# Home security system



## CenlaLowell

I'm looking at wanting to install security cameras on the outside of my home. I would prefer no wires running to the cameras. Any one have a setup like this. Lets discuss.


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## jimbeckel

Home security is my wheel house, I've always tried to steer people away from wireless cameras and batteries, they're easy to install but you just can't beat a wired IP camera system. Anyone with a single story and accessible attic can do a wired IP camera system. I personally like wired because of the ability to monitor your cameras remotely without the need for a company that charges to access your cameras via smartphone and tablets.


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## Jgolf67

jimbeckel is right just no beating the reliability of wired IP. I use a 4k 15 fps NVR system from Lorex Technologies that came with 4 cameras with ability to expand up to 8, included 2 TB HD and room to expand up to 16TB all for under $600. You can remote view it from a phone app or computer. I have it hooked up to a battery backup for power outages. Its a pretty rock solid system for the price and best part is zero monthly fees or camera batteries to change. Lorex does make some wireless systems also that I'm sure are just as high quality if your mind is made up on that.


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## TN Hawkeye

Jgolf67 said:


> jimbeckel is right just no beating the reliability of wired IP. I use a 4k 15 fps NVR system from Lorex Technologies that came with 4 cameras with ability to expand up to 8, included 2 TB HD and room to expand up to 16TB all for under $600. You can remote view it from a phone app or computer. I have it hooked up to a battery backup for power outages. Its a pretty rock solid system for the price and best part is zero monthly fees or camera batteries to change. Lorex does make some wireless systems also that I'm sure are just as high quality if your mind is made up on that.


How do you have your cameras pointing? Is it mainly on entrances or did you point them to see all 4 sides of the house? We've been talking about something like this and we have entrances on 3 sides of the house. I was thinking about having one at each corner pointed so we can see the walls, doors, and windows on each side of the house.


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## walk1355

I use the eUfy cam system and it is great. I have 3 cameras. They are 100% wireless, and the batteries last up to a year and are rechargeable. I installed them at the first part of November of 2018 and 2 out of the 3 are showing full bars on the battery and 1 is showing 4/5 bars, so the year of battery may be close to true, which is awesome. Eufy is a brand that is owned by Anker, and they are known for high quality phone battery chargers, etc.

https://www.eufylife.com/products/variant/eufycam/T88011D1

They are selling them at limited retailers right now as it was just released publicly a month or so ago.

I think the quality is great, and there is no monthly fee. The cameras come with a home base station that is relatively small and you can expand the amount of storage with a micro sd card. I have a 128gb micro sd card and it stays about 5% full keeping 1 month of recordings at a time, so 128gb is really overkill. Everything is done through their app, which is free of course. You can also have them record to a NAS system if you have one at home as well.

I got in when the product was on kickstarter and paid $329 for a 2 camera and 1 base station setup. That setup now retails for $499. I purchased an extra camera shortly after and had to pay $199 for the extra camera.

It has facial recognition and you can even have it only notify you on your devices if it detects a human face. The phone notification even shows you the face photo right on your home screen.

There are also multiple settings in regards to how the system's alarms function. You can set "home" and "away" schedules and tell the alarms on the cameras to go off if it detects motion while you are "away". The alarm can also go off on the base station and it 100% customizable in how often it goes off and how loud it is. At 100% volume, it's very very loud and I think would be able to be heard outside even if all windows and doors are closed.

Edit: The cameras also have 140 degree lenses, which is crazy in my opinion. It's amazing how wide of a view one camera can capture.

I'm trying to think if there is anything else I can add, but as you can tell, I am very happy with them and the fact that they just work and work so well. I had looked a long time for a wireless system but they all seemed to have downfalls. This system solved all the other downfalls that the other systems had in my opinion and they are very high quality and are worth the price tag.

I will add some pictures to show quality and a video or two linked from youtube. Give me a little bit to get that together as I am at work.


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## walk1355

Here are a few videos and photos.

edit: Uploading to youtube from the eufy app took 2 taps. easier than I thought it'd be.

The cameras also have night vision. The video at night I have posted below really doesn't give the system proper justice. When someone gets anywhere near the home they light up like the Griswold's home at Christmas time.





https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvq2P7xvrzI


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## Jgolf67

TN Hawkeye said:


> Jgolf67 said:
> 
> 
> 
> jimbeckel is right just no beating the reliability of wired IP. I use a 4k 15 fps NVR system from Lorex Technologies that came with 4 cameras with ability to expand up to 8, included 2 TB HD and room to expand up to 16TB all for under $600. You can remote view it from a phone app or computer. I have it hooked up to a battery backup for power outages. Its a pretty rock solid system for the price and best part is zero monthly fees or camera batteries to change. Lorex does make some wireless systems also that I'm sure are just as high quality if your mind is made up on that.
> 
> 
> 
> How do you have your cameras pointing? Is it mainly on entrances or did you point them to see all 4 sides of the house? We've been talking about something like this and we have entrances on 3 sides of the house. I was thinking about having one at each corner pointed so we can see the walls, doors, and windows on each side of the house.
Click to expand...

I have one on each side to see all walls / openings for entry just as you were planning.


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## CenlaLowell

jimbeckel said:


> Home security is my wheel house, I've always tried to steer people away from wireless cameras and batteries, they're easy to install but you just can't beat a wired IP camera system. Anyone with a single story and accessible attic can do a wired IP camera system. I personally like wired because of the ability to monitor your cameras remotely without the need for a company that charges to access your cameras via smartphone and tablets.


So something like this would work.

https://www.lorextechnology.com/4k-ip-camera-system/hd-nvr-with-super-hd-4mp-security-cameras-/4KHDIP84W-1-p

That's alot of wires to run but I understand the reliability that the system would provide. I would installed them on the corners of my system. Drop the wires into my four bedroom which has a computer setup with a router and a switch.



