First, I own an e-commerce company with a warehouse/distribution center but we also have a small showroom in the front of our facility, and I’m not always there so I like to be able to keep an eye on things.

I have tested the Nest Cam system, had a 4 camera D-Link system with several 2132L and a 5222L camera with the DNR-202L recorder, and now have a custom system comprised of a cheap PC, Blue Iris software, and 5 Amcrest ProHD wireless cameras.

Here are my thoughts on the various systems we have tried...

Nest Cam - BY FAR the easiest to setup. Just create an account, add each camera, and you’re done. The software is fantastic. So easy to use. Really top notch. But it’s expensive. To keep any kind of recording and not just have live video feed, you need a subscription to their web service. A 30 day history costs $300 a year for the first camera, with discounts for additional cameras. With 5 cameras, we’d be looking at close to $1k a year and would only be able to store 30 days worth of video. That was just too expensive for me.

D-Link - This system worked pretty well for about two years. I really liked that it recorded to hard drives locally, was accessible from anywhere using the website or mobile apps, and had no long-term costs. But ultimately, the system’s 4 camera limit (with this particular recorder) and the frustrating glitches and nonexistent technical support of D-Link forced me to consider other options, and I’m so glad I did.

I had a cheap PC that wasn’t being used, so I wondered if I could just install some software and control cameras with it. I tried this when I still had the D-link cameras, and tested several different software packages. When I came across the Blue Iris software, I knew I had found the winner within minutes. It is easy to setup, works extremely well, and was pretty inexpensive ($50-60 I think). The mobile app was another $10 if I remember correctly. I already had the computer, but ordered 5 new HD cameras (linked above) for about $50 each, so my total investment was a little over $300, less than half what I spent on a 4 camera D-Link system.

The system works great, is expandable to as many cameras as I want to add, and can use virtually any IP camera you can find online. Their list of supported cameras is impressive.

If money isn’t an issue at all, then I’d recommend the Nest Cam. It’s the best out there, really. But if spending several hundred dollars a year per camera, for 30 days of recording retention, seems crazy, find a decent PC, buy some IP cameras and install Blue Iris software. Or find a geek to do it for you. You’ll thank me.

Hello Everyone!

I am looking to get a nice pair of headphones to use with my turntable, a B&O Beogram 1700. The preamp is a TCC TC-750LC (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000A36XZS/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1)
And I will probably be getting a Schiit Magni 2 for the amp (http://schiit.com/products/magni-2).

I don't really need isolation since I live in a relatively quiet home and am not planning on taking these headphones anywhere because they are for vinyl and possibly some gaming, but mostly for my own personal turntable activities.
I've never really had any headphones before, other than the apple earpods which came with my iphone and various cheap headsets for gaming. I would like to try full-sized headphones. Ideally something comfortable for long listening periods.

I tend to listen to a lot of industrial and atmospheric/ambient music. So bands like The Legendary Pink Dots (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpXGeUy2ddE), Nine Inch Nails (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao-Sahfy7Hg), Swans (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1jSdTBGhDSg), Tim Hecker (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1NkZVWXK5jM), Oneohtrix Pointnever (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wg6g3uScbqw). To name a few. Theres some variation.

I'm not sure what I'm looking for as far as tonal balance is concerned. I don't know what would make for the best listening experience for these genres or bands.

My budget is $350

Thanks in advance! :)

TT: Technics SL-1300 mk I

Cartridge: Shure M97xe

Phono: TCC TC-750LC

Receiver: Pioneer VSX-1020-K

Speakers: A pair of Pioneer 3-way speakers from the 1970s. Not sure what model.

Headphones: Sennheiser HD555s



I really like the SL-1300. You don't get the equalizer abilities of the 1200, but I'd never use those anyways. I upgraded from a Technics QX-200, which did the job, but this is much better.

My preamp, which I heard at the time was one of the better new pre-amps in the sub $200 catagory. It works very well with my receiver.

Contrary to many people here, I use a modern 7.1 receiver with my turntable. It sounds amazing, and I love having everything tied into one system. I use my fronts from my 7.1 as my turntable speakers, but the Pioneer does a nice job mixing sound into the other speakers if I play with the settings.


edit* Botched the URL. You get it, though...

Yeah sure, I use HIKVISION. You can get a 4MP (Compared to 1.3Mp) external IP bullet cam with a 4MM lens for $106.33 on Amazon Here

The NVR to go with it here for $199.99 and a 2TB WD Purple HDD here for $79.99.

If you need a very wide angle, a 2.8mm 4MP Dome with WDR is $120.00 here

You can pick up a PTZ dome with 4x Optical Zoom for $506 here

Hikvision have recently introduced H265+ codec compression which means you can store a quite frankly ridiculous amount of footage even on a relatively small 2TB drive. The software is extremely easy to use, supports Windows/Mac/Android/iPhone and it's got built-in DDnS that's literally childs play to configure. The cameras are extremely straightforward to setup and the NVR has 8 PoE ports on the back to power them.

The cameras on their latest firmware can do people counting (Think shopping centres, etc), ANPR (Log to a CSV/Database) - The PTZ units can do smart tracking and follow vehicles in/out of a compound. (I've deployed this at an airfield and it follows vehicles in through the gate, very cool to watch!)

If you'd like any snippets or footage I'll upload some to our company OneDrive for you to take a look. The kit is so cheap compared to Bosch/Siemens and outperforms ALL of it. We've been competing directly with ADT over in the UK for a lot of work and our kit has trumped it every single time. We're a Silver VAR Hikvision partner now and I can't imagine using any other kit to be honest, it covers every possible scenario from a single camera covering someones porch right up to a 64 camera installation. Feel free to pick my brains via PM or anything else buddy.

We have a Nest Cam. First, it's useful in that it's not just a baby monitor - so when we leave the house on vacation or something we can move it and point it at our front door and get alerts if someone were to come in.

Next, it's an awesome camera. The alerts are easy to get on your phone so you don't have a screen on next to your bed all night. We also have a cheapie Willcare sound monitor from Amazon we use at night because phone notifications won't wake me up. If we hear her, we can look at the nest to determine if we should get up and walk across the house or not.

Nest can have a subscription - it gives you 24h video history and you can like save clips. We didn't purchase this - it's not useful. It has like a 3-4 hour history of detecting movement with little snippets so we can scroll back to like an hour before. Or see if she's been rolling a lot on the timeline.

It also works with all our Google home stuff and other nest products.

I also love that during my work day (since daughter is at home with a grandma) I get to see her put down for her nap and peek on her sleeping. Great thing about the wifi ones.

We actually have two cameras now (more kids on the way) and suggest them readily. Been using ours since day one and our kid is 18 months now.

Nest cam: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00WBJGUA2/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1519518400&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=nest+cam&dpPl=1&dpID=31GgWcCP7BL&ref=plSrch

Sound monitor: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B073P11GF8/ref=mp_s_a_1_6_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1519518438&sr=8-6&keywords=sound+monitor&dpPl=1&dpID=41n08hysXNL&ref=plSrch


Check the other colors too, I think white is more expensive

If you're not worried about 1080 picture quality, I'd actually suggest checking out the YI Dome Cam. It's been our favorite indoor smart security camera for a while, and it's only $34, so it's more affordable than the ones you found. It's also got 7 days of free cloud storage and an SD card slot. (we recommend SanDisk, especially the Extreme Pro lineup, which outperformed other top brands when we tested SD cards


We've never head of the four you shared, and other than the Wansview, they all have too few reviews for us to confidently say they're good or not. The Wansview seller, however, raised some minor yellow flags when I looked into their overall review quality on Amazon via Fakespot. Hope this helps! - Samantha

Hi marcginla,

I must admit cloud recording is not my area of expertise, mainly because I try and stay away from it due to privacy concerns, and the fact that you generally have to pay a monthly fee for storing recorded clips beyond a certain number of days.

Yes, a local NVR will allow direct remote access and/or cloud recording of videos.

There are basically two ways of going about remote access:

• All cameras and an NVR connected via WiFi that you remotely access directly over the internet (port forwarding needs to be set up on your father's router, will need a dynamic DNS service to be set up as well) -
  
  Pros: No monthly charges. 24/7 recording possible. SD card slot allows motion detected captures (7 days easily possible).
  
  Cons: More difficult to set up. Also remote playback of recorded video is limited by the upload bandwidth of your father's broadband. If the NVR automatically reduces video quality to adjust, then this is not an issue.
  
  
• All cameras directly connected to the internet via WiFi and recording to the cloud.
  
  Pros: Easiest to set up and use.
  
  Cons: Can cost you a few dollars per camera per month for 7 day recording. Live streaming possible but generally only motion detected recordings will be available.
  
  In your case, it does make sense to consider the cloud recording option. Can't comment on the specific cloud services you mentioned. However do consider the Amcrest 1080p ProHD camera which can upload to the Amcrest cloud service. Its $99 at the moment.
  
  Amcrest is a company started by the same people who started Foscam. It seems they have come up with better products than Foscam. I would recommend this over the Foscam 720p. You can read about the Amcrest cloud service and pricing plans here. By the way any cloud service that offers everything 100% free is a bit suspect in my opinion. What will be the reliability of a 100% free service is the question.
  
  Hope that helps. Maybe others who use cloud services will chime in.
  
  Daniel

https://www.amazon.com/Amcrest-IP2M-841-1920TVL-Security-Camera/dp/B0145OQTPG/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1468434745&sr=8-3&keywords=wireless+camera

I don't have it saving pure video though. I have it taking a snapshot every 10 seconds.

I pull the data off the card once a month or so and keep it for a bit, then delete it.

When the incident happened, I pulled it right then and was able to burn the stills to a CD for the deputy that responded in about 5 minutes.

