Hey!

I totally know where you’re coming from. we brought home our toy poodle 2 weeks ago (he’s 11 weeks today) and I am home with him during 9-5 hours while my boyfriend helps out evenings and weekends. The first week I genuinely considered returning him because I felt so overwhelmed despite doing an absurd amount of research and having had 2 other family dogs where I wasn’t the primary caretaker lol. The breeder had him potty trained and crate trained and said he was the first of his litter to run to the food bowl but the first week he came home with us he whined in his crate + playpen, pooped on the floor and became a finicky eater lol

I can say even though I’m still struggling with a few things (he’s a pretty shy pup who's not food motivated, hates his playpen, and doesn't understand kongs lol ) I’m feeling better and seeing sooo much progress in our little man since he first came home.

Here are some things that work for us:

Crate training: This will take time and will also require some patience and understanding on your end - there will likely be whining and the best thing you can do is IGNORE IT - this is of course as long as your puppies needs are met - before ever putting him into the crate make sure he’s peed and isn’t hungry/thirsty. The #1 thing you need to be aware of is that if you let him out while he’s whining he will associate whining = attention/freedom.

• Crate games Personally, we didn’t use crate games because when I tried I felt the same frustration lol. We have a T-shirts that smell like us in his crate + his favourite (safe) toy that he can only cuddle/play with while he’s in there to make it attractive place. Our dog isn’t food motivated either but we’ve discovered dehydrated raw treats are like crack to him lol. We use a high value treat (dehydrated raw beef liver) to lure him into the crate while saying “bedtime” and then we close the door. He’ll whine during the day sometimes when he’s overtired but never at night and actually goes in willingly on his own to relax.
  
• Nighttime: set alarms before he starts whining. In our case we sleep at 11pm and have alarms for 2am, 5am and 7:45am - you’ll need to monitor when he starts to whine and set your alarms for ~10-15 mins beforehand to avoid reinforcing whining. I also recommend sticking to night time crating rather than playpen to work off a dogs need for consistency.
  
• Enforced naps: these are a god send. Pups need to sleep roughly 18-20 hours a day. For every 45-1 hour that your puppy is awake lure him into his crate for a 1-2 hour nap. I use a wyze camera (https://www.amazon.ca/Wyze-Wireless-Camera-Android-Version/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=sr_1_3?crid=3J0J18TA1JUKO&keywords=wyze&qid=1565737568&s=gateway&sprefix=wyze%2Caps%2C246&sr=8-3) to monitor any sounds/movements in his crate and make sure I get to him to let him out to pee before he has a chance to start whining on his own. (Currently typing this as he’s napping away lol). You will get some free time to do as you please + puppy will wake up refreshed and happy (note: less nipping, more attentive!)
  
• Note: even if you successfully lure him into the crate he will likely still whine at times - I G N O R E. I can’t stress this enough. The sooner he learns whining = no reaction, the sooner he’ll learn to settle and nap. First week our puppy whined ~5 minutes each time, now it’s ~30 seconds max and MUCH less frequent. Consistency is key.
  
  Routine: Like I said our pup is awake for ~1 hour intervals throughout the day. Because pups do better with set schedules, I follow the same routine every hour and he seems to be doing better with this routine. Essentially what we do is : Wake up, pee, Train (5-10 mins max with his kibble or toys - like your ours isn’t food motivated but enjoys WORKING for his food, other times he’s more willing to work for toys so that could also be worth a try), fetch (physical exercise indoors), Train (5-10 mins max), play, leash train (indoors), play, pee, nap.
  
  
• Physical exercise: A tired pup is a happy pup - but keep in mind there’s a fine line between proper exercise for a puppy and overstimulation - we’ve been doing 5-10 minutes of indoor fetch every hour awake and it looks like the perfect balance for us - you’ll have to play with this figure a little to see what works best but I promise the whining is bound to decrease if he’s already sleepy before crate time
  
• Mental stimulation: poodles (and poodle crosses) are prone to getting bored without enough mental stimulation = excess whining. Mental stimulation includes feeder toys, puzzle games AND training. Our guy doesn’t really appreciate his kong lol but we have this (https://www.amazon.ca/Smart-Treat-Dispensing-Exercise-Ottosson/dp/B0711Y9Y8W/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1ZZNTTRIW62SD&keywords=nina+ottosson&qid=1565738495&s=gateway&sprefix=nina+ott%2Caps%2C230&sr=8-5) and we bring it out once or twice a day - sometimes he won’t even eat the food in the holes but he likes figuring out the puzzle lol
  
• Instilling independence: Okay so this is an area where I’ve noticed a BIG change since taking it seriously. The more you work on training commands, the more independence you’re installing in your pup. The more independent he feels, the more he can handle being alone, the outside world, scary interactions, etc. I’m not sure if you’ve done any puppy socialization classes or are looking into puppy training but I’d recommend finding a reputable one in your area and giving it a try. For training at home, we've had a lot of success with: https://www.youtube.com/user/kikopup
  
  Other tips:
  
  
• Bully Sticks: these things can be a god send if you need some time to yourself. The first time we gave our puppy one he went wild for it and left us alone for an hour. The second time, he held it in his mouth and whined his face off lol. We realized our mistake was making it available to him too frequently in a short period of time. Keep high-value items like this a special occasion treat to maintain it’s value.
  
• Toys: rotate toys. Have 2-3 toys out for a few days at a time, and learn which ones he gravitates to. You’ll discover which toys are high value + by rotating them he’ll get excited when his fav one from a certain batch is back in his turf. Take the high-value ones and make them crate only toys if they are safe to be played with unsupervised!
  
• Kong: I wish I could give you advice here because the Kong was a god send for our other dogs. The advice that’s been given to me is teach him how to use it. Youtube is good for this but at the end of the day, some dogs just don’t like the kong. If you do want to use this or other puzzle feeders/treat toys DON’T increase the value of the treat if he’s disinterested. He’ll learn that he can ignore his kibble/low-value treats and hold out for the better stuff and you’ll end up with a finicky eater.
  
• Daycare: Find a reputable one in your area bc it sounds like you need a little break and some socialization will be good for the little guy if you’re not looking into puppy classes or socialization classes.
  
  Hope this helps in some way shape or form, feel free to message me if you need to vent, compare puppy problems or ask any questions :)

This is a scary situation. I would recommend involving law enforcement to the extent that you can, if you can do any more than you already have.

Besides that, first priority is perimeter hardening. Cameras may provide some deterrent but won’t protect you if someone comes for you. I know it’s a rental but maybe you could convince the landlord that these are upgrades done at your own expense. Or just don’t tell. Reinforced door jamb

Door Armor MAX - Complete Door Reinforcement Set For Jamb, Frame, Strike Plate - DIY Home Door Security - Aged Bronze https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00E9ZGWH2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_9J2FDbK66084S

Upgrade to steel door or similar if your door is not strong.

Add security film to the windows

BDF S4MC Window Film Security and Safety Clear 4 Mil (24in X 13ft) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00FRLI2PC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_192FDbNYNR641

Next, I would also add a security system with door/window sensors that sets off a siren when triggered. There are many, Ring is a popular DIY currently

Ring Alarm 5 Piece Kit - Home Security System with optional 24/7 Professional Monitoring - No long-term contracts - Works with Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07D7Q6CHB/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_rg3FDbYQSMX46

I would recommend paying for professional monitoring at least for a couple months so that it calls law enforcement for you

Next sleep with a pepper spray of your choice beside your bed. I like this one

SABRE Red Pepper Gel - Police Strength - Family, Home & Property Defense Gel with Wall Mount Bracket https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002368VJ6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Rp3FDbPZRWD5X

AFTER you have done these things, yes add a camera or two. Might provide some deterrent, might help you go after them if they do property damage. Wyze cams are cheap and decent. Will need an outdoor housing if installing outdoors.

Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_3l3FDb2MGD3RM

Good luck, be safe

I just put in a small system with a Reolink RLC-410 camera and I really like the camera. This one is wired, but since you rent, you might want to go wireless--the ones with little wifi antennas that just link up wirelessly to your wifi.

Reolink comes with a phone app that handles up to 16 cameras on your smartphone--I check my property from anywhere over the app whenever I want. I really like it, and the picture quality is awesome, as the Amazon reviews attest. Night vision is awesome, too. The infrared leds illuminate at least 65 feet out. Price isn't bad, either. Wireless will be more. Reolink has them; sorry to sound like a shill.

For recording the footage, I got a Synology NVR 216. A little pricey, but it did what I wanted--record about 2 months worth of 24/7 video feed for liability purposes.

This NVR is "diskless", which means that it comes without hard drives, which have to be purchased separately. I got one 4 TB Western Digital Purple, which is "optimized" for surveillance applications, whatever that means. The system has been recording a single camera's feed basically 24/7 since May 14, and has so far used 586 GB of the 3,000 GB available on this single hard drive, or about 17% of available capacity. Obviously, if you have two cameras, the storage requirement doubles; with four, quadruples. And, yes, I've already purchased another camera. I'll probably have four total, like you, in the future, when my requirements shift from liability to security. This particular NVR holds up to two hard drives, and an expansion kit allows up to 8 more. I really should get at least one more hard drive.

My particular system is currently set up as wired, meaning the camera and NVR are both connected to my wifi access point/router with network patch cables--those ubiquitous ethernet, Cat 5, RG-45 terminated "computer cables" that connect work computers to the jack in the wall, etc.

If you go wireless, especially with four cameras, you'll have to upgrade your local network to gigabit speeds. I should do that, too, and when I do, I'll probably go with a Linksys WRT AC3200. I'm currently running a Linksys WRT-54GL and, frankly, my local LAN bogs down a bit when I stream a movie while the video gear is running (which is all the time).

Guess I'm a bit of a geek. There are actually a lot of people here who are knowledgeable with DIY security CCTVs. I started from zero back in April or May, asked advice here, and actually went with Synology after it was recommended by a regular, here. I'll find that link, later; need to run right now. Update: You'll probably find this link interesting; it's a /r_neworleans thread from six months ago--lot's of perspectives different from my own that may work better for you.

One more thing: I had originally used DHCP to assign IP addresses to the camera and NVR, but the camera kept renewing its lease to a different address, and the NVR stopped recording when it lost the feed. I finally got around to puzzling out how to assign static addresses. Turns out that the WRT software assigns DHCP addresses at 100 and above. So, I just set the camera to 192.168.1.50 and the NVR to 192.168.1.51. Also, the Synology requires port-forwarding to be set up in your router--this was also dead simple. I read documentation for about an hour, then just forwarded some port, I think it was port 5000, in what looked like the right place in the router's set-up software, and it just worked. This way I can access the archive video from my smartphone, as well as the live feed.

I know all this sounds complicated, but it's really not, and there are people here who know this stuff and are more than willing to help out. Also, I know I spent around $1000, which is a lot of money for me. It was hard for me to pull the trigger on all this. But it covers a liability exposure that exceeds my net worth--in other words, an exposure that could force me into bankruptcy. In that light, it was a reasonable price to mitigate a serious risk. I'm satisfied with both the gear and the price.

Container: Rubbermaid 20 gal Brute Bin

Lights: Kingbrite 60 W Quantum Board (if you want dimmable, ask for a dimmable driver like the HLG-60H-36B and a potentiometer)

Screws: You'll need lots of nuts, long screws, washers, and spacers to mount the board and PSU. First put the board on the lid and mark where to drill, then drill holes. Then put the power supply on the outside in the middle, mark and drill those hoses. Mount power supply and then flip lid over and mount the light, using long screws and nuts to hold it in place (the light should NOT touch the lid but be 1-2 inches from it, held in place by nuts). Drill small hole for power line, then connect. Finally, drill 3 inch hole for exhaust beside the light. You'll also need long screws with nuts to keep the fan and shrouds together. Be sure to use spaces anywhere the screw heads or nuts are touching the lid or the lights. For light spacers, I used rubber spaces between the nuts.

