Any starter guides? 2 jobs I have lined up

[fintheman]

Hopefully this isn't an annoying post for you guys.

I have been contacted to help setup at least 6-8 camera system for a hostel in my hometown and for a personal business contact I am friends with. I have used DVR systems in my time in the USAF as well in some retail enviroments. I even setup a DVR system with webcams for my dorm room in the USAF to see what the heck they did when they inspected my room

By trade, I'm an IT Professional.

What questions I'm curious about.

The system to get setup should just be a PC with a large HD and the cards for the channels. You mount the cameras where they are needed, connect it, and walla?

My thing is, I'm clueless about the software out there. This isn't a system that would need to protect top secret information or anything, but just be robust enough to stay online for recording in the 1 second increments (or whatever works) to monitor the small campus area and parking lot to make sure that there is no foulplay, theft, etc., since the hostel is between the good part and bad part of town.

I don't know if the cameras that have a panning and tracking ability are expensive, or if the tracking is controlled by the software. Automatic panning would be nice, but isn't needed. I'm just curious at what all I will need to setup a proper system.

The campus isn't larger than 1 acre, consists of 4 units and the parking lot. I would like to be able to monitor the parking lot and the 4 corners and maybe one in the admin office/entrance.

If you have any good wiki/tutur links, I'd love to see em. This may lead into more things if I setup this up and feel like I have a very good grasp at doing this. I will also be setting a system up on a home in the near future.

Thanks for your time

-Fin

[crankloud]

swann

swann make cameras and software for these types of systems. Try them out. Also if your using a multiplexer it should come with it's own software.

[knotquiteawake]

let us know how it turns out, i've been looking at getting into the camera/DVR systems field. There are a few DVR programs that are open source (read: free programs). Some of the stock software i hear is pretty low quality so look into the software. Also, i personally think you can build a DVR cheaper than buying one so i would go that route. Another thing to pay attention to is the quality of the cards. Single chip cards are crap, go for the multichip cards. If you've made your own in the past you prob already know all this though

[luckey]

Here's one for ya

Look at Lurwerks.....they have a web site http://store.lukwerks.com/ or just go to radio shack. I tried the system a couple of days ago...wow....so easy...as long as you have a 110 out let in the area you want to protect and the wiring goes back/or is in loop with where the computer is....this system is great. Not cheap at all and is for indoor use. but it works using the 110/220 wires from the outlet to transmit back to the computer. New tech....the software allows you to set motion sensors or go live...and you can tell it how long you want it to record and how much hard drive you want to use. It tells you on a calander date time when something happened you need to watch...Nor more sitting and watching tapes for hours....it also allows you to go frame by frame and print at any time. Like I said not cheap the cameras are 300.00 each. Hope this helps.

[luckey]

sorry as for the rest of your question on TS areas.. Alarm systems and such were my speciality in the Air Force SEI 031...look at DCI directives for general information..as long as the image does not travel outside of the protected area your in general ok...but there are approved encriypted system...

[SIW Editor]

Look at Lurwerks.....they have a web site http://store.lukwerks.com/ or just go to radio shack. I tried the system a couple of days ago...wow....so easy...as long as you have a 110 out let in the area you want to protect and the wiring goes back/or is in loop with where the computer is....this system is great. Not cheap at all and is for indoor use. but it works using the 110/220 wires from the outlet to transmit back to the computer. New tech....the software allows you to set motion sensors or go live...and you can tell it how long you want it to record and how much hard drive you want to use. It tells you on a calander date time when something happened you need to watch...Nor more sitting and watching tapes for hours....it also allows you to go frame by frame and print at any time. Like I said not cheap the cameras are 300.00 each. Hope this helps.

Check out the CCTV section of the site for more options and more vendors. There are a ton of options here. Many use network cameras so you're working with IP technology you're familiar with. I'm an editor, not a dealer, so I'm going to remain impartial and will not try to steer you to any particular brand. Also check out the homepage of the site and sub-pages. You'll find a lot of advertisers specializing in video surveillance. These companies advertising on SIW are not fly-by-night operations, so you'll get the support you need and the firmware updates, etc.

Good luck,

Geoff Kohl, editor
SecurityInfoWatch.com.

[luckey]

I'm not a dealer for anyone either.....I just tried the system and loved it...it was very simple and the software is user friendly. Not knowing the level of expertise of the person asking the question, this is key turn system.