So, I will be back in my house sometime this month most likely, but I expect to have continuing problems with looters and the like for a while, which means I'd like to have some way to monitor things localy and remotely and record on motion, etc. I'd also like the ability to monitor the house itself for the dog(s) to see what they're up to when I'm away, and stuff like that. Might even be able to capture funny videos. 
I've been poring over stuff at Amazon, Newegg, etc., and finding LOTS of different types of cameras, in price ranges from $20 on up to $500 or more. Completely conflicting reviews on many of them, and with my lack of knowledge on the subject I dunno which ones to believe applicable to me.
Features I need:
Remotely-controlled Pan/tilt (or else lots of cheaper fixed cameras I can set up to cover every angle and area, and software that can monitor all of them--might be more ideal that way, with a better-quality pan/tilt in certain areas for pointing at something that needs better imagery?).
Color, at least 640x480 *at* 30FPS--most of what I saw doesn't even do 1FPS at that res, and claims 30FPS but doesn't even get 7-8 even at 1/4 that res, according to some of the reviews). Higher res is better but seems to get expensive fast.
Night vision mode would be great--doesnt' have to have it's own IR LEDs as I cna make IR sources easy enough to light up areas better than what comes on these things.
Wifi would be the easiest but I can run wires everywhere since I have to run power to them anyway, and it seems to take quite a bit off the cost.
Outdoor-designed cameras would be great, but I am willing to use indoor ones out there since I don't have much rain to deal with year-round, just lots of heat, sometimes cold. I can put them wehre the rain won't get to them easily and do something to preven thte rest getting in there, as long as humidity during the rain isn't an issue.
Something to monitor the cameras--Gotcha! is the only program I have experience with, but I gather there are a number of good ones. Has to be able to record many cameras at once via network, wired or wifi, whichever I end up with, without compressing the video stream much or at all, to leave the probably already-poor-quality video usable for security purposes/police reports.
I already have a computer (from Bigmoose) that can probably be used to do the recording, if I add a big enough drive for doing that. If not, I'll have to buy or build a better PC eventually for doing all the stuff I used to do in 3D/music/etc, after I get back to being able to do that, and it could be used for camera monitoring while I'm not using it for anything else, which would be most of the time.
It *is* a requirement that the cameras be fully able to set up and monitor via simple webpage, so that I could do it from any internet connection on any device with a browser. If they HAVE to be set up or monitored from their own apps, they're not useful to me. I ran across quite a few that had some parts that had to be monitored from one app, set up with another, and options set in some other app or in a browser, and some of them even had to be set up partially using a specific type of smartphone, and then the rest had to be finished on a windows pc, etc. Those types aren't useful. I just want to do it like a router--set it all up on a webpage, and monitor that way *or* via any program that can access the cameras via IP.
Bottom line: There's too many choices and I'd like to know if any of you have experience with specific cameras (or brands or types) that work better given the above limitations. Price *is* an issue, but I'd like to hear all opinions good or bad about teh cameras and software, regardless of price, cuz if it's cheap and don't work it doesn't help me, so I will get something more expensive that will do the job if I have to.
I've been poring over stuff at Amazon, Newegg, etc., and finding LOTS of different types of cameras, in price ranges from $20 on up to $500 or more. Completely conflicting reviews on many of them, and with my lack of knowledge on the subject I dunno which ones to believe applicable to me.
Features I need:
Remotely-controlled Pan/tilt (or else lots of cheaper fixed cameras I can set up to cover every angle and area, and software that can monitor all of them--might be more ideal that way, with a better-quality pan/tilt in certain areas for pointing at something that needs better imagery?).
Color, at least 640x480 *at* 30FPS--most of what I saw doesn't even do 1FPS at that res, and claims 30FPS but doesn't even get 7-8 even at 1/4 that res, according to some of the reviews). Higher res is better but seems to get expensive fast.
Night vision mode would be great--doesnt' have to have it's own IR LEDs as I cna make IR sources easy enough to light up areas better than what comes on these things.
Wifi would be the easiest but I can run wires everywhere since I have to run power to them anyway, and it seems to take quite a bit off the cost.
Outdoor-designed cameras would be great, but I am willing to use indoor ones out there since I don't have much rain to deal with year-round, just lots of heat, sometimes cold. I can put them wehre the rain won't get to them easily and do something to preven thte rest getting in there, as long as humidity during the rain isn't an issue.
Something to monitor the cameras--Gotcha! is the only program I have experience with, but I gather there are a number of good ones. Has to be able to record many cameras at once via network, wired or wifi, whichever I end up with, without compressing the video stream much or at all, to leave the probably already-poor-quality video usable for security purposes/police reports.
I already have a computer (from Bigmoose) that can probably be used to do the recording, if I add a big enough drive for doing that. If not, I'll have to buy or build a better PC eventually for doing all the stuff I used to do in 3D/music/etc, after I get back to being able to do that, and it could be used for camera monitoring while I'm not using it for anything else, which would be most of the time.
It *is* a requirement that the cameras be fully able to set up and monitor via simple webpage, so that I could do it from any internet connection on any device with a browser. If they HAVE to be set up or monitored from their own apps, they're not useful to me.
I ran across quite a few that had some parts that had to be monitored from one app, set up with another, and options set in some other app or in a browser, and some of them even had to be set up partially using a specific type of smartphone, and then the rest had to be finished on a windows pc, etc. Those types aren't useful. I just want to do it like a router--set it all up on a webpage, and monitor that way *or* via any program that can access the cameras via IP. Bottom line: There's too many choices and I'd like to know if any of you have experience with specific cameras (or brands or types) that work better given the above limitations. Price *is* an issue, but I'd like to hear all opinions good or bad about teh cameras and software, regardless of price, cuz if it's cheap and don't work it doesn't help me, so I will get something more expensive that will do the job if I have to.
It is NOT ballistic (loaded), it merely speaks with a primer cap. NO lead, or shot, is in it. Sound and light ONLY !!!!
