Outdoor Cameras as part of Security System?

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Old 02-22-2023, 01:28 PM
bsloan1960 bsloan1960 is offline
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Default Outdoor Cameras as part of Security System?

Looking for feedback on if outdoor cameras are a waste of money, or if they have been useful in TV environment.

We have a security system up North without cameras. Will be buying a new system when we move to TV in a few months.

Thanks
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Old 02-22-2023, 01:41 PM
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Looking for feedback on if outdoor cameras are a waste of money, or if they have been useful in TV environment.

We have a security system up North without cameras. Will be buying a new system when we move to TV in a few months.

Thanks
I have Blink cameras here that are linked to other houses I own here and up north. Simple to set up, super clear and cost effective. I think they charge for cloud storage now but mine are all grandfathered in for free because I was an early user.
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Old 02-22-2023, 02:08 PM
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villagetinker villagetinker is offline
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Looking for feedback on if outdoor cameras are a waste of money, or if they have been useful in TV environment.

We have a security system up North without cameras. Will be buying a new system when we move to TV in a few months.

Thanks
We had a minor surge in crime when we first moved into what was a new area (9 years ago), I did install cameras but all are inside, all are WIRED, I do not like systems that can be hacked. After the first 6 months this area has been very quiet. The other item to consider, if and when you have the house pressure washed, any electronic item not rated for 2500 PSI can be damaged, been there done that, I now do my own pressure washing.
So to answer your question, unless you have a spare $2000 to $5000 laying around, I would not go for the outdoor cameras. The Sumter county police also conduct security reviews of the houses, we did this and made several changes.
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Old 02-22-2023, 03:17 PM
Spalumbos62 Spalumbos62 is offline
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We have an outside ring camera, not any inside ones of course bc we do rent the house out.
They are a god send....we had one renter that did allot of damage to our home and had we had the camera at the time we could have seen all the "growing" supplies he was carting into the house.
But regardless of that, renters or not, it's still nice to be up north at our other home and watch for incoming storms, or if the lawn was cut or even if that neighbors free roaming dog is jumping up on our cart again at night.
So yes, well worth the money.
One other thing it's good for, when my daughter heads down for a week alone I can see that she has safely arrived.
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Old 02-22-2023, 03:55 PM
Papa_lecki Papa_lecki is offline
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Why would anyone share the details of their security system on the internet?
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Old 02-22-2023, 05:01 PM
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I see a trend so far. those here full time see no need and those who are part time want to watch things from afar.
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Old 02-22-2023, 05:14 PM
mjr0773 mjr0773 is offline
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I have them on the exterior (Blink cameras) and have found them useful. We will be moving there fulltime veey soon so probably wont find them as needed soon. I have found things that needed attention. Even an ambulance at our front door...I called neighborhood watch and they were at the wrong house and immediately scurried down the street to the right address.
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Old 02-22-2023, 05:23 PM
village dreamer village dreamer is offline
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i have 4 wired cameras, 2 outside and 2 inside. i got them at Bj's for about $400. i love them, we can see the front of house on the monitors at all times. it records on a loop for 30days. best $400 spent.
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Old 02-23-2023, 05:10 AM
skippy05 skippy05 is offline
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From real personal experience, I can tell you it depends on what you want to get from having cameras. If you feel better being able to see around your house at night so you can call the cops if someone is truly on your property, then yes a system would do as expected. However, if you think that it would be useful after your house has been burglarized in order to help capture the person, then you'd better think twice. If that were to happen, there is a high chance that later they or a friend would come back to your house for revenge. This happened to me and they spray-painted the entire inside of the house and broke everything in sight. I'd never go that route again myself. I'd move to another area with fewer problems. The Villages is not a real gated community. Any press of the red button and any clown is riding around inside. There are safer areas and areas that are next door to communities with drug teenage addiction problems that are only getting worse with time. No amount of cameras or neighborhood watch problems are going to stop the drug addicts from petty crime in order to fuel their out-of-control addictions.
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Old 02-23-2023, 05:56 AM
banjobob banjobob is offline
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I have a security camera system , do I feel it’s needed, no but it is fun to play with seeing deliveries ,trash pickups neighbors walking or spying on dog when not home.
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Old 02-23-2023, 05:56 AM
ThirdOfFive ThirdOfFive is offline
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You won’t need them—until you do. And if they’re not up and functioning at that time, it is too late.

We have an “Arlo” security camera system, 4 cameras total, motion activated. They don’t record unless they detect motion but then they record both video and audio. We can also talk in real time to whomever is activating the camera. Gets some pretty interesting reactions. It is an older system (came with us from Minnesota) but it functions well. The only gripe is that as it is wireless we have to charge the cameras and it takes a good three hours per camera to do that.

We have a couple of short-term rentals in our neighborhood (rumor has it Airb&bs) and now and again younger folks show up. Neighbors are fine, but with people you don’t know moving in for a few days at a time—well, better safe than sorry.
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Old 02-23-2023, 06:02 AM
lpkruege1 lpkruege1 is offline
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Wyze cameras work great and are inexpensive. They can be accessed remotely, be set up to record to the cloud or a Mico memory stick or both. There is a monthly charge if you want to record to the cloud for more than 12 seconds. The pan plus for the inside and outside I would use the Cam V3. They work great in the garage, Lania, and you can point them out the front window to keep them from getting wet. Wyze does make a Water rated model for outside. They are all wireless for the internet, but wired for power. It does take a 2.4Ghz connection to your router. They are easy to set up and if you watch their video, it's a snap. If you have Xfinity you will have to ask them to set your wireless router up for 5 and 2.4 Ghz. They can do it remotely. The Ring and the Blink I believe have to be 2.4 Ghz too. Just like a remote garage door opener or thermostat.
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Old 02-23-2023, 06:17 AM
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Best is a layered system. Several different technologies overlapping. Using wired cameras, wireless cameras, door/window open/closed sensors, motion detection, driveway/walkway detection of people/car, glass breakage sound detection, smoke/fire/co alarm integration, water leak sensors ... Then local storage, cloud storage, email/text alerts... UPS where possible, wired internet, and for the paranoid backup 5g cell internet.
Do not disclose what you have, where it might be positioned, or brag about only spending $50 for it all. Consider generic security system sticker (instead of a specific brand) if you feel disclosing information is useful.
Position your cameras so they have overlapping coverage. Put some up high, others low. Have some totally hidden. If you have a camera DVR put it into a metal box that is bolted down.
Be aware that wireless systems can be jammed. Cameras and DVRs can be stolen too (evidence taken with them), so consider having footage stored in the camera, on DVR, and offsite in the cloud.
Make sure the system detects the right things, but does not generate false alarms.
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Old 02-23-2023, 06:42 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bsloan1960 View Post
Looking for feedback on if outdoor cameras are a waste of money, or if they have been useful in TV environment.

We have a security system up North without cameras. Will be buying a new system when we move to TV in a few months.

Thanks
I set up cameras in a bedroom window at the front of the house with a view of the driveway. When I’m waiting to be picked up or waiting for a service person, I open the app and can see when someone arrives. I also have a camera in the kitchen window with a view of the back gate. I keep the gate locked but it makes me feel safer. Lastly, I have a camera in our screened porch and can see out to the yard. All the cameras were really inexpensive yet extremely helpful.
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Old 02-23-2023, 07:06 AM
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Why would anyone share the details of their security system on the internet?
You have to remember it's TV, the most sought after market in the world..... by hackers.
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