Cooling shrouds: 120mm Fan Duct Cooling Shroud to 4 Inch Vent Hose

90 degree 4 inch elbow for exhaust: 4 in. 90° Round Adjustable Elbow

4" to 3" reducer for exhaust: 4 in. to 3 in. Round Reducer

2x regular JB Weld to mount the reducer and 3 inch "trunk"

Fan: Delta AFB1212SHE-PWM 120mm x 38mm 4pin PWM+Tac Sensor Extreme Hi-speed 3700 RPM 151 CFM

Fan controller: Noctua NA-FC1 4-pin PWM Fan Controller

Fan power supply: LE Power Adapter, UL Listed, 3A, 120V AC to 12V DC Transformer, 36W Power Supply

Fan power supply adapter: CRJ Female DC Power Supply Plug to 12V Molex Power Adapter Cable

Fan molex adapter: Coolerguys Mini 3-4 pin Fan Adapter (Single)

2x ABS fan elbow (for "snout" intake): 3 in. ABS DWV 90-Degree Hub x Hub Long-Turn Elbow

Air filter for intake: 16.25 in. x 12.5 in. x 0.19 in. - 16.3 in. x .2 in. x 12.5 in. - CF300 Carbon Filter

Air filter (not pictured): VIVOSUN 4 Inch Air Carbon Filter Odor Control with Australia Virgin Charcoal for Inline Fan

Fan hose (not pictured): iPower GLDUCT4X8C 4 inch 8 feet Non-Insulated Flex Air Aluminum Foil

Watering device (not pictured): Janolia Automatic Irrigation Kit, Self Watering System, with Electronic Water Timer

Camera (not pictured): Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision (glue steel piece for magnetic base onto the upper side of the bin)

Notes: This design is very safe because it keeps all electronic components high in the bin. At the same time, using a battery powered watering system keeps you from requiring to ever open it. The lamp runs very cool. The PWM fan controller works well and keeping the air moving without using a lot of power (do NOT buy a cheap voltage modulator, I did first and it doesn't work nearly as well as the PWM controller). The Wyze cam is super cheap and lets you keep an eye on everything or make timelapses. Have fun growing your tomatoes!

Separation anxiety is really tough. A big part of this is because some dogs are triggered by some stuff, but not others. Some can be managed and even fixed with a chew or a long-lasting puzzle toy, some will not take food.

My two suggestions to figuring out what flavor of sep-anx your dog has and what triggers it:

1. Get a cheap camera. My favorite one is the Wyze cam with an SD card so you can see record motion or sound at your leisure.
   
2. Take note of the "leaving routines" you and your partner do. My boyfriend and I are habit oriented (I'm ADHD so like, I have to do everything in the same order so I don't forget stuff, lol) and my dog totally picked up on our patterns. He started realizing we were leaving when my boyfriend got out of the shower and started dressing, and he started really internally panicking when he saw my boyfriend put his socks on. We tried feeding him in the morning, but because of our observations, we realized our dog would refuse to eat the moment he realized we were leaving and he saw the food as part of the "leaving routine" which made his picky eating a lot worse!
   
   A lot of the super-effective counterconditioning programs out there for effective behavior change will be slow - leaving your dog two minutes at a time. Sometimes dogs do better crated when they are left, some don't. Both my dogs, my Sammy and my terrier mix, have separation anxiety but completely different styles. My terrier as a puppy was much better when she was in a crate covered with a heavy blanket that made the crate into a warm cave. When she got older, we left her loose in the bedroom and she would literally make blanket caves for herself out of our comforters. My Sammy was completely inconsolable in the crate, and if his needs are met he's non-destructive, so he's much easier to keep loose in our house. He is also one of the rare dogs that benefit from having another dog with him when he's home alone (they are still separated in different rooms for completely hilarious and sad reasons), whereas my terrier doesn't. Through observing him and tweaking our setup and our leaving routines, he normally is either completely quiet or our videos show he barks for about 2 minutes and then goes to sleep and is totally ok. He's also a dog who likes to watch TV, so when his SA was at its worst we actually would put fast moving dogs on YouTube for him and noticed on our camera that it helped a bit.
   
   So to figure out what will fix, or at least help the issue, it's good to have some observations of your dog alone and also how he behaves around you and work to create better associations to you leaving or giving your dog some coping skills. It's always rough when you start out working on it and any fix that is effective (and puts your dog in a good place mentally and emotionally) usually takes a bit of time and some iterations to implement.

And this one...


I have another automation that emails me a still shot of my front porch when there is motion. I am particularly proud of this because I was able to improve the accuracy of this notification compared to the function built into the camera. I have a moderately cheap IP camera. It has motion tracking built in, but this was too easily triggered and resulted in 30 pictures of moths each summer night. To improve on this I needed to tie in a PIR sensor. Some nice cameras actually let you tie in external wired triggers. I have a reolink camera, it was 75 dollars on amazon, and it has great picture quality, but it has limitations on triggering alarms. Thankfully I found a way around this. I researched the URL to pull a still image from the camera and found a similar automation online to pull down this image and e-mail it. There are a few parts to this automation, but its one of my favorites!




Camera still: http://imgur.com/a/gN9po

Camera: https://www.amazon.com/Reolink-Security-65-100ft-Detection-RLC-410/dp/B010LH48F4/

Automation#

• alias: 'Front Door Notify'
  trigger:
  platform: state
  entity_id: sensor.linear_wapirz1_motion_sensor_alarm_level_8_1
  state: '255'
  condition:
  condition: state
  entity_id: sensor.linear_unknown_type2001_id0102_alarm_level_9_1
  state: '0'
  action:
  
• service: shell_command.take_pic_porch
  
• service: notify.google_smtp
  data:
  title: 'Front Porch Motion'
  message: 'Motion at the front door!'
  data:
  images:
  
  • /home/hass/.homeassistant/snapshot.jpg
    
    

    Script#
    

    
    
    shell_command:
    take_pic_porch: curl -o /home/hass/.homeassistant/snapshot.jpg --anyauth 'http://192.168.1.120/cgi-bin/api.cgi?cmd=Snap&channel=0&rs=wuuPhkmUCeI9WG7C&user=admin&password=**'
    
    
    This checks if there is motion on the front porch, then makes sure the front door is shut. I did this so that when I take the dogs out, I am not getting e-mails every single time. So an open door will disable this automation. Then I am sent an e-mail using googles SMTP servers.

Depending on which state you're in, I'd say go through a Honeywell retailer and pick up a wireless Lyric system to handle the door/window contacts, glass break sensor, siren, and Yale electronic lock. You can put your indoor cameras on the Honeywell app as well.

I've had a positive experience with Honeywell since the wireless set-up process is simple, and the retailer's customer support should help you out should you have any tech issues or need guidance with the app. Makes it real easy to teach family members to use the apps, even people who are really bad with computers. Plus, whenever you move, it's no big deal. Just toss everything back in the box and install it in the next place.

With monitoring, your retailer or security system supplier might have someone they work with. Main thing to look for is that they're UL-listed and meet all the industry standards. Find out if they protect locations like schools and government buildings, too. That's always a good sign. I don't have any specific monitoring companies I can plug, unfortunately.

My only issue with Honeywell is their new wireless outdoor cameras are untested, so until I get my hands on one and put it through it's paces, I'm not going to recommend it.

I prefer wired exterior lights myself, but if you can also get battery-powered like this one on Amazon for cheap. With lights, there's really no need to get fancy unless you've got a lot of area to cover and you plan on being there on a more permanent basis.

For outdoor cameras you can get something like Amcrest's outdoor option. Decent camera, ticks all the boxes, not too expensive. Put your cameras on BlueIris or iSpy.

Hopefully that gives you a good starting point. Since your home is small, you probably don't need many cameras so that'll help mitigate some costs.

It's tough finding the balance between a cheap security system and a reliable one, but I think the added peace of mind makes it a worthy investment.

Oh wow, yeah you are way more talented than myself. That all sounds awesome!

I know this defeats the purpose of being creative and problem solving, but I have a lot of cams that I got on Amazon (I got them all for free to review them) that I use to keep an eye on my house when I'm away. They have apps so I can check them from anywhere that I have a signal, and most let me speak through them via my phone if I need to communicate.

If it's an immediate need, you could pick up a few cameras, like this one for less than $30USD that would work great for making sure things are alright :)

I'm unsure about the solar panels being too much for the drone...most are not meant to have much (if any) sort of payload, so it would probably throw off the calibration. If you're flying it inside I don't imagine it's too large, either so it may be a challenge to mount panels and leave the drone functional still

I've got the Hikvision DS-2CD2032-1 (http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00G7GMEOG). It's a great quality camera for the money. It was a bit of a pain to get set up (it comes set to a fixed IP address that is in a different subnet to what most people would usually use) but once running it works great. I'm using it indoors and the picture quality is good. I would imagine it works fine outdoors. It does night vision but I haven't really tried it out.

As others have mentioned you'll need to buy additional camera licenses if you want to hook up three cameras. Most of the larger Synology boxes come with 2 camera licenses so you just need one more.

Synology seem to be actively improving the camera software. Surveillance Station 7.1 was a big improvement on 7.0 (I had issues viewing from the mobile app in 7.0, all fixed in 7.1).

Update: After looking around a bunch of sites and thanks to /u/automatedlife, I've finally made a decision. This is probably my fourth time researching this before I could pull the trigger.

Cameras: Two mini 3pm Hikvision bullets: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G7GMEOG/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Networking: I opted for POE for many reason, but primarily because I can do it myself without a contractor -- I also have the supplies on hand. Also, wifi wouldn't be as reliable. The POE switch I bought can scale to 4 cameras: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QYEN1W/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

NVR: Repurposed my home server. It already has a bunch of drives, and I almost never use it to game anymore. Furthermore, it has plenty of disk and two network cards (one for the cameras and another for internet. If I were to have pulled the trigger today, I probably would have ended up with a refurb like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA8XK46E2600 It's a better form factor than my current system ... and I'd still have my server in my office. Maybe later.

Anyway, I hope I can help at least one other person. I probably opened up 200 tabs throughout this whole investigation.

Edit: My out of pocket today was ~$100/camera @ qnt 2 and $50 for networking. Everything else I had on hand. My total was $250. If you need a computer, you'll probably be spending $500-$800 range, depending on what you get and how long you can wait around for a deal.

I'm really glad that you are okay and that the police were helpful. I haven't read through every comment on here but I have two recommendations.

1: often times, protective or restraining orders aren't put into action until you *explicitly* tell the person to stop contacting you. I know you haven't responded to him or anything but it might be a good idea to have it, in writing, that you told him to stop contacting you. You don't need to respond to anything he has said or done other than: "This is me telling you to stop contacting me, do not come to my house, place of work, classroom, etc., or I will be contacting the police" Then save *EVERY* contact attempt he has done/will do from there. Save it on multiple platforms in case you lose your phone, etc. So either send it to someone or save it on a computer (not your email because if your phone goes missing, it could easily be deleted from your email).

2. I saw some people have suggested cameras which I highly recommend. It sounds like you might be a student and I know the budget might be tight. My SO and I got these cheap cameras to just monitor our dog during the day. You can go in a view them at any time and they also record 12 seconds of video whenever they detect motion. If you have a place to put one towards your door or outside of your apartment, I highly recommend it. It not only saves the videos, but you could also see someone coming before they are there.

ETA: there is an app associated with the cameras and you can have notifications sent right to your phone anytime something is picked up.

Also - give your dog all the head scratches and steaks tonight. Stay safe

The Unifi cameras are decent, but the downside is that you are locked into their closed end system. If you wanted to add more cameras down the road, you'd have to use Ubiquiti cameras. (assuming you use their NVR or DVR software).

I put in a system for a client a few months ago. They wanted Pan tilt zoom for 2 of the cameras, so I found This one one made by Reolink, which worked out really well! The picture quality is fantastic and the price was very reasonable. I used a Hikvision bullet camera for behind the register as it didn't require PTZ functions.

They already had a VMware server, so I added 2 x 3TB drives in a RAID 1, created a Windows VM, then installed Milestone xprotect software (You can also look at Blue Iris). The whole setup works pretty well. Can view camera feeds via mobile app, or via website interface.

With a system like this, you can easily expand with any brand IP camera down the road, as opposed to being tied into one manufacturer.

This Wyze camera cost $40 on amazon.

You can view live or have 14 days of free cloud storage. Some folks have concerns about where the server sends the data but I use it to view my plants, so not that concerned.

It also has motion activated recording and/or alerts.

For 40 bucks, it’s pretty good value. Set up is super easy too.