Right behind the gutters is where I would hang them is this correct?


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## CenlaLowell

This is where I put on mounting them. Now I'm wondering if this is a strong enough morning point. If not how can I make it stronger.


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## Still learnin

I have to second a wired system. For piece of mind if nothing else.

I am not 100% happy with mine and may have gone with a different company if I had to do it again, but I went with Interlogix cameras. I have 10 cameras and have all doors/windows covered along with some portions of the yard and the whole driveway/road.

The caveat to cameras, in my experience, is that it is hard to get a single camera that is great in both daytime and nighttime. I have wedge which are not sticking out like sore thumbs, but I think quality is lost a bit.

One thing a lot of "experts" will tell you is to love a camera at face level at your doors. If someone is wearing a hat and your cameras are all overhead, well, you will see someone with a hat and no face.

Do research on the systems remote capabilities. I can view from my phone and tablet but I've never been able to view from a computer. Thought the guy who installed them can. Also, try to get a static IP from your ISP. That way you don't have to reconfigure the remote view if you ever reset your router.

I'm sure there is a lot more to say about it but those are my thoughts off the top of my head.


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## Still learnin

CenlaLowell said:


> This is where I put on mounting them. Now I'm wondering if this is a strong enough morning point. If not how can I make it stronger.


Attach a box just as if you were putting an outlet or light fixture there. Mount the camera to the box.


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## Austinite

I gave up on wireless many moons ago. I use Nest Cams. Plenty of wire and comes with all the hardware to make clean runs. Magnetic mounts make it super easy to adjust. Alerts, etc... They are free, but if you want recorded history they charge a reasonable fee per camera. I like Nest because it's compatible with my Google Home system and the image quality is great.


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## JDgreen18

Im pretty happy with the arlo pro2 wireless cameras. Easy to install and batteries last 1 to 4 months depending on activity. While not as good as wired its good enough for what I need and plenty clear to see what's going on. I get notifications pushed to my phone when the cameras detect motion. Also you stay at 5 cameras or less and pay nothing for 7 days of rolling recording on a cloud based set up.


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## craigdt

The Arlo looks interesting but the Eufy also looks like a great option.
Pretty pricey though


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## JDgreen18

craigdt said:


> The Arlo looks interesting but the Eufy also looks like a great option.
> Pretty pricey though


Best price I found for the Arlo pro 2 was at Costco. 
I got 5 cameras, 5 batteries, 5 mounts, 3 skins, 1 2 battery charger & the base unit. I paid $699.


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## craigdt

JDgreen18 said:


> craigdt said:
> 
> 
> 
> The Arlo looks interesting but the Eufy also looks like a great option.
> Pretty pricey though
> 
> 
> 
> Best price I found for the Arlo pro 2 was at Costco.
> I got 5 cameras, 5 batteries, 5 mounts, 3 skins, 1 2 battery charger & the base unit. I paid $699.
Click to expand...

How long do the batteries last?
Are you generally happy with the system?
Do you have any outside?


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## walk1355

craigdt said:


> JDgreen18 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> craigdt said:
> 
> 
> 
> The Arlo looks interesting but the Eufy also looks like a great option.
> Pretty pricey though
> 
> 
> 
> Best price I found for the Arlo pro 2 was at Costco.
> I got 5 cameras, 5 batteries, 5 mounts, 3 skins, 1 2 battery charger & the base unit. I paid $699.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> How long do the batteries last?
> Are you generally happy with the system?
> Do you have any outside?
Click to expand...

I cannot answer this for the Arlo system, but I have the Eufy system which also has batteries.

1. I am very happy with the system, it just works and works well. It isn't overly annoying with the notifications as it only alerts me when it detects an unknown person (yes, you upload picture of your family and it doesn't alert you when it detects one of them).
2. I have had the system since the first part of November and all of the camera's batteries are showing 75% or higher still.
3. I have 3 cameras and they are all outside.


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## JDgreen18

craigdt said:


> JDgreen18 said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> craigdt said:
> 
> 
> 
> The Arlo looks interesting but the Eufy also looks like a great option.
> Pretty pricey though
> 
> 
> 
> Best price I found for the Arlo pro 2 was at Costco.
> I got 5 cameras, 5 batteries, 5 mounts, 3 skins, 1 2 battery charger & the base unit. I paid $699.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> How long do the batteries last?
> Are you generally happy with the system?
> Do you have any outside?
Click to expand...

I have them all outside...the batteries last anywhere from a month to 4 months depending on use. My back door which is used the mist is about month. You can get a solar panel to keep the batteries charged for the locations you don't want to change a battery. I cant really comment on these cause I haven't tried them. I love the system and really was simple to install. Another note if you want to try it get it at Costco try it for a month or 2, if you dont like it return it. They have a fantastic return policy.


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## Cory

I've had both Ring cameras, Nest outdoor and outdoor IQ, and now have a Lorex 4K 30fps system.

I sent the ring camera back after one night, the video would have been impossible to ID someone because of the serious amount of ghosting. They may have updated since then but I haven't tried.

I had my original Nest cams for over 2 years and still use the Nest doorbell. The outdoor cams worked great, app was a bit glitchy but that was my only complaint. Until a kid came through on a bike pulling door handles breaking into cars a couple months ago. If the police didn't already have an idea who the kid was they probably would have never been able to identify who he was based of the video from my cameras. Here's the best screen shot I could get them 




After I bought and installed the Lorex camers I was pretty unhappy with the user interface and the Lorex app so I decided to give the Nest Outdoor IQ a shot before I returned the Lorex system. The IQ has a nice picture during the day but at night was worse than the original, it went back the next day.