I have others on the house too but they are all static. This is the only one I have that pans around. I just have a setting on it that points it at the door. The others are static ones, made by Dlink, and they don't even make them anymore. I've had them for years.

I don't think its weatherproof, but I have it mounted well under an eve-it won't get wet there beyond more humidity.

Considering the light (then lack of it, the idiot decided about halfway through the break in to unscrew the porch light) the pictures came out pretty well.

I have since went to harbor freight and bought a solar security light. It stays dim till it detects motion, then goes bright. its way up high like the camera, and if you go to disable it, you're going to be facing the camera directly. But if someone decides to disable the porch light again, they will still be lit up.

I put up a much better security door, and have the other two doors in the backyard (behind a fence) getting changed out to the better one today. If someone decides to try again, its going to be a lot more difficult for them. The deputy thinks it was random, and I'm beginning to agree. I have everything well lit outside but the house is usually dark unless I'm up. I used to keep a vehicle outside when I had 3, but I since have sold it and the other two are in the garage. I'm guessing they cased it before I sold the vehicle. Seeing it gone, they figured I wasn't home.

How much are you looking to spend? Controllable dome cameras cost a fortune.

I really like hikvision fixed domes, they are great value for the money. Extremely well built cameras with great image quality. As far as integration with home assistant, the motion sensing binary sensors seem to work quite well. You will still have to use their software to setup motion sensing zones etc. They can work entirely local, I have mine writing to an NFS share.

​

Just watch which ones you buy, make sure its the North American version. The Chinese ones are locked to certain firmware. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B017Y4CD9U/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Yi Dome Camera https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CW4BG4K?ref=emc_b_5_t

• $40!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  
  Heard many good things and it has:
  
  
• 720p High-definition, 112° wide-angle advanced glass lens combined with 345° horizontal & 115° vertical rotation range create a complete 360° coverage.
  
• Responsive and advanced microphone with a built-in anti-noise filter for a clear 2-way Audio experience. Intercom Mode: one party to talk and listen at a time or Hands-free Mode: both parties talk and listen freely for maximum flexibility.
  
  
  And if you want 1080p, you can pay $20 more https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CW4BLG8?ref=emc_b_5_i

thank you for the list

I am still researching DORI and differences between cameras, but from what I gathered so far here is what I need:

• blue iris $70 (with a phone app)
  
• pc (since it only supports windows) likely i7-6700 something like this
  
• PoE switch: something like this
  
• router, I have an old lynksys with dd-wrt which should do it
  
• several very long ethernet cables with some couplers
  
• most likely also a UPS
  
• ONVIF, PoE cameras
  
  the last bit I am still looking at. I am not ready to spend several hundred dollars per camera (one of your examples is Dahua 2MP Starlight which seems to be super expensive). While I understand it might be much better than the rest, I'd like to see if I can be in a $50 to $100 dollar range per camera. Is there any such cameras you can recommend?
  
  I can see some (ONVIF, PoE): Hikvision 4MP, ONWOTE 5MP, ONWOTE, 4X Optical Zoom Autofocus, Amcrest ProHD, GW Security 5, JideTech PTZ, etc. but I am not sure how to gauge the quality.

I bought a house in March and had the intention of going all in on HA, but so far it hasn't exactly panned out. budgeting for a few good products as i go.

BUT, Here is what i started with so far. I've settled with silo'ed stuff so far. This is what i've done, others will probably have stronger recommendations though.

1. a good wifi router.
   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Z0V2NQ8?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
   
2. Power meter
   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003XOZG0Y?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
   
3. thermostat
   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FLZEQH2?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
   
4. 4x wifi cameras
   http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0145OQTPG?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_search_detailpage
   
5. entertainment http://www.amazon.com/Sony-STR-DN1050-Channel-Receiver-Bluetooth/dp/B00JC31SEI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1452667821&sr=1-1&keywords=str+dn1050
   
   Yes, that's 5 separate apps on my own Note 4
   
   Next on the list is a zwave hub and garage door controller.
   
   

Thank you for your response!

As far as re-capping the speakers, I am confident re-capping them would be pretty cheap, however I do not know if it worth it, as the drivers and design of the speakers may not be very good to begin with. I have played a lot with the placement of the speakers, however the way my room is, the only possible location for them is pushed into the corners (I know, worst placement), due to their size. Part of the reason I am looking at these smaller studio monitors and bookshelf speakers is because I will have greater freedom to move them around.

I would love to piece together my set up with used vintage equipment, but I live in a smallish college town where craigslist and thrift stores are flooded with shitty iphone docks and black plastic crap.

As far as the turntable goes, I am pretty happy with my set-up. I have a debut carbon with a separate mini phono preamp (I know it's not the best, If i could find an amp with a better phono stage it would be nice). My current amp has a phono stage as well, but I doubt it is any good, considering how cheap the equipment is, so i opted for an external one.

If I got the the studio monitors, my setup would go: Turntable > Preamp > simple passive switcher (PC would be on other input) > studio monitors

I may get a passive pre-amp down the road that has volume control as well.

I adopted my yellow lab at 6 weeks and have raised her on my own working an 8-5 job.

I am lucky enough to be able to come home at lunch for 30 minutes and run her, and she seems quite content.

My suggestion would be to run the dickens out of the pup in the morning, leave him or her with many toys that stimulate the puppies mind (or one might lead to chewing...), I even prepare frozen treats inside of a KONG ball that allows her to spend time getting the goodness, AND I also have a Nest (http://www.amazon.com/Nest-NC1102ES-Cam-Security-Camera/dp/B00WBJGUA2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1457039689&sr=8-1&keywords=nest+camera) That allows me to watch her while I'm at work and speak to her if need be.

My puppy, now 9 months does totally fine by herself for her 4 hour stretches.

Good luck and Congratulations on your new companion!!! :)

I got this last christmas when it was on sale for 80$. Might be a bit pricey, but it is really nice.
Hook it up to Wifi or just ethernet it to your computer, and there's either a web address or a phone app you can use to look at and fully control a live view, or recent footage, if you stick an SD card in it to record to. Great night vision, two way mic/speaker, zoom, and motion detection, perfect for what you'd want it for.

So after many months of researching what was best for us, we decided to go with the “Yi camera.” Being $60 for a dual purpose camera that has 360 degree rotation, it’s really impressed us. We also always have our phones on us so having phones AND another baby monitor seemed to be overkill when we could just use our phones to connect to a system like this.

It uses WiFi and being that we will be back at work come 8 weeks PP with my mom nannying for us, we wanted to be able to log in and check on our girl throughout the day. We can talk to each other also with the voice recorder, but there is a second lag like a walkie talkie has in between responses. Not that big of a deal honestly. We wanted a system that could double as a baby monitor & security system so that we aren’t spending hundreds on a baby monitor that will only be used for a couple of years. It detects “baby crying” and will send you an alert with a 10 second recording of what the crying was. It picks up our dogs barking often lol.

Don’t mind the mess but here’s my kitchen with lights on in the evening and here’s the nursery using night vision. Here’s the nursery picking up my SO and I talking and listening to music while I was getting ready outside of the nursery during normal day light.

All in all, we purchased/were gifted three cameras which was roughly the price of one baby monitor we were looking into. I’d rate it a 8/10 for overall quality. Hope this helps!

I would highly recommend this camera from this seller if the area is ever somewhat dark. It has the starlight sensor that is one of the very best for low light conditions. I use these with BI and they work great. if it’s always well lit, you can go with a higher resolution camera and not worry about the starlight sensor like this one. Both of these cameras have adjustable focal length - meaning you can set them wider or narrower depending on the area you want to cover. Ipcamtalk.com forums are very helpful also - they have a BlueIris machine guide showing what older PC’s to look for on ebay that will run BI fine.

r/letnotmeet has an official guide on the sidebar that has good tips as far as safety/physical security goes. one thing that's not on there are what's called "security bars" that you can buy from amazon. they block in doors/windows/sliding doors from being broken in while you're at home, like when you're sleeping.

i'd also consider posting on trollx for advice as well. there's some of us trolls who've gone through some shit and may be able to give good advice.

for restraining order, for one thing, he'll need the exact address of where he needs to stay away from. since he already knows her home address, i would just be careful putting on there specific locations that he doesn't know about, if that makes sense. restraining orders might only be half as helpful if there isn't some way to catch him violating it. i'd recommend some sort of night security camera. i put these on my tech wishlist after ppl recommended them on the recent r/aww post on the cat triggering the night camera:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0145OQTPG/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3PDI6G88Q8ITA&coliid=I32NXUP8ELY3US&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019MMRV1M/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3PDI6G88Q8ITA&coliid=IXT7HPA0HMC8D&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CW4BG4K/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3PDI6G88Q8ITA&coliid=I2NHMUTKAQWLNC&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QH0Q8J4/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=3PDI6G88Q8ITA&coliid=IYEA8OCV4N4GA&psc=1

as for stopping cold turkey or de-escalating, that's up to her. but whatever she chooses, and hell, even now, she NEEDS to be prepared for his possible actions when she does do it, cuz he's gonna get pissed, which might lead to silent insidious revenge or straight out attack.

that means not going anywhere alone, securing her house and car when she's alone, setting up apps that can be immediately triggered quietly to call for help, carrying pepper sprays/defense stuff depending on local laws, etc etc, there's a lot you can do. and making sure her friends/family/coworkers/employer knows -the more eyes keeping a lookout for him the better (show them a picture of him). these fuckers relish on getting the upper hand and she needs to get in control of the situation. (and yes, i know a lot of this stuff from reading that sub)

also, breaking and entering IS a crime, wherever you are. if she catches that on tape she's golden as far as restraining order or even straight up charging him with it. she should start a journal log, writing down exact dates/times/details of any event, small or big. if it ever goes to the police or court, it'll help tremendously. she can also low-key record conversations with him on her phone, just turn the indicator light switch off.

best of luck and safety to you and your friend.

