Need Some Help Choosing Cameras

[Guest CS223]

I'm setting up a DVR system to cover the outside of a single story building. Cameras will be primarily positioned to view a driveway, the exterior sides and an entrance door. I plan to use a single power supply located in the equipment closet with the DVR. 'Ideally', I'd like to stay around $150 per camera. No PTZ, just weatherproof cameras. I would like night vision but it could be provided by an alarm output switching on incandecent lighting. I've looked at a number of selections on Ebay and Supercircuits, lots of Asian import stuff there. Don't know how effective the IR LED illuminators are.

I'm looking for some suggestions, stuff to avoid, compromises; for example choosing quality monochrome cameras instead of color camers for the same cost, varifocal selections? I haven't had much success finding resources regarding camera comparisons. B list equipment would be a plus if there is a place that I can look, getting older pro grade gear is more appealing than getting new low grade stuff. Thanks in advance.

[james.wilson]

you have excluded any quality components by limiting yourself to around $150 per camera. Proper cameras cost 3 times this and require housings and seperate ir emitters etc

[Guest CS223]

you have excluded any quality components by limiting yourself to around $150 per camera. Proper cameras cost 3 times this and require housings and seperate ir emitters etc

Well I put an emphasis on 'Ideally' but that's not a limiting factor. I've seen mention of COP Security cameras, Silent Witness, they aren't 3 times the price but they are more than $150. Just need some guidance for product mfr's that I should consider and those I should stay away from at all costs. If I have to make a compromise, am I better off buying a higher grade monochrome than spending the same dollar amount on a lower grade color cam?

[akpak]

you have excluded any quality components by limiting yourself to around $150 per camera. Proper cameras cost 3 times this and require housings and seperate ir emitters etc

Hello James

When you say "proper cameras", are you talking branded units? Do you think that a good quality camera cannot be purchased for less than $450/

[james.wilson]

we have had this debate before i can only say that we only use branded equipemt as i have had bad experinces with unbranded. But can you honestly say that an unbranded bullet cam can perform like a bosch dinion for example in a housing?

Again this is my opinion but maybe me and my custoemrs are wasting money, I have proved otherwise with this equipement in the past.

BTW some brands are better than others, just like cars etc. I assume you drive a branded car and have a branded tv? or do you import these from china/taiwan/indonesia etc too?

[Alpat Systems]

we have had this debate before i can only say that we only use branded equipemt as i have had bad experinces with unbranded. But can you honestly say that an unbranded bullet cam can perform like a bosch dinion for example in a housing?

Again this is my opinion but maybe me and my custoemrs are wasting money, I have proved otherwise with this equipement in the past.

BTW some brands are better than others, just like cars etc. I assume you drive a branded car and have a branded tv? or do you import these from china/taiwan/indonesia etc too?

Fully agree, only recently I've been out to replace none branded equipment which had only been installed 14 months but had failed. (not originally supplied by me!)

[akpak]

we have had this debate before i can only say that we only use branded equipemt as i have had bad experinces with unbranded. But can you honestly say that an unbranded bullet cam can perform like a bosch dinion for example in a housing?

Again this is my opinion but maybe me and my custoemrs are wasting money, I have proved otherwise with this equipement in the past.

BTW some brands are better than others, just like cars etc. I assume you drive a branded car and have a branded tv? or do you import these from china/taiwan/indonesia etc too?

Fair enough guys, everyone has their own opinions on what is good and bad quality kit and how much you need to spend for good quality equipment.

Just think that when people have a limited budget, telling them that they cannot have a good security system in place is not necessarily correct.

[camerabloke]

Fair enough guys, everyone has their own opinions on what is good and bad quality kit and how much you need to spend for good quality equipment.

Just think that when people have a limited budget, telling them that they cannot have a good security system in place is not necessarily correct.

we aint telling them thier security is not good enuf, we telling them it is worthwhile spending a bit more at the offset as to save money when unbranded stuff fails quicker than branded

[akpak]

we aint telling them thier security is not good enuf, we telling them it is worthwhile spending a bit more at the offset as to save money when unbranded stuff fails quicker than branded

I've opened a real can of worms here!

I didn't say that you've told somebody that their secuiry equipment isn't good enough, I simply said that if somebody cannot afford to pay for branded equipment they can still have a decent system.....

[camerabloke]

I've opened a real can of worms here!

I didn't say that you've told somebody that their secuiry equipment isn't good enough, I simply said that if somebody cannot afford to pay for branded equipment they can still have a decent system.....

which wont last as long as a branded system!