Because of our grand children playing in our front yard often, we set up *Security Video Cameras*, so we could *monitor* them while they were outside and we were inside at certain times.
So ... (added benefit ...) at night we were then also able to see what was going on outside.
Wireless, can be hacked.
So we went *hard wired*.
Plenty of choice there and ended up for the ZMODO brand.
You need to shop around and often they have *deals* on *packages*,
like recorder, and four (up to eight ...) cameras.
CCTV Home Security System, Surveillance Camera Systems - CCTVHotDeals
http://www.cctvhotdeals.com/8ch-h-26...cameras-1.html
http://www.cctvhotdeals.com/8-camera...h-264-dvr.html
Next is quality of read out on *your* monitor, which can be anything,
that can display a simple VGA signal.
We have an old (seems like 1000 pounds) heavy analog 27 inch TV,
which we use to look at what the cameras *see*.
Cameras have certain resolutions, so the higher the resolution, the better the video quality.
Look at the listed amount of TTL lines.
Then the *night* vision capability and the distance those cameras still can display some recognizable human face !
You can't recognize who they are, no use for the law to find them ...
There are two basic versions, CCD and some other method,
I forgot which kind, but CCD seemed to be a better method.
How to Choose a Suitable Security Camera: 7 Steps (with Pictures)
12 Common Types of Security Cameras - Spotlight Article from CE Pro
So ... , set up your requirements, do the shopping comparisons and go from there.
What we learned:
ZMODO was what we in the end chose.
We did have set-up problems but their customer support was excellent !
It has a feature that can send a message to our phones,
and then with the proper APP, we can even look what is going on.
We are satisfied with the system and look at the grand children from the inside.
Since one of the cameras also looks at our front door,
we can see who is at our front door at night !
The *package* came with 8 cameras (could not resist the *deal* ...),
I have also set some of them up in our backyard and see the chickens we have there.
(what else could we use the remaining cameras for ???)
Just a comment:
While I was installing the cameras, my neighbour who is a policeman, came over, and kindly told me that often, a fake camera and some big signs, *stating that the property is under video surveillance* is often a good enough deterrent for theft !
Uhuh ... now he tells me .... !
In the end, a bit of work to set them all up.
(you have to go under the eaves, and then thru walls etc. etc ...)
We went under the eaves, then thru the attic, and down into our *office*.
Today, we can check on our grand children,
we can see at night who is at he front door,
we can look at our chickens (fun),
we also set them up inside (looking at the entry possibilities to our home),
we can *look* on our smart phones, what is going *at home*.
TIP:
We bought less hard drive.
Added our own (left over from previous computer project) hard drive.
Unless you want to see week long playbacks, you need a really big hard drive.
We installed a 360 Gig HD. When full, the system starts all over at the beginning.
After all, if nothing happened, who cares.
If something happened, it should be not longer then a day or two ago, no ???
You can set up the system, to only record, when there is *movement* !
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