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Is Cheap Video Surveillance Possible?
timholman writes "After a series of burglaries and auto break-ins in my neighborhood, I'm thinking about adding some video security cameras to my home. To me, the object isn't just deterrence — if someone tries to break into my house or my car (parked on the street in front of my house), I'd like to provide a high-quality image of the perpetrator to the police. Inexpensive video surveillance systems, with their atrocious image quality, are nearly useless. The problem is being able to get good image quality at an affordable price. After some research, I've decided that using network cameras to FTP images to a central server over a HomePlug network is the best solution. However, good megapixel network cameras (e.g. Stardot or Axis cameras) can easily cost more than $1,000 each. Has any of you dealt with a similar situation? Is there any way to get reasonable quality (preferably open source) daytime and nighttime video surveillance equipment for home use without paying an arm and a leg? Is it better to go with a couple of expensive cameras, or a multitude of inexpensive cameras? Is paying two to three thousand dollars simply unavoidable if I want to monitor my front and back yards?"
"To me, the object isn't just deterrence â" if someone tries to break into my house or my car (parked on the street in front of my house), I'd like to provide a high-quality image of the perpetrator to the police."
Uh what? In a situation such as you have described, the primary objective of such cameras is to provide a deterrent - unless of course if what you are really after is clandestine high quality imagery of another nature. Your stated situation does not match your stated goal.
-- "It was as if the paint factories had decided to deal direct with the art galleries." - Thursday Next
This is why the world is afraid of the states. In no other first world country do you need to 'defend' your home its purely an american thing.
No, this is why the rest of the world *pities* the US.
If your home is such a big problem that you NEED a shotgun to protect yourself you really NEED to move. Apparently you are living in some sort of post-apocalyptic nightmare where firearms are needed to stop your neighbors.
Yes indeed. That must be a really horrible way to live. I really can't imagine having to live in such a climate of fear.