free Power Supply A71 (Electronics)

Note that all security cameras with built-in IR illuminators suffer from a common issue: the illuminator picks up on dust motes and tiny insects floating in the air right in front of the lens and turns them into giant bright white blobs, triggering video-based motion detection (if you are using such). This generates numerous false alarms.

Fortunately, the solution is simple -- turn off the IR on the camera and use an external IR source. This camera doesn't have a switch for that purpose, but you can simply unscrew the cylindrical case near the front, revealing the IR module surrounding the lens, Unplug the IR module, and that problem (at least) is solved. For extra McGyver points, you can remove the IR module from the camera, connect it to 12Vdc, and mount it away from the camera but pointed at the camera's view -- Voila! Night vision without the giant blobs. I assume that removing the module would void the warranty, but what does McGyver care about warranties?

For the McGyver-impaired, there are nice 850nm IR illuminators available from Amazon for under $10 ("YY Trade IR30" OR "YY_IR30", ASIN B001P2E4U4). This is a good match to the built-in illuminator in the camera.

For an inexpensive color camera, this unit has exceptional low light capability, and excellent IR sensitivity at 850nm, the wavelength of most IR illuminators. The IR functionality is pixel-by-pixel, meaning that you can have a scene that is partly illuminated by natural light and partly by IR, and the natural light portion will be in color, and the IR part in glorious monochrome.

The 3.6mm lens provides an excellent wide field of view.

The supplied mount is flexible and sturdy, although not a true ball-socket mount.

The supplied 12Vdc supply is the smallest I have seen.

The supplied security sticker... is a security sticker.

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Comment on VideoSecu Outdoor Day Night Security Camera Infrared Weatherproof CCTV Home 1/3″ CCD 420 TV Lines 28 IR LEDs Wide View Angle Lens with Free Power Supply A71 Reviews by Patrick W. Moriearty

Patrick W. Moriearty — Fri, 18 May 2012 22:20:41 +0000

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful

videosecu IRX5, December 4, 2011

Patrick W. Moriearty (Fond du Lac, WI USA) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: VideoSecu Outdoor Day Night Security Camera Infrared Weatherproof CCTV Home 1/3" CCD 420 TV Lines 28 IR LEDs Wide View Angle Lens with Free Power Supply A71 (Electronics)

The camera appeared to be high quality. Much better than the cameras that came with my Swann DVR. Color day and night. Had good range on the IR. Unfortunately half of the IR led's are out or dim. Beyond the Amazon and seller's return date of 30 days, does not appear to be any warranty. Contacted videosecu.com, no reply. Oh, well! Still works, just doesn't shine out as far. Will not purchase any more videosecu cameras and cannot recommend.

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Comment on VideoSecu Outdoor Day Night Security Camera Infrared Weatherproof CCTV Home 1/3″ CCD 420 TV Lines 28 IR LEDs Wide View Angle Lens with Free Power Supply A71 Reviews by L. Blaisdell

L. Blaisdell — Fri, 18 May 2012 21:45:27 +0000

39 of 43 people found the following review helpful

Well built, easy install, good night vision, December 5, 2010

L. Blaisdell (St. Petersburg FL) -

This review is from: VideoSecu Outdoor Day Night Security Camera Infrared Weatherproof CCTV Home 1/3" CCD 420 TV Lines 28 IR LEDs Wide View Angle Lens with Free Power Supply A71 (Electronics)

This little camera is very well built with an alumimum body and sliding sun shield. Please note that the camera bracket that I received is not the one pictured on Amazon. The good news is that it is smaller, the same color as the camera and may be metal, just not sure. I really think they have upgraded this part of the camera. Nice! This camera is about half the length of two other cameras that I just recently purchased. SVAT CV31 Hi-Res Outdoor CCD Security Camera w/Long Range Night Vision Please read my Amazon review on this camera! Both of these cameras are about the same in picture and construction quality. The Svat camera comes with 60' of power/video cable with RCA connectons only. Your may need these 20 Pcs of BNC Male Connectors Adapters for RG59 Coaxial Cable 1FV to complete hookup to your DVR card in your computer. If plugging into a TV you will not need these connectors. The VideoSecur camera has the BNC connector so just order your video/power cable with BNC connectors VideoSecu 3 X 50 Feet Power Video Cable with BNC RCA Connector for CCTV Security Cameras 1QA The VideoSecur camera does come with the power adaptor, you just will need the power/video cable. The BNC connectors twist lock at the connection, RCA cables do not. I like the BNC connectors better as they will not come apart. The day time picture is great. The night vision is about the same on both cameras up to 45 feet or so with no additional lighting. I just installed 2 motion detection floodlights which are also a great 5 star product from Amazon (Heath Zenith SL-5525-WH 250-Watt Quartz Motion-Sensing Light) and these make the night picture almost a good as daytime. The Svat and the VideoSecur camera will both do motion recording when hooked up to a DVR card that supports this feature. Since I have motion detection on my cameras and floodlights I can clearly indentify which one of my neighbors cats is digging in my flower bed and leaving paw prints on the roof of my car at 3 AM in the morning. How about that! I put some signs up that I purchased in the windows warning folks that they are on camera and being recorded. I do feel much safer in my home and I think that a potential unwanted guest will probably move to another home to commit a crime. (Sorry about that neighbors). I certainly would not hesitate to recommend this 5 star camera. The only thing I can't say is how long they will last, only time will tell. I can say that all 4 cameras I have ordered where packaged well for shipping and all worked right out of the box.