-trollx

Foscam FI9821W V2 Megapixel HD 1280 x 720p H.264 Wireless/Wired Pan/Tilt IP Camera with IR-Cut Filter - 26ft Night Vision and 2.8mm Lens (70° Viewing Angle) - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00F3KWZW8/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_jDJFwbAB2VH8Q

This is the camera I bought. I mounted it upside down in the corner of the room and flipped the image. It has night vision, pan and tilt and two way audio. The full price listed is ridiculous though.

I bought it Used from Amazon Warehouse Deals for about 60 bucks. My wife and I both use Tiny Cam PRO on Android to monitor it. If you want to view it on your computer I recommend using Opera Browser. I'm not sure of a good iOS app. You can also set it up pretty easily to view externally which is nice. I like when I go into work early I can watch the kids sleep while I'm at my desk. One of the things that's really nice about Tiny Cam is you can make a floating window to watch the camera while you do other stuff on your phone or tablet like this: http://imgur.com/dLIVDPG.

I have this one, it's been working great for a while now: Tenvis JPT3815W

I've had a few issues here and there, mostly with the proxy setup, but the customer service is pretty good and they've now set their proxy accounts to expire every 3 years instead of every year (all that means if you'll have to contact them in 3 years to get a new one set up).

Oh, and I use the CamViewer app, it's the best one I've found so far. Worth paying for the pro version too (IAP I think), so you can use the 2-way audio.

So we have this camera. It’s one of the best things we bought and everyone we show it to in our phones has bought one. Plus bonus, it’s fairly cheap, can be accessed through our phone app and I can check it while I’m out. It connects multiple cameras so they’re in one place and the quality is amazing compared to the Motorola monitor we used to have. Lastly, it’s secure. You have to create an account to log into your cameras via your app and then you can opt for a separate PIN number to access either camera.

Edit to add: Here is a screenshot of our empty nursery so you can see how amazingly clear the picture is.

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

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.

Having a camera can be helpful in a lot of different situations. Foscam makes some good ones that feature HD recording, night vision, and ability to stream online when you're away. I have this one and am pretty happy with it. Just make sure you set it up somewhere that is slightly hidden but gets a good viewing angle. If you're pointing it outside, it should be easy.

I can't comment as a owner, but I've heard quite a lot of discussion regarding the Amcrest and Amcrest Pro, 720P and 1080P respectively. I have three pro's sitting in my wish list at the moment. Seem to be a great value.

The software is Blue Iris running on an Intel Core i7-4770S with 16gb of RAM and 1.5Tb for storage. These cameras are a mix of Dahua and Wansview:

• Dahua IPC-HFW4300S PoE (not on Amazon any longer)
  
• Wansview Wireless Security Camera - 1080p
  
• Wansview Wireless Security Camera - 720p
  
  The 1080p Wansview are a great value for $30/each but I personally wouldn't bother with 720p, regardless of the manufacturer. If PoE is an option, I recommend Reolink; I installed 5 of these for someone else this past weekend and the picture is great: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FQ2T89L/

I have 5 of these Amcrest 1080P cameras and they have never failed me. The setup was quick and the iOS/Android app works very well and is snappy to load HD streams over 4G. I don't yet use the motion alert features, but you could pop in a SD card to record on motion (which can also be viewed remotely). I highly recommend them and for the price, hard to beat.

One of the cams is our dedicated baby monitor that gets used like ~3 hours each day if not more. We also use them for nanny cam purposes and the 2-way audio and PTZ capabilities come in handy often.

P.S: Forgot to mention, unlike Foscam where support was non-existent, Amcrest was quick to respond and are "more US based" than Foscam/other Chinese OEM knock offs.

This is the one I got. I wanted the Nest, but didn't want to spend that kind of money. Settled on this one, and I've been pretty happy with it. The app is pretty solid, and has a lot of features. [edit] I forgot to mention it has an intercom on it too. I talk to my cats and dog with it while I'm at work.

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.

Just wanted to add my .02, hope I'm not too late.

I use this camera from Amazon ($45 with prime)

and this app (free, $3 for the ad-free version)

I've used it for two years and just purchased a second one for baby #2. It has night vision, and a speaker and mic which I've rarely used but are nice to have. You can control the pan/tilt from whatever device you are using, and probably my favorite thing about it is that I can view both cams side by side at the same time, a lot of systems make you choose one or the other.

Important: These cameras can only be used from your own wifi network, which means I can only view them from my phone or tablet inside the house, my husband can't watch them from work. With a little technical know-how someone could set up a proxy server to be able to view them, but that's beyond my capabilities. You also want to make sure to change the default password on the cameras so they can't be hacked.

This is the one I use, seems to work pretty well! A few of my friends have it too. Not sure about the noise alerts but you can set alerts if motion is detected. I’m not sure I’d want bark alerts if my dog barks at random things lol but worth sharing: TENVIS Security Camera- Wireless Camera, IP Camera with Night Vision/ Two-way Audio, 2.4Ghz Wifi Indoor Home Dome Camera for Pet Baby, Remote Surveillance Monitor with MicroSD Slot, Android, iOS App https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071DDBT7M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_OrD3DbBG5J4PP

I have a couple of Hikvision outdoor IP dome cameras that work well. They are PoE, so power is easy for them, and they are 4mp, so the image is pretty good, though low light sometimes leaves something to be desired (lots of people supplement with night time IR lights in those cases.

I have a Synology NAS too, and while I actually liked their Surveillance Station app, it doesn't work in web browsers anymore (They have been sitting on a broken implementation for 2+ years now here), so I moved away from it.

The Hikvisions have a web server built in a decent enough interface, and I just write the video files out to my NAS drive, where I have a 10 GB partition set aside for it.

They also have passable motion and line-crossing detection, though I think that it could be better.

Nice little cameras for $130 or so: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017Y4CD9U/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

One warning if you go this route: Hikvision is kind of a dick about support. They only really "support" their authorized dealers. Further, they have region based distribution, so you can get a Chinese camera if you aren't careful. MAKE SURE YOU BUY FROM A SELLER THAT GUARANTEES YOU GET THE RIGHT REGION. If you don't you may never be able to upgrade your camera's firmware, because there are a lot of knockoff Hikvisions out there coming out of China that are not binary compatible.

On the amazon page I linked, if you click on the "15 new from" link it'll show the actual companies that will fullfill the order behind the scenes. The good ones will have comments telling you the above. Make sure you order from them specifically.

Also, I highly recommend PoE. Cameras chug a lot of data, so isolating them from the rest of your wireless is a good idea, and you don't want to run power to every drop. Buy a PoE injector. Your switch will just plug into this, and then the other side will have PoE on it. I have the following 6 port injector and it works great: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00FYEY6SY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

There are other cameras out there, some are better and with less issues around firmware / knockoffs, etc. Very few provide the same quality at the $130 price point. But if you don't want to mess about with that, there's always Axis and a few others that are great, but significantly more expensive.

This is a copy/paste from another thread about monitors:

We have a wifi home security camera (it's a Foscam, I will try to add the link on mobile) from Amazon that can be viewed on any mobile device with the app or from a web browser. I got it when my dog was a puppy so I could check on her from work. You can rotate the camera something like 270 degrees, it has two way audio (have to trigger to talk through it) and infrared for nighttime viewing. You can also snap screenshots or record video, and set it up to start recording if there's motion. I think it was like $70?

You have to log in with two passwords and it's not accessible outside our home wifi so my Army husband feels confident in the security. He may change it when we goes back to work from paternity leave so he can spy on baby from work, but we'll see.

We plan to mostly use an old iPhone with a docking station to view with, but i can use my phone, bigger iPad, or bigger still laptop screen if I want.

Edit: here's the new version of what we have!

Foscam FI9821PB Plug & Play 720p Wireless/Wired Pan/Tilt IP Indoor Security Camera with Night Vision, Motion Detection Alerts, Two-Way Audio and Remote Viewing (Black)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H3Q8QB4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Dq6Cyb8GA9DMK

Here's the deets...

Record player: Pro-ject Debut Carbon. Fantastic upgrade to the Debut line that is, IMO, well worth the extra $100. After having various record players in the past, I am happy with this one.

Pre-amp: TCC TC-750LC. For a low price magnetic pre-amp, I can't complain. Could it be better? Certainly... Would it cost a lot more? Definitely. For $50, I'd say this is one of the best buys you can get.

Speakers: Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Bookshelf speakers. Again, a great buy on the low end of price. I believe the set is around $150 retail, although you can probably snag them as low as $100. Nice range in sound, especially on the low end. I am using these as the 2.0 part of a 5.1 surround sound. When playing records, I only run through these speakers, as opposed to a 2.1 setup with my subwoofer. The sound is much cleaner that way.

Receiver: Sony STR-DH800. Nothing to note here. Just passed the sound to the speakers... I'd like to eventually get the record player onto it's own receiver, but my house isn't large enough to warrant a separate system.

Furniture: Ikea, Ikea, Ikea. Expedit, Expedit, Expedit. I have tweaked some of the pieces with some add-ons... But yea, the pictures are self-explanatory there.

Side note, I post some records from time to time on my Instagram account, @hopsandwax.

Thanks for the reply. I agree a PowerShell script would work perfectly for that scenario. I think the 5231 fits perfectly for what I'm looking for. Is this the model you are referring to? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B7K1P28/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_kEezCb3P7Q1N5

I have no experience with any other cameras (nor home automation). I bought one of these about 4 months ago - YI Home Cam and it's pretty awesome. It senses motion and sends an alert to my phone, then plays back a 6 second clip. It can also track motion. You can also aim/rotate the camera with the app. It also has really good night vision. Besides watching my front door, I sometimes set it up on my deck at night so I can check out the raccoons, possums and wild cats that visited my deck during the night.

