Security Cameras

With your response, I now think that my comment arose out of ignorance, because I was thinking that the IP function was something connected with broadcasting over the internet, instead of how you explained it. I noticed that the Foscam camera that we have been discussing has 3 lens options which vary in the viewing angle (42, 30 or 22). Would the smaller angle enlarge the image on the monitor something like as those it was zoomed in, or only show a smaller picture on the screen? If the former, then the smaller viewing angle would better show the details of a person's image...true?

Re: IP address, you have a router, therefore a LAN, and each gizmo on your LAN needs an address, though in your case a local address e.g. 192.168.0.xxx or .1.xxx. Typically you access your cam via a browser, and enter the cam address e.g. http://192.168.1.135 or whatever, although there are other applications that may be used also.

As for viewing angle, AFAIK these are selected according to where your cam is located and how wide its field-of-vision needs to be to see everything you want, and nothing you DON'T want e.g. a bright light or something. PROBABLY a lens of 22 will be slightly (VERY slightly) sharper than 42, but I wouldn't count on that. So I don't think any one of them is going to give better detail than another--the reason for the different angles is application-dependent: For a short stoop and a doorway, you want a wider-angle lens. For your application, it seems to me you'd want the narrow-angle lens, unless a.) you're willing to capture all activity in the lot, not just your vehicle's surrounds, or b.) you can't count on parking in the same-or-similar location every time so need a wideangle lens anyway. I have several woodworking tools here I might use to try to determine whether 22 or good or 42 is needed, just by setting & aiming. Not sure how else to determine that.

You may be asking a lot to get a good ID on a person's face at a distance. I'll only refer you to the crummy shots we've all seen in newspapers and TV from security cams in 7-elevens & banks et al. In the end you still need a cooperative Law Enforcement dept to follow-up anyway?

I just spoke with the apt. manager, and while she balked at the idea of the complex installing cameras, she is not adverse to me placing a camera on the balcony. I think that she will have maintenance prune the tree limbs as needed. She is to call me after she has a chance to look at the situation. Therefore, I now have to make a decision about which camera to get.

LiquidSnak,

If I understood what you said, I would be better off with a lens with a narrow viewing angle, so long as it is wide enough to take in the parking spaces. There are only four of them in the parking area that I can observe that would need to come within the field of view, and usually the one that I would probably use is always empty. If the field of view only took in two of them, if I were forced to park in one of the other two, I could manually re-aim the camera as needed.

That only leaves the question about an affordable camera that has temperature and humity parameters that would permit it to function reliably.

I got to thinking about how useful that motion detection would be, because I would imagine that snow, rain or even tree limbs swaying in the breeze would set it off, and it would probably run continuously. If that were so, then the only way to keep it from filling hard drive space would be to have it set for photos, rather than motion picture film. I guess that would suffice, but I still wonder whether snow and rain would set off the camera?

I've lost count of the number of cameras that I have looked at since starting this thread, and every one of them had one thing or another wrong with them. Surely there is a right camera somewhere.

seekermeister said:

I got to thinking about how useful that motion detection would be, because I would imagine that snow, rain or even tree limbs swaying in the breeze would set it off, and it would probably run continuously. If that were so, then the only way to keep it from filling hard drive space would be to have it set for photos, rather than motion picture film. I guess that would suffice, but I still wonder whether snow and rain would set off the camera?

There are sensitivity adjustments that intend to deal with rain, maybe snow, dunno about tree limbs--a security pro would probably tell you that your field-of-view has to avoid certain things like swaying fronds or whipping flags etc.

The Foscams I have record for a minute upon detecting motion, and they are low-res 640x480 i.e. not High Res so aren't the biggest files imaginable. I'm not pitching Foscam cameras, but they're what I have and I've been impressed with what you get for the $. You might want to DL a manual or two from their support page and take a look. You'll also want to YouTube to see samples of what these cheapo cameras are capable of:

Support

No explanation necessary. I fully understand that a person can only talk about what they have personally dealt with. I have nothing against Foscam, except their tolerance to temperature and humidity. As these limits are stated in their specs on the cameras that I have found, I'm forced to assume that they would be problematic in the climate that I live in. I wish that were not so, because otherwise they appear to be exactly what I'm looking for.

The problem with other brands so far, has been the lack of technical specs...at least where I have looked. It seems strange to me that some vendors of these cameras do not provide full specifications themselves, because it has become apparent to me that there is a lot more to these cameras than how they look and how much that they cost.

Thanks for the link, I'll browse around there some, whether I buy a Foscam or not.

EDIT: As far as the tree limb/motion detection issue, I will have to wait to see just how much the apt. manager is willing to prune the limbs. If she will remove the lowest branch, and not just the limbs dangling from it, I should have a pretty clear shot of the parking lot. Even with just the dangling limbs removed, the camera should be able to see the area clearly.

one of the biggest problems I have run into with other cameras is their viewing angle. Most of them are too wide...even wider than the Foscams.