Wireless isn't reliable. POE lets you run just 1 cable so that's what I prefer.
Cameras - Dahua or Hikvision. Here are some considerations.

If you're placing the cameras higher off of the ground then you might want to look at turret style cameras. If you are placing cameras within reach from the ground then you might consider using dome cameras because they are harder to vandalize.

The other thing to consider is how wide the coverage of the lens is. For instance, a 2.8 mm fixed focus lens captures a wider area than a 4 mm fixed focus lens does. However the 2.8 mm fixed lens does not magnify the images as much as the 4 mm fixed lens does, so the 4 mm lens might be better for identifying a thief than a 2.8 mm fixed lens camera. You can do a search on YouTube for The Security Experts who have some videos that explain the different angles of coverages for various lenses.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0o8BSi2NGM

Camera performance in the dark is another consideration. These Dahua cameras that use Starlight technology are supposed to have good performance in the dark and they get good reviews on Amazon. They also have variable focus lenses so you can adjust the angle width of the area you want them to capture. They have PoE so you can just run 1 cord. If you do a search for nayrproductions on YouTube to see a comparison video for these cameras.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-m9MUjN8Oc
I believe the Dahua model 5231 camera has a microphone, but otherwise is the same camera as the Dahua model 2231. You can buy these cameras on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DRC93S8/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza
EmpireTech IP Camera IPC-HDW2231R-ZS 2MP Starlight IR
Hikvision makes some cameras that have night vision so those would work OK too.
YouTube is a good resource for you to learn more. I found the videos by newfiebort and use-IP LTD videos very helpful. The use-IP videos are made by a security camera business in the UK so you could contact them for more info, since you are in Europe.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZfc3NVBDz8

https://www.youtube.com/user/useIP

Have you considered saving up some money for a roller shutter to cover the glass in the back?

You could use some motion sensor alarms in case someone comes through the gate.

https://www.amazon.com/Guardline-Wireless-Driveway-Resistant-Detector/dp/B01M3QINCM/ref=sr_1_8?hvadid=78409033688519&hvbmt=bb&hvdev=c&hvqmt=b&keywords=outdoor+gate+alarm+wireless&qid=1571533554&sr=8-8

Might not be the most helpful response, but here goes.
It doesn't sound like a security camera is the best solution to this issue.

You say he's calling the police and fire department on her whenever he can. 1.) Stop giving him a reason to do that. 2.) A camera won't help with that.
You say he's giving her and her children bone-chilling looks. A camera might catch those, but there's nothing you can do about that.

She really should be focused on either having a dialogue with the neighbor to try and patch things up, or move away from him. If she's genuinely worried about the safety of herself or her children, she'll find a way to move. If it's not that big of a concern, then it sounds like a conversation might be enough.

Now that that's out of the way, try starting out here https://www.amazon.com/Security-Reolink-65-100ft-Detection-RLC-410/dp/B010LH48F4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479254540&sr=8-1&keywords=reolink+rlc-410 and keep looking around on amazon for related products, etc. I can't speak to the quality of the camera, but it seems to have some nice features.

I'm in mid Alberta (Canada) a few hours from the mountains. Have you ever seen any of those videos where someone throws some boiling water up in the air and it instantly turns into powdered snow? We can do that here when it gets cold. Hurts to breathe when it's that cold too. After I posted here, I found out that I'm better off finding an IP677 rating, but word of mouth from other people who have similar temperature drops is still usually the best way to find something that will work. Some units create more heat or have more insulation around the battery to keep it warmer so it will still function without issues. I even came across a site that had a graph from Energizer that showed how much depletion a battery goes through as temperatures get colder. Makes me think that a wired version would be better. I know that my phone gets slower when I'm out in the cold.

I have found a few options that I'm considering, but still not sure about which one would be best.

This one or some variant by Amcrest

Something by Arlo (heard of someone else who has it and has had no problems)


This one by Genbolt (says it can work to -50F)

Either the price is a bit high or the ratings cause some doubts.

My family has been buffing up our security too. Someone stole some packages and stuff off the front lawn and the creepy thing is you can't see them from the street so that means they were snooping around. My city can be found on like two lists of the top 20 most dangerous cities in America so we've been working on security.

For personal defense we have like 4 small bottles of pepper spray. I carry one with me at all times and my mom always has one too. They can be pretty cheap, usually around like $5-$10. Some places also sell stun guns and stuff for around $30. Make sure these are legal where you live before buying. I like these because they're cheap, effective (so I've heard. I haven't had to use them thankfully), and non lethal.

For home security we bought some cheap cameras for about $25. I think they have two way audio and night vision. They're not weather resistant and are meant for indoor stuff so you can have one indoors. We have ours on the window sill on the inside looking out towards the front yard and one looking towards the backyard. They can detect movement and send a notification to your phone when they do. They have pretty good picture quality too. I like em. All you need is wifi and the app and you can see the camera's live stream from anywhere. If you put an SD card into the camera you can record video or something. The user manual will have more info if you get them. They can't rotate but have like a fisheye/wide lense thing so they cover a lot.

I also have the Neighbors app by Ring. I don't have one of those ring doorbells but the app let's me know what's going on around the neighborhood and any nearby crimes the neighbors report.

Sorry that happened though. Sounds really scary. Hopefully that won't happen again and I Hope some of this helps.

Camera:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_IysiDbHR3HV8Q

Depending how large your property is, some of these may not be the cheapest, but I will suggest them anyway. I've gone with suggessting IP cameras because they are cost effective in comparison to film counterparts and are usually pretty easy to set up.

This first is a bit more expensive, and I imagine more so in Canada, but I've heard good things about it.

If you want to buy some decent and cheap ones to set up, Amazon had recently started recommending these .

As with all purchases, take your time, do your research and see what fits the needs of you and your family most.

Hi! So I found a great affordable option that I love to share with moms.

It’s called Wyze. It’s from ex-Amazon folks. $25 and you can access the camera from anywhere with the app. Multiple people can access as long as they have the password and username. You can also talk through the camera using your phone. We love it.


Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_6b-EDbAWB78GE

Resolution is important, but so is the codec on the NVR. Ideally, you want one with h.265 support.

Here's a 8 channel one by Hikvision, a well known brand: https://www.amazon.com/HIKVISION-DS-7608NI-K2-8-Channel-Recorder-Embedded/dp/B078S56GY4

You will have to buy the hard drive(s) separately. I recommended WD Purple drives. They are purpose built for surveillance equipment. https://www.amazon.com/Purple-Surveillance-Hard-Disk-Drive/dp/B00IMPO5MO

As far as cameras go, most people go with Hikvision or Reolink. Here's a 2K Reolink bullet camera. Expect to pay significantly more if you really want 4K. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010LH48F4/

6 cameras with this setup would run you $749, and you would have 2 ports available for expansion.

Try this Restore File System and this PS3 Rebuild Database.

About the HDD, this one works great for me Seagate 1TB Solid State Hybrid Drive SATA 6Gbps 64MB . You would think it wouldn't work so much with games that are constantly streaming from the HDD like GTA but I think it knows which files are used the most because there's definitely some good improvement, and for other kind of games that load more rarely and mostly the same data it's much better.

If you have the PS3 12GB Model you'll also need a PS3 HDD Mounting Bracket (for around $5 on Amazon) or check this video Upgrade PS3 to 500GB Hard Drive without using HDD Caddy.

Also about Turning it off via the Power Button, I've never had any problem doing that, no corrupt File System or anything. Just don't hold down the Power Button until it turn off because that's forcing it off, just press the button once and let it turn off on his own, it'll take a few seconds but it will.

Wire it. Designate a central location as your network hub, the ideal location is in the basement. Run all your Ethernet drops there.

For your wire, use Cat6 for any runs of 55 meters or less, and Cat6a for anything longer (you really shouldn't have anything this long). This will future-proof you for 10 gigabit. Use pure copper, solid-conductor cable. If you need to save money you can go for Cat5e instead, it'll still support gigabit.

Your main entertainment center location should have five Ethernet drops. Every other TV and desk location should have two. This will avoid any need for secondary switches, you could alternatively just run one drop to each location. Run one drop to the ceiling at the center of each floor for an AP (consider two per floor if the house is long and narrow, or four if it's HUGE), and if you're planning on installing surveillance cameras, run one drop to each one's planned location. Also, run a Coaxial cable drop to each TV location including the main entertainment center.

At your wiring hub, all the Ethernet drops will terminate at a patch panel. Make sure to get one matching the category rating of your cable. Your AP and camera drops will get a RJ45 plug, make sure to get ones made for solid conductor cable. All your other runs will terminate in keystone jacks. Again, the plugs and jacks need to match the category rating. Label each jack with the corresponding number from the patch panel. For the Coaxial cables, use keystone inserts.

For the Coaxial cables at the hub, just terminate them and leave them loose, then connect any ones you're using to a splitter. Label these with letters, so they won't be confused with your numbered Ethernet lines.

For your APs, these are your best bet. Get one for each ceiling drop you've installed. If you'll be doing surveillance cameras, these are the ones to get.

Your modem/ONT, router, and switch will all go at the wiring hub. A big PoE switch would be really expensive, and unnecessary since the UniFi APs and cameras come with PoE injectors. Just get an unmanaged gigabit switch, ideally with as many ports as you have installed drops, plus one for the router. Ideally get a rackmountable one, as your patch panel will likely be rackmountable as well.

To wire the APs and cameras, connect the PoE port on the PoE injector to the appropriate port on the patch panel, and the LAN port on the injector to the switch. Don't mix these up, connecting the PoE port to a device not designed to accept PoE will damage or fry it. For everything else, just connect each patch panel port to a switch port.

This will be your router. Simply connect the WAN port to your modem or ONT and the LAN port to your main switch.

A modem really only applies if you're getting cable internet. SB6183 for DOCSIS 3.0 or SB8200 for DOCSIS 3.1. Check which your ISP supports, and don't get something with built-in routing/Wi-Fi.

To set everything up, install the UniFi Controller on an Ethernet-connected PC and run it. Set up your Wi-Fi settings, adopt all the devices, update any firmware, and go through and configure anything that needs configuring. When you're done, you can exit it. You only need to run it in the future to change configuration or update firmware.

Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_5c0QDbR6FT67J.

Can’t recommend this thing enough. I was skeptical about a <30$ camera but this thing is great. HD. Push notifications to my phone when motion is detected. Facial recognition so you only get alerted when it’s a person and not the wind blowing something around. Custom time settings for when you want the alerts. Free cloud storage for the 15 seconds after a face is recognized. I saved a lot of money going with these instead of ring.

I asked a similar question on Reddit. One of my very first posts.

Check out the Wyze cameras. They’re about $26 on amazon. Plug them in and they connect to WiFi. The app will hold 14 days of clips at max intervals... but You can add SD card to the camera and record everything until I starts recording over itself.
For a $26 camera, I couldn’t be happier.
There’s a little housing you can get so it’s more weather resistant outside outside. One of my cameras has been sticking out above my garage door for over a year of summer and snow and rain and it’s still doing good as day 1.

Would also work decently well attached at front door, in my opinion.

Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1EtpDbY52AANF

i realize this is an old topic, but i just recently picked up some Yi Home indoor cameras and they are amazing value.

https://www.amazon.com/YI-Camera-Wireless-Security-Surveillance/dp/B016F3M7OM/

they're Dropcam/Nest cam clones. there is 7 seconds of cloud access and if you want to see more, you can stream it from the microSD card in the device. I have set it to record upon motion and there's a 32gb card in it that I heard can hold weeks of data. You could also have it record continuously however that would likely wear out the card faster. i am researching outdoor mounts but this is a great value over Arlo and anyone that doesn't want to overspend.

there was some concern about the chinese owning your 7 second clips or whatever. i am not so concerned about anyone knowing who visits my porch or backyard as long as i am aware, as well. it is the price of cloud computing.

other downsides are you are required to use their app vs. blueiris or your own app, however i understand there is 3rd party firmware out there that fixes this issue, if you want to flash that.

edit: Also ... a set of 4 Arlo cameras is currently $349 at Best Buy, if you're stuck on getting something that can work with Abode or your SmartThings
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/netgear-arlo-smart-home-indoor-outdoor-wireless-high-definition-security-cameras-4-pack-white-black/1668003.p?loc=0&

I highly recommend the Wyzecam. There are two versions:

V2: https://www.amazon.ca/Wyze-Wireless-Camera-Vision-Android/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536075044&sr=8-1&keywords=wyzecam+v2

Pan: https://www.amazon.ca/Wyze-1080p-Indoor-Camera-Vision/dp/B07DGR98VQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1536075058&sr=1-1&keywords=wyzecam+pan

The V2 does a great job and the app is pretty legit. The best part is how cheap it is!