I have the Lorex NR9082 NVR and currently 2 LNB9232S cameras, I plan on getting at at least 4 more cameras. I wrote a pretty lengthy review on amazon, you can read it there. In my opinion Nest has the best app and since I was just coming from the Nest I was pretty frustrated when I wrote it. But when it boils down to it, the video quality is what matters the most, the 30fps 4K beats Nest hands down! Really my only major complaint with the system is that my neighborhood street lights give off too much ambient light and you can not disable color night vision with making daytime video black and white as well.

Here's some screen shots comparing the Nest IQ to the Lorex

Nest




 


Lorex. I don't have any photos of me walking from right to left with the lorex but it looks just as good as walking towards it.


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## chrismar

Another Eufy user here. Perfectly happy so far with the system. I have 3 cameras, 2 in the back, 1 in the front. I've also had mine since November (installed in Thanksgiving weekend) and also have 3/4 to full battery on all 3 cameras.


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## ctrav

When we bought our home it already had 4 wired cameras. I purchased 4 Arlo Pro 2 cameras to augment. Arlo has excellent pic quality and as stated easy to install. The downside is the batteries (cost and effort). Don't get me wrong its not crazy just a consideration. All in all I like my setup. Nest is a product I would highly consider it I were starting from scratch...


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## Still learnin

Do the cameras dictate the quality of motion detection or is that the NVR? My motion detection ability is subpar to say the least, especially when trying to account for the bugs at night.


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## Ware

Still learnin said:


> Do the cameras dictate the quality of motion detection or is that the NVR? My motion detection ability is subpar to say the least, especially when trying to account for the bugs at night.


I experienced the same frustration with an older setup I had - when I set up the system I have now, I went with HDD's that were large enough to just record 24/7 on all channels. The NVR software will still detect/flag motion on the timeline, but I'm not as concerned about fine tuning in the sensitivity/motion zones.


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## Cory

Still learnin said:


> Do the cameras dictate the quality of motion detection or is that the NVR? My motion detection ability is subpar to say the least, especially when trying to account for the bugs at night.


Not sure about other systems but I can change the sensitivity settings in my NVR.


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## hefegrass

i have gone through so many different types of ip security cameras in the past 10 years, many foscam and other brands. Some wired, some wireless. For sure wired cameras are the most reliable, but i am happy to say there are decent wireless options now
I just moved to a new house and needed to go wireless due to the size and locations of the cameras. i originally got some reolink cameras, which work ok..but I recently picked up some WYZE cameras from amazon ($25 each) and im actually quite impressed for the price. For my use, they are perfect! I have them all recording video continuously on a 32gb sd card, as well as event recording with motion detection zones and free online cloud storage (for the event recording, all continuous recording is local). They do 2 way audio (really well) and can record time lapse etc. I am honestly quite impressed with the cameras and you cant beat the price.
All 3 cameras have been up and running for months without issues

(they are in SD mode right now so the video can look a lot better than these examples


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## ctrav

@hefegrass how are they at night and in low light conditions? Are they battery operated?? Thanks


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## Still learnin

Ware said:


> Still learnin said:
> 
> 
> 
> Do the cameras dictate the quality of motion detection or is that the NVR? My motion detection ability is subpar to say the least, especially when trying to account for the bugs at night.
> 
> 
> 
> I experienced the same frustration with an older setup I had - when I set up the system I have now, I went with HDD's that were large enough to just record 24/7 on all channels. The NVR software will still detect/flag motion on the timeline, but I'm not as concerned about fine tuning in the sensitivity/motion zones.
Click to expand...

My NVR's record 24/7 as well, no storage issues at all. My main complaint is that I like to be notified when someone comes up my driveway, front door, etc.. sometimes it works, sometimes it does not. My Interlogix NVR's are not very "dumb user" friendly. My goal is to only receive an alert when a person walks into the area, not a bug or bird or the sun changing directions/clouds or my flag moving. Which have all happened. So I'm wondering if I would need to change a camera for better motion detection (some of y'all have great motion detection it seems) or do I need to change the NVR. Both are expensive options!


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## hefegrass

ctrav said:


> @hefegrass how are they at night and in low light conditions? Are they battery operated?? Thanks


they are plug in, no battery.

they have auto night vision (or manual on off) and they work very well at night. in fact, they have a feature that allows you to turn off the night vision LEDs when night vision is enabled which allows them to be set behind a glass window and use the night vision without glare..works really well. I havent seen this feature anywhere else.


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## Ware

@Still learnin I think my NVR is probably very similar to yours. It records great, but the software seems dated and is not super user friendly.

I know some people build their own NVR's (a computer) and run a third party software like Blue Iris.

I have considered adding something like a Ring to get the benefit of instant mobile notification/ease of use. Then rely on my 8TB NVR for 24/7 recording duty - something I can go to if something happens.


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## CenlaLowell

I was wondering do you all know about this brand of camera? https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.alibisecurity.com/&ved=2ahUKEwixovikgrrhAhVvmK0KHeKxCeEQFjAAegQIBRAC&usg=AOvVaw3hloxgB8FTPhpcDg8cKfRj

There's neighbors that had these installed in their home and love them. Now I'm on the fence about getting these installed. Quoted price was 1400$ for six cameras, wires, receiver and installation.

Cameras are very similar to this one
https://www.alibisecurity.com/alibi-megapixel-hd-tvi-ir-wdr-security-camera-ali-ts2018vr


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## Cory

@CenlaLowell The camera linked looks like a rebranded Hikvision camera. https://www.amazon.com/PoE-Security-Camera-DS-2CD2185FWD-I-Weatherproof/dp/B07F231ZS8/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?keywords=hikvision+4k+camera+system&qid=1554510915&s=gateway&sr=8-11

It may be a decent price since installation is included. Installation can be a pain if you don't really know what your doing so it may be worth it. I would make sure to check the cameras you would actually be getting before committing. Some cameras can cost $200+ a piece and some cost $25


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## CenlaLowell

Cory said:


> @CenlaLowell The camera linked looks like a rebranded Hikvision camera. https://www.amazon.com/PoE-Security-Camera-DS-2CD2185FWD-I-Weatherproof/dp/B07F231ZS8/ref=mp_s_a_1_11?keywords=hikvision+4k+camera+system&qid=1554510915&s=gateway&sr=8-11
> 
> It may be a decent price since installation is included. Installation can be a pain if you don't really know what your doing so it may be worth it. I would make sure to check the cameras you would actually be getting before committing. Some cameras can cost $200+ a piece and some cost $25


All I remember is they shoot in 4k, night vision and motion detection


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## Still learnin

@Ware I've considered a ring camera or something similar as a secondary as well. I'm just weird and hate to go with two separate systems. I still may though for the up close pic.


