Garandman
Elite Member
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- Aug 3, 2014
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- Mount Sunapee NH / Dorchester, MA
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- Kubota L3200 HST
Just bought one that sends images to my phone. $10 per month.
Security Camera
- Thread starter sherpa
- Start date
- Views: 10758
DennisArrow
Platinum Member
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- Jul 4, 2003
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- 766
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- Sugar Valley, Ga
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- Iseki TL 2300, Kubota RTV, Kubota B7610
SJMARBU.............and others perhaps.............My situation is and was quite like yours. I am surely NOT some kind of expert nor claim to be "all knowing" about this subject. I just know what I have and what works or doesn't. Not out to feed my ego on a tractor forum by coming on here as some kind of person that suggests it's his way or no way............
That said............Yes, I use game cameras for monitoring lots of situations around the place. Right now, 3 are set up. one on a trail through the woods to have evidence of dogs and neighbors that tend to use our place as a private game preserve for their use.
Another is down at the electric gate to capture WHO is there, when, and what they do......Yes, the gate is 1500' from the house, over the hill, and through the woods. No way a wireless device is up to that challenge...................Yes, it has been in place for a couple of years. Caught pics of a couple of folks trying to get one of our guard dogs, another who parked there truck at the gate and walked up the road to see what we kept in the barn........They were monitored because of the below devices............Yes, I shoot first and then ask questions.....They left............NO this equipment has never been vandalized nor stolen...........thanks my fantastic angels...........
BUT........Up that same road, perhaps 100 yards, a "VISITOR" sets off a Dakota Alerts wireless alarm that has a direct line of sight to the house and works well with dependability. After that, up the road 100 yards, is the first wireless video camera. It is easily 600 line of sight feet to the house. Yes, it is totally dependable, stable, and is supported by a solar system that I through trial and error developed for it.............
Then, another 50 yards and the visitor comes to the road into the barn where as they pass or enter that road they set off a second Alerts wireless alarm...........With my alarms, I use two in tandem to eliminate false alarms that yes, they all have..........But they MUST always sense and send me the alarm..........and they do.........If they go into the barn, 300 feet from the house, they are seen by another wireless camera. This camera, at times is also used for monitoring birthing of our goat mommas..........sure good to be able to listen to them as well as see them rather than hang out down there on cold winter nights as those $1000 babies hit the ground................
Up the hill and around for 1/4 mile the visitor is picked up by another video camera on the road 200 or so feet from the house. This camera is also solar driven and wireless transmitter driven..................by then, I am waiting at the front door to say hello one way or another
Down the hill 300 feet from the house is another barn where we keep the truck, Merc SLK320, a couple of cars, the tractor, RTV, Airstream trailer and who knows what else..........This area is protected by a wireless video camera in the barn, several motion detect floods, 2 more Dakota alert detectors on a "never' used old road into the place, and a couple of other surprises awaiting visitors who may not be invited..........
So, yes, I am as an ol vet who doesn't want to be caught with his pants down............I again, am not some expert but I do know what I have works for me.......I didn't mention that I use MANY solar powered flood lights at various places on trails that funnel toward the barn, the house, or the vehicle barn...........They really do work as a great trip wire "flare" to blind the idiot, freeze them as a target, and indicate exactly where they are at this moment..................Each barn, gate, and here at the house use motion detector floods for many reasons.............
Now, security video cams...........Again, surely not an "expert" who comes on a tractor forum and advises "my way or NO way".........It works for me....On the road for a few days, at 2 AM, as evidence in magistrate court against the county coming on my place uninvited without a warrant, and so many others...........My video system is an HD Lorex.....Yes, I can monitor it on a monitor, smart phone, puter, or as a video output of a recording on it's DVR..........The IR night vision is more than 50' and as with any of them....fuzzy and blurry...................The wireless signal is dependable, strong, and I use a transmit and recieve booster...........Again the solar is home built; but it works.............
Ok............It works for me and that is all that matters......I sleep quite well at night but still have my 1911 and 12 ga. pump handy......Shucks......not much happens.......but that's the way I want it................God bless.........Dennis
That said............Yes, I use game cameras for monitoring lots of situations around the place. Right now, 3 are set up. one on a trail through the woods to have evidence of dogs and neighbors that tend to use our place as a private game preserve for their use.
Another is down at the electric gate to capture WHO is there, when, and what they do......Yes, the gate is 1500' from the house, over the hill, and through the woods. No way a wireless device is up to that challenge...................Yes, it has been in place for a couple of years. Caught pics of a couple of folks trying to get one of our guard dogs, another who parked there truck at the gate and walked up the road to see what we kept in the barn........They were monitored because of the below devices............Yes, I shoot first and then ask questions.....They left............NO this equipment has never been vandalized nor stolen...........thanks my fantastic angels...........
BUT........Up that same road, perhaps 100 yards, a "VISITOR" sets off a Dakota Alerts wireless alarm that has a direct line of sight to the house and works well with dependability. After that, up the road 100 yards, is the first wireless video camera. It is easily 600 line of sight feet to the house. Yes, it is totally dependable, stable, and is supported by a solar system that I through trial and error developed for it.............