Huge thread about it on RedFlagDeals

We got a "security camera" instead of a baby monitor. I found them to be cheaper but better quality on Amazon. The one we got uses an app on our phones instead of a screen piece so I don't have to worry about misplacing it with my mom brain.

Eta: my SO can open the app when he's miles away at work and it works great.

YI Home Camera Wireless IP Security Surveillance System (US Edition) White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016F3M7OM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_ySbAzb9Z0AHC1

I use a few Reolink cameras that I bought off Amazon. - https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B010LH48F4/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1518934378&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=Reolink+camera&dpPl=1&dpID=41TlsqaRGeL&ref=plSrch

Love the quality of these cameras.

The software I use is called Blue Iris. It's pretty much the best recording software for IP cameras you can get. Some people say the interface looks kind of old but I like it. I have mine set to only start recording when it senses motion and to also text me. - http://blueirissoftware.com it was like 60$ I think?

Works amazingly well!

That GW Security camera looks fine.

I recommend POE IP cameras though like the following:

Trendnet Bullet/Dome:
https://www.amazon.com/TRENDnet-Outdoor-Megapixel-Network-TV-IP314PI/dp/B01C5Q2JL4

Hikvision Dome:
https://www.amazon.com/Hikvision-DS-2CD2142FWD-I-Network-Dome-2-8mm/dp/B017Y4CD9U

Hikvision Bullet:
https://www.amazon.com/Hikvision-DS-2CD2042WD-I-Network-Security-Bullet/dp/B01M1EMS52

If you got to have indoor WIFI then something like this Hikvisiion will do all right, but remember WIFI can be flakey at times so you may experience some periodic drop in the stream/recording:
https://www.amazon.com/Hikvision-DS-2CD2442FWD-IW-Indoor-Wireless-Camera/dp/B01N2YFTNX

One MAJOR thing to be aware of, with any security camera system, make sure you set up the cameras on a separate VLAN and/or separate physical LAN from your other home network and have firewall rules in place to deny that VLAN and separate physical LAN from communicating to the outside and do not let any external device access it from the outside. If you need access remotely to the cameras, setup a VPN server to have secure access into that camera network. Pretty much all of these cameras come from China so, you want to protect yourself not just from unwanted random outside snooping but also from the cameras calling home in the event there's hidden foreign government backdoors/spyware.

I bought this

Reolink IP PoE Security Camera 4 Megapixels Super HD 2560x1440 Bullet Outdoor Indoor IR Night Vision Motion Detection RLC-410 (Fixed Bullet without SD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B010LH48F4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_nwePUbjOs9DZw


a month ago and I love it. You can buy the more pricey one that comes with an internal SD card. I have mine set up to email me when motion is detected when I'm not home and it stores all the videos captured on a simple FTP server I set up. It also comes with a decent program for the pc and an app. I think it's great quality with lots of features for the price.

That really sucks, sorry to hear that. I can't really tell you a thing about jewelry, but I would recommend getting a few cameras if you're worried about it happening again.

I know a few people who have Wyze cameras, and they swear by them. They're pretty cheap, and the quality is good. https://smile.amazon.com/Wyze-Indoor-Wireless-Detection-Assistant/dp/B076H3SRXG/

The peace of mind will be worth it. I went with the Blink system for exterior of our house, and I like being able to check in on the place when we're traveling to make sure weird shit ain't happening/homeless drunk people aren't stealing bags of rocks off our porch again (that really happened...). Quite a bit more than the Wyze cameras but they're semi-permanent since we're going to be here awhile, and they're weatherproof.

i don't think your quality issue is with the processing in the camera, you're just starting with a low res feed.

you probably would want something like 4 or 5MP.

reolink are ridiculously cheap and somehow still have decent reviews, although i've heard people here recommending dahua instead. i usually use hikvision equipment, but they are 2x the price of reolink.

https://www.amazon.com/Reolink-Surveillance-Security-Detection-RLC-410-5MP/dp/B07C5JWK4K/

https://www.amazon.com/HIKVISION-Camera-DS-2CD2042WD-I-Resoultion-Bullet/dp/B015U3Q9NI/

-

either way, the larger the lens, the more zoomy the camera. so you may get better use from a 4mm or 6mm, so you can place the camera further from the hive. also, any camera you pick should have options to how you want to encode the video for transmission, so there will be options for more or less compression done by the camera itself.

man, i'd love to have some bees :)

I have these Yi Ant Cameras they are cheap and good quality. You can put a custom firmware on them which will shut off the Yi proprietary app, and will open up a RTSP web server. Then you can set up Home Assistant which lets you view cameras and will let you automate things when you come home.

I know these things require a bit of tinkering around but it's definitely worth it for the outcome. If you want some help setting up Home Assistant, reach out to the subreddit they're all really helpful people

I use UniFi cameras. Got a couple UVC-Micro's, and recently bought 2 of the new UVC-G3's that I haven't gotten around to using yet. I really like the software.

The Micro's are wireless, so no need for PoE.
UVC-G3 only works with 24V Passive PoE (injector included), but the UVC-G3-DOMEalso supports 802.3af PoE (or 24V Passive). Not sure why the UVC-G3 can't do 802.3af, but either way, injectors are included or you can get one of the 24/48 port switches that support PoE, or their Switch 8. If you're only looking at 1-3 cameras, I'd just use the injectors and keep them close to your switch (i.e., in your rack or whatever you have).

No idea what the IR range is with the UVC-G3, but they do have a range extender (UVC-G3-LED) that is rated for up to 82ft. Ring is kinda pricy, IMO. Most of my Micro's are indoors, but I do have one on the porch that does pretty decent at night, but will soon be replaced with a UVC-G3.

Overall I'm happy with them. I have several Ubiquiti products, and never really had any showstopper issues with any of them.

If you go to GameStop and get a 12GB PS3 for $100, it'll have far less wear than a normal PS3 console because it can only play a fraction of the games and no one wants to spend the time to upgrade it (or knows how). That's where we're different. Smell the vents for condition and check the laser eye. If it looks good and smells new, and not like tobacco or pets we have a winner.

Grab a hard drive caddy like this one, then get a hard drive like this one.

That drive runs cool, is tougher, installs games faster, and has a 5-year warranty. I've done this very process and it works flawlessly. When you put the drive in the caddy and slide it into the system, the PS3 will automatically recognize it and ask if you want to copy everything to the new drive. You will have a lightly-used 750GB PS3 for $163.

If it's not possible to save up for...See if you can fire up the other system first. High fan speeds mean clogged dust, and many bugbears can be eliminated with a new hard drive. Play a game like Uncharted 2 in it to push the system. If it sounds good after 10-15 minutes of being in game, I don't think anything else is going to challenge it much. The hard drive test will be Yakuza 5. BTW, money is the reason why there's no physical release... Damn mainstream gamers.

If she's a roommate couldn't she just have gone in the house to see if you were home?

Anyways, given your requirements most anything would work but you'll probably want some sort of cloud recording.

The yi ant cameras are cheap and will suit your needs. I generally wouldn't recommend them since there are some security and privacy concerns but with your budget you'd be able to get, well almost get, 3.

https://www.amazon.com/YI-Wireless-Security-Surveillance-US/dp/B016F3M7OM

Yi is a pretty well regarded brand so I would trust them a little more than the one you linked. If you want pan and tilt they have a version for $40 as well.

There's a better way: https://camelcamelcamel.com/Wyze-Indoor-Wireless-Detection-Assistant/product/B076H3SRXG?context=search

OP, this is probably the cheapest they will sell them for. If it's your first time I recommend jumping on the deal if you're planning to spend more than $25 for the free shipping. But if you're unsure then I'm sure it's possible we will see a $20 deal on Amazon again.

Also, if you live near a Micro Centre you can pick up their own branded SD cards super cheap. For example, a 128gb card costs $12.99. I use their 64gb card and have several months worth of clips stored on it.

That's a tough one. Our top-recommended outdoor camera is the Nest Cam Outdoor, with the Netgear Arlo Pro as our best value (details: https://www.reviewed.com/smarthome/best-right-now/best-smart-outdoor-security-cameras). But as to where they're sending data, that was not part of our original rubric. (Taking notes on what we can do for the next update, though.)

​

We don't have any experience with Ubiquiti. It looks like the Ubiquiti Unifi UVC-G3 is not on sale today, but it has legit positive reviews. And if you're up for it, there's a tool called IoT Inspector that can track what your smart home devices are sending.

I bought a reolink cam and spun up Blue Iris demo in a VM to experiment myself. The camera quality and function seems great. I'm piosting up because I did indeed discover a problem that I never would have thought of.

Blue Iris has fantastic functionalities, one of which is highly customizable motion detection and whatnot. I originally had excellent results tunign the detection setup so it didnt catch passing cars etc etc but would catch people in my driveway etc. As a result I even ordered a tp link outdoor AP to beam wifi link to a wifi reolink across the yard too (might be returning it though if I can't figure out the issue with the first one).

The thing I did not think about- BUGS. and not the software kind.

Apparently, once we have a warm night, all the bugs in the neighborhood like to gather around the IR LEDs beaming off the Reolink cam. Not only does it record all night as a motion result, but the camera doesnt know whats going on and tends to go down the impossible road of focusing on all the bugs. If something were to happen in the middle of this, I don't know if it would be visible/usable.


I'm told the answer to this, is to get a camera that allows for the IR to be turned off and use an external IR source for night, so the bugs dont gather at the camera... but of course the reolink cant be turned off... just my luck.

Does anyone know a good cam that does allow for IR to be turned off in the same price range?

Also one more gripe- the reolink android app wants permissions to all your fucking data... grubby bastards. ...not that you have to use it.

If you don't want to spend a lot, these Yi cameras are an amazing value and work really well. No cloud subscription is required (though it is an a available option), data can be stored locally on an SD card, and live and past footage can be pulled up at any time from the app. I have setup many of these over the past 2 years. Essentially a Nest Cam at 1/6 the cost. I continue to be pleasantly surprised by how well they work.

They also make an outdoor version that I have been meaning to try as well.

I've built something similar using point-to-point Wifi gear. It kinda sucks having to align to line up two antennae but you get much better range.

I am using Ubiquiti Networks (http://www.ubnt.com/) equipment used in
long haul Wireless ISPs. This equipment is inexpensive and uses
standard technology: Power-Over-Ethernet (POE), Wifi, so it's easy to tweak.

I'm using a 9 amp-hour battery and current draw is ~0.6 amps so that
comes out 10 hours or so. It would be trivial to tack on a Solar panel
or bigger battery. The charge controller takes POE as an input so it's
easy to recharge the battery.