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## driver_7

If you're looking for a doorbell camera, I recommend the Nest Hello. I've had one up for a year now and love it. My dad traded out his Ring Pro for the Hello a few months ago and said it's night and day different (better).


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## Ware

Still learnin said:


> Ware I've considered a ring camera or something similar as a secondary as well. I'm just weird and hate to go with two separate systems. I still may though for the up close pic.


Yeah, I understand. The other way to look at it is good security has multiple layers.


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## Timbo3985

I currently have a Zmodo brand set up which was in the house when I bought it. It's decent enough, but I have been unable to do any type of remote viewing due to the company not supporting current iOS's. Does anyone know how easy or worthwhile it would be to simply replace the dvr and keep the cameras I have have in place? They are all hard wired but it is an analog system with BCN cables. I am considering adding a few more cameras but obviously would like to make that decision before purchasing new cameras and cables only to have to replace them if I upgrade the dvr.


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## Colonel K0rn

I can give my $0.02 on this subject because I was looking for a security camera system for a renovation project that we're currently doing. My constraints were I needed as minimal an impact as possible on the outside of the property, good night vision, push notifications and the ability to have 2-way audio. We will be moving the system from property-to-property as we finish them and sell them (or leave it if the buyer wants the system).

The location of the subject property is right on the cusp of cellular coverage, so I'd have a hard time getting cell connectivity, or LTE with my own phone. I tried the Arlo Go, which we added another line and used our data plan for connectivity. I received push notifications, and was impressed with the night vision. I have to say that I was happy with the video that the Arlo Go captured at night, as it helped me identify the neighbor across the street who decided it was OK for him to continue to throw his yard waste into our dumpster (we have to pay by weight). If he would have asked me, I would have said, "Sure" but it's the principle of the thing. He did it once with his old fence remnants, and the second time with a vanity and that's when I confronted him, but that's another story for another thread.

The Arlo Go recorded this video yesterday morning of two strangers who decided to come onto the property when I wasn't there. I didn't have my phone nearby, otherwise I would have TOTALLY asked them if I could help them :nod:  . I have a Ring Spotlight by the front door, and one mounted on the rear door. I'll let you judge the video quality of the systems. Let me preface this by saying that we had Comcast come out and install internet service in anticipation of getting a NVR system installed for on-site storage, and 24/7 recording, with better video quality, but still needing minimal impact. The Ring Spotlight was a decent compromise, and I was seriously looking at the Arlo Pro2 as a replacement since we had a constant connectivity source now.

https://arlo.netgear.com/hmsweb/users/library/share/link/7ACF82CC69351608_201904
https://ring.com/share/6676454600693350219

I will say that with the Ring system, *it does record both sides of an audio interaction, where the Arlo system does not.* I found this out yesterday when I had the UPS driver leave a package for me, which he was unsure of doing at a vacant property. I found that to be very cool!

Yesterday, I returned the Arlo Go, and installed an Arlo Pro2 system, with an additional camera for coverage on a side gate. I honestly had all 5 cameras paired to the home base, and firmware updated and added to my Arlo App on my phone in under 10 minutes. It took me longer to figure out the positioning of where I wanted the cameras and the angles to cover than it did for setting the system up. It's extremely easy to use, the interface is intuitive, night and day vision is great, and the cost was reasonable for the 4 camera system, and it meets our company's needs. If you add AC power to the cameras, you do get the ability to set up motion zones, which adds even more flexibility to the system.

This clip was captured with the Arlo Pro2 camera today, mounted where the prior one was. I believe that the image quality is much better, and doesn't have nearly as much pixelation, but that's probably due to the fact that the system is having to record the images, and upload them to the cloud via an already sketchy cellular connection due to weak coverage.

I captured the same cat on both the Ring and the Arlo Go systems. Check out how much brighter the image gets when the Ring starts recording! 





Here's the video that the Ring Spotlight captured. What I find really interesting is that the Arlo Pro2 seems to have better IR LED's, and it doesn't wash out the picture, and the Ring just blasts out so much IR that it causes the picture to wash out. I have the Ring placed under the eave of the house, and I wouldn't expect there to be so much reflected light, but there is. It's the same way on my back unit. I'm guessing it would be more suitable to not be mounted under an eave, or at least 2' away from something overhead.
https://ring.com/share/6671818836332340527


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## Revlus

Head on over to IPCamTalk.com 
They cover all aspects of a camera system. 
I use Power Over Ethernet Poe+ and Dahua cams that have low light performance for IDENTIFICATION at night. What good is a camera way up high if it can't identify someone. So picking the right field of view (or getting a camera that zooms) is very important. I do have three indoor wireless, and they failed often until I upgraded to some UniFi equipment. Now they are ok.... but the other outdoor cams (8 of them so far) NEVER have an issue and record to a Blue Iris server with OpenVPN access to see the cams from anywhere on the planet.