Then, another 50 yards and the visitor comes to the road into the barn where as they pass or enter that road they set off a second Alerts wireless alarm...........With my alarms, I use two in tandem to eliminate false alarms that yes, they all have..........But they MUST always sense and send me the alarm..........and they do.........If they go into the barn, 300 feet from the house, they are seen by another wireless camera. This camera, at times is also used for monitoring birthing of our goat mommas..........sure good to be able to listen to them as well as see them rather than hang out down there on cold winter nights as those $1000 babies hit the ground................
Up the hill and around for 1/4 mile the visitor is picked up by another video camera on the road 200 or so feet from the house. This camera is also solar driven and wireless transmitter driven..................by then, I am waiting at the front door to say hello one way or another
Down the hill 300 feet from the house is another barn where we keep the truck, Merc SLK320, a couple of cars, the tractor, RTV, Airstream trailer and who knows what else..........This area is protected by a wireless video camera in the barn, several motion detect floods, 2 more Dakota alert detectors on a "never' used old road into the place, and a couple of other surprises awaiting visitors who may not be invited..........
So, yes, I am as an ol vet who doesn't want to be caught with his pants down............I again, am not some expert but I do know what I have works for me.......I didn't mention that I use MANY solar powered flood lights at various places on trails that funnel toward the barn, the house, or the vehicle barn...........They really do work as a great trip wire "flare" to blind the idiot, freeze them as a target, and indicate exactly where they are at this moment..................Each barn, gate, and here at the house use motion detector floods for many reasons.............
Now, security video cams...........Again, surely not an "expert" who comes on a tractor forum and advises "my way or NO way".........It works for me....On the road for a few days, at 2 AM, as evidence in magistrate court against the county coming on my place uninvited without a warrant, and so many others...........My video system is an HD Lorex.....Yes, I can monitor it on a monitor, smart phone, puter, or as a video output of a recording on it's DVR..........The IR night vision is more than 50' and as with any of them....fuzzy and blurry...................The wireless signal is dependable, strong, and I use a transmit and recieve booster...........Again the solar is home built; but it works.............
Ok............It works for me and that is all that matters......I sleep quite well at night but still have my 1911 and 12 ga. pump handy......Shucks......not much happens.......but that's the way I want it................God bless.........Dennis
I use a POE (power over ethernet)camera that way the power is supplied in the house at the router and then you run Cat6 to the camera that's it! I use a Sharx and am happy with it you don't need a PC at all if you plug it into a router it will email pictures send them to the web or store them on a SD card if you like!!
Country Geek
Gold Member
You have a good point. I don't think any of the consumer grade devices have good enough image quality to capture license plates unless they are aimed exactly right and pretty close to where the cars go in. I wouldn't count on being able to get that without investing in a law enforcement-quality license plate scanner, if you can even get one.
Of my four FOSCAM cameras, only the one that's farthest from the router has problems with dropping off the network. It's about 60 feet and a few walls (including an exterior one) away. The wireless range on these things can't be stretched. But what you can do is buy one of these: Amazon.com: IOGEAR Universal Ethernet to Wi-Fi N Adapter for Home or Office GWU627 (Black): Electronics, plug one end of an ethernet cable into the camera (so the camera thinks it's wired), and the other end into this adapter, much closer to your wireless router. This has the effect of bringing the camera "closer" to the router.
The main drawback for an outdoor application like we're talking about here is that the adapter needs a/c power and is probably not outdoor rated.
I have two FOSCAMs over my garage door, which is at the opposite end of the house from my wireless router. One of them has this adapter, wired through the attic to be in sight of the router, and one doesn't. The The one that doesn't drops off the network several times a day, the one that does never drops off the network, and the other ones seldom do.
Of my four FOSCAM cameras, only the one that's farthest from the router has problems with dropping off the network. It's about 60 feet and a few walls (including an exterior one) away. The wireless range on these things can't be stretched. But what you can do is buy one of these: Amazon.com: IOGEAR Universal Ethernet to Wi-Fi N Adapter for Home or Office GWU627 (Black): Electronics, plug one end of an ethernet cable into the camera (so the camera thinks it's wired), and the other end into this adapter, much closer to your wireless router. This has the effect of bringing the camera "closer" to the router.
The main drawback for an outdoor application like we're talking about here is that the adapter needs a/c power and is probably not outdoor rated.
I have two FOSCAMs over my garage door, which is at the opposite end of the house from my wireless router. One of them has this adapter, wired through the attic to be in sight of the router, and one doesn't. The The one that doesn't drops off the network several times a day, the one that does never drops off the network, and the other ones seldom do.
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troutsqueezer
Veteran Member
I'm done pushing game cams since the OP doesn't seem interested but will mention that my 8 megapixel game cam easily captures license plates.
Country Geek
Gold Member
What model/make is it?