Thank you for the clarification but your still not being specific. Anytime you are dealing with a dome cam, especially outdoors, you will always have IR feedback off of the dome itself. Alot of people will use a turret or eyeball cam instead of dome while still getting the same form factor and you will not get any IR feedback at all. You still are not clear on what type of application this will be placed on but I will assume its residential and I will assume your able to place a cam under a eve of the home. Most people who are using Dahuas love the starlight cams and the most reasonable is IPC-HDW5231R-ZE 2MP. Once again I dont know what setting the camera will be in or if you even have the need for a starlight cam but this vendor is the best for any Dahua product.
EmpireTech IP Camera IPC-HDW5231R-ZE 2MP Starlight WDR IR Eyeball Starlight Network IP Camera English Version https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B7K1P28/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_9oaECbNSCQ600

Home surveillance equipment has gotten very affordable recently. I installed a Belkin netcam wireless camera in my backyard for less than $100. It lets me monitor everything from my laptop tablet or phone. Just a tool to help you protect your stuff. Hope that helps.

edit: My buddy bought this one and he is happy with it.

The sensors on these are so small and the FOV so wide that what you ask is going to be unlikely. I have 4 megapixel security cams at home as well and still cannot make out license plates. The only camera I have that can resolve license plates is this one: https://www.amazon.com/Optical-Outdoor-Camera-Security-601-D20X/dp/B01HTYW2Q4/

This site kind of goes over what you can expect from various resolutions:

https://reolink.com/4k-security-cameras-top-things-to-consider/

​

To see plates, you need 4K or 8MP cameras.

​

This link gives you the math to determine what you should be able to see:

https://reolink.com/can-1080p-ip-security-cameras-identify-license-plate-and-people/

​

You would need to calculate the FOV determine what you should see.

The deal with these is the wide FOV. And it looks like we need the lens specifics and sensor size to convert the FOV to a ft. measurement. I wonder if even support knows any of that?

​

My Ring Pro can only see plates within a few feet. I actually could test this and see how far away I can get from it.

​

Another useful link: https://kintronics.com/calculating-can-see-ip-camera/

"First understand that the number of pixels per ft. (or per m) determines the detail we can see. The higher the resolution of the IP camera, the wider the area we can see at a specific pixel/ft. When there are enough pixels covering a person’s face, we can recognize the person. The lens allows us to frame our field of view. We can select a lens that allows us to see an area 10 ft. (3 m) away or a different lens that magnifies an area that’s over 10,000 ft. (3048 m) away.

​

The lens controls how wide our field of view will be. The wider our field of view the less pixels per ft (or meter) we will get."

Sure. Outdoors I have used their 3MP dome camera (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01E7QMFIM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_IfwEzbD27N7W7), indoors I have used their slightly cheaper rotating camera (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0145OQXCK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_7gwEzbVZHZ8CN). Note that the indoor model I chose doesn't run on POE, but you can run POE to it and then pick up a splitter that separates out the Ethernet and the power at the camera. It can go over WiFi...but I wouldn't recommend that.

I appreciate Amcrest's US tech support, and I've been running them for two years now without issue. They even go so far as to claim Blue Iris support. There's definitely other options, but they're a sound option.

I haven't tried their outdoor bullet cameras, but I'd assume they are solid as well.

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.

I have a DS415+ with 4 X 6tb WD Reds (18tb total in SHR). I use it as:

• Plex server - I have 4 users I share with accross the country (no transcoding although it can handle 1-2)
  
• Surveillance - I have 2 X Amcrest 1080p cameras that record when motion detected and are wireless. Keep in mind that you get two free licenses per Synology unit. Any more and it will cost you a license per camera
  
• Storage - Two users primarily and access both locally and over the net multiple times a day (through the DS apps). Photos/videos/documents/etc.
  
• Cloudsync - synced with OneDrive
  
• VPN server - not running all the time but I do use it several times a week
  
  I did upgrade the memory to 8gb following this. I purchased the DS415+ a year ago coming from a DS213j that could not handle all of this simultaneously. I have been very happy with the setup and would purchase again in a heartbeat.

If you are willing to go POE these are great for the price and do audio:

Reolink PoE IP Camera Outdoor 5MP... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FQ2T89L?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

The night vision works great for me and they should be clear enough for CV or AI for the detection.

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

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/

Used an amcrest for a while. It’s a kitchen sink and works pretty well. I ditched it because personally I couldn’t stand the app and wanted something that would integrate with HomeKit. If you don’t care about either of these you’ll probably like it fine. This is the one I used: Amcrest IP2M-841 ProHD 1080P (1920TVL) Wireless WiFi IP Camera, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0145OQTPG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_RXdhAb3SV32V0

My brother uses foscam cameras with an app called tiny cam. He has several cameras in play areas and bedrooms. He bought me a wyze pan camera and I set it up tonight. It's very responsive with its own app and tiny cam app. He wanted me to try it because it's only $37. Our first baby arrives beginning of October.

I know this may not be exactly what you need, but the ability to access your cameras at work these apps and camera will do it with the monitoring and motion/sound alerts. I don't know if owlet works remotely (the sock monitor)

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_apa_yRELBbZRNZ63X

I live in an apartment as well and was unsure about how to add things to make the place more secure while not breaching anything in the lease.

• First thing I decided on was the Skylink SC1000. It's completely wireless except for the main panel, and everything goes up with Double Sided foam tape. You can add sensors on, add an additional siren (I have a second one in my bedroom window cutout so I hear it in the middle of the night, and its also audible outside for passerby's to hear). I also have a second panel in the bedroom for arming/unarming. It also has "home" and "away" modes so you can set a 0 second delay on the siren and not include motion detectors when home or locking up for the night. Super affordable and very easy to install and use. They also offer a remote dialer but check with your local 911 PSAP to see if they are ok for use. (in my area they are not, but the dialer calls a relative). I've given the code to my landlord although with 24 hours notice required for non-emergency 'drop-ins', it hasn't been needed.
  
  
• Number 2: I spoke to the landlord and changed the locks and upgraded to a Schlage deadbolt and knob. You know they aren't changing the locks when people move out so there is no telling who has a key still. I just had to give one to my landlord. Schlage also gives you the tool to 're-key' a lock if you key should become lost.
  
  
• Number 3: I put a Brinks outdoor locking lever on my bedroom door. I wanted to ensure a safe place to retreat in the event of a home invasion and I sleep sounder knowing the door is locked and there's a barrier creating a delay between the alarm sounding and someone being in my face.
  
  
• Number 4: A relatively inexpensive IP Camera with Pan/Tilt/Zoom in the living room that covers the bedroom door and main door depending on angle, and another inside my living room window pointed at the walk up for the building.
  
  The last thing that is still on my wish list is a Peephole camera. For now I just throw a hat over the peephole to keep the light from showing whether i'm home or not or if my face just got right against the door.
  
  
  My last piece of advice is that if there is a landline phone, call your 911 center's non-emergency line and ask to test the information received by their system when 911 is dialed. With VOIP, the information could be totally wrong and even misdirected to the incorrect agency. If cell phones are the only thing in use at the house, make sure the cell phone company has the correct address on file. If a cell phone calls 911 and it sounds like there is an obvious emergency (eg: someone screaming) but the person on the line is unable to give clear information or an address, they can contact the cell provider and get a billing address. If the bill is sent elsewhere, an alternative address can usually be added to the account.

I got this wifi cam. Yeah I had tested the second cam with cat5 and it worked fine. When I moved it into place, the 720p couldn't hold up over wifi. But I couldn't even get it to connect at any resolution. So I just figured I'd rather have cat5 there anyway as it's a media PC to stream to anyway. I am very impressed with iSpy for setting up a floor plan and positioning the cams. Great program.

For the money this camera is really great. You can pan and tilt the camera and the night vision works really well. The app for the camera support iOS, Mac OS, Windows and Android.
https://www.amazon.com/YI-Wireless-Security-Surveillance-Monitor/dp/B01CW4BG4K/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1521572782&sr=8-3&keywords=yi+home+camera

Then you want the Wyze Pan.

I've got 4 Wyze cameras and they are pretty amazing for such an inexpensive device. The devs are also active on /r/wyzecam. They just posted a video today as it's their 1 year anniversary as a company.

And to clarify OPs mention of 14 days of cloud storage. It does not store 24/7 recordings. When motion is detected, it will record 12 seconds of video and store that to the cloud for 14 days. It also has a 5 minute cool down between the cloud recordings. It's not perfect but it's free.

We got this one: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CW4BN5M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Kid's still got a few weeks in the hole, but we have used it to successfully monitor the dog while we're gone and it works well. We paid $80, but looks like it is $75 now.

First pick up one of these Wyze Cam Pans. They work great and actively turn to watch motion.

Wyze Cam Pan 1080p Pan/Tilt/Zoom Wi-Fi Indoor Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DGR98VQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_aQlnDbVAC42DP

Then you can also get one of these to hide it and mount it outside.

Wyze Cam Pan Protective Case with Wall Mount Bracket, Weather Proof Adjustable for Indoor and Outdoor Anti-Sun Glare and UV Protection Very Easy to Install (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07GCYF2T8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_rRlnDb3D7RDDZ

At least you'll have a notification when motion is detected at your front door.

Next thing, get an alarm system so if they break in it informs the cops who are right down the road.

Thanks for all the replies here, after reading reviews of the suggested cams and going down the Amazon rabbit hole I think I'm going to try the Amcrest HDSeries (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017L1JOX4). Will report back with how it works - it appears to be everything I want plus some and the reviews look stellar.

I almost went with the Foscam, but lots of reviews stating the latest firmware update causes issues with the motion sensing. That simply won't do.

Also, SanDisk SD cards on sale on Amazon today. Great timing, me.