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## CenlaLowell

Today is the day. I'm supposed to get my security system installed. I will update all the progress


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## wafflesngravy

Revlus said:


> Head on over to IPCamTalk.com
> They cover all aspects of a camera system.
> I use Power Over Ethernet Poe+ and Dahua cams that have low light performance for IDENTIFICATION at night. What good is a camera way up high if it can't identify someone. So picking the right field of view (or getting a camera that zooms) is very important. I do have three indoor wireless, and they failed often until I upgraded to some UniFi equipment. Now they are ok.... but the other outdoor cams (8 of them so far) NEVER have an issue and record to a Blue Iris server with OpenVPN access to see the cams from anywhere on the planet.


Same here, I love Blue Iris but I wouldn't recommend it unless you have decent IT skills. I'ts a great program, but not super user friendly for the average person. I'm also using Dahua Cams, 5231's IIRC, fantastic cameras! Wireless is "ok", but hard wired is always best if you can swing it. I have 10 cams outside all hardwired to a POE switch. I do have a couple of indoor wireless cams that are tied into my alarm system. They are not bad, but no where near the quality of the dahuas.


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## CenlaLowell

Alright they are finally finished. Here's what they used

Cat 5e cable



Alibi cameras





Final



Picture quality is great. I had six installed to cover my entire property. I need to go through the program to figure out all the features of it. I can't wait to check how it looks at night.


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## ctrav

Congrats @CenlaLowell! How many cams came with the system? Is it all automated to use from smart phone? Just curious as I have SpyClops with 4 cams but wish it had 2-3 more. I will say Spyclops has the most awesome tech support...


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## CenlaLowell

ctrav said:


> Congrats @CenlaLowell! How many cams came with the system? Is it all automated to use from smart phone? Just curious as I have SpyClops with 4 cams but wish it had 2-3 more. I will say Spyclops has the most awesome tech support.
> 
> It came with 6 but it has the room to put 8 cameras. All automated through smartphone and living room TV. Picture looks pretty good even at night.


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## ctrav

CenlaLowell said:


> ctrav said:
> 
> 
> 
> Congrats @CenlaLowell! How many cams came with the system? Is it all automated to use from smart phone? Just curious as I have SpyClops with 4 cams but wish it had 2-3 more. I will say Spyclops has the most awesome tech support.
> 
> It came with 6 but it has the room to put 8 cameras. All automated through smartphone and living room TV. Picture looks pretty good even at night.
> 
> 
> 
> Sweet...
Click to expand...


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## CenlaLowell

Night pic


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## ctrav

Nice clarity and very wide field of view...


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## jakemauldin

For some of you that are still looking for a good camera option out there. I would recommend the Lorex - 8-Channel, 8-Camera Indoor/Outdoor Wired 4K 2TB DVR Surveillance System. I bought mine from Best Buy. I installed it myself and the set-up was rather easy. I looked at multiple wireless systems because obviously wireless would have been much easier. But I found that after reading on sites kind of like TLF but for surveillance most people that had wireless systems found them to be lacking in the capture of an actual event. The criminals they were trying to catch would often be able to get to the camera and disable them before the system could activate and start recording Since most of the wireless systems are motion activated, if they did catch the criminal it would usually be of them so close there wasn't a facial profile in frame or it was when they were walking away from the camera. I wanted something more dependable, so I was steered to the Lorex 4k wired system. They have several of these but the one I looked into was one that has color night-vision. This works with very minimal light such as a porch light, I have found it stays in black and white mode if there isn't a small light somewhere in the vicinity. But with a small light the color night-vision is pretty spectacular compared to other old black and white systems. When the system is in black and white mode, for instance you turn all the lights off outside it is still substantially better than the other 4k systems I have seen in that price range. The phone app lets you review past recorded footage and live view. It is user friendly and allows multiple users to access if you want others to be able to access the system also. This system has some deterrence features that are so-so but I just thought of them as extras, It has an alarm that's minimal sounding that you can set off from your phone or set up to go off upon motion, it also has a small light on each camera that is less bright than the one on your cell so that's pretty much useless. But overall this is leaps and bounds ahead of security systems I have seen in the past. 
I will post the link to some of the footage and the link to the cameras at best buy. This particular model is only available through Best Buy, I'm sure they have one very similar elsewhere.https://www.bestbuy.com/site/lorex-...eillance-system-white/6203503.p?skuId=6203503


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## touchofgrass

717driver said:


> If you're looking for a doorbell camera, I recommend the Nest Hello. I've had one up for a year now and love it. My dad traded out his Ring Pro for the Hello a few months ago and said it's night and day different (better).


We have a wired security cam set up that records to a hard drive we own (no subscription service). Do any of the doorbell cams allow you to keep / manage your own footage? We don't want to have subscription service and want to be able to have the footage stored on our existing hard drive.


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## wafflesngravy

touchofgrass said:


> 717driver said:
> 
> 
> 
> If you're looking for a doorbell camera, I recommend the Nest Hello. I've had one up for a year now and love it. My dad traded out his Ring Pro for the Hello a few months ago and said it's night and day different (better).
> 
> 
> 
> We have a wired security cam set up that records to a hard drive we own (no subscription service). Do any of the doorbell cams allow you to keep / manage your own footage? We don't want to have subscription service and want to be able to have the footage stored on our existing hard drive.
Click to expand...

Theres a couple on the market I think, just search for doorbell cams that support onviv, but honestly if you are already using hard wired cams I would just put another cam near the front door. Door bell cams are ok, but you can get MUCH better quality out of a standard cam.


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## touchofgrass

wafflesngravy said:


> touchofgrass said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 717driver said:
> 
> 
> 
> If you're looking for a doorbell camera, I recommend the Nest Hello. I've had one up for a year now and love it. My dad traded out his Ring Pro for the Hello a few months ago and said it's night and day different (better).
> 
> 
> 
> We have a wired security cam set up that records to a hard drive we own (no subscription service). Do any of the doorbell cams allow you to keep / manage your own footage? We don't want to have subscription service and want to be able to have the footage stored on our existing hard drive.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> Theres a couple on the market I think, just search for doorbell cams that support onviv, but honestly if you are already using hard wired cams I would just put another cam near the front door. Door bell cams are ok, but you can get MUCH better quality out of a standard cam.
Click to expand...