Here are a couple pics:

Shows the camera side of the setup:
http://imgur.com/PvjuFRJ

Shows two .30 cal shots my tripod took and kept standing. :-)
http://imgur.com/aa37kzt

The price tag for my setup came out to $438, here is the parts list:

2 x AmazonBasics 60-Inch Lightweight Tripod with Bag
http://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-60-Inch-Lightweight-Tripod-Bag/dp/B005KP473Q/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1403996810&sr=8-3&keywords=tripod
$48

POE/Solar Dual Input 12V Battery Charge Control (TP-SCPOE-1224)
http://www.ispsupplies.com/brands/Charge-Controllers/Tycon-Power-TP-SCPOE-1224.html
$52

12V 9AH AGM SLA Battery (TPBAT12-9)
http://www.ispsupplies.com/brands/Batteries/Tycon-Power-TPBAT12-9.html
$26

Power extender over ethernet for Foscam (WS-POE-5v-10w)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DAMKQWW/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$12

Foscam FI8905W Outdoor Wireless/Wired IP Camera
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003YUEF0E/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$92

Ubiquiti NanoStation M2
http://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-NSM2-US-NanoStation-M2/dp/B004EFH6L8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1403997019&sr=8-1&keywords=nsm2
$86

24V 1A 24W Wall Plug Passive POE Inserter (TP-POE-24-WP)
http://www.ispsupplies.com/brands/POE-Sources/Tycon-Power-TP-POE-24-WP.html
$12

3 x 10FT 24AWG Cat6A 500MHz STP Ethernet Bare Copper Network Cable -
Blue
http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=102&cp_id=10232&cs_id=1023216&p_id=5902&seq=1&format=2
$15

MTM Ammo Can (Forest Green)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003ISKM9K/ref=oh_details_o00_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
$16

DC Inline Watt Meter and Power Analyzer, Powerpole Ends
http://www.powerwerx.com/digital-meters/dc-inline-watt-meter-power-analyzer-powerpoles.html
$60

Revo 5" Hand Grip for HDSLRs and Video Cameras (Black) - Used for mast to strap Wifi antenna to
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/930248-REG/revo_vb_120b_5_hand_grip_for.html
$14

1" Schedule 40 PVC Pipe
Hardware Store
$5

It depends....
So Milestone is free for up to 8 cameras.
So a PC:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lenovo-ThinkCentre-M92p-Tiny-i5-3470T-2-9GHz-8GB-500GB-Windows-10-Pro/132724124719?hash=item1ee6f96c2f:g:1O8AAOSwGL1baz-6

Tiny - power efficient, easy to upgrade Hard drive and has legit windows license.

Cameras:
https://www.amazon.com/2560x1440-Surveillance-Security-Detection-RLC-410/dp/B010LH48F4
$60 each

POE switch (provides network connection to camera AND power)
https://www.ebay.com/itm/HP-POE-SWITCH-2530-8-POE-8-PORT-10-100-1000-JL070A-FREE-SHIPPING/332794776491?hash=item4d7c1d4bab:g:wHoAAOSwQS1bkFDT

$120ish

The HP switch has a lifetime warranty as long as you have a business address to send any replacements to.

I've twice in the last 4-5 years had lightning strike and take out my switch (HP replaced both times) and the last time it also killed the camera (Reolink replaced the camera under their warranty).

So there are the costs if you roll your own solution. It's not for everyone so let others here suggest what you should/shouldn't do.

I'll note that Reolink the cameras that I like for their cost/performance value also make an NVR. Same caution there with the updates, but at least the cameras that come with it are re-usable if say 5 years from now the NVR is no longer being updated.

Good luck with whatever you do :-)

I'm pretty irked with Swann as my only a few year old system they stopped supporting Android after version 4.0. It also requires an ancient version of IE, very low security settings, and compatibility mode.

I'm using these cameras with great success:
https://www.amazon.com/Security-Reolink-POE-Detection-RLC-410/dp/B010LH48F4/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1465913762&sr=1-1&keywords=reolink
I personally have replaced it with IP cameras and Xprotect Go (free for 8 cameras). And haven't looked back....

How will it lower the value?

I purchased 8 Amrest wifi HD cams and put them around my house in various places. The only thing needed is an outlet to plug them into.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LZHOILC/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01I01Z1M2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They are not GREAT, but they are good enough. I would prefer a 1080 camera, but their 1080 offerings are not that good.

I also purchased Blue Iris software and have it running on a PC in the house. It's pretty cool, although takes a little time to setup.

The only "gotcha" I ran into was that having all 8 cameras on wifi made my entire wifi run really slow. I happened to have an old wifi router, so I just plugged it in and setup a second network and ran all the cameras through that, and then into my regular network via CAT-5, and all my other wifi devices on the original router, and everything is smooth as can be.

Wyze cams are super cheap and a pretty solid piece of hardware/software for the $20 price tag. While not as fully flushed out as a full security system, the price can’t be beat and you can upload recordings to the cloud on motion, and record continuously to an sd card.

$20 on their site, you’d pay shipping though. It’s a better deal if you are buying in bulk since the shipping isn’t linear.

$25 on Amazon


https://smile.amazon.com/Wyze-Indoor-Wireless-Detection-Assistant/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=sr_1_3?crid=8WUBU9DZP15Y&keywords=wyze+cam&qid=1564253301&s=gateway&sprefix=Wyze%2Caps%2C181&sr=8-3

This will be the best $25 you have ever spent https://www.amazon.com/Wyze-Indoor-Wireless-Camera-Vision/dp/B076H3SRXG/

HD

Free two weeks DVR

Timelaps

Motion detection

Sound detection

night vision

magnetic base

Two way audio

Its a amazing camera and hundreds cheaper than anything else I've found.

Specifically the following,

Hikvision DS-2CD2032F-I

• supports up to 64GB micro sdhc
  
• uses POE or 12V power lead.
  
  
  So just plug ethernet cable into network swtich and login to web page of cam.
  
  
• also supports remote viewing with app
  
  
• The Hikvisons that end in 'F' have onboard storage slot.
  
  https://www.amazon.com/Hikvision-DS-2CD2032F-I-Replace-DS-2CD2032-I-Multi-language/dp/B00YJ2QICO?ie=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0
  
  While this camera works great with a Hikvision NVR it can also work great all by itself. It was a built in web page, local storage up to 64GB, can use NAS as storage, can send emails, etc.
  
  

I'd return that and get a Wyze. Super simple setup, cheap, great mobile app, and perfect for monitoring doggo.

It looks like it's the cheapo Yi - I have four that I bought on Amazon for $120 during a sale. I have three in my house and one in my shop.

I love it - it even captures audio and mine function great.

Wyze cam from Amazon. My fiance and I went to a new local store and he picked it up for me. 😁 Works great and not a hefty price tag.

Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Works with Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_p0f9BbSCGXPKS

Wyze cams are very cheap and reliable as well as highly reccomended. There's a r/wyzecam, because of course there is, LOL...

Wyze Cams are incredibly affordable:

Pan & Zoom model $37.98

Wyze Cam V2 $25.98 plus 20% off now

The cameras are made for indoor use only use only, however can be mounted outside with a skin purchased separately. Both models have birdhouse skins (links below) but they're not as invisible as the ideas posted on the Wyze forum and subreddit.

I also came across this great post on the Wyze Cam Forum to add an extra layer of protection againdt the elements using a trimmed balloon. Lots of ideas for hiding in plain sight.

Pan & Zoom - $13.99

Wyze Cam V2 Birdhouse Suction Cup Mount $12.99 / 1 or $18.99 / 2

I hope this helps!

                    My own **PERSONAL** recommendations<br />

My Camera being used outside---

https://www.amazon.com/Foscam-Audio-Wireless-Ultra-Camera/dp/B01F4RJV3K/





Recommended Systems---







NVR: http://www.amazon.com/Amcrest-NV1104-1080p-Network-Recorder/dp/B00X4UDCYE/



Low budget OK all in one: https://www.amazon.com/Security-Systems-Outdoor-Weatherproof-Smartphone/dp/B00HJYVJ1E

Midrange budget Decent all in one with some limitations: https://www.amazon.com/EZVIZ-Security-Weatherproof-Cameras-Channel/dp/B015121KH8/







Recommended Good Cost Minded Cameras---









Budget “Indoor” PTZ Dome Camera (with MIC+SOUND) 2MP ~$98.60 https://www.amazon.com/Amcrest-ProHD-Wireless-Security-Camera/dp/B0145OQXCK/ (black also available)

Top End “Indoor” PTZ Dome Camera (with MIC+SOUND) 4MP ~$199.99 https://www.amazon.com/Foscam-Ultra-HD-Wireless-Security-Superior/dp/B01F4RJV3K (black also available)

“Indoor” PTZ Dome Camera [some limitations - Chinese] (with MIC+SOUND) 4MP ~$111.56 https://www.aliexpress.com/item/Chinese-Firmware-DS-2DC2402IW-D3-4MP-IP-Camera-Mini-PTZ-Camera-With-IR-30M-Support-ONVIF/32623907200.html



Budget Indoor/Outdoor PTZ Dome Camera (no audio?) 2MP ~$188.00 https://www.amazon.com/ANRAN-Onvif-Vision-Network-Camera/dp/B00LXVU9NI

Top End Indoor/Outdoor PTZ Dome Camera (SOUND Only) 4MP ~$249.99 https://reolink.com/shop/rlc423-4mp-4x-optical-zoom-ptz-poe-ip-camera/





Budget & Top End Indoor/Outdoor Fixed Dome Camera (SOUND Only) 4MP ~$73.99 https://www.amazon.com/Reolink-RLC-420-2560x1440P-Outdoor-Detection/dp/B0147XLVIU/





Budget Indoor/Outdoor Fixed Bullet Camera (no audio?) 4MP ~$74.99 https://www.amazon.com/Reolink-RLC-410-Megapixel-Monitoring-Waterproof/dp/B010LH48F4 (wireless option available for $25 more)

Top End Indoor/Outdoor Fixed Bullet Camera (no audio?) 5MP ~$129.00 https://www.amazon.com/GW-Security-Megapixel-Resolution-Varifocal/dp/B01ATUAOTM

Indoor/Outdoor Fixed Bullet Cam Coming soon (with MIC+SOUND) 4MP ~? http://www.foscam.com/FI9901EP.html





Terms---

PTZ = Camera moves/adjusts with a motor and remotely,
Fixed = Camera must be moved/adjusted manually,
MIC = Talk to bystanders,
SOUND = Hear bystanders,
Budget = Decent camera, great price,
Top End = Great camera, reasonably priced but more than budget

I bought a camera off Amazon (brand is Wyze) for about $35. It's amazing! You can set it up with your mobile phone to view a live stream, and can play back prior recordings.

It is powered via USB, much like a mobile phone. There is a slot for a micro SD card. I recommend buying one with the camera.


Link: Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_shar

I just installed a Yi Outdoor camera on my front porch. I couldn't find a door bell I liked for pretty much the same reasons. I felt this gave me the least amount of compromises. I have had 2 of their indoor cameras for 9 months and have been very happy with them. Their cameras are basically the Nest cameras with local storage so you can skip the subscription.

The motion alerts work well, the clips always start before the motion. The playback is fast and smooth despite being outside and on the other end of my 3500 sq ft home from my router. I don't know yet how long a 32 GB card will retain, but the indoor camera in my kitchen gets over a week on the card, as the most active room in my house. I expect the outdoor cam to double that.

The Skybell HD was my preferred choice before I found this camera. But anything that is cloud only makes me hesitant because they have a reputation of clipping some of the motion off the recording. (Primary concern with Arlo to begin with) Ring Pro was supposed to be slightly better because it's on full time, not on a battery. But the subscription costs were too high.

ReoLink camera with a 16GB SD card built in. They make wired (POE) and wireless if you don't want to buy a POE hub. I just have one right now but I went wired with the hub since I want 4 whenever I have some extra cash. Image is great, app is good and it practically sets itself up.
http://www.amazon.com/Reolink-RLC-410S-4-Megapixel-2560x1440-Waterproof/dp/B016UCNPEE/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1457727439&sr=8-12&keywords=Reolink

If you have good wifi i would recommend these Yi security cameras, they are both $40 and connect with just a micro USB cable & wifi. The smartphone app is awesome with these cameras, you get instant playback and you can set motion alerts.

https://www.amazon.com/YI-Wireless-Security-Surveillance-US/dp/B016F3M7OM
https://www.amazon.com/YI-Camera-Wireless-Security-Surveillance/dp/B01CW4BG4K/

Buy Dahua or Hikvision POE cameras.

The Dahua 2mp startlight have excellent night vision for about $130 U.S. each. Get the turret style.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DRC93S8

If Amazon Canada doesn't sell these cameras then you can deal with the amazon vendor Emprire Technology directly on AliExpress.
https://www.aliexpress.com/store/1200032
Andy is the owner and he has sold security cameras to thousands of north americans. Its important to get the right firmware and to get support if needed. I'm a customer and have no other connections to Andy.

Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_9nVRDbBCA7HHM

it’s honestly amazing. quality product for the price!

Have a look at this video
https://youtu.be/CkT8VBBTYeQ

My opinion only: most budget heavy duty safes are still easy to break into with modern day tools. Buy a security camera that sends motion notifications to your phone and point it at a simple, cheap bolted down cabinet. Being aware of break ins and calling for help is much more valuable in my opinion
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_RXV6Bb23KKRG9

Honestly, it really depends on what you're trying to accomplish. A camera won't "protect you" from anything (unless it scares someone off, but a fake camera will do that just as well).

