JavaScript is disabled
Our website requires JavaScript to function properly. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser settings before proceeding.
I want to also add....

I have seen the security camera setups my co-workers have installed at their homes (they show me on their phone the view of each camera).

I've always wondered what is the benefit? You see some guy in a hoodie rob you? Then what? Did you think you need video recording to confirm what you already know?

It's somewhat difficult to do, but it's important that your security camera system is setup in such a way that you can identify people and the vehicle they arrived in. Your cameras should have a good view up and down your street with good resolution to read plates, or get very good pictures of the vehicle. There should also be cameras mounted in such a way as to surely see a face, keeping all cameras up in eaves means a hoodie is all a criminal needs to be unseen by your cameras.

My security camera catches the neighbor's dogs pooping in my yard. The police (animal control) won't do anything about it.
 
Viewing vid on a smartphone is good when you are not near a computer - such as out grocery shopping, or for me, when I am out working on my property (20 acres) and cannot see the house or do not notice a vehicle on the private road.

I want to know whether it is someone up to no good or a delivery driver (almost always the case). This way I know whether to call the LEOs if bad guys while away, or just go on about my business if it is a delivery). Also, might be deer/etc., and I can just ignore them.

As for recording, license numbers, vehicle make/model/etc.
 
I want to also add....

I have seen the security camera setups my co-workers have installed at their homes (they show me on their phone the view of each camera).

I've always wondered what is the benefit? You see some guy in a hoodie rob you? Then what? Did you think you need video recording to confirm what you already know?

It's somewhat difficult to do, but it's important that your security camera system is setup in such a way that you can identify people and the vehicle they arrived in. Your cameras should have a good view up and down your street with good resolution to read plates, or get very good pictures of the vehicle. There should also be cameras mounted in such a way as to surely see a face, keeping all cameras up in eaves means a hoodie is all a criminal needs to be unseen by your cameras.

My security camera catches the neighbor's dogs pooping in my yard. The police (animal control) won't do anything about it.

All good points. My thoughts are that I want to see them in action so I know where they are. Are they attempting to break in at a particular spot? Have they really fled and it's not safe to go outside? Or, are they hiding behind a bush waiting for me to come out and check?

I also want documentation of any interactions between myself and others. I'm not the guy who will patiently cower as someone vandalizes or steals my property. In the back of my mind is also the potential for woke activists harassing me.

RE dogs - identify the dog tells you which neighbor's porch to return their possession.
 
There should also be cameras mounted in such a way as to surely see a face, keeping all cameras up in eaves means a hoodie is all a criminal needs to be unseen by your cameras.

Agreed.
Suggestion: If you can, consider hiding a camera behind your stairs. Meaning that if you have a gap between your stairs (whether inside or outside), you put the camera behind the gap and looking slightly up. Anyone that climbs the stairs, you get a fantastic face (not to mention crotch) shot of. If you don't have a gap, get at least one camera somewhere below eye level. Try to plan a camera looking up into someone's hoodie. Then hope they aren't bothering with a COVID mask. Just sayin.
 
RE dogs - identify the dog tells you which neighbor's porch to return their possession.

The dogs are friendly, I recorded video of me approaching them, and video'd their dog tag IDs, then followed them home.
Owner is nice enough, swore not to let it happen any more. Of course he can't control his dogs. Kept having issues. I got ahold of the local animal control, submitted all of my evidence, then they told me they can't do anything unless they witness it themselves.
So, I submitted video of the dog pooping on my yard and peeing in my neighbors yard. They still can't do anything, so they say.

Makes me wonder what are we going to do with our videos, especially if the crime doesn't reach a certain felony threshold? Which, BTW, the gov'ts seem to keep moving the threshold for felony ever higher.....
 
The dogs are friendly, I recorded video of me approaching them, and video'd their dog tag IDs, then followed them home.
Owner is nice enough, swore not to let it happen any more. Of course he can't control his dogs. Kept having issues. I got ahold of the local animal control, submitted all of my evidence, then they told me they can't do anything unless they witness it themselves.
So, I submitted video of the dog pooping on my yard and peeing in my neighbors yard. They still can't do anything, so they say.

Makes me wonder what are we going to do with our videos, especially if the crime doesn't reach a certain felony threshold? Which, BTW, the gov'ts seem to keep moving the threshold for felony ever higher.....

Apologies in advance to the OP for the thread drift below.

Raising the thresholds for felonies works both ways. If we are effectively forced to start living in WROL except for the most heinous crimes then I'll be happy to do unto others as they have done unto me. The photos might help me identify someone I don't want to see in my neighborhood, for instance.

The cam setup I'm working towards is pretty much like this. Some devices omitted for clarity but I'm down to CAT-6 runs and cameras. Everything else is configured and running/tested. It's designed to show me what's happening right now. Who is where doing what so I know where it's safe and not safe to leave. Guaranteed you don't want me outside in the dark on my own turf, especially in a worst case scenario (urgency and danger HIGH) where Mrs 3M is monitoring and advising me via earbuds.

Missing is the HDMI connection to our bedroom TV . So, if we are chilling to Netflix or snoozin' and a perimeter alarm goes off it's easy to see what is going bump in the night and where it's at. I'm not exactly going DEFCON 1 because the neighbor's cat is in heat, but I think moving forward in this degrading environment it's better to be safe than sorry.

1606613904080.png
 
Another vote for Arlo. Simple to install and reliable. I also had Blink in a second home. Worked alright and cheaper but not as good picture or video capture options as Arlo. I have a SimpliSafe camera in current home and it's ok. Prefer Arlo.
 
Another vote for Arlo. Simple to install and reliable. I also had Blink in a second home. Worked alright and cheaper but not as good picture or video capture options as Arlo. I have a SimpliSafe camera in current home and it's ok. Prefer Arlo.

Can you disable them when you are doing yard work? I would hate to get so many alerts for mowing the lawn.
 
One benefit for ring is u can get crime reports from other ring users with a map of approximate location of the crime. Cops are mostly non-existent in some areas and we are going to start having to depend on neighbors more imo moving forward (at least for communist/anti-police areas like PDX). From this morning: 3860FFB0-EB0E-45F1-93DB-19C5A6FF0640.jpeg
 
With a PoE setup, you only need a UPS for your PoE switct -- not each camera -- because the switch powers all the cameras connected to that switch.

i would need to go up my attic to PoE cables which is doable but then I would like the cables into one my guest bedrooms. I guess it could be done but I would like network patch panel in my guest room that I can use PoE cables only. Interior walls are not insulated so I can use cable puller to put those cables in the guest bedroom.
 
You can schedule the Arlo so to avoid alerts when you don't want them. However, your image capture may not work the same way. Although it should work manually if you are observing. I had them on 24/7.
 
I'm bringing this thread back up because I'm in the market for some wireless cameras. Does anyone have any experience with the cameras in the cold? Keep in mind, I'm in Western Montana