We have one pointing at the front porch already but we're like the doorbell alert trigger so we can see who's at the door in real time versus reviewing footage later, if that makes sense.


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## wafflesngravy

touchofgrass said:


> wafflesngravy said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> touchofgrass said:
> 
> 
> 
> We have a wired security cam set up that records to a hard drive we own (no subscription service). Do any of the doorbell cams allow you to keep / manage your own footage? We don't want to have subscription service and want to be able to have the footage stored on our existing hard drive.
> 
> 
> 
> Theres a couple on the market I think, just search for doorbell cams that support onviv, but honestly if you are already using hard wired cams I would just put another cam near the front door. Door bell cams are ok, but you can get MUCH better quality out of a standard cam.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> We have one pointing at the front porch already but we're like the doorbell alert trigger so we can see who's at the door in real time versus reviewing footage later, if that makes sense.
Click to expand...

Gotcha, yeah I've thought about doing that myself, but ultimately decided not to. Door bell cams work better for some houses than others. Take a good look at what your doorbell is going to see. Does it have a good view of the street? A bush or a tree that blows in the wind alot? I read alot of people complaining that they get overwhelmed with too many false alarms from things like passing cars, etc. I use blue iris for my cams and I can setup motion based alerts to go straight to my phone, but I only lasted a few weeks before disabling it. Too many shots of birds flying around, the dog who likes to sleep on the front porch, and some times shadows of a blowing tree would trigger it. Drove me crazy.


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## touchofgrass

Yeah. Our porch cam is too high for my liking so we can't see much more than the tops of heads but lowering it could result in tampering. We're fully visual with all the cams ...this is the porch cam and another cam that's right on the corner of the porch looking out towards the street

Porch Cam
Front Cam


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## touchofgrass

They aren't really that blurry..I'll Redo them once I remember what photo uploaded you all use


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## touchofgrass

Porch Cam

Front House Cam


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## GrassDaddy

I've got a Lorex 4 camera setup and a Nest Outdoor IQ setup.

I started with the Lorex - the camera quality was great and having all the angles of the house covered perfect. Installation wasn't hard, the wires are all longer than my house lol. The problem was the actual software. Trying to use it remotely is 50/50. Using it in home was buggy, through the NVR rediculously bad. And the motion detection is incredibly useless. The wind blowing the grass causes it to notify.

The Nest Outdoor IQ on the other hand is great. I can easily find footage remotely. The detection is great. It knows when it's a human walking around and not the wind blowing. It even knows when it's my family or a stranger. It can notify on voices and not just noises. When I was at GIE my wife told me someone tried luring my kids when she was inside. I was able to very easily find the footage and send it to the police.

So I am using both now. Eventually I might get more Nest cams all around, but 99.99% of the time it's the front yard that gets the footage anyways. When someone robs your house they usually knock on the door to make sure nobody is home first. So if I see someone on the Nest going to the backyard, I can fight the Lorex and find the footage but otherwise I'd probably never know they were there cuz it just wasn't dependable.


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## CenlaLowell

GrassDaddy said:


> I've got a Lorex 4 camera setup and a Nest Outdoor IQ setup.
> 
> I started with the Lorex - the camera quality was great and having all the angles of the house covered perfect. Installation wasn't hard, the wires are all longer than my house lol. The problem was the actual software. Trying to use it remotely is 50/50. Using it in home was buggy, through the NVR rediculously bad. And the motion detection is incredibly useless. The wind blowing the grass causes it to notify.
> 
> The Nest Outdoor IQ on the other hand is great. I can easily find footage remotely. The detection is great. It knows when it's a human walking around and not the wind blowing. It even knows when it's my family or a stranger. It can notify on voices and not just noises. When I was at GIE my wife told me someone tried luring my kids when she was inside. I was able to very easily find the footage and send it to the police.
> 
> So I am using both now. Eventually I might get more Nest cams all around, but 99.99% of the time it's the front yard that gets the footage anyways. When someone robs your house they usually knock on the door to make sure nobody is home first. So if I see someone on the Nest going to the backyard, I can fight the Lorex and find the footage but otherwise I'd probably never know they were there cuz it just wasn't dependable.


The only problem I have is the motion detection the wind blowing and it's going off is a real problem.


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## Cory

@Redtwin some opinions on this thread


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## bullet

I'm honestly surprised no one suggested Ubiquiti UniFi.
https://www.ui.com/products/#unifivideo

My dad and brother have Zmodo systems. They're alright. They've lasted ~5 years so far with minor issues. I'm a Network Administrator, and I'm a fan of Ubiquiti, so I'll be trying out their products (maybe next year when the budget allows).

More specifically the G3-AF with Cloud Key Gen 2 (acts as NVR as well).


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## jayhawk

bullet said:


> I'm honestly surprised no one suggested Ubiquiti UniFi.
> https://www.ui.com/products/#unifivideo
> 
> My dad and brother have Zmodo systems. They're alright. They've lasted ~5 years so far with minor issues. I'm a Network Administrator, and I'm a fan of Ubiquiti, so I'll be trying out their products (maybe next year when the budget allows).
> 
> More specifically the G3-AF with Cloud Key Gen 2 (acts as NVR as well).


My question is gen 2 plus (cloud key) a superset of cloud key, not just for surveillance?


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## walk1355

jayhawk said:


> bullet said:
> 
> 
> 
> I'm honestly surprised no one suggested Ubiquiti UniFi.
> https://www.ui.com/products/#unifivideo
> 
> My dad and brother have Zmodo systems. They're alright. They've lasted ~5 years so far with minor issues. I'm a Network Administrator, and I'm a fan of Ubiquiti, so I'll be trying out their products (maybe next year when the budget allows).
> 
> More specifically the G3-AF with Cloud Key Gen 2 (acts as NVR as well).
> 
> 
> 
> My question is gen 2 plus (cloud key) a superset of cloud key, not just for surveillance?
Click to expand...