All it will do is give you evidence if something does happen...

If you get a cheap camera, you're not going to get anything that's really going to serve that purpose. All you'll get is blurry hard to see people with little resolution. If you want a camera that will be useful for actually identifying someone, while at the same time being wide-angle, you're going to need one that's at least full HD resolution.

And a good, outdoor, night-vision, bare full HD IP camera is going to cost you at least $150.

I like my HikVision cameras, but they're just bare cameras. If you want to record with them, you have to install a DVR or software that performs the same purpose, like Blue Iris.

Why wait? I got this camera because is live in a state that doesn't require notice for landlord to enter property and I kept finding the maintenance people in my room for "check ups". Works great and not too expensive. Now I love it because I can sneak on my dog at work.

YI Home Camera Wireless IP Security Surveillance System (US Edition) White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016F3M7OM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_3ZeEUYNSqcAUg

Thanks for the suggestions! The camera I'm using is a Hikvision DS-2CD2032-I is rated at 30fps (1920 × 1080). Right now, it's running ~25fps, though it looks choppier than that.

I'll play with the settings and see what I can accomplish. Thanks again!

My husband found super cheap 24 hour cams with sound and color. The Wyze cam is like 30 bucks, works great and has an outdoor housing for about 15. We use one as a baby monitor and have the other in our driveway.

ETA: it also has infrared for night

I have ALL parts of my property under video surveillance. I think all pet owners should. You never know when some twisted individual will go out of their way to take "revenge" on your beloved pet.

I started doing this since I found a few suspicious pieces of cheese on my side of the property near the fence. Luckily my dog is extremely shy and won't accept food from people she doesn't know well.

It's easy to setup even if you're not tech savvy.

You need one of these: https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-Networks-Network-Recorder-UVC-NVR/dp/B00LSNM1DM/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1494653840&sr=1-1&keywords=unifi+nvr

And one or more of these: https://www.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-UVC-G3-UniFi-Video-Camera/dp/B01EZYTYLC/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1494653840&sr=1-2&keywords=unifi+nvr

The cameras are fully weatherproof (I've got mine mounted under sidings, on poles and on trees outside my property) and they've been working well for 2+ years.

Don't take the risk - protect yourself.

You'll find that people's demeanour changes once they find out they're being watched as well.

If you want to go the budget route, get the yi home cameras. The 720p version is usually $30-40 each and the quality and motion detection is surprisingly really good. It does notifications of motion within a set time frame and records only when motion is detected. I integrate them into my smart home system with smartplugs to only turn on when everyone is away or when we arm for bedtime.

You can pay a monthly sub for 24/7 recording, but I just use a microSD. Unfortunately, they aren't POE, but wifi:

https://www.amazon.com/YI-Wireless-Security-Surveillance-US/dp/B016F3M7OM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502907543&sr=8-1-spons&keywords=yi+home&psc=1

If you want a more sophisticated system, a lot of people recommend the netgear Arlo system.

I've had great success running cheap-o $40 SV3C cameras and BlueIris in a windows VM. BlueIris wasn't free or open source, but it was the best I found when I was experimenting.

I have 4 cameras and the VM usually sits at 30-40% CPU doing all the work.

I know several people who have recommended this one, but I haven't bought one myself yet: https://www.amazon.com/Wyze-Indoor-Wireless-Detection-Assistant/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=sr_1_3

Apparently, you hook it up to your wifi and it uploads to your own personal Amazon bucket. Which would seem to be the ideal combination of properties.

​

Oh, on second look, it looks like it's uploading to *their* buckets, and they just don't charge you for it. Maybe I'll get one just to see if it can be configured to use my buckets instead.

https://www.amazon.com/YI-Wireless-Security-Surveillance-US/dp/B016F3M7OM/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1482099215&sr=1-3&keywords=yi+camera

Got 11 of those after BF for essentially free. I use them to watch my dogs during the day, they work great for the purpose.

I'm pretty sure they phone home to china though, and you have to use their app. (Their are hacked firmware's you can load)

What neighborhood/part of town are you in?

I had a solicitor come by my place not too long ago trying to sell AT&T. I'm fairly certain she was legit as she didn't make any suspicious comments. I don't recall her wearing anything AT&T branded, however.

If you don't have any sort of security system, I can't recommend these Yi Home Cameras ($30 on Amazon) enough. Easy to set-up and controllable with a free app. They'll even alert you when they pick-up movement. Consider picking one (or more) up. You'll also need a microSD card to store video.

Check these out: https://www.amazon.ca/YI-Security-Wireless-Waterproof-Surveillance/dp/B01CW49AGG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1526159934&sr=8-3&keywords=yi+camera+outdoor

Good price, has night vision and two-way voice. Bought one a few months ago after someone here recommended them and I'm very happy with it.

If you want cheap and simple, I've heard pretty good things about Wyze (Wyze Cam v2 on amazon). A lot of parents use them as baby monitors, so I imagine it'll work well as a dog monitor. I just received one yesterday and it's been working well so far.

I was about to say the same thing. I downloaded the mobile app and can pull up the stream without any issues from my phone. Here is the link from Amazon and it's cheaper from their website. It worked great for me.

Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Works with Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_vbY6Bb20VBE8N

Pretty well any camera system has motion detection. This cam is $25 but dont rely on it as an alarm. I keep the audio and video on at night on my phone to watch my baby.
https://www.amazon.com/Wyze-Labs-Wireless-Camera-WYZEC1/dp/B076H3SRXG

Guns are nice for living in the country. Whether you're into them or not, shotguns can be purchased for relatively low cost and are a bit more comforting than baseball bats when things go bump in the night.

Also, move that couch and install a couple secure deadbolt locks.

As to whether or not I think someone could be breaking in, my philosophy is that it's better to be safe than sorry. It could be that your neighbor is paranoid. It is equally as likely that someone is testing doorknobs in your area to see which house is unlocked and easy to rob. Either way, police response times in county lands are never great.

Stay safe!

We use a Wyze Cam along with a cheap audio monitor. The wyze app never lags out on me and the audio monitor is great for consistent sound so I can know if he’s crying and then check the video to look at him. Much cheaper than the baby-specific video cameras but works just as well.

Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_.g0NDbF2W9V0C

VTech DM111 Audio Baby Monitor with up to 1,000 ft of Range, 5-Level Sound Indicator, Digitized Transmission & Belt Clip https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00JEV5UI8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_uZ0NDbVTWGAR8

You can get a pretty inexpensive camera that triggers and records on motion.

Something like this:

Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Works with Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_YDP5CbP4K78ZK

You might google the make and model of the keypad on your door to find the manual online. Since you know the code you may be able to change the code yourself and that manual will tel your how.

I recommend this one it's cheap and really good

Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_uNMoDb8QEVPP7

I guess that's when you go into detective stakeout mode with takeout in the car.

Could be, if they were there before 6 I'd not see them. I knew super early risers were sociopaths.

The one I got is here. Surprisingly advanced for the cost, and really kind of cute.

Safety first I suppose.

I use these cameras all around the house paired with the latest branch of ZoneMinder which has come a long way in the past year; on top of Ubuntu 18.04.

The cameras have fantastic quality.

POE IP Camera, SV3C ProHD 1080p Outdoor Video Security Camera(Wired), 36PCS IR LED Night Light Surveillance Camera, Waterproof Security Indoor Outdoor Motion Camera with H.265 ONVIF …
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0777PNBY4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_stlyCbMC0Q1XT

Yi home cameras on Amazon are pretty good. YI Home Camera Wireless IP Security Surveillance System (US Edition) White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016F3M7OM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.iczzb5T3BQXX

You can pick up a cheap network cam for about $200. A pi and webcam with enclosures and shipping would cost you about the same. The advantage is that network cam is specialize and has nifty mounts. The pi-cam is completely customizable. I comes down to what you want.

EDIT: I seem to have set off a crap storm here. Here were I get the cost:

• Pi + Shipping = $42
  
• Power Supply + Shipping = $13
  
• Compatible Memory Card + Shipping = $15
  
• High Res Webcam + Shipping $52
  
• Camera Case + Shipping - $22
  
• Wires and accessories - $10
  
  Total Price: $154 for hardware that can only do about 6 frames / second at full resolution. The advantage of the PI is that you can customize it anyway you want. The disadvantage is it's very under powered. I have heard that Beagle Bone Black's can get up to 25 fps with a similar setup (under best conditions).
  
  I was thinking of an IP camera like this one, or maybe a step up.
  
  
  

Just did all the research on this. Get a Wyze camera. You can get the standard model for like 25 bucks but we sprung for the fancy one than pans and rotated for $37. Connects to your phone via WiFi and has sound plus all the other fancy features of the high end monitors! You can even view while your at work or where ever!

We actually ended up just buying a used kindle fire off craigslist for like 30 bucks just so we had a stand alone monitor that we could have always on so our phones wouldn’t get drained!

Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Works with Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Yx3CCbAW925Z8

Wyze Cam Pan 1080p Pan/Tilt/Zoom Wi-Fi Indoor Smart Home Camera with Night Vision and 2-Way Audio, Works with Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DGR98VQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_Hy3CCbM4K10BH

Our little girl isn’t here yet but we have been using it every day so far to spy on our doggie:)

I've recently become a huge fan of the Hikvision cameras after buying one. Resolution is amazing and loaded with features.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G7GMEOG/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_xaMxwbSR5KS8T

I also run Blue Iris from Foscam for my NVR and it works great. I have my recording database set in my Dropbox so it uploads to the cloud in case a thief were to steal/destroy my PC.

OK, thanks.

I'll do the same. You mind replying or PMing me if you find a good one?

Edit: What do you think of these?

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B01CW49AGG/

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B072JWBJTY/

Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_3DJsDb6REMNFS

I have this camera, it works great!

Very helpful so far for us. We moved our LO to her room and crib when she was 4 months old (so you still have time... especially with Black Friday coming up). The monitor gives us the ability to check in on her without going into her room.

We have a Wyze 2.0 for the video part and bought Vtech sound monitors. We chose this combo as a cheaper alternative to the video/sound baby monitors. The cameras can be used for other things after the baby grows up. It continuously records too... so it could be used for security purposes.

Typically, we wait to hear a sound and turn the camera on to see what's up. We tried just using the wyze camera sound, but you have to leave it running continuously on your phone and sometimes it stops. So the vtech monitors work best in combo with it.

If you're looking for a single camera solution, you can save yourself a hundred bucks and get one of these: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00G7GMEOG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3OLC87AHTILXN. It has the added benefit of being both weatherproof and higher resolution.

It doesn't come with the dropcam web server, but it does provide its own. If you're tech savvy, you can expose that securely.

Also, if you point the dropcam out the window, you will need to turn off the IR, or you will see nothing at night (see my point about window mounting in the post). As far as I can tell, dropcam doesn't support this.

Oh, and nice snark.

I used these cheap cameras outside

SV3C Security Camera, 1080P POE(Power Over Ethernet) IP Camera Outdoor, Home Security Surveillance Camera, 20Meter Night Vision, IP66 Waterproof, Stabler Connection Compared with Wifi Cameras https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G1U4MVA/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Zw3HAbJJ46T7M

They do have a couple "phone home" scripts. I've outlined them in my review of the cameras. Ok me and Ill send you a direct link to the review. They're outside in Alaska, wind sometimes blows 60mph, freezing rain, snow. They work great. Using blue Iris

I see two possible issues, temperature and signal strength. I would give the Wyze Cam a try, its a disposable Wi-Fi Camera, very popular though and it is very good for the price ($25), get an SD card for recording and you can see the clips from your phone, they also offer cloud storage for recordings if I'm not mistaken. I checked and it says it works on temps as low as 0 Degrees Celsius so as long as its a cooler and not a freezer it should work just fine, I don't how strong that public Wi-Fi signal is going to be inside that cooler.

https://www.amazon.com/Wyze-Indoor-Wireless-Detection-Assistant/dp/B076H3SRXG/

https://wyze.com/wyze-cam.html

Get yourself a Wyze camera, I was having noises outside of my window and this was incredibly easy to setup and super cheap and it auto-detects motion and records a 12 second clip. I set mine up outside under an awning and it's been working flawlessly for about a week now.