My husband set up one of these
https://www.amazon.com/YI-Camera-Wireless-Security-Surveillance/dp/B01CW4BN5M/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1495234293&sr=8-7&keywords=yi+home
They have an app you can download to watch. When you're home it's best to turn the camera off as it takes up a good amount of bandwidth. I now use it to tell my dog to get off the couch. :)

I don't know how I feel about spying on grandma, but internet enabled security cameras seem like the way to go. They're just the easiest to remotely manage and setup:

https://www.amazon.com/Amcrest-ProHD-Wireless-Security-Camera/dp/B0145OQXCK

I do use an app! Here is the camera I have. It's a little spotty at times if it's not connected with an ethernet cord and it doesn't work if the internet goes out obviously, but it's been excellent for the price and for just everyday peace of mind. If you put in an SD card you can even look back at the last couple of days (to check if he ate something weird, etc.).

Thanks, pal. I'm running a TCC MM Preamp that I've been using for a decade now. I'm not unhappy with my setup, I just tried out the Grados on a hi-setup in the store and have never heard drums punch like that. I figured that the preamp is the weak link in my chain right now.

I was hoping to have something that wouldn't rely on the receiver to sound good. Perhaps this is an unnecessary concern? I'd probably be fine using the receiver.

In addition to a baby monitor, I would suggest a security camera for the baby room. Anything from a Nest, or aFoscam...whichever you choose, make sure it's wired Ethernet (best connection), it's 720p or higher resolution, and change the default passwords (VERY important). Connect to your phone, and you're good to go :)

I got this one
https://www.amazon.com/LeFun-Wireless-Surveillance-Recording-Infrared/dp/B00W9B1GT2
I love it. And later we can use it for security or nanny cam etc. Easy to use and I have it connected to our phones, tablet, my kindle.

I got this to make sure the dog sitter didn't try to enter my locked office while on vacation. It has card storage, night vision, motion alerts, and cloud storage is optional. Just buy a cheap battery backup surge protector, and that covers most if not all of your needs. Good luck!

this.

I have an IP cam and a basic audio monitor.

audio monitor lets us or anyone watching the baby listen from a distance(ex downstairs or out on the deck). Also easy to pack up and travel with for vacation. must have. even if baby is in the next room the amplification helps wake you when you are tired. I have this one

IP cam lets us check in on the little one to see if we do need to go into the room to help. Also useful to monitor them to see when they do finally settle down to sleep. Let's the grandparents check in on baby remotely as well. I have this one in the corner of the ceiling. I have one admin account for me, then a guest account for the wife and grandparents. I will be looking into rolling my own solution for viewing the live feed soon, but their app works good.

A video baby monitor is an all in one solution. I passed because each unit I looked at seemed to lack something. Plus that was another device to keep track of and keep charged. I can use any device to view the feed from an IP cam. IP cam will not become obsolete once the baby grows up either.


edit- I use an old android phone as a white noise machine for baby, if you plan on going that route.

I'm a noob as well learning so take what I say accordingly. the best cams for value/quality/night performance are the
https://www.amazon.com/EmpireTech-IPC-HDW5231R-ZE-Starlight-Eyeball-Network/dp/B07B7K1P28

motion flood lights and security cams normally don't play nicely because the camera has to compensate for the suddenly much brighter conditions, which takes it a second to auto focus/change settings , and you can miss important stuff when that happens.

seems most people keep ambient always on lights and/or IR illuminators.

check ipcamtalk for lot more info. Google the model # + ipcamtalk.

We got a nest for our shower. It was recommended by my brother in law who said he really liked being able to see whether their son's cries were true distress or just cringing. My husband and I were going to splurge on the owlet as well, but after reading some reviews online, I was convinced that the technology isn't quite where it needs to be for it to be truly helpful.... we'll see, I may change my mind on that.

Our Motorola video couldn't even handle being across the house (we have a one story ranch) so I found out this VTech audio only has some of the best reception through walls. You could do something like a nest camera as well instead

I'm all for what this project involves (mcu, spi camera, jpeg encoding, spi wifi, smtp, logging, battery & conservation, etc) but by the time you integrate it all you'll have spent over $150 and all your koi will be gone.

amcrest makes an amazing camera that does all this reliably (sans battery), and also costs less than you'd spend on a DIY solution.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B017L1JOX4/

We don't currently have a recommendation for IP cams that record locally. It's a pretty niche and complicated market compared to set-and-forget stuff like Dropcam, and far fewer people are interested in it. And most network cameras have much worse image quality than the Dropcam.

That said, I'd like to cover it eventually. This Foscam has good reviews and works with Synology NAS, though the viewing angle and image quality aren't as good as the Dropcam's.

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:)

This camera:
https://www.amazon.com/Foscam-FI9821PB-Wireless-Security-Detection/dp/B00H3Q8QB4/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1484077536&sr=1-5&keywords=foscam

and this instructional set:

http://foscam.us/forum/how-to-use-rtsp-and-https-for-hd-cameras-t4926.html


This is a great camera with awesome low light IR vision.

I think the monitor I linked to can handle multiple cams pretty easily. But I only have one atm so haven't tested that. Might be worth checking out. But then again, IP cams like those from Amcrest/Foscam/Hikvision would probably be cheaper. https://smile.amazon.com/Amcrest-1920TVL-Security-Wireless-IP2M-841B/dp/B0145OQTPG is an example of what i'm talking about.

When I was pregnant with my son, we got a Nest Cam: Nest Cam Indoor security camera https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00WBJGUA2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_6Ps7yb5SV0CD7
He is almost 2 (expecting my second, 22 weeks currently) and we still use it all the time- nice because you can install the app on your phone or tablet or check on your computer. Sometimes I creep on him when I am out past bed time. It is great- we can zoom in and out, it has night mode, and even a speaker/mike option so you can talk through the camera- freaks him out when he is climbint out of his crib and he hears me talking to him without seeing me.

If you're really concerned about it buy this:

Foscam FI9821PB Plug & Play 720p Wireless/Wired Pan/Tilt IP Indoor Security Camera with Night Vision, Motion Detection Alerts, Two-Way Audio and Remot https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H3Q8QB4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_6Jy9bLTwigjLT

Set it to alert on motion and put it at the top of the stairs. Boom, done.

Can get wyze camera for 40 they work great for this. Spy on my 2 dogs all day long.

Wyze Cam Pan 1080p Pan/Tilt/Zoom Wi-Fi Indoor Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DGR98VQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_cnakDbARTDJTN

I have 3 of these up: Link using the Hikvision 7608 NVR. Great setup and the picture is fantastic.

1. Unifi G3 dome: https://smile.amazon.com/Ubiquiti-UVC-G3-DOME-Wide-Angle-Network-Infrared/dp/B01D2OOODY/ Using BlueIris for the NVR.
   
   
2. Datavac duster: https://smile.amazon.com/Metro-ED500-DataVac-500-Watt-Electric/dp/B001J4ZOAW/ Little loud (as you can tell) but works great and no more buying canned air! I even use it to blow out the window fans and clean cottonwood seeds off the screens.

An affordable solution that works fine:

Foscam FI9821P HD 720P WiFi Security IP Camera with iOS/Android App, Pan, Tilt, Zoom, Two-Way Audio, Night Vision up to 26ft, and More (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H3Q8QB4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_s.zSzb9D8WZRS


There are better, more expensive but this will work.

If you call them they'll set up the computer side for you.


If you want an easier/more expensive/better solution:

https://www.arlo.com/en-us/

I have used a Reolink camera for over a year now without any issues, connected outdoor via POE. They have a free app, and also you can use their client software running on a local PC in order to record by motion or schedule. Or you can use an open source program like iSpy. It's working out well. They're cheap on Amazon too.

https://www.amazon.com/Reolink-Security-Megapixels-2560x1440-Detection/dp/B01B4BKJOK/ref=lp_12589763011_1_3?srs=12589763011&ie=UTF8&qid=1504273907&sr=8-3

For all the people asking which camera they should get, after buying a bunch of different cameras for my house I'm probably the happiest with this one:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0145OQTPG/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Great quality picture and sound, two way audio, works with my iSpy setup. I actually have it in my kitchen now because I can swivel it one way and watch my door and swivel it the other way and watch things on the stove cooking with a decent amount of detail. Plus with the two way sound I can talk to anyone else who might be cooking.

My only complaint is that to use it in Chrome you need to install their Chrome app, which looks no different from going to it over the IP except that it actually shows the video. I only go in there for configuration though as IP Cam Viewer Pro/Basic see the video fine and do PVZ fine.

I have a [Foscam] (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H3Q8QB4/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_cH44wb4CSNS0K) wifi camera. You can view video over the internet, and set it up to alert you (via email) if it detects motion. You can even rotate the camera from your phone over the internet to look around. You can set up when to record video, and where to store it (onboard sd card, or network storage. It's pretty neat, tons of features for the price.

I have 4 foscam wireless IP cameras in my place. 2 outdoor, 2 indoor. You hook them up to your home network, forward the ports, change the authentication, and you can view them from anywhere in the world. Set them up to take photos when they detect motion, and even create a schedule for when you're normally around, so they don't just snap dozens of pics of you wandering around aimlessly. You can upload those photos to the local machine, dropbox, FTP, or have them emailed. I set up all mine, mounted and everything, in a weekend. Now I get an email and a pic gets saved on dropbox anytime anything moves when I'm not around. Bonus points for knowing when my packages arrive. Love them.

$3895 is a lot too much.

I would go with the 2MP Starlights. These (x6 = 1061.94) are what I would recommend. The seller is extremely reputable, and I've bought a significant amount from him over the years.

I would go with this NVR, with a large WD Purple hard drive. $500-520 Go with the 16 channel, as you can always add more cameras, and not need to get a new NVR.