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Comment on AT&T CL82309 DECT 6.0 Cordless Phone, Black/Silver, 3 Handsets by EARTHQUAKE TERRITORY

EARTHQUAKE TERRITORY — Sun, 13 May 2012 23:06:44 +0000

48 of 50 people found the following review helpful

BEST ONE YET!, June 4, 2009

EARTHQUAKE TERRITORY (San Francisco, CA USA) -

This review is from: AT&T CL82309 DECT 6.0 Cordless Phone, Black/Silver, 3 Handsets (Office Product)

The long range (525+ yards line of sight range) and the extremely clear sound are so good that not even my brand new Panasonic can come close. This phone has more features than I'll probably use. I like the large, easy to use buttons. For the quality, the price and all the features this phone has, I really don't care about a jack for headsets or pushing a button to answer, after all, I'm use to push a button on my cell phone all the time in order to answer a call so, I don't think is a BIG deal.
Happy with purchase price. AT&T comes through again!

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Comment on AT&T CL82309 DECT 6.0 Cordless Phone, Black/Silver, 3 Handsets by K. Street

K. Street — Sun, 13 May 2012 22:35:45 +0000

83 of 86 people found the following review helpful

Caller id & call log issues when phones are off cradle, July 13, 2009

K. Street (Chelsea, MI United States) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: AT&T CL82309 DECT 6.0 Cordless Phone, Black/Silver, 3 Handsets (Office Product)

These phones do not give caller id information when just one phone is off the cradle. Screen reads incoming call on all phones. When all three phones are on the cradle, caller id appears correctly with name. Calls are not recorded in the phone log when they are off the cradle. Have talked with tech support and unable to resolve this issue. I now have to return them, at my expense, and wait at least 14 days after return package is received for replacement phones. Will do more research to see if this is a product flaw in this model before deciding if I want replacement phones. I also disagree with others on clarity of these phones. It is okay but not as good as my older panasonic. Range distance to receive calls is very good.

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Comment on AT&T CL82309 DECT 6.0 Cordless Phone, Black/Silver, 3 Handsets by R. Meislin

R. Meislin — Sun, 13 May 2012 22:10:41 +0000

89 of 92 people found the following review helpful

Clear, crisp sound and good range, but no headset jack, June 2, 2009

R. Meislin -

This review is from: AT&T CL82309 DECT 6.0 Cordless Phone, Black/Silver, 3 Handsets (Office Product)

Amazon is presenting this as the "newer model" of the the AT&T SL82318 DECT 6.0 phone. It has most of the same features -- high quality, clear, crisp sound, very good range, clear display, reasonably simple number storage and auto-dial -- but it does NOT have a jack for a headset, which the earlier model did. So if that feature is important to you, this is not the phone you want. (And no, the old model handset is not interchangeable with the new ones. It would be great if AT&T offered a compatible single-phone expansion set for this series with a headset jack.) Another minor annoyance is that although the phone hangs up when you put it in the charging cradle, it does not automatically turn on if it's ringing and you remove it from the cradle; you have to push a button. But overall a very good phone.

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Comment on Home Security Burglar Alarm System Cell Phone Dialer for standard phone lines Reviews by Sub Sailor

Sub Sailor — Sat, 12 May 2012 22:32:40 +0000

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful

great little gadget, November 18, 2009

Sub Sailor (California) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Home Security Burglar Alarm System Cell Phone Dialer for standard phone lines

We bought these for when we are out of town for a few days. We just set them up in a couple of rooms on tables. They work pretty well. I've forgotten they were on and set them off and they worked great. We have them set to call 3 numbers and each got a call. Not much time for a message, but if you have caller id you will know right away. Great deal for the price.

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Comment on Home Security Burglar Alarm System Cell Phone Dialer for standard phone lines Reviews by R Bryan

R Bryan — Sat, 12 May 2012 22:21:12 +0000

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful

Works fine so far...one thing to watch out for., July 31, 2009

R Bryan (Atlanta, GA) -

Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Home Security Burglar Alarm System Cell Phone Dialer for standard phone lines

I've only used this alarm for a few days but I have tripped it purposely and it seems to work like it should. I haven't tried the audible alarm but it calls the programmed number and plays the recorded message.

I wanted to write this because when I first received the alarm I couldn't get the batteries to work correctly. You are supposed to get a loud beep when they are installed properly and I got nothing or a very weak sound.

I tried different batteries etc. but I finally realized on the positive "+" end of a battery there is a small protrusion and the battery holder has a small "V" notch to hold the battery in place. The problem is if you push the battery down too far it gets caught slightly behind the notch and doesn't make a good connection. That's the only problem I've had after several days of use.

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Comment on Home Security Burglar Alarm System Cell Phone Dialer for standard phone lines Reviews by Jonathan "meddac1"

Jonathan "meddac1" — Sat, 12 May 2012 22:03:33 +0000

40 of 41 people found the following review helpful

Inexpensive and peace of mind, June 9, 2010

Jonathan "meddac1" (Harlem, GA United States) -

This review is from: Home Security Burglar Alarm System Cell Phone Dialer for standard phone lines

I bought one of these to place in the bedroom where my gunsafe is as I figured if it ever got tripped I would have time to catch whoever was there before they could get in a 1000 lb safe. It works flawlessly so I bought another for in our large 40X60 garage which is about 200 feet from the house to call me at night if someone was attempting a break in. It's really easy to set up and a few times I forgot to disarm it it has called me and my wife's cell number. Very inexpensive and I love the silent trip so I can get a jump on anyone if needed. I'm thinking of getting another one for our shed if I decide to run an electric line to it with a phone line. So far the batteries are still going and it's been over 6 months. For what alarm companies wnat a month and what I have heard regarding their response time I'll trust my shotgun/AR-15, German Shepherd, and a good aim to do the job on my own and save some money in the process : ).

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