I bought one of these new Wyze kits since it comes with the door sensor. These work amazingly well, its inexpensive, and really help me feel safer. Also, get your memory card of Amazon too. You can get them for a whole lot cheaper than other retailers.

I've had really good luck with the Reolink RLC-410S. I have three. They are on sale right now for $60, and there's a $5 coupon on one.

I run mine at 1080P, and the picture is very clear. And if my PVR goes offline for any reason, the camera itself also detects and records motion to the internal SD card.

A wyze camera is fairly cheap and has two way audio Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_KQYyDb8155MYP

We have a couple and they work great.

I am doing research myself right now trying to figure out what will work best for a ~7 camera setup at my home. Here is what I have come across so far, hope it helps;

Most likely to buy;

TRENDnet

Microseven

HUACAM

Dahua

Dahua 2

Also considering;

Foscam

Foscam 2

Hikvision

I don't think you understand how gaining access to a network works so I wont explain the security part of it any further.

You can't get the IP if one isn't assigned to it. In order to assign an IP to it you need to use the application. If the application is no longer working because, I assume, Motorola no longer support the service (so it no longer exists) then you can't do much about it without hacking the actual camera. There is a way to do this I'm sure if you look it up but I promise it wont even be worth it. If you are willing to learn to do something like that (which for someone that may have very little knowledge on these things will be a lot to learn) I would suggest purchasing something like this https://www.amazon.com/Wyze-Indoor-Wireless-Camera-Vision/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=wifi+camera&qid=1554411290&s=gateway&sr=8-3

It's really not worth to hack it and try to get it to work. I don't even know if anyone has written software that will work with it if it is hacked and honestly it's not worth looking into.

​

gotcha, thanks. mind if I ask you two more questions? With something like this kit - https://www.amazon.com/Reolink-Surveillance-5-Megapixel-Security-RLK8-410B4-5MP/dp/B016UCNP3A?crid=1D6PWD41XJY2W&keywords=security+camera+poe+5mp&qid=1539137191&sprefix=security+camera+poe+%2Caps%2C223&sr=8-4&ref=sr_1_4

if something went wrong with a single camera can you replace it with any other individually sold POE camera like say https://www.amazon.com/Security-Megapixels-2592x1944-Waterproof-Detection/dp/B07BNGWZVR?crid=1D6PWD41XJY2W&keywords=security+camera+poe+5mp&qid=1539137191&sprefix=security+camera+poe+%2Caps%2C223&sr=8-7&ref=sr_1_7 ?

and if I were to buy just 2 or 3 of the second linked individual cameras, would they work with https://www.amazon.com/TIGERSECU-4-Channel-Security-Recording-Included/dp/B076H2DHBS?keywords=security%2Bcamera%2Bdvr&qid=1539137634&sr=8-8&ref=sr_1_8&th=1 ?

thanks

If you're planning to throw away your old cameras anyway, you could try these instructions and see if they happen to work for you.

You can easily use your existing CAT5 to power any regular non-PoE camera by attaching a PoE injector at one end to power the cable, and a PoE spitter at the other end to recover the DC power and supply it to a regular non-PoE camera. A kit like this one should do the job.

​

You might also be able to find some cameras that will allow you to power via PoE while simultaneously allowing you to connect via WiFi. (More commonly it's either/or.) In that case you'll need just the PoE injector, and plug the cable directly into the camera on the camera side. I know several Amcrest models such as this one will stay connected on both PoE and wifi when the PoE connector is plugged in, so I assume that you could buy a PoE camera, use the CAT5 to power it, and use WiFi for network. (Disclaimer -- I haven't specifically tested using the PoE for power only rather than power+network ... I just think it's likely that it will work.)

​

(Edit: Oops ... The Amcrest camera I linked to is not a PoE camera, but it does stay connected simultaneously to wired and WiFi networks. So, I might be wrong in thinking you can find a PoE camera that will also support WiFi while using the PoE jack for power -- but you should definitely be able to buy a camera like the one I linked to and power it by using the inject+splitter route.)

I found the camera on amazon and thought that I'd share some great engrish with you lot! (OP found the same camera for a lot less money so don't buy it from my link)

This one from Hikvision works pretty great!

I can't remember where I saw it, but there is a thread somewhere comparing a bunch of different cameras from a bunch of different manufacturers. The thing that stuck out was how different some of them were, even though they had similar, or in some cases identical specifications. Things like fov and resolution rarely matched up with the spec.

This is the camera I currently have in my cart, I'll do some more research before pulling the trigger, but based on that thread, this seems to be the best bang for the buck right now (that fits my current needs)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07C5JWK4K/ref=ox_sc_act_image_1?smid=A15NUCR7ITLOD6&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/Camera-Outdoor-Security-Surveillance-Waterproof/dp/B0777PNBY4/ref=sr_1_3?crid=KEQ1KNZ4CW2B&keywords=poe+camera&qid=1550713287&s=gateway&sprefix=poe+%2Caps%2C250&sr=8-3

I think I will get this one. There is some comments about how easy it is to just plug and play and the app is not necessary. Thanks for your time and for helping out a noob, lol.

SV3C IP POE Camera Security Outdoor 5 Megapixels Super HD 2592x1944 H.265 Waterproof Cam Onvif IR Night Vision Motion Detection …
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07BNGWZVR?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

For anyone looking for a cheap (indoor) porch camera. I have this one pointing on my porch. It's pretty great for the price.

i have 2 yi home cameras that i use and they are very easy to setup and great quality so far.

https://www.amazon.com/YI-Wireless-Security-Surveillance-US/dp/B016F3M7OM/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1493218978&sr=1-2&keywords=yi+home+camera

How long until you move?

Do you have the funds to pick up this?

Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Works with Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_cGIVCbZ8K1JA6

It'll do the job. You can keep it pointed at your door at all times and then you don't have to worry about remembering your camera.

If possible, have DH send her a text starting she is not welcome at your house and to not come by again or you will call the police. Save it for proof that she was told. Or if you haven't been talking to her at all, send a cease and desist via your lawyer.

When she comes by again, immediately call the cops.

I've got a Wyze Cam in my kitchen that I'm quite pleased with, and it was only $40 on Amazon. I just ordered a second one to put in an outdoor housing in my back yard, it should be arriving today. I was reading r/WyzeCam and a lot of folks were reporting that their cameras were working fine outside during that brutal cold-snap. I figure for $40, it's worth a shot. I've spent more money on dumber things. The key take-aways I've read are that you have to put the camera in an outdoor housing (also on Amazon) and not to have the camera fully-exposed to the elements. It's best to stash the unit under the soffit of a house or some other protected area.

I have heard good things about this, also you will need to buy a PoE switch if you didn't know that already. Make sure you buy good gelled cat5e so you don't find yourself rerunning Ethernet here in a few years

https://www.amazon.com/Outdoor-Security-1920X1080-Resolution-Waterproof/dp/B01G1U4MVA

I have used three of these outside with no issue for over a year. I am impressed with the nighttime recording and the day time recordings are just as good. I used iSpy which is free to use or for $5 a month you can subscribe and watch your cameras on your phone or any web browser

Of course! I went through a few, but this is the one from my post (and the best one I've bought so far): https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_dg4kDb8283C81

I've been using these. They are pretty good for the price. These are wired only, as another poster suggested, wireless cameras can fairly easily be defeated.

You will also need something to record. I use ZoneMinder, which isn't the easiest thing to setup, but it's gotten much easier in recent years. If you don't know anything about linux, or just can't figure the installation, ask some neighbor kid to set it up for you. You will need a dedicated computer for this, running 24/7.

I love the Ring doorbell. If you need more views than just looking straight out from your door? https://www.amazon.com/Zmodo-Wireless-Security-Outdoor-Recording/dp/B017SD8RWO/ref=zg_bs_898400_15?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=HJJKVT8M70SVHMV4ZRH8 4 cameras, $115, solid quality, and you can access them from an app.

For a really good DIY setup that is WAY better than anything you can get from the plug and play cameras (like Ring etc. which require stupid subscriptions):

- SV3C cameras from Amazon ($36/each): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0777PNBY4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

- An NVR (also available via Amazon), or a reasonable fast dedicated PC/laptop running "Blue Iris" software

Been running 3 of these for over a year, really high resolution and rock solid reliability.

Whatever you choose, go hard-wired ethernet rather than wireless. Wireless is unreliable because it's prone to interruptions in connectivity.

I'm using these in some applications. https://www.amazon.com/Wyze-Indoor-Wireless-Camera-Vision/dp/B076H3SRXG

I'm using one in an outdoor application though it's well protected in a proprietary case and under an eve. It's been up for a few months and so far, so good.

These cameras meet all the specs you listed with the exception of a dedicated outdoor. As I mentioned they can be adapted with a little ingenuity.

I use the Wyze cam V2 from Amazon and I installed a custom firmware on it (very easy setup)

Those cameras are very cheap (26$ USD) and very reliable

Custom firmware
https://github.com/EliasKotlyar/Xiaomi-Dafang-Hacks

Edit: Amazon usa link
https://www.amazon.com/Wyze-Indoor-Wireless-Camera-Vision/dp/B076H3SRXG

Pm if you need help with the custom firmware installation

I have a bunch of these cameras. They are cheap, work great, and easy to use.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B016F3M7OM/ref=sxts1?ie=UTF8&qid=1483729038&sr=1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65

Wyze Cam v2 1080p HD Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Free Cloud, for iOS and Android (US Version) https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_JTTwCbYM3C7S1

I really wanted Nest cams for my house, but at $200 a pop, that's a bit out of my price range. I recently picked up these [Yi Home Cameras] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016F3M7OM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) which are only $40 apiece but have many of the same features. It's a good buy for anyone looking to get a few home security cameras without breaking the bank.

I've been pretty happy with Wyzecam v2 https://www.amazon.ca/Wyze-Wireless-Camera-Android-Version/dp/B076H3SRXG/

They have these too Wyze Cam V2 1080P Indoor Smart Home Camera with Wyze Sense Starter Kit https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R3H3N97/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_3JRkDb4C19F58
Probably not what you're looking for but I'm happy with ours.

I used these two cameras in a recent install I did at home

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01G1U4MVA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00NBT1484/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

personally, I think the Zosi performs better and is more reliable, but I have the other one mounted outside so that may be a factor.

They are super cheap and made in china, but I VLAN'd them off and used firewall rules to block all traffic unless it is going to my camera server on the same VLAN.

Video and build quality are not bad. No Wifi, only LAN with POE power.
I can provide pics/screen shots if you want.

Record your sexual encounters and save the videos. At least for the first couple of times. You can get an excellent indoor security camera with free cloud storage for $25 delivered. By way of comparison a good criminal law attorney charges $300 per hour. A similar camera recently saved these porn producers from false rape charges. The second link is NSFW!!!

I have Zmodo. I really like them. Sometimes you can get them for 4 for 99.00. They do not have a mic and they are 720p. All mine are outdoor/indoor. Works great.

Honestly? I combine a Wyze Cam with an outdoor mount in the soffit above the door (much better angle than a doorbell provides) and an Aeotec Z-wave doorbell.

The total investment is $107 with zero subscription fees.

Ahem, had a similar issue. Now I have Wyzecam pointed at the stove and on motion alert. Get it on Amazon. Cheap as hell. Excellent solution for multiple problems around the house and office. Tied to wifi so I can remote monitor whenever I wish. Enjoy!

https://www.amazon.ca/Wyze-Wireless-Camera-Vision-Android/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1537162985&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=wyzecam+v2&dpPl=1&dpID=41dFbSyyPsL&ref=plSrch

Others will probably chime in with off-the-shelf Lorex or Swann systems. Which are fine, too. My suggestion

1. Blue Iris ($40)
   
   
2. Blue Iris iPhone app ($10)
   
   
3. Cheap spare PC if you have one (free, hopefully)
   
   
4. Cheap PoE switch ($40-ish) - here is an example
   
   
5. 3x Hikvision or HDView bullets for the outdoor bullets. HDview Option 2. Hikvision Option 1. Hikvision Option 2.
   