You can get a 8 Port POE switch for around $160.

I'd go with a bigger screen, 32" minimum.

As long as the camera supports ONVIF and the NAS supports it, then you should have no issue with having the NAS record.

Most of the cheap cameras only support cloud recording because that's how they make their money off of you.

EDIT: Forgot to do provide a recommendation, if you want an indoor cam, something like this would work: https://smile.amazon.com/Amcrest-1920TVL-Security-Wireless-IP2M-841B/dp/B0145OQTPG/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=ip+camera&qid=1558804116&s=gateway&sr=8-5

https://www.amazon.com/LeFun-Wireless-Monitor-Surveillance-Recording/dp/B00W9B1GT2/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1485890242&sr=8-9&keywords=video+baby+monitor+phone

This is what I have and I love it! I can talk through it and I like to use it when my baby is sleeping and I am at work so I can see him some during the day. You can hook up as many as you want. It works with Andriod or Apple phones.

I don't know your situation. But you can buy something like this.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CW4BG4K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_pSuUCbC53MKHX


Then if you have it set an old smart phone to never turn the screen off. Then keep it plugged in with the camera app open. If not use your own phone to check it as needed.

I'm sure Amazon Canada or some other store has something similar

I bought this yesterdya and i'm returning it. It does NOT remote pan or tilt, which makes it pretty useless. I bought this one instead. Sane good quality camera, also has 2-way talk AND can remotely pan. It does ther same cloud storage and it's video quality is the same.

The big thing about the Circle is that it's chargeable and portable. But most of the time it's going to stay in one place anyways and you can just unplug and plug it back into another outlet. Not really worth the extra 70 bucks to me.

PLUS, you can't view the Circle on a mac. it is only smart devices like tablets or phones. Lame....

I have an IP cam sitting infront of my tanks so I can watch them when I leave, that's how I'm able to count and make sure they're all good. :)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0145OQTPG/ref=sxts_kp_bs_lp_1?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=8778bc68-27e7-403f-8460-de48b6e788fb&pd_rd_wg=21B1o&pf_rd_r=12GS5PW18PBW9ABXCZSV&pf_rd_s=desktop-sx-top-slot&pf_rd_t=301&pd_rd_i=B0145OQTPG&pd_rd_w=u0VUM&pf_rd_i=amcrest&pd_rd_r=ab67158b-001c-48ca-ad6b-e3b762f8f7e6&ie=UTF8&qid=1542416904&sr=1

I've used these and they are pretty amazing for the price.

Yeah for sure.

Rackmount

Ubiquiti POE Switch

Unifi Security Gateway

Unifi Cloud Key Gen 2 Plus + NVR

Unifi G3 Pros

Unifi G3 Dome

Unifi AC LR

Unifi AC Lite

TP Link 5-Port Switch

Monoprice CAT6 1000ft

Cable Matter Blank 24 port Patch Cable

Nest Thermostat

Nest Doorbell

Nest Indoor Cam

Nest Sensors

Casetta Dimmers

Phillips Hue Starter Kit

Google Home Hub

Google Home Mini

Google Home

Chromecast Audio and Ultras (not pictured)

Labeler

I use a nanny cam. I'm not remotely sorry about it. And I'm not thrilled with my current walker who was a fast replacement for the awful company experience I had prior. Good help is hard to find! If it helps, I bought this camera and it works like a dream. I downloaded the program on my work computer and leave it open all day. It'll send me email blasts when it detects movement.

We use a Foscam 9821 as our camera, and the Baby Monitor app from Tiny Solutions to watch via our iOS devices. It's particularly great because you can set a squelch level, where it will silence the audio until the baby starts crying, at which point it alarms and wakes us from the minutes of sweet, sweet sleep we've been hoarding. WE WILL CONQUER THE BABY WITH TECHNOLOGY.

install an inexpensiveish Hikvision camera

plug it into your power outlet (probably secure this in a steel box)

if you have line of site from the neighborhood entrance to your house or the community office then install a pair of these to create a wireless bridge (like an invisible ethernet line up to a half mile distance. you can now monitor the camera as often as you want from just entering its ip address. let me know if this is a route your interested in and I can provide more info if needed

This isn't the most amazing camera, but it's pretty cool. Check it out:

http://www.amazon.com/TENVIS-Wireless-Surveillance-Microphone-monitoring/dp/B006I0KL6Y/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1376199816&sr=8-3&keywords=Night+Vision+HD+WIreless+Camera

Amcrest ProHD 1080P WiFi Wireless IP Security Camera - 1080P (1920TVL), IP2M-841 (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0145OQTPG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_5mCLwb88J7KNV

I bought this a few weeks ago and it is absolutely great.

As others have stated, don't worry too much, filter should just run dry and hopefully shut off.

I would highly suggest grabbing a cheap Wi-Fi camera to set up though. I keep one in my fish room for peace of mind. I will link the one I have below.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B071DDBT7M?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title

If you are comfortable doing a little tinkering I'd recommend checking out your local Craigslist (or eBay). Any used turntable you get would benefit from, or require, a new needle and/or cartridge. On the lowest end you'd want to go it'll be around $30. If it's belt-driven it may also need a new belt depending on how old or abused it was. Those are only about $10-20 so it's not a huge investment if needed. I'd even recommend just getting a new one anyway.

Craigslist would be a good place to get a receiver as well. Check out all of the inputs and outputs if you can, there's a lot that can go wrong and you wouldn't want to be left with a receiver that only has three working speaker outputs. Another option is an integrated amplifier. If you really don't want to go used there's this on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/A1-2x14W-Class-D-Digital-Amplifier/dp/B004FSXON8/ref=sr_1_22?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1382558045&sr=1-22&keywords=integrated+amplifier[1] It seems to get decent reviews and would be great if space is a concern.

If your turntable and receiver don't have an internal preamp or phono out you'll need an external one. My old receiver died and my new one didn't have a phono out so I recently bought this one to hold me over for a few years: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000A36XZS/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1[2] I really recommend it and you wouldn't want to get one that was any cheaper than that.

Buying new, the you can't really beat the two links above as far as price and size go. You'll be able to buy something better used if you are willing to do some digging and risk the potential of it being secretly abused if the seller is sketchy.

How many eye level outlets do you have and how many times have people stolen your charging bricks? If you want a cheap security camera the RasPi security camera kits are pretty cheap, especially if you buy knockoff cameras from aliexpress.
You could also just buy a cheap motion controlled WiFi camera like this. Then you don’t have to plug in an SD card to watch video.

I highly recommend the Amcrest one that I have. I'm not a huge fan of their UI but the refresh rate and video are excellent.

Not sure if it’s allowed to post the link, but it’s on amazon.

Here is the listing: YI Dome Camera 1080p HD Pan / Tilt / Zoom Wireless IP Security Surveillance System with Night Vision, Remote Monitor with iOS, Android App - Cloud Service Available (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CW4BN5M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_ssKXAbD168MQS

The ones I have are fixed position not PTZ

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FQ2T89L/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_lujQDbDT183MC

I would say the latency isn't bad, but it isn't great. I think that's mostly on HA though, using something like IP can viewer on android I don't notice it.

I never had any issues with connectivity. I am also using a Synology to record on both cameras 24/7

I use a Wyze camera, it pans/tilts, has a night mode, has removable storage, and is a nice quality at that price point.


Also, bonus - Some clips to showcase the quality. The room I have mine mounted in is a large living room (approx. 16 ft by 12ft)


Eating Paint

Night Camera Binky

This is the one we bought. As long as you set your WiFi passwords to something secure, and make the password on the camera secure also it won't be a problem. People don't just drive around spending their time "hacking" into baby monitors. It's when settings are left default or unsecured that it's easy to mess with people.

Baby Monitor, LeFun™ Wireless WiFi IP Surveillance Camera HD 720P Nanny Cam Video Recording Play/Plug Pan Tilt Remote Motion Detect Alert with Two-Way Audio and Night Vision https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00W9B1GT2/ref=cm_sw_r_other_awd_vAWNwbTK239Y7

I have this nanny cam. You can set parameters for when it records, it has night vision, you can control it from your phone and move around to see the whole room, and it has a 2 way speaker on it so you can actually talk to your dogs or just listen in on what they're doing. I love it and it's relatively cheap too. Oh and it's wifi enabled so you can move it around your house, you don't have to have confined to one specific area of the house.

I actually use the Wyze panning camera for my 2 bedroom apartment. They're a little over $30 each, I set up 3 of them, 1 is designated to face a window with a fire escape, and the other 2 are to watch my dog while we're out work. Since they pan, it makes it easy for me to turn the cameras and look for him if needed. Here are two pictures I took to show you the quality. I really like the camera so far. I have a micro SD card in them so I have continuous playback.

• https://imgur.com/a/kgcibas
  
  Also, just to be safe, I got these window locks for my windows. I didn't like the bars in case there is an emergency and we need to get out quickly. Bought these off Amazon and tested them, seems very sturdy right now.
  
  Let me know if you have any questions!

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

FWIW:

​

One of the users on here had recommended Dahua 5231 which I bought from "Empire Andy" (he's popular on IPCamTalk forum) which has 1-way audio - like you, I'm still looking for that "perfect" 2-way audio to use with Blue Iris.

​

Initially, I bought a single 5231 to replace Nest in my garage, and it's been perfect, so I just bought another to replace Ring's subscription on my porch (I'll still use Ring for "calls" and 2-way like what you're trying to accomplish,) but going to just record locally until I can find similar to what you're trying to find.

Some of the newer Foscam wireless IP cameras are good for this. I have several around the house, and there's also software called Blue Iris that lets you view multiple cameras simultaneously, take control of a specific one, etc. Read the reviews (and check out Foscam's support forum carefully, though; they've had quality control issues with some of their newly-released models in the past (one example, this problem I and others had with their FI9821 model.

