Home Security - cctv and recording

[hellkat]

I have a "slight" problem of breached security at home and I am thinking of installing a cctv in my flat to see who comes and goes into my flat when I am not there (which effectively should be NOBODY except myself and my daughter) ... but stuff has gone missing out of my flat lately, and not least there is also the problems I had with my bike being stolen (twice) a while ago, which I would like to avoid having happen again, once its back on the road (hopefully soon!).

I've looked at cctv type things in the Argos catalogue, and in a couple of security company websites online, and I can afford some reasonably priced stuff.

Obviously, because I want to be able to check who comes through my front door, I want a camera inside which is fairly unnoticeable - and also one which I can attach to my living room window outside which would be directed onto my bike (when I get it back from being fixed ) which I don't mind if it is not unobtrusive.

There's no point buying something that I can watch when I am there, as the problem only seems to occur when I am away from the flat ... so its when I am NOT there that I want to be able to record (and ALL the time I am not there). So :

1. Do I need to buy a telly or will the camera record of its own volition?

2. If I need to buy a telly, do I get one with a VCR thingy on it? Or can I record to DVD (longer recording time?) as these tellies appear to be cheap enough these days.

3. If I do buy a VCR or a DVD telly, how can I programme the camera to record? Does it come with a recordable programme?

4. I want continuous recording, so having video tapes seems pointless, as the most I have seen is 3 hour video tapes, and obviously I don't want something that records over in a loop, as it might record over when the security of my property is actually breached.



Words of no more than two syllables please.

hellkat
Clueless technophobe
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[divuk83]

https://www.rfconcepts.co.uk/cctv.htm

Can get some stuff on there that you rig up to your PC and it only records when there is movement so there isn't hours of pap to trawl through.

Also propper CCTV VCR's run in very long play and can put 27hours onto a 3 hour tape.

Dave

[cagiva gezzer]

When i had something eating out of my pond i used:

https://www.mslsoft.com/

Has motion sensor, so only takes video / photos when something moves.
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"because one stroke isnt enough and four strokes waste two"

[JonB]

My Logitech webcam came with software that was motion sensitive and was very useful when I had a house party and had it set up in my bedroom so I could expose the dirty bastards shagging on MY bed.
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Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[Finglonga]

[Itchy]

What you want is:

a camera , a mic , something that records with TIME STAMPS this is highly important ,

more so are stickers stating you have CCTV ,

without both these your cctv footage is inadmissable in court as evidence.

Stink apparently said something about an office girl helping herself to the contents of the till, and the police not being able to do anything due to no time stamps.


get the RF concepts PC card camera and mic <£200 for the lot , records massive 1024x648 (compared to the pissy small images of a TV) , 24/7 onto your HDD or when there is movement, applies time stamps too, and can connect 4-16 cameras (I fitted a 4 camera PC type to a mates house), and if you are willing to pay a bit more allow you to watch the camera online remotely (although protect the server! , as people can watch if they know the address)

what you don't want are time laspe picture every 30 seconds malarky since people can by pure chance avoid them, my ex boss had this in his house and factory , I briefly considered syncing my watch to them and doing a bit of payback (Esp since he tried to blame me for a theft which I was entirely innocent of (note they found the said missing item 4 days later says a friendly ex work collegue),
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[hellkat]

[Lawnie]

Just an idea: if equipment with time-stamp capability is significantly more expensive than those without, you could just position a clock in view of the camera.

[hellkat]

Good point.

But I think the point of time recording device on the camera is so that its linked to the camera (for court purposes) ... rather than in front of it - as the clock time could be changed manually (although you'd see the hands removing it, LOL).

However, in my instance, it would merely be of use to me personally, and wouldn't be being used in court ... 'cept maybe a kangaroo court
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[instigator]

Be cheaper to change the locks.

[hellkat]

Can't do it.

I live in a refuge which has security locks, which I need letters from the organisers to the keysmith to change the locks ... but somebody has been getting into my flat and surreptitiously stealing cash.

Took me a few weeks to notice, now I plan to set traps and discuss it at my leisure with the person involved.

And I am not prepared to discuss the subject with the organisers of the refuge until I have (1) concrete evidence and (2) personal justice.

hellkat
fed up of being fucked over
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[Teamcalibra]

webcam and www.gotchanow.com

[stinkwheel]

[hellkat]

Hmmm.
Do I have to be online to use that one?
Cos I aren't got internet at home.
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Not nearly as interesting in real life.

[sickpup]

I've fitted Voltek supercams with all the extras to a friends place and the Police have used the tapes as evidence to secure search warrants.

Look at around £400 for the camera gear and you will also need a VCR with a scart socket.

Time date generator

Switch box if more than one camera is used

Video starter

Supercam

[Teamcalibra]

[Dave1216]

The above hardware / or even a standard USB webcam could work quite well.

I would suggest this: https://www.zoneminder.com

It's a full Linux software package that would cater for all CCTV needs. However you would need a dedicated computer - you would not need an extra monitor or keyboard, you could access it's feature's from a Window's PC.

Although it has industry standard feature's - it would be for the enthusiast, as you might have to tinker with it.
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Yamaha YBR-125

[Itchy]

I personally have to say internet streaming of CCTV isn't such a good idea , nor are those BT alarms that phone you telling you that there is an intruder in your home,

why? , more often than not you will be in a situation to do nothing , lets say you are in Spain on holiday , you get a call or see on your camera somebody stealing your stuff,

what can you do? , the cops won't be interested and will pop round days if not months after the event to give you a crime number to claim, better to live in ignorance than to have a holiday spoilt then to come back and find the mess.
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Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[instigator]

[Zimbo]

https://www.iviewcameras.co.uk/

everything you need will be on there, at reasonable prices, and they have a good guide section.

[hellkat]

[bazza]

[numark1]

Sure its not an inside job??