[Closed] CCTV system recomendations

Swann will probably be easier to install and not require much technical knowledge compared to more serious systems. From what I read they're not much more than the BSO of CCTV, ie, good enough if you don't know any better. I think you also pay them them a sub if you want remote access.

I went on https://www.use-ip.co.uk/ and researched their recommendations, bought the cameras and the digital video recorder and installed them myself. You need to look at the resolution on the cameras at the distance you want to see things, and get the right focal length lenses; my cameras are all different specs. The DVR is hooked up to my home network and the cameras hang off it using Power over Ethernet, so a single Cat 5 cable. For one camera that's mounted on the garage I connected using homeplugs to save running new cable outdoors. I paid about £700 for 3 cameras and the VCR, but the VCR has 4 times the storage of Swann. I can access it on my Windows PC or phone, from anywhere. It's been running since February without a hiccup.

If you are paying what Grey beard paid its worth taking a look at Google Nest as well - saves running wires all the way around the house (just to a nearby plug socket for power) and its got some very fancy facial recognition stuff built in (although the best is on the pricier cameras) if you want Google to know your every move its great!

I ran Swann for 8 or so years and in that time had 3 x failed boxes. I dumped it last year and moved to Nest - much easier to install and costs £100 a year for 60 days data storage. The only problem to watch out for with Nest is the upload speed on broadband - it needs an unlimited package and the upload on 4 cameras can easily chobble through 3-7Mbps.

I'm hoping my system will last at least 10 years. If I save £100/yr by saving on my own DVR I don't mind paying a bit more up front.

I’d look at some of the Hikvision range of IP equipment.
You can use power over Ethernet to power the cameras.
Run the cables from the NVR or install a remote POE network switch.
You can then access the system remotely.

https://www.cctvtek.co.uk/_shop/4-camera-ip-cctv-kits/hilook-by-hikvision-4ch-8mp-h265-nvr--4x-ipct250h-5mp-30m-ir-28mm-lens-turret-ip-poe-camera/

It does depend on your budget, I went with 2 Hikvision 6MP PoE cameras connected to an NVR - was about £850 installed. The NVR has a 6TB drive in it and at max resolution is enough for 12 days or so recording before it starts overwriting.

I was advised to go for turret style cameras as they stay clean longer (on dome ones you can get water marks and spider webs are more of an issue - some bugs are attracted to the IR light at night and spiders build webs on the cameras to hunt them). Mine have been up for a year now and haven't needed cleaning (I bought a cheap 6m extendable flag pole from Amazon to stick a cloth onto if I ever need to, less hassle than getting a ladder out :p ).

Only issue I had was one camera in it's original position had some of the house front in the picture, as it's painted white it was causing the IR to glare and made the rest of the image very dark, the company that installed re-angled it and it's been fine since).

I think the only slight disappointment is the shutter speed, despite the high resolution if something is moving it blurs significantly so generally you need someone to stop for a second to properly ID them (car number plates are hard to make out to).

I went on https://www.use-ip.co.uk/ and researched their recommendations,

Any site that makes you sign up just to get a price is likely to be an absolute nightmare when it comes to customer support / returns etc.

I'm on a wired Lorex system - been pretty faultless and stores about a week's video from 4 HD cameras' Remote access too.

Any site that makes you sign up just to get a price is likely to be an absolute nightmare when it comes to customer support

Their customer support has actually been really good. I sent them my proposed scheme and they came up with the kind of issues FuzzyWuzzy mentioned, saved me a lot of hassle. I think the sign-up to get a price is to stop their competitors scraping their prices off the site.

I fitted a four camera 1tb system, with internet access. It was into a new shop with suspended ceiling so very easy, took an evening.
I got it from Ton off of here. It was Hikvision, less than £300 as I recall and very very good.

Tried that site with the Hikevision but need to be accepted for an account first to get prices.
Hopefully Ton will see this and get in touch if he still supplies them?

Annke wired 4-camera set-up for us, installed ourselves over a year ago and been faultless so far. Mobile app works well. Happy with picture quality. I really need to experiment more with zone alerting though. Planning to add a couple more cameras soon - would love something more at face level for the front door area. They've got cameras/kits at various qualities/resolutions, we went for this:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07NMHK665/ref=pe_3187911_185740111_TE_item