Posted once before:

• $35 PoE switch - https://www.amazon.com/BV-Tech-Switch-Ethernet-Uplink-Function/dp/B075G2PM17/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1535259448&sr=1-5&keywords=poe+switch
  
  
• (2) $175 Dahua 5231 ZE 2MP Starlight Turret camera - https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B07B7K1P28/ref=dp_olp_0?ie=UTF8&condition=all&qid=1535259602&sr=8-1
  
  
• $60 Blue Iris - http://blueirissoftware.com/purchase/
  
  

• $10 Blue Iris Mobile App - iOS - https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/blue-iris/id585350145
  
• $10 Blue Iris Mobile App - Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.blueirissoftware.blueiris&hl=en
  
  

• $380 Dell OptiPlex 7040 from eBay - https://www.ebay.com/itm/Dell-OptiPlex-7040-Desktop-Intel-6th-Gen-i5-6500-1TB-HDD-8GB-RAM-Windows-7-Pro/223117631628?hash=item33f2d8e08c:g:YEAAAOSwfZta91xQ
  

• Don't need graphics card, just use Intel HW acceleration
  
  

• $118 Western Digital Purple 4TB Surveillance HDD - https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822231535&cm_re=surveillance_hard_drive-_-22-231-535-_-Product
  
  
• $230 Bulk Cat6 Solid Ethernet Bulk Cable - https://www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=102&cp_id=10234&cs_id=1023403&p_id=9482&seq=1&format=2
  
  Total = $1,183
  
  You can either get more cameras, save some money, or spend the rest on misc installation stuff.
  
  
  
  
  

Honestly, it would just be easier not to invite people into your home that you don't trust. To me the safety of my family and personal belongings are more important than dealing with people who have a history of violence, stealing, and sexual assault. I just don't invite them over. Hell, there are a few family members I've told that they are never welcome.

But, that's just me. To answer the actual question:

If you are good with computers you can put a solution together yourself.

For example you could pick up a bunch of Foscam wireless cameras (e.g.
480p,
720p,
960p
) and Blue Iris and use a computer to do the video recording.

If you go down this route do your homework first:

1. Make sure the cameras you buy are supported by Blue Iris
   
2. Use a computer that has a fast enough processor, has plenty of free disk space, and can be on all of the time
   
3. If you need indoor and outdoor surveillance make sure you verify the cameras support it. The examples I provided are indoor only.

Like this one. Only $40.

YI Dome Camera Pan/Tilt/Zoom Wireless IP Security Surveillance System 720p HD Night Vision (US Edition) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CW4BG4K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_Ee3D6AV5cUK3j

For a video monitor, I got a cheap-ass security camera that I can access from my phone. Haven't tried i with the baby, because she is still sleeping in our room, but the night vision can clearly see someone walking through the door with no lights available anywhere. It also has audio and talkback. I don't trust WiFi, so the LAN cable access was a huge plus.

Get a Foscam. it records to the sd card, so you don't need a stand alone computer or dvr.

Also, get a driveway motion detector so you know when they are coming.. now you can close the garage on them and also get video evidence.

But the real problem is the father that needs to have some respect and change his ways. But perhaps they are not stealing it when you think they are,.. you're kid could have left the bike out front. That's why it's good to have a record of motion activated events.

Since our family room is at the back of the house, yes! I use the PTZ quite often. It's on a corner mount, on the garage, about 14 feet up, out front. It covers quite well, and is very noticeable to others (which I like). One day, I could hear what turned out to be a pickup truck idling in front of my house, but off to the side, which made no sense. I tapped the PTZ preset for that position. As soon as I did, he sped off. It records 24/7 to a Synology NAS. Mine is this one, without the audio feature:

SUNBA 601-D20X IP PoE+ High Speed PTZ Outdoor Security Camera, 20x Optical Zoom HD 1080P ONVIF with Audio and Night Vision up to 800ft https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HTYW2Q4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_gmSZzb0SC2JH0

I'm also interested in this subject, I went with these myself https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FQ2T89L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

​

Couldn't find anything better after searching multiple subs. I use to be in surveillance of a casino, we would use stationary cameras and rotating cameras. You want the stationary cameras so you for sure get everything recorded while you can still use the rotating cameras and not miss anything.

I found this camera on B&H that seems to fit all of your criteria, except it's 170 per dome. It's hard to find a PTZ dome that is less than 150 dollars unless it's for indoor use.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1320810-REG/speco_technologies_o2p4x_2mp_4x_indoor_outdoor_ip.html

You can try searching on Alibaba or Amazon for something, but quality isn't guaranteed. For instance, this PTZ dome is only 100 dollars, but the reviews are scarce and iffy.

Here's a non-PTZ dome I would recommend.

Hikvision 4MP DS-2CD2142FWD-I HD WDR IP Network Dome 2.8mm Lens

We bought this a couple of months ago and absolutely love it:
http://www.amazon.com/Amcrest-IP2M-841-1920TVL-Security-Camera/dp/B0145OQTPG

Amcrest (formerly FOSCAM). Probably your best bang for your buck for indoor cameras with no monthly fees.

Amcrest IP2M-841 ProHD 1080P (1920TVL) WiFi IP Security Camera, Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0145OQTPG/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_QHXHxbZKM388M

I'm concerned as to why an Amazon product with known fake/incentivized reviews basically scores a perfect on ReviewMeta.com and a "D" on FakeSpot.com.

Link to product

Link to ReviewMeta

Link to FakeSpot

My wife and I went the IP camera route. It's basically a security cam that hooks up to your wifi and you can access it through an app on your phone. The image quality is much better. Amazon link

There're lots of them on amazon and ebay. I found [this] (https://www.amazon.com/Reolink-Security-Megapixels-2560x1440-Detection/dp/B01B4BKJOK/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1521864422&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=poe+camera&psc=1) on amazon. Hope that's what you need.

This is the one I have: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071DDBT7M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
It is inexpensive, works well and was very easy to set up. You can also talk to them through the camera and the app.

I struggled wirh this one... I got so overwhelmed I turned to my bro, who is the resident tech expert and he suggested this. It's not specifically a baby monitor, but it has all the same features and will be useful for other things later on. It seems so much more practical to me because it is not marketed for the purpose of being for a baby, so you aren't limited to the monoitr screen that is paired with a specific monitor and it works off of your wifi - you can also get mobile notifications when out of the house (to check on baby with hubby or a sitter when they are older) AND the voice feature works from the app on your phone!!

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.

Amcrest isn't foscam. Foscam US was reselling Foscam in the US till Foscam decided to do it themselves. So after Foscam US built up the brand, they got booted. Foscam US then started Amcrest.

I've owned about 6 Foscams, dating back about 6 years ago. I now own 5 Amcrest cameras, 3 different models, and they are better than Foscam of the past.

edit: for op, besides the one you linked, I also own these:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LZHOILC/ ... really nice wide angle of view, and the camera is cheap. Zero issues with 2 of these units so far, and they come with a magnetic base, so you can mount it on the wall or upside down.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HZZW3IE/ ... outdoor unit, I use it indoors, but for areas that have heat or humidity (like a garage). Its also been working flawlessly so far.

I have these. Really like them.

Reolink PoE IP Camera Outdoor 5MP Video Surveillance Home Security w/SD Card Slot RLC-420-5MP https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FQ2T89L/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_jSq.BbGGCTWS9

Totally doable. But first, have you thought about the logistics of an EXTERNAL camera (because if you need weather resistantce, presumably it's outdoors)? How are you running power to it? How are you connecting it to a network?

That said, you basically have 2 options:

1. You can buy a standalone device like a Nest Cam and an enclosure, and pay a monthly fee for video recording.
   
   
2. You can buy a cheaper outdoor IP camera, connect it to an "always on" PC or server and use software like ispyconnect to upload video to Google Drive.
   
   1 is probably more expensive in the long run, 2 is much more complex to set up, and requires an "always on" server.

+1 for Foscam

I have one of these and it works great. Motion sensing, will record and/or send you a snapshot via email.

Great resolution, and it's this one...

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00H3Q8QB4/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_W6wzxb0MMDPN3

And it's actually now only 60, so even better. There's a guy on YouTube who does reviews of all their cameras, you can check out their capabilities (awkwardhamster)

It’s the below camera, which just happens to be on lightning deal on Amazon for another hour. Not an affiliate link...

Amcrest 1080P WiFi Security Camera 2MP (1920TVL) Indoor Pan/Tilt Wireless IP Camera, Home Video Surveillance System with IR Night Vision, Two-Way Talk for Pet, Nanny Cam Baby Monitor IP2M-841W (White) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0145OQXCK/

40 dollars on amazon will get you what you need. Look for TENVIS HD IP Camera - Wireless IP Camera with Two-way Audio, Night Vision Camera, 2.4GHz & 720P Camera for Pet Baby Monitor, Home Security Camera Motion Detection Indoor Camera with Micro SD Card Slot https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071DDBT7M?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

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.

We bought this for my daughter to watch her dogs and she loves it:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DGR98VQ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Totally agree!

I'm used to using Dropcam (we call it KittyCam) for when we were out of town (800 miles away) to check in on our kitties. For a baby monitor I think the Nest (~$170) is what we're going for - the wifi option is definitely a major must-have. Plus eventually can be used for security whereas a baby cam will have limited usage once no longer needed.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA0U00R37239

http://www.amazon.com/TENVIS-JPT3815W-Surveillance-Microphone-monitoring/dp/B006I0KL6Y

Cheaper than a Pi/Cam setup. I own one, plan to buy another. I use it for my 20 month old Daughters room. Pan & Tilt lets me see every corner of her room. Took me 10 minutes to setup and that included mounting it on the wall. Works on any system (iOS, Android, but for Linux, OSX and Windows, its web based). Built in WiFi, but I prefer to hardwired it. Port forwarding lets me check in when im at work.