   Make sure your lenses are the right side for the field of view. 3.6 or 4mm for longer, narrower, shots, and 2.6 or 2.8 for wider angles.
   
   
6. 2x domes. You can run domes or turrets. Hikvision. Cheaper Dahua.
   
   In any case, you should be able to get by spending $80/camera if you shop judiciously. That's $400 of cameras, $50 of software, $40 of switch, and hopefully a spare computer.
   

Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_JRiTDb7SXVDWZ

$20 something off Amazon for a basic looking thing idk if it has audio too though, definitely going to need audio.

I use 3 of these. The wtaerproof connectors are junk but the camera works great.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00YJ2QICO/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks for responding!

I linked the to Yi camera in the original post as an example, if you didn't see it here is a link. It's a camera that connects to WiFi using a QR code, and you can view it from your phone. Backs up into the cloud when it records footage.

When I say everything that goes into the IoT product, I'm talking about technical aspects and nothing involving lawyers/sales/marketing.

I have read a couple Instructables and Adafruit articles that show how to do this sort of thing on a Raspberry Pi, but that seems a bit different since it's essentially a computer, right? Also, they typically jump into 'hacking' instead of explaining components, how software works with hardware, etc.

Again, thanks for response.

Could be these?.

Obviously can't tell for sure if its the same (time stamp looks the same though) but we use them at my work and they have similar video quality, and night vision. Priced pretty decently, too.

My installer partner uses a Foscam FI8905W, its about $100 at Amazon. He has been using it as a security cam for his Vera system (He is developing a Vera Package as a pro installer so he tests everything before he installs it) for over two months now and he loves it.

I have heard from one of my customers that the Blue Iris software is excellent as a third party app, for Vera and Foscam cameras, but my installer did not use anything outside Vera that I know of.

$25 wyze cam. Free cloud storage for events, you can install an sd card for continues recording, night vision as well.

Image is a bit bad quality because I cropped the image to zoom in on the car.
https://i.imgur.com/leZxL0B.jpg

Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Works with Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_QsD7Cb7Z3E6KQ

Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Works with Alexa https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_tZgQBb9N1S07W

These cameras work well and aren't terribly expensive

I have these all over my house and they're great.

YI Home Camera Wireless IP Security Surveillance System (US Edition) White https://www.amazon.com/dp/B016F3M7OM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_saSryb25C8SQ3

It's cheaper at Amazon, $42.

Wyze Cam V2 1080P Indoor Smart Home Camera with Wyze Sense Starter Kit
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R3H3N97/ref=cm_sw_r_sms_apa_i_uoYQDbDX7E5HB

I hope this isn't the announcement. I saw it in Home Depot weeks ago.

Simply put, it comes down to megapixels and number of scan lines. A 3mp camera will outperform a 1mp every time. And a camera that outputs 1080p will provide a larger clearer picture than a system that is limited to 720p.

The down side is that these cameras create large video files. So you need a good home network to move the data, and storage for all those feeds. A 3 TB drive should handle most homeowners needs.

Here is a capable camera for the homeowner. There are hundreds more to choose from, of course:

https://www.amazon.com/Amcrest-Outdoor-3-Megapixel-Wireless-Security/dp/B01I01Z1M2

We're should be available on Amazon again now, /u/OSRgamerkid. We've included the link below but if you have any trouble viewing it or any more questions, please let us know. :)

Amazon Link:https://www.amazon.com/Wyze-Indoor-Wireless-Detection-Assistant/dp/B076H3SRXG/

Like this Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, White https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_BbxDDbRXEBENX

Go to amazon and search "Yi Home Camera". Buy it for $40 and place it directly in front of the door. It plugs in to your wall, connects to wifi, and has a app for your phone so you can see live time or in the past. 720p HD quality. You can also set up motion alerts to send directly to your phone. Best investment I have ever made!

Edit for camera link: https://www.amazon.com/YI-Camera-Security-Detection-Monitor/dp/B016F3M7OM/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1510676310&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=yi+home+camera&psc=1

Definitely not dumb questions. I did some research on Blink and I'd suggest a different route. From what I've seen, the capture is very slow and you don't get much of a clip.


I currently use BI with a number of Amcrest cams like these and these.


My opinion is you absolutely don't need 4k. Unless you have 4k monitors, you won't see a difference

I just bought 8 of these for use at my business, and have been amazed by the quality. EDIT to add price was $40 each.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0777PNBY4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought a POE switch and Blue Iris, working good so far.

These Yi Home ones are my recommendation. Install the Fritz firmware hack to keep them from phoning home and they're pretty darn good.

Yi Fritz hack link


You can pick up 4 for under $150 and while they're only 720P, I'd say image quality is on par with the dropcam (which makes sense because its a clone)

Get a few cheap cameras and point them out windows where your dog plays. These are $25 and we have 2 of them. They works great. They just need wifi and power.

https://www.amazon.com/Wyze-Indoor-Wireless-Detection-Assistant/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=sr_1_3?crid=2PXE1TVXAJO96&keywords=wyze+cam&qid=1566943181&s=gateway&sprefix=wyze+cam%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-3

Give Wyzecam a look, they're only $25 via amazon (https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG), and work pretty well, just should add a Micro-SD card for continuous recording.

I've been trying out a Yi Home camera. It has a scheduler for motion alerts, selectable areas for motion activation. It has optional cloud recording but it also records to an SD card.

The camera isn't water resistant but it seems like there are a ton of outdoor housings for it. All in I bet you could get it done for well less than $100.

Yi Home Camera

Not sure how invested you are, but the Wyze camera would do the job

Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_ZtlNDbRMD70CB

I've used these for awhile now, and they are ok:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017SD8RWO

The only issue I've run into was the last time they wanted to update the firmware it bricked one of the cameras. Zmodo does have cloud storage (base is free, you'll potentially want more than that) but for ~$230 for eight cameras it's most likely the cheapest solution you'll find out there.

New to this game, but what do we call reasonably priced? At 3mp and $120, versus 4mp at $75 (and supporting ONVIF, which I understand ZoneMinder to be able to handle?) from https://smile.amazon.com/Security-Reolink-65-100ft-Detection-RLC-410/dp/B010LH48F4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474517235&sr=8-1&keywords=poe+reolink+camera, what should I be evaluating?

This little $26 camera helped us figure out what was tunneling under our fence. Plenty of better cameras out there, but this one is good enough for occasional use.

Real Time Stream Protocol (RTSP) is a standardized protocol for streaming audio/video from cameras (among other things).

Basically it makes it so that I can connect several different brands of (RTSP) cameras to one central server that records them all and sends notifications to my phone when it detects movements.

My favorite at the moment is the Wyze cameras. They just recently added RTSP support and are only $26 each:

https://www.amazon.com/Wyze-Indoor-Wireless-Camera-Vision/dp/B076H3SRXG

Get a weatherproof mount if you are wanting to mount them outside:

https://www.amazon.com/Camera-Bracket-Protective-Security-Outdoor/dp/B07G72SQXB

Agreed. You can get a camera on Amazon for $25. I have the same one and it works great. Catch the little shit in the act, lol.

I just got these a few days ago:

https://www.amazon.com/CMVision-IR130-Outdoor-300-400ft-Illuminator/dp/B004F9LF7E/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492320175&sr=8-1-spell&keywords=ir+illumintaor /// https://www.amazon.com/SV3C-Security-1920X1080-Resolution-Waterproof/dp/B01G1U4MVA/ref=sr_1_9?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1492320200&sr=1-9&keywords=ip+camera /// they're working good so far, for the value at least.

Thanks mah duders and dudets problem solved I think Im going with this one: https://www.amazon.com/Wyze-Indoor-Wireless-Camera-Vision/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=wyze&qid=1557433742&s=gateway&sr=8-3

all recommendations are still welcome though

6 of these will cost less and perform (and look) much much better. As for the NVR, Unifi cameras can run with their NVR software installed on basically anything. If you've got a TB or two free on your desktop, that'll work. Have an old Core2 system you can toss a 1-2TB HDD in? That'll work too.

More pixels does NOT mean better picture.

I recently built my own pretty decent surveillance system for less than $1000. You'd have to be willing to DIY and run the wires to each camera. But I personally think it's worth it.

ReoLink PoE Cameras x 4 = $220

LinkSys PoE+ Switch = $219

1000 ft CAT6 Cable = $60

Decent i5 Intel PC = About $300

BlueIris NVR Software = $60

I use this as a baby monitor. Works great. https://www.amazon.com/Wyze-Indoor-Wireless-Detection-Assistant/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=sxin_2_ac_d_rm?ac_md=0-0-d3l6ZSBjYW0%3D-ac_d_rm&crid=28CKMGSMY5XM9&keywords=wyze+cam&pd_rd_i=B076H3SRXG&pd_rd_r=12f6e4f8-8fe5-4a0e-bfb2-97effeede628&pd_rd_w=k7f8L&pd_rd_wg=ZzCww&pf_rd_p=2938a786-9bec-4d37-8c06-456e3edce5d1&pf_rd_r=DB822ZBTEGY9EZJGSKD7&psc=1&qid=1572287177&sprefix=wyz%2Caps%2C143

Just as an FYI I was able to order one of the V1 models from amazon canada, last month. it was ~$37 with taxes and shipping from this link

It's not active right now but hopefully they start selling again once V2 is out.

The Yi Home is like $40 and it should be good enough for what you need.

Get a better security camera--I've been using these reolinks and they illuminate and show things much farther than 10 feet away:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B010LH48F4/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

We had a neighbor who insisted that their dog jumped on the fence and barked because he was so friendly and just wanted to play. That dog bit both of my dogs and broke the fence of their other neighbor. (Going to small claims since she still insists her dog did nothing wrong and refuses to help pay vet bills).

Would highly recommend recording your backyard (maybe front too) with a cheap webcam in case something does happen. The [wyze cam] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_CH7xCbG9TJG54) is only $25. Also invest in pet corrector to deter the lab when he jumps up.

Another option that you can use well after baby time, Yi home camera & Yi Dome Camera. It's practically the same as a Nestcam. 2 way audio, wifi and can be used on a cell phone and tablet. OH and it's $40!!!!!!!!! Can't go wrong.

It's a generic Chinese ip camera. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're computer savvy but it works surprisingly well if you can work around the caveats.

Buy one of these. My mom bought one for a security camera and she liked it so much that she bought a second one. It records to an SD card, you can set it up somewhere dry and hidden in your parking lot and power it off a USB battery pack. It records to an SD card. It's very small ( 2.2 x 2 x 2 inches) and has a magnetic mount included

https://www.amazon.com/Wyze-Indoor-Wireless-Camera-Vision/dp/B076H3SRXG

https://www.amazon.com/Wyze-Indoor-Wireless-Camera-Vision/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1538700665&sr=1-4&keywords=wyze

best 25$ ive ever spent

I’m in the UK, used Amazon.com and paid $37 or £30. Works perfectly.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B076H3SRXG?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

I have SmartThings and Google WiFi and it works great.

As to cameras, I've read some great reviews on the Wyze Cam but haven't actually set up any cameras yet.

Get a security camera.
Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_s0-ZBbKHX017P

https://www.amazon.ca/Wyze-Wireless-Camera-Android-Version/dp/B076H3SRXG


These are under $40.00, and they work great

Were you referring to one of them in particular?

Wyze Cam 1080p HD Indoor Wireless Smart Home Camera https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076H3SRXG/

Wyze Cam Pan 1080p Pan/Tilt/Zoom Wi-Fi Indoor Smart Home Camera https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DGR98VQ/

<Its USB powered so 5 watts its what your little solar setup needs to be able to support 24x7.

Is it a micro usb? I don't know much about electronics or how to put a solar kit together but found a pre packed one for blink x2
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JK3H4DD/
and wondered if it would work since it appears the type of USB is the key, according to random dude who was 3rd answer to question "Is this solar panel compatible with wyze devices ?"

A: No, different connections

A: only Blink

A: Blink uses a micro USB, as does Wyze. It should work.

Wyze, excellent rapport prix/qualité. c'est la camera utilisé dans ce poste. J'en ai 3

https://www.amazon.ca/Wyze-Wireless-Camera-Android-Version/dp/B076H3SRXG/ref=sr_1_3?keywords=wyze&qid=1573756377&sr=8-3