Residential Cctv Setup

[emsgeorge]

I tell you what, you give me your address, and I will come and fit it for free.

 

Whilst I'm at it, what do you do for a job, so I can ask you lots of questions, then go do it myself.

 

perhaps googling any of the terms I have used would give you an answer in less than a second.

 

harsh ? - maybe, but too many people seem to think that this is easy territory these days, then come crying back when they get it so wrong.

[AdamW]

Hi George,

 

Apologies if my questions have caused offence.  It was my understanding that a forum is a place for open discussion and for questions to be asked with the intent of a useful reply.

 

I was merely asking for advice on CCTV system components.  The fact that I am looking to install myself should not be a negative.  I am actually very confident in my ability to do so, but lack the knowledge of the specific components required.

 

As it happens I regularly share knowledge and advice for free with others.  Had I asked for someone to spec, install and maintain the system I could understand your response, but merely asking for advice seems ok to me.

[Cubit]

How do you know you're competent if you have no idea of what components are needed, and by definition, how they work.

I'm good with hammer and chisel. But it doesn't make me a stone mason.

[matthew.brough]

I'm good with hammer and chisel. But it doesn't make me a stone mason.

[datadiffusion]

Don't know Cubit, that effort you knocked up for the last SSAIB AGM looked OK...

 

[AdamW]

Hi Cubit,

 

I really don't want to get into an argument about this, it was not my intention when asking the questions.

 

As I see it, and please correct me if I am wrong, but the following analogy applies:

 

• When you go into a electronics store to buy a new DVD player, you don't have to be an expert in the latest technology, in fact which technology suits your personal needs the most (be it cost/image quality/sound etc etc), to be able to go home and connect the system up and for it to run without any problems

 

I see the above being relevant to my requirement.  I am competent to connect a system up, whether it be plug and play or requires some form of setup, but my knowledge of the individual components is lacking.

 

I'm now realising that i'm unlikely to get a helpful response anymore to my queries, which is a shame.  I also do not understand the attitude of not wanting to help, as it will result in the decline of the UK security industry?!  

 

As previously mentioned in my industry (or life in general) if someone is after a bit of advice I am more than willing to help.  When they start wanting complete projects to be completed then that then requires some form of agreement, but that is not the case here.

 

Thanks for the help so far though, I can take it elsewhere to get the final queries answered.

[sixwheeledbeast]

As I see it, and please correct me if I am wrong, but the following analogy applies:

• When you go into a electronics store to buy a new DVD player, you don't have to be an expert in the latest technology, in fact which technology suits your personal needs the most (be it cost/image quality/sound etc etc), to be able to go home and connect the system up and for it to run without any problems

I see the above being relevant to my requirement.  I am competent to connect a system up, whether it be plug and play or requires some form of setup, but my knowledge of the individual components is lacking.

With respect, do you not see how you are making talented engineers/technicans and CCTV companies, sound like chimps that plug things together. You wonder why you have ruffled a few feathers.

There is a lot more to installing a CCTV system then buying consumer products (DVD players) that are designed to be foolproof on installation.

In a professional installation every system is bespoke, designed to get exactly what the customer needs. There are so many variables and choosing the wrong parts could lead to a seemingly working system. However, the evidence maybe not fit for purpose.

The community is very helpful, but they can't teach you there whole job overnight (this could be 3-5 years apprenticeship and xyz years experience).

 

IP Camera - Whats reasonable without going over the top and ultra HD etc?

How longs a piece of string, this is the important part.

You need a good quality camera to get good images.

If you need identification we are talking megapixels, however, we don't know the viewing angle, field of view, distance of it's location.

 

- DVR/NVR - Which is better?

They are sort of the same thing. DVR is normally used to describe analogue systems and NVR for IP.

Both normally have Ethernet connections.

Both store on to hard drive and you can control the recording rate to last xyz days.

The larger the HDD the more you can store before overwriting it. 

 

- Cabling - You mention cat5/6 - benefit of this rating?

Cat 5e and Cat 6 are standards of network cable.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethernet_cable

 

- Camera psu - What is this for?

May not be required if using a PoE switch, see below

 

- hdmi / dvi monitor - Assume this is for live viewing.  Im not actually too concerned with this feature, unless it is actually a requirement for any system to function correctly?  As long as I can play back through PC at a later stage that is fine

Not necessarily needed. Depends on the site.

 

- Network switch - What is this for?

To connect up an IP system you will need some IT networking skills.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_switch

[datadiffusion]

@ OP

 

Unfortunately the DVD analogy is flawed as all DVD players will play a DVD, and all will play that DVD by you pressing the identical 'play' button the the remote.

 

As you say the differences are clear.

 

However, with a CCTV system the equipment differences are just the start of it. Its not about what you like the look of, the coolest brand, or what the man in the

shop recommends as it will depend entirely on the minutiae of your premises and your needs. It is often not possible to give advice without knowing what it is

you are trying to achieve and what your premises looks like.

 

This is all before we have even considered how you are going to connect it all up, which, I hasten to add will be a bit different to connecting two HDMI leads.

 

You keep assuring us you are competent to connect it up, but that is rather like me saying I am certain I can drive a tank, I just need someone to tell me the best

one to get.

 

I am not sure what you mean about the decline of the UK security industry, It exists by supplying services to paying customers, unless I grossly misunderstood the

game plan here?

Edited July 16, 2014 by datadiffusion

[Cubit]

Hi Cubit,

 

I really don't want to get into an argument about this, it was not my intention when asking the questions.

 

As I see it, and please correct me if I am wrong, but the following analogy applies:

 

• When you go into a electronics store to buy a new DVD player, you don't have to be an expert in the latest technology, in fact which technology suits your personal needs the most (be it cost/image quality/sound etc etc), to be able to go home and connect the system up and for it to run without any problems

 

I see the above being relevant to my requirement.  I am competent to connect a system up, whether it be plug and play or requires some form of setup, but my knowledge of the individual components is lacking.

 

I'm now realising that i'm unlikely to get a helpful response anymore to my queries, which is a shame.  I also do not understand the attitude of not wanting to help, as it will result in the decline of the UK security industry?!  

 

As previously mentioned in my industry (or life in general) if someone is after a bit of advice I am more than willing to help.  When they start wanting complete projects to be completed then that then requires some form of agreement, but that is not the case here.

 

Thanks for the help so far though, I can take it elsewhere to get the final queries answered.

Flawed argument.

You walk into a shop and ask for advice, the assistant has a motive for helping you, no help = no potentil sale.

 

In your scenario, how are we helping iun the decline of the security industry?

 

We tell every tom, dick snd hsrry how to do it what reason do they then have for our services?

So, somewhat polar opposite to your scenario.

 

And, like others have said, too many variables to provide a simple answer. You could of course pop into 'that shop' and get all the advice you need, then you can pay the nice man when you buy his products.

[Alarm Protection]

I would buy a test monitor to start with.