Yes, the cloud key gen 2 is the next generation of the cloud key controller. the cloud key gen 2 plus is the unit that has a 2.5" storage drive built it. It's also worth looking at the UDM pro at this point as it is a controller/switch/gateway built into one rackmountable unit. I am running a UDM pro and am very happy with it.

If you are set on a cloud key gen 2 plus, look at reddit.com/r/homelabsales or reddit.com/r/hardwareswap 
People are offloading their cloud keys and going to the UDM pro which was recently released in the last couple of weeks. You can probably get one for 40%-50% off new price.

edit: The udm pro can also run Unifi's talk and protect software, which will be released to general access at some point.


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## jayhawk

@walk1355 oh, that is tempting (UDM pro)! will the UDM pro provide access from outside your network ...so if i wanted to VPN in from outside, i could (without being a IT network pro)? (My understanding is that cloud key provided this function ...generally) i travel a lot and want to be able to connect from afar and that also implies there is a robust firewall etc.


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## walk1355

jayhawk said:


> @walk1355 oh, that is tempting (UDM pro)! will the UDM pro provide access from outside your network ...so if i wanted to VPN in from outside, i could (without being a IT network pro)? (My understanding is that cloud key provided this function ...generally) i travel a lot and want to be able to connect from afar and that also implies there is a robust firewall etc.


Yes. The UDM pro controller provides the same functionality as a cloud key. It even runs the same controller software.


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## kds

I had been eyeing the eufyCam 2 and it was $75 off today on Amazon. The reviews around the web seem to be pretty good. No monthly subscription fees, integrates with HomeKit, and comes with everything I need. I don't really want to run wires because I don't know how much longer I'll be in this house.

If it goes well I'll be replacing my Ring doorbell with their version as well as some of the IP cameras I have tied into my Synology NAS. It would be nice to have everything in one place and keep costs contained.


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## PNW_George

I bought equipment manufactured by Dahua, a manufacturer I may have not considered after reading a bit more about concerns some USA organizations has with them. They are the actual manufacturer for many of the brands sold at Best But, Costco and other outlets.

I have a Dahua NVR5216-16P-4KS2E 16 NVR and installed two 8 TB WD Purple hard drives in it. I installed 4 of 10 Cameras so far;
2 ea. IPC-T5442TM-AS 2.8mm 4MP Eyeball and 2 ea. IPC-B5442E-ZE 4MP Bullet 2.7mm ~12mm.

I still need to install 1 ea. IPC-HFW5231E-Z12E 2MP Starlight WDR IR Bullet Network Camera 5.3mm ~64mm 12x Zoom Lens, 1 ea. IPC-HFW5231E-Z5E 2MP Starlight WDR IR Bullet Network Camera 7mm ~35mm 5X Zoom, 1 ea. IPC-T5442TM-AS 2.8mm Fixed Lens 4MP Starlight+ WDR IR Eyeball AI Network Camera, 2 ea. IP Camera IPC-HDW5231R-ZE 2MP Starlight WDR IR Eyeball Starlight Network IP Camera and 1 ea. IPC-B5442E-ZE 4MP Starlight+ WDR IR Bullet AI Network Camera 2.7mm ~12mm Motorized.

Here is a screen capture of the first 4 cameras I've installed from this evening. You can see my renovation is well under way. The neighbors are confused.


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## avionics12

walk1355 said:


> jayhawk said:
> 
> 
> 
> @walk1355 oh, that is tempting (UDM pro)! will the UDM pro provide access from outside your network ...so if i wanted to VPN in from outside, i could (without being a IT network pro)? (My understanding is that cloud key provided this function ...generally) i travel a lot and want to be able to connect from afar and that also implies there is a robust firewall etc.
> 
> 
> 
> Yes. The UDM pro controller provides the same functionality as a cloud key. It even runs the same controller software.
Click to expand...

I am running a UDMP and a Unifi Pro24 PoE Switch to handle my home network and the Unifi protect cameras, G4 Doorbell camera included. Easy to use with an intuitive interface and I can access it remotely.


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## Jacks_Designs

wireless is easy and convenient for a simple DIY job.
The thought of even having to change a battery is just not for me. 7 Batteries a year, no thank you.

I personally would only hard wire the cameras and while your at it install a few APs.


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## White94RX

This thread needs an update! My wife and I just decided we wanted to install cameras around the perimeter of our home. It only took a few minutes to decide that wired was what we wanted. A little more research, and confirmed that I wanted PoE (power over ethernet) vs. the standard wiring that comes with the other systems. Mainly because Cat5 is cheap, and can be made to any length. I'm sure the standard 60 ft. lengths is comes with won't do. The PoE systems are more expensive, but if you add in the cost of the wiring extensions for the non-PoE systems, you're going to add in a large cost.

Anyone have any experience with the Swann systems? I'm looking at the 8 channel, 2TB NVR, 8x4k camera system. Seems like the Lorex is a good system too, but I didn't see a PoE system available on the Best Buy site.

Edit: Went direct to the Lorex website, and they do offer PoE systems. The 8 camera system is about $100 less than the Swann system. Anybody have any comment on either one?


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## rotolow

White94RX said:


> This thread needs an update! My wife and I just decided we wanted to install cameras around the perimeter of our home. It only took a few minutes to decide that wired was what we wanted. A little more research, and confirmed that I wanted PoE (power over ethernet) vs. the standard wiring that comes with the other systems. Mainly because Cat5 is cheap, and can be made to any length. I'm sure the standard 60 ft. lengths is comes with won't do. The PoE systems are more expensive, but if you add in the cost of the wiring extensions for the non-PoE systems, you're going to add in a large cost.
> 
> Anyone have any experience with the Swann systems? I'm looking at the 8 channel, 2TB NVR, 8x4k camera system. Seems like the Lorex is a good system too, but I didn't see a PoE system available on the Best Buy site.
> 
> Edit: Went direct to the Lorex website, and they do offer PoE systems. The 8 camera system is about $100 less than the Swann system. Anybody have any comment on either one?


