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    Please assist with finding camers (I am 0 for 2 attempts)

    True, dropcam has its market and not surprisingly, it is Apple like, as it is by Nest, which is founded (in part? forgot the specifics) by an iPod design/engineering team member, which then made the fancy nest learning thermostat. The dropcams are nannycams really. I've got a similar one by...
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    Please assist with finding camers (I am 0 for 2 attempts)

    dropcam is quite overpriced for what it is, plus who wants to record to the cloud? has the local wifi and internet bandwidth? And wants another utility bill? gbecker indicated via pm an ongoing series of serious incidents, that have happened to his/her property and children, the latter which...
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    Please assist with finding camers (I am 0 for 2 attempts)

    Thank you, gbecker. It sure sounds like a stressful prolonged situation and I understand the neighbors are aware of it. Yes, with three cameras, you can look forward across the street. Then one to each side. Rather then putting them on each corner and looking outward from there, you could...
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    Need advice on what to get

    Seconding fenderman and the multiple bullet approach. Unless you will man the camera and zoom in / out as needed, to look where you need to look, the camera will be aimed at the wrong spot and you will miss something. You can mix and match a couple wide cameras for overview and a couple with a...
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    Pick me out a camera

    BP, Not having used Ubiquity, how directional are these nanos? Pure line of sight required + facing each other? Or is off axis and some branches & twigs ok? I might consider this for a remote camera.
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    My Solar PV Installation

    Impressive. Keep us posted! The one thing that has always worried or bugged me when it comes to solar on the roof, is the shingles. So I've always had thoughts about a metal roof first, solar awnings or a free standing rack. What is your experience when it comes to longevity of shingles in...
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    Pick me out a camera

    I missed the part about back yard. That's a complete 180 of what I thought / assumed. It made me think back at a quiet and semi-remote forested property I considered buying, where the gravel driveway curved around the garage and storage building, you parked there on the sunny south side of the...
  8. I

    Please assist with finding camers (I am 0 for 2 attempts)

    I'd like a bit more input from gbecker. What is the cause and what is the goal here? Typically we're all just looking for intrusion detection and identification of people entering / leaving our properties, home, structure, ... Keeping an eye on our mailbox, driveway, car parked in the...
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    Pick me out a camera

    It is a good little tool to have, to better understand field of view. You can use the trial or their software too, which will highlight needed resolution for identification purposes, but it has a bit of a learning curve. Rather than creating a digital plot of our house, driveway, gardens, etc...
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    Pick me out a camera

    Forget PTZ. Two 12mm cams for the distance view. One aimed at the building. One aimed at the open space. Based on the online calculator, with a 12mm lens, you'd get about 50ft of width in view at 120ft out. You won't be able to ID someone's face though at that distance. Either $$$ for extra...
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    Hikvision IVMS

    Cool. I just made my own graph tracking the time of use split and bill total. Between heating in winter, cooling in the summer, some garden features and luxuries, it is tough to keep the bill low ;) To get us through winter it is a mix of oil, wood and electric. Can't imagine what heating...
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    Pick me out a camera

    I agree. Cheapest would be to go with two or three 3mp bullet or turret cameras. One wider 2.8 or 4mm one for the deck. Depends a little on mounting location. Is it from the location of the picture? Then one or two 12mm to aim at the garage and the sheds. What is the separation distance between...
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    DS-2CD2732F-IS - PTZ not available?

    As much as I'm sure it is a disappointment to not have the PTZ as anticipated, I agree, it is a pretty good camera and good value, considering you get to tweak the view exactly to your liking ... in commercial lingo that would be you get 4 cameras in one! 2.8mm 4mm 6mm and 12mm. But wait there's...
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    DS-2CD2732F-IS - PTZ not available?

    Hi Stu, Welcome to the forum. B Bad news unfortunately. I have several of these cameras and they are not PTZ aka Pan Tilt Zoom. You are not the first person to misunderstand hikvision's specs. The pan tilt rotation and zoom they list in the specs, is for the manual adjustment of lens when...
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    Hikvision IVMS

    How much extra would it cost to go for 2kWh? Can you sell favorably to the grid? Then you'd make money 8mo/yr and still break even 4mo/yr, even if you plugged in a few more things. We all try to get some more efficient bulbs, appliances etc, but then another luxury comes along ;) Neat graph...
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    Hikvision IVMS

    As I said in the other thread : 1500 kWh adding up to a $500 electric bill is crazy. No wonder you are looking at solar! Wish I could the same. Though our electricity rate is expensive, it is not CA bad. We have a peak combined rate of ~19c, before some account and nuisance charges, plus I'm...
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    Off the wall

    Probably ok, provided you use a longer vertical piece of conduit on the wall, so you can put a couple pipe straps on it, taking the strain off the threaded connector. I'm thinking maybe a 12" or 16" vertical run before the 90 deg bend out away from the wall. Pair of straps. Nice and snug will...
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    Solar Power - Self Install or Not?

    1500 kWh adding up to a $500 electric bill is insane! No wonder you are looking at solar! I would too! I thought we had expensive electricity with a peak combined rate of ~19c (last time I looked), before some account and nuisance charges; which add up to: for 1500 kWh ~ $200 and 2500 kWh...
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    Alibaba goes public.... Aliexpress big brother : )

    If only we could give some people in charge of the aliexpress site a kick in the rear to fix some website issues that have been going for months and years.
  20. I

    Speedtest

    I'm on the low end. I think my speed can only be beat by someone on dish, dialup or mobile ;) Our home internet is 3 / .7 meg and costs $40/mo as part of an $80 web + phone bundle. Seeing some of the speeds and prices listed here, just makes you scratch your head when n times the capacity is...
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    Economic solution to view IP CAMs on TVs

    Great to hear, SpruceCams, that the HDMI extension idea is working great for you and your family.
  22. I

    question about lens

    When it comes to ip cameras Varifocal = a lens with a manual zoom ring and focus ring, both of which you dial in as needed, and lock in place during installation. So not motorized electrical zoom with autofocus.
  23. I

    nayr's home automation build out...

    Short on words ... waw! Way cool! :headphones:
  24. I

    Need help nabbing these vandals ... pls advice !!

    FBI <> local teenager issue Try to document the local repetitive issue and make an appointment with the chief of police.
  25. I

    Two newer dashcams that I wish we could get from a reliable source in the USA

    ^^^^ lol
  26. I

    Text-to-Voice Conversion - any suggestions?

    I just use osx text to speech ...
  27. I

    Need good camera that can zoom in on person in IR mode, so we can show to the cops

    I don't see a problem ;) But, one thing is for sure ... I may never think about ipcams again in the same simple practical way ;) You shouldn't be intimidated about setup, really, it just takes some time, research, budgetting, smarts, a left and a right hand and some RTFM :)
  28. I

    Need good camera that can zoom in on person in IR mode, so we can show to the cops

    I almost spit my coke out over my laptop ... or had it coming through my nose! Too funny! And you're being serious? PTZ with zoom & IR = No dome. Better image quality. No IR vs Dome headaches. It is "hanging down" a bit because it allows for more functionality and a few deg above horizontal...
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    ? on Aliexpress Camera

    5.2.0 is the most recent. Mine, ordered earlier, came with variations of 5.1.x.
  30. I

    ? on Aliexpress Camera

    Great to hear! If it isn't on the label on the box, there should be a sticker on the bottom of the camera, which I thought had the lens size on it.
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