A game cam that can catch plates would be a good supplement to an IP camera setup for people who want both the live monitoring and the ability to capture plates. The OP was interested in live monitoring but other people with other monitoring interests are also participating and will read this thread as well.
The problem with the game cams I have is that their shutters are too slow... from the time the motion is sensed until recording starts is a second or two. I think that's by design to cut down on the number of false alarms recorded? So if it's placed someplace cars drive past, they are out of the picture by the time recording starts. If it's positioned so that the cars are driving away (with license plate in view) the car is too far away to capture the plate by the time recording starts. If you can recommend one with zero shutter delay I would be interested in getting one.
Another difference may be what state you're from? I see you're from California where they have front license plates, that might make it easier to position a game cam to capture one since the car would be driving toward the camera and would be CLOSER by the time recording starts (if there is a delay)? Here in NC we don't have front plates so have to position the game cam to catch the rear of the car as it drives away, so if there is a delay it's farther away when recording starts.
RedNeckGeek
Super Member
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A few years ago my wife and I were rudely awakened from a sound sleep by someone pounding on the bedroom sliding glass door and shouting "CDF! CDF!". It seems our neighbor called the fire department when one of our brush piles burned later than he thought safe, even though we were well within the published regs for doing so. Neither of us has slept soundly since, even with an 870 and SIG readily at hand. I figure if someone can get that close without me knowing it, they could have just as easily have broken the glass as knocked and I'd have no time to activate any kind of defense. I've been looking for some sort of alarm/video system ever since.
Thanks for your post, Dennis! You don't come off as some snob expert at all, just the kind of guy that's been at it a while and is willing to share his experience. I'll bet you found a lot of stuff that made great claims but failed miserably after you spent hard earned coin to try it out. Your pointers to the Dakota Alerts and Lorex hardware look very promising. You don't mention makes for the wifi network extender, motion triggered security lights, game cameras, or components in your solar powered batteries for the cameras. That and model number info would be really helpful as well, and save the rest of us a lot of experimentation. Security is more than just a bunch of gadgets, it's a mind set that envisions scenarios and incorporates strategies and tactics to mitigate them. I read good horse sense in what you've written and it sounds like Uncle Sam taught you well. That said, I realize your experience and good results may not be what happens for any of us because our circumstances probably differ significantly from yours. As the OP pointed out, I've been overwhelmed by the choices available for game cameras, wifi cameras, and motion triggered lights, and that's just part of the puzzle. I've never been much for blazing trails myself, but when shown a good one I've got no trouble carefully working my way along it, making it better where I can, and sharing what I learn. If you could see your way clear to post additional details about your equipment choices, configuration, and hazards assessments I'd be all ears. If, however, due to the sensitive nature of the subject, you'd prefer to limit what you share, I understand perfectly.
Thanks for your post, Dennis! You don't come off as some snob expert at all, just the kind of guy that's been at it a while and is willing to share his experience. I'll bet you found a lot of stuff that made great claims but failed miserably after you spent hard earned coin to try it out. Your pointers to the Dakota Alerts and Lorex hardware look very promising. You don't mention makes for the wifi network extender, motion triggered security lights, game cameras, or components in your solar powered batteries for the cameras. That and model number info would be really helpful as well, and save the rest of us a lot of experimentation. Security is more than just a bunch of gadgets, it's a mind set that envisions scenarios and incorporates strategies and tactics to mitigate them. I read good horse sense in what you've written and it sounds like Uncle Sam taught you well. That said, I realize your experience and good results may not be what happens for any of us because our circumstances probably differ significantly from yours. As the OP pointed out, I've been overwhelmed by the choices available for game cameras, wifi cameras, and motion triggered lights, and that's just part of the puzzle. I've never been much for blazing trails myself, but when shown a good one I've got no trouble carefully working my way along it, making it better where I can, and sharing what I learn. If you could see your way clear to post additional details about your equipment choices, configuration, and hazards assessments I'd be all ears. If, however, due to the sensitive nature of the subject, you'd prefer to limit what you share, I understand perfectly.
OP
sherpa
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Troutsqueezer,
I appreciate your input about the game cams. You are right, I was interested in a game cam at the initial post. I have learn a lot since then. With the new cameras available now and for my personal use since we travel a lot and are not always here and since I do have 110 power outlets already at several good places on my property we have decided to go with electric powered cameras.
sherpa
I appreciate your input about the game cams. You are right, I was interested in a game cam at the initial post. I have learn a lot since then. With the new cameras available now and for my personal use since we travel a lot and are not always here and since I do have 110 power outlets already at several good places on my property we have decided to go with electric powered cameras.
sherpa
OP
sherpa
Platinum Member
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- 538
- Location
- North Carolina Mountains
- Tractor
- 2004 NH TC33D & 2014 NH Boomer 24
OP
sherpa
Platinum Member
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2004
- Messages
- 538
- Location
- North Carolina Mountains
- Tractor
- 2004 NH TC33D & 2014 NH Boomer 24
I would be interested in a motion detection system that simply makes a statement like: "You are being videoed" just to prevent someone from breaking into one of one of my buildings?