[jimjamuser]

Originally Posted by Michael G.

What I can't figure out is that if anyone wants to break in your house with the intent of
doing harm, aren't they aware of the surveillance devices that are used and available today??

Makes me wonder how/why anyone would attempt this action.

Doing harm to someone is often a impromptu act of passion. It is unplanned. Professional burglars will wear hoodies and sunglasses to not be recognized.

[Runway48]

I use Blink cameras. I have them on my home up north and my TV home. Both homes are covered in the same account. Can have up to 100 cameras in one account for the same cost. My monthly cost is about $10. Video clips are stored for 60 days and then transferred to on-site archival storage on either a usb drive, or more recently a micro cd chip, both of which can be viewed on a computer. Primary interaction is via cell phone. The cameras are listed for about $100 ea, I've never paid more than $60 and have paid as little as $40 because I buy them either bundled or on sale. I have many inside and outside (22 between the two properties). You don't need to have the cloud storage and can have the video clips saved directly to on-site location. I chose the 60 day cloud storage because I am away from both properties a lot and should something happen that destroys my on-site storage, I still have a record of the most recent events. The system is far from perfect but easy DIY installation. The batteries can last over two years but that's variable. I had two bad cameras that were replaced, no charge, and another that had a bad weather seal after being incased in ice and thereafter burnt through batteries quickly. Other than telling me about various wildlife, they have told me about human activity in my yards (utility workers, deliveries, hired contractors that were working when I wasn't home, etc). The videos also allowed me to demonstrate to an exterminator company that their worker did not do the inspection and servicing that they had charged me for. At one house I have a Nest doorbell, and I have a Blink at the other. I like the Nest better.

[La lamy]

A tad off topic, but my cameras are for checking house is ok. They are Kasa. I choose to not have anything of value to steal.

[Teleplayer]

Originally Posted by Michael G.

What I can't figure out is that if anyone wants to break in your house with the intent of
doing harm, aren't they aware of the surveillance devices that are used and available today??

Makes me wonder how/why anyone would attempt this action.

Wildly available, but not necessarily widely used.

[Teleplayer]

Originally Posted by Howdy

How easy is easy ? Also is it difficult to view on home computer & IPhone ?

Thank You

Very easy on any system. All of the home security systems have their own App/Website, which is very easy to navigate and view the cameras in real time ore as recorded videos.

For instance, I get a notification every Monday that there are people mowing my lawn, I can see them in my front and back yard. I can see when people ring my doorbell or approach my front door.

[villagetinker]

Originally Posted by Howdy

I would like advice on installing outside security cameras (unobtrusive).
Approximate cost, & reliable contractor(s).

Thank You

Actually, I would make the cameras obvious but very hard to reach, so the bad guys know they are being watched. I like wired unit which generally cannot be hacked by jammers. When I did mine (DIY) the estimates were in the $3500 range, I spent a lot less.

[FredMitchell]

Many of your peers have learned to use ChatGPT or some other AI model to answer questions like this. Why are they doing that? Because they know that there are many options. That AI can elicit more information from you about what your needs are. It can create a matrix to compare different solutions. It can give good estimates of pricing, both installation and operational, and sources of the supplies and services. It can tailor answers to your specific requirements. It could tailor solutions to meet a budget if you give it one. It can tell you exactly how to do the installation, or help you find a company to provide the service.

Finally, you don't need to worry about AI misleading you with an AI hallucination because you can check anything it provides.

Give it a try. Tell us how it worked for you or what might not have worked!

[RoadToad]

Originally Posted by dewilson58

"fiddle with SD cards"????......................ZERO fiddling.
Install it and enjoy.

No fiddling until you try to scan through it to aCTUALLY SEE the video; iF it is even recorded or not currently broken buy their Firmware of the moment.

I suggest you do some serious research on the issues.

[Sparky99]

There are so many options!

[JoelJohnson]

I've been using Reolink. Easy to install, they allow for a SD card (for local storage). I have HUB for full storage (and back up). I have the hub connected to my Router so I can see the images from my phone with Reolink App. The nice part is that nothing is stored on the web, no one has access to your cameras or files (including police). There are plug in options, battery only options and POE (Power over Ethernet). I see ads for them in this forum.

[Rimshot]

Originally Posted by FredMitchell

Many of your peers have learned to use ChatGPT or some other AI model to answer questions like this. Why are they doing that? Because they know that there are many options. That AI can elicit more information from you about what your needs are. It can create a matrix to compare different solutions. It can give good estimates of pricing, both installation and operational, and sources of the supplies and services. It can tailor answers to your specific requirements. It could tailor solutions to meet a budget if you give it one. It can tell you exactly how to do the installation, or help you find a company to provide the service.

Finally, you don't need to worry about AI misleading you with an AI hallucination because you can check anything it provides.

Give it a try. Tell us how it worked for you or what might not have worked!

So true, and if the original poster has a grandchild they can probably install the camera for him in about 10 minutes.

I suggest getting a camera with a large SD card that will overwrite itself.

They are very inexpensive and it keeps you from having to have a subscription to view video.

You can spend a ton of money or you can go for something very inexpensive and you'll be satisfied either way.

[Jim1mack]

From ChatGPT

The latest 2025 Florida Department of Health figures, sourced from FDLE, show:

Sumter County recorded 87 burglaries in 2025. These are countywide figures, not figures exclusively for The Villages. 

One independent crime-data estimate puts The Villages' burglary risk at approximately 1 in 1,628 residents annually. Treat that as an estimate, not an official sheriff's statistic.

I’ll add that, IMO, no one is going to burglar your home unless there is something of value beyond a TV. I understand that those who have a second home here would want to monitor their home.

There’s also community watch roaming all neighborhoods and the gates have license plate cameras.

[dewilson58]

Originally Posted by RoadToad

No fiddling until you try to scan through it to aCTUALLY SEE the video; iF it is even recorded or not currently broken buy their Firmware of the moment.

I suggest you do some serious research on the issues.

Why research???.................I have five Wyze cameras.

The units record, I scan, I review, I copy pictures/videos.

NO fiddling.

Simple, Simple, Simple.