DIY Home Security Installation (N/A)

Gerhardt

Gerhardt

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Gerhardt
I'd like to install a system with a DVR and 4 cameras with decent picture quality. There are a number of systems out there in the $200-$300 range that have good reviews.

While a lot of people thrive on the challenge of setting things up, I'm not one of them. I want a plug-n-play system that requires almost no knowledge or effort on my part.

Has anyone here done something like this who is pleased with how easy it was to install?

(You'd think there's be a company that would do things like this, but every security company around here sells their own system with monthly fees and I don't want any part of that.)
 
The hard part was fishing cable. Everything else was plug and play.

4 cameras you may be able to get away with wireless. Might. More than 4 you will likely clobber your wireless internet. I started with 6 wireless cameras now have 2.
 
What I'm looking for is information on what system you opted for that was so easy to get up and running. And verification that it was truly plug-n-play. I don't mind running cable. That's no problem at all. What I don't want to do is spend hours trying to configure a system.
 
I have 4 Arlo2 wireless cameras and it is very easy to set up and has no monthly fees (for the basic 7 days of cloud storage plan). It is more than $300 though.
 
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Approximately this is what I started with (8 channel DVR). Added 4 wired camera's from the same company and removed 2 wireless.
 
I use Synology NAS and have about 8 AXIS IP cameras setup. The Synology system is WebGUI locally on your network and you can tie it into their cloud service. The NAS prices vary and you get to pick your IP based cameras.
 
Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe said:
Approximately this is what I started with (8 channel DVR). Added 4 wired camera's from the same company and removed 2 wireless.
Click to expand...

It says you just plug it in and it's up and running. That's EXACTLY what I'm looking for! Thanks a lot.
 
RudyP said:
I have 4 Arlo2 wireless cameras and it is very easy to set up and has no monthly fees (for the basic 7 days of cloud storage plan). It is more than $300 though.
Click to expand...

I have 1 Arlo2 camera set up. Works great. I will have to charge the battery now and then, which will require a ladder to get to the camera. But, it sure works well.
 
Ghery said:
I have 1 Arlo2 camera set up. Works great. I will have to charge the battery now and then, which will require a ladder to get to the camera. But, it sure works well.
Click to expand...
I have four of them. Usually work pretty well, batteries last about 4 months in the warmer months, take a hit when it's really cold. Occasional outages and latency longer than I'd like. I think some of the issues lie with my FiOS.

BTW, I've been using Tenergy CR123A batteries ordered from Amazon, buy in 40 pack, they're around a buck each...
 
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I have a 4 channel Amcrest system hooked to an NVR. I put the NVR upstairs in a closet and ran all the wiring myself. My system runs POE so it was super easy to run the supplied cat5. You want plug and play but with any DIY install system you will have lots of frustration. The install wasn't bad as my attic is wide open and super tall. BUT setting up the threshold and sensitivity of the cameras is a PAIN absolute PAIN! I get 100's of false alarms for motion detect daily and I have messed with it and messed with it. Its to the point of I don't pay attention to any of them. Ill just take a look when something happened (which recently did and I was able to supply video to the cops). But I do like having the system regardless and it records for about 4 days before it overwrites the oldest data.
 
Do they all now have:

-awesome detail
-color
-motion activation
-infrared for night/dark use
-recording for 2 weeks
-remote access?
If so, I could be convinced!
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
Do they all now have:

-awesome detail
-color
-motion activation
-infrared for night/dark use
-recording for 2 weeks
-remote access?
If so, I could be convinced!
Click to expand...

I'm not buying until they come with a trunk monkey.
 
simtech said:
You want plug and play but with any DIY install system you will have lots of frustration.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. You'd think there would be a market for things like this that were plug and play. Like most things though, there's a learning curve. Once you learn to put one system together over the course of 15 hours...you could do another system in about half an hour.
 
Gerhardt said:
I'd like to install a system with a DVR and 4 cameras with decent picture quality. There are a number of systems out there in the $200-$300 range that have good reviews.

While a lot of people thrive on the challenge of setting things up, I'm not one of them. I want a plug-n-play system that requires almost no knowledge or effort on my part.

Has anyone here done something like this who is pleased with how easy it was to install?

(You'd think there's be a company that would do things like this, but every security company around here sells their own system with monthly fees and I don't want any part of that.)
Click to expand...

I installed SimpliSafe. It was easy. No surprises. Worked like advertised. I didn't do video though.
 
Gerhardt said:
Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. You'd think there would be a market for things like this that were plug and play. Like most things though, there's a learning curve. Once you learn to put one system together over the course of 15 hours...you could do another system in about half an hour.
Click to expand...

Its not so much the install, that pretty much is plug and play. I mounted 4 cameras, ran 4 ethernet cables and plugged into DVR and boom it works. Even setting up alarms wasn't all that bad and naming the cameras is straight forward. The problem lies in setting up the cameras to not trigger at every little movement. They describe threshold and sensitivity sort of well so after diving into google I felt pretty confident but it never works right. EVER!! haha Time of day changes and I get false alarms emailed to me, shadow-false alarm, for no reason at all-false alarm, cat sneezing-false alarm. I have spent hours and either its wayy too sensitive or it doesnt work. its annoying for sure and they say every camera is different. So if you get it right on one the next one will be way different. so....I just get 100 of emails. ugh

So don't be discouraged about install, just make sure you get a POE camera. But be ready for false alarms. And from what Ive heard all cameras are pretty much that way. Just talked with a detective and he has a Nest system and while we were talking he got numerous triggers at his front door but nobody there. sigh they really can make that a bit easier.
 
cowman said:
I put a 9mm pistol in the drawer by my bed and I have a dog.
Click to expand...

I am never more than a few steps from a gun in my house (hehe) and I have a doberman. 2 weeks ago I had a drugged up dude come down my drive and going right to my back yard with the doberman barking like crazy. That's when I saw what was happening and went outside to confront. Dog did'nt phase this dude and my doberman barks some mean fierceness. I got him to leave with not too much trouble and called the cops. Gave them a description and video of dude to identify. Easy money, all systems worked as planned. I live out in the country so it took almost 20 minutes for them to show up. ugh I do wonder what would of happened had we not been home. He clearly was'nt looking to rob but I think just a place to lie low and veg out, who knows. But Ive now got a driveway gate on order as well. About to have a fortified compound. haha Next up will be a moat.
 
When I get home I can check more details, but search Ankke or Annke something like that. And get the PoE version, makes install simpler.

I have a 4 camera system if theirs. Friend and I installed in under a day. Granted he’s been a low voltage tech for years and I’m in the biz too.
 
This is a screen shot I just took of the view from one cam on their app

1d131036b83161297ea2a28131d8fb04.jpg
 
Gerhardt said:
Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. You'd think there would be a market for things like this that were plug and play. Like most things though, there's a learning curve. Once you learn to put one system together over the course of 15 hours...you could do another system in about half an hour.
Click to expand...

There is but it’s more than $300. I commented earlier in this thread but my four camera Arlo system was entirely plug and play. No wiring and I was up and running in less than 5 minutes.
 
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