Swann and Lorex are both reliable brands with good software for a home gamer. Are you a Costco member? They have Swann products at steep discounts as well as some other prosumer cams. Best part is that if anything goes wrong with them I think Costco guarantees them for life.


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## White94RX

Thanks for the input. I tried to read up all I could on them. We ended up going with a Lorex system. It's 8 camera, PoE, expandable to 16, with a 3 tb hard drive. Got for $850 after $150 President's day sale discount. I started the install yesterday. Not going to be an easy job, but I know it will be sweet when it's done!


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## JayGo

Some of the tech terminology in this thread: &#129327;.
...where to begin. &#128542;

Thanks to everyone that shared.


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## cubsfan24

kds said:


> I had been eyeing the eufyCam 2 and it was $75 off today on Amazon. The reviews around the web seem to be pretty good. No monthly subscription fees, integrates with HomeKit, and comes with everything I need. I don't really want to run wires because I don't know how much longer I'll be in this house.


What was the price then? I just bought the eufy 1080p doorbell. Should I have gotten the 2k version for $40 more? I got wired.

I've also had Wyze v2 cams on perimeter of the house for a couple years. They seemed okay at first, but I'm starting to notice they just arent clear enough, and the night vision is bad.

Any recommendations for 2 security cams? I run the Wyze off 2 long USB micro cords along the siding, and bought weatherproof housings for the Wyze.

Im looking for something that can cover as close to a 180 degrees angle as possible, and has good night vision (spotlight built-in in would probably help I would guess?). I need one for my backyard and one for my side yard.


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## jeffjunstrom

Finally finished reading this thread after I decided I wanted to add some exterior cameras to our home. I have a couple questions. First, I think I've settled on the Lorex system because I wanted 1) a wired system, 2) with local storage, 3) that wasn't bank-breakingly expensive, and 4) was compatible with Alexa. Best Buy and Costco both have systems that meet my requirements, or enough of them (Costco's Lorex doesn't work with Alexa), so the next step is purchase and install. But I have zero skills when it comes to running the necessary wires in my home, so I'll need someone to do it. I tried to research some local security companies, but they're all going to make you buy their products, etc. Best Buy offers install, but I'm always leery of using the big box installers. Anyone in a similar boat, and what did you do?


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## Jacks_Designs

Labor is going to be just as expensive or more than the system you just got. I'd find a friend that can help you.

If your really set on paying someone to do it… just find a "handy man" that's run cables before.


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## White94RX

I installed mine myself. It was a lot of work. Running the wires in the attic wasn't the issue, but it was the two cameras that were mounted on one side of my house, probably 25 feet up. Working on a ladder that high scares the crap out of me.


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## Mightyquinn

I currently have a Lorex system installed in my house that is around 3-4 years old. I have 8 cameras around the outside of my house. I like the Lorex system and it's ok but I think I am going to eventually start replacing it with UniFi cameras as I already have their equipment for WiFi and networking in the house. The UI on the Lorex is kind of clunky and not too user friendly and since I already have the CAT 6 cable ran to the Lorex cameras it won't be too hard to change the cameras over.


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## cubsfan24

I've been researching, and I think I need 6 poe dome cameras. Lorex has horrible reviews on some reddit pages. I would sacrifie overall quality if they had good enough night vision that I could potentially get a license plate. I have cheap Wyze v3 cameras right now, and the starlight night sensor is impressive, but the cameras themselves are very buggy and unreliable.

Anyone have any suggestions? I've looked at reolink, unifi, axis, lorex, and some others. I still cant decide, and I'd prefer to not drop $1,000.


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## cldrunner

This week I replaced my old Lorex 2K system with a new 4K Lorex Fusion system. My old cameras were still working and 4 years old. Although the system would have been just fine for a few more years I wanted to upgrade the cameras and could only do so with a new recorder as well. 4 camera system cost $489 + tax.

Set up was easy. Camera mount had same holes for the three screws so each camera was 10 min to unscrew and replace with new camera. Ended up with a 108° vs old 97° field of view. New cameras have two LED lights, siren, and two way talk. Do not think I will need or use the latter two. The new app Lorex Home vs Lorex Cloud has better search capability. For instance, give me all clips of vehicle or person detection. With a 2TB drive I expect to be able to record 3-4 weeks of video before recording over old data.

The Fusion system has the ability to add two wireless devices such as a doorbell and wireless camera as well as up to 10 door/window and indoor motions sensors.

Downside: Lorex is an old school company. Most of the camera settings have to be made from the DVR and a monitor. All the settings *cannot *be changed from the mobile app. The location of the DVR could make it harder to make changes.
The downside of any system usually is with notifications. Dialing in the areas that you want motion detection, package detection, and vehicle detection is always an issue. I have some work to dial in my cameras.

Upside: Price! 4 cameras and DVR for $500 is pretty good. New Lorex Home app has better functionality(mainly search). Camera quality is much better than old cameras. Still can access on laptop via Lorex Cloud app.

Overall, happy with the upgrade and new Lorex system.
https://www.lorex.com/products/4k-nvr-security-system-with-smart-deterrence-cameras-fusion-capabilities-and-smart-motion-detection-plus?variant=40915914850454


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## Skiney12

If you like, try Reolink Argus 3 Pro which has a local storage benefit and is not expensive. But it has no removable battery.


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## jayhawk

I think https://youtube.com/c/TheHookUp does a good job comparing, lacks of bias that I can see.


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