The only real benefit to the Pi/Cam setup is its higher resolution, which is far cheaper than current 1080p CCTVs.

Get some cameras if you don't have them already. I recommend the Nest Cameras for ease of use/quality.

This is the one I got, I'm very happy with it.

We just got this reasonably priced (under $40) camera to watch our pup when we're not home (so we can compare her behavior pre and post new rescue). It seems like you can only watch from your phone, but it serves its purpose and has a good range of view. Also, we only got the 720p version b/c it's not like I'm trying to make out the details of an intruder's face, rather I'm just trying to see where my dog spends her time and what she does while we're away.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01CW4BG4K/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You don't specify what or where you are trying to monitor (indoor, outdoor, in the rain, available power). But there are plenty of cameras that do what you do ask for.

If the camera follows the ONVIF standard, it can be captured by one of many IPCamera Apps that can pick up the stream. If you are in the Androidverse, I recommend this. I am sure there are similar Apple products. I have this app running on my Nvidia Shield, and if I'm watching the boobtoob, a couple button presses, and all 8 of my cameras are displayed on my TV.


Here are a few ONVIF cameras (just as an example).

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0145OQTPG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_dp_T1_Ro1DzbPHDFZFE

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01M0SN42N/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_dp_T1_mp1Dzb7PCXTSB

http://www.amazon.com/Amcrest-ProHD-Wireless-Security-Camera/dp/B0145OQTPG

Excellent cam and system

Still up when I searched for it.

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_0lajDbYX3AVHY

This model is a little more expensive and you get PTZ(Pan, Tilt and Zoom)

Wyze Cam Pan 1080p Pan/Tilt/Zoom Wi-Fi Indoor Smart Home Camera with Night Vision, 2-Way Audio, Person Detection, Works with Alexa & the Google Assistant https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DGR98VQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_8z4oDbF12ZQKS

It’s less then $40.

42" - Here is the exact x-pen I got off Amazon. It's very heavy, but you can tell it's high quality. Looks like it went down in price too ($70 now).

Here is the wireless internet webcam I bought You have to be a little tech savvy to set it up, but it has really come in handy sometimes.

I have a Foscam FI9821W V2 that I monitor with TinyCamMonitor Pro on my phone and Blue Iris on my desktop.

The camera is mounted with Command strips above my son's crib and only accessible from the LAN, no outside connections. The app supports background audio and has widgets for quick viewing and access. Blue Iris also has an audio option that I use when I'm at my computer in the evenings after my son has gone to sleep.

Feel free to ask any questions about it that I may not have covered.

Unfortunately I can't give you a specific product, but what might work for you is an IP camera. Do a quick search on Amazon and see if that's what you're looking for. Something like this seems to have most of the features you mentioned.

I bought a bunch of these: REOLINK PoE IP Camera Outdoor 5MP HD Video Surveillance Work with Google Assistant, Audio IR Night Vision Motion Detection SD Card Slot RLC-420-5MP https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FQ2T89L/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1aEEDb7A89FA0

I’d like to have decent enough footage to identify someone if needed.

Think I found my answer here!

https://www.amazon.com/Amcrest-IP2M-841-1920TVL-Wireless-Camera/dp/B0145OQTPG

Thanks!

So strange, my mom who also lives in an apartment alone just sent me messages about someone coming into her home. Some prescription meds are missing. I told her to get this camera, I have three. I don't know what else to tell her. She's looking for other places but she can't move for 6+ months.
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_apa_XJfQBbSM2RJBM

He gets that question a lot. Here's the link:

SUNBA 1080P HD, PoE+, 20X Optical Zoom, Night Vision up to 350m, Audio, Outdoor Waterproof, High Speed IP Network Security PTZ Dome Camera ONVIF(601-D20X) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01HTYW2Q4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_KDymzb8R88F45

It's been pretty well posted about Nest Cameras being on sale for $149.99 at many places, down from $199.99. I had one in my cart on Amazon last night, and checked this morning and it had dropped down to $127.49.

https://www.amazon.com/Nest-Cam-Indoor-security-camera/dp/B00WBJGUA2/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1480265282&sr=1-2&keywords=nest+camera

Guessing it was price matched somewhere, or it's an error.

Edit: Price is back to $149.99, so seems it was an error. I was able to get a unit at this price though.

FS: TENVIS Wireless IP Camera Got this and never even took it out of the box because I got another wireless camera as a hand me down. $30.

This will notify you if it senses sound and or audio. It can also start recording when that occurs. Their iOS app is called babycam I think, but lots of apps are out there that will work.

Amcrest ProHD 1080P WiFi Wireless IP Security Camera - 1080P (1920TVL), IP2M-841W (White) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0145OQXCK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apap_4Xc1cGNTf1CGc

I use Amcrest cameras. There's 2-way audio, pan/tilt with great range, night-vision, and motion detection notifications. Technically there's storage/replay as well but I haven't gotten that set up yet.

Haven’t tried this myself, but I’ve gotten suggestions to use a regular security camera. Baby monitors are just more expensive.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CW4BG4K/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_Ly4GAbAM6A5H3

This is the one we have. [Amcrest camera]
(https://www.amazon.com/Amcrest-1920TVL-Security-Wireless-IP2M-841B/dp/B0145OQTPG)

It's pricey, but I think it's totally worth it. Amcrest might make some lower end models too.

I plan to use it as a regular security cam when the little one is older, so we'll get more than a couple years of use out of it.

720p with night vision and the camera rotates for $70. Its worth spending a few bucks for reliability.

There are multiple sources online - you'll have to put some work into it, but that's how you pay $30 for a camera instead of $300.

This is the camera I use: https://www.amazon.com/Wyze-1080p-Indoor-Camera-Vision/dp/B07DGR98VQ

That's a rebranded Xiaomi camera, but that way you don't have to wait for it to ship from China.

https://community.home-assistant.io/t/wyze-cam-and-zoneminder/56117

The integration is through Zoneminder, so it doesn't need direct support in HA.

Here's a link to the Amazon page for it: https://www.amazon.com/TENVIS-HD-IP-Camera-Detection/dp/B071DDBT7M

From what I saw in the settings UPnP seems to be turned off as well.

Can't recommend these little guys enough: http://www.amazon.com/Foscam-FI9821W-Megapixel-Wireless-Camera/dp/B00F3KWZW8

I've got two, myself. Extremely pleased.

I wanted a full PTZ camera that could do license plates as well. Live on a dead end street and have people driving through my yard. I went with this SUNBA: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HTYW2Q4

I have had no issues with it and never use the IR mode because the street and parking lot lights are enough where I am at. Here are some night time shots https://imgur.com/a/3nxBWdU It's really hard to get a moving plate, but with this camera there is a much greater chance then most.

> Obviously we need to make going in there regularly a thing

You might also want to consider a motion activated security camera. I installed one of these the other day and all it requires is wifi and a wall plug.

I use these cameras: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F3KWZW8/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and blue iris software to set up the recordings and the remote viewing on my phone, it wasn't exactly a cheap set up but I can monitor my snakes from my phone, tablet or any PC as well as look back at the recordings when motion was detected

Check out the Reolink RLC-420-5MP. I bought 4 with an NRV and they work great for the price. I wired a sonoff SV to my doorbell button and can cast the image to my TV when the doorbell is rung. Can also send an image to my phone and Apple watch. It isn't a live feed and I can't communicate with the person at the door but at least I can see who's there.

http://www.amazon.com/TENVIS-JPT3815W-Surveillance-Microphone-monitoring/dp/B006I0KL6Y/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1405896597&sr=8-6&keywords=Ip+cam+ptz

Anything that looks like this, there's a bunch of them they're all cheap they're all essentially the same with slightly different software.

All of them have motion detection that will send an email to. That is to say you don't need any other software.

post to /r/homesecurity they have plenty of experience with IP cams. I have an Amcrest PTZ which I got from Amazon and it works fine

This is the one I use, you can get it for 30 usd in their website but it doesn't include shipping. It even has night vision
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07DGR98VQ

I love the camera I got and I’ve recommended it to two other people who also bought it and love it. I travel for business so it gives me so much peace of mind to be able to see my house and cats when I’m out of town.

This is the camera I got: TENVIS HD IP Camera - Wireless IP Camera with Two-way Audio, Night Vision Camera, 2.4GHz & 720P Camera for Pet Baby Monitor, Home Security Camera Motion Detection Indoor Camera with Micro SD Card Slot https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071DDBT7M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_rJbKBb16RNGXQ

You could point it at the front door or a point of entry and use the app to be able to see when you hear a noise. I also have monitored security because it just makes me feel a lot safer. Sometimes I’m alone at night and I want to get drunk and smoke a little weed and not get freaked out or feel scare when I hear a noise. The security system makes me feel like I have security guards at every door and window. I pay $40 a month but they make you sign a contract and that sucks a lot.

Next I’m going to get mace or pepper spray. I’m not a paranoid person but I am a moderately attractive female, and I travel for work so I’m often alone, in strange places, I just don’t want to live in fear.

FWIW, there are standalone security cameras that don't cost too much. You hook it up to the WiFi and monitor it from anywhere.

Anyone know if it includes this one Foscam FI9821PB Plug & Play 720p
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H3Q8QB4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

The bird installed a Nest security camera

We got a webcam rather than a 'baby monitor'. It works from anywhere on both iPhone and Android and it gets regular security patches. We got a cheap audio-only monitor for when we were around the house. When we heard baby start fussing we could pull up the app to see what was happening.

If it's visual that you're looking for we went with a home security camera instead of one of the baby video monitors as it was way cheaper and I could just have an app on my phone to view it. We mounted it on the wall and I was able to see into both of their cribs when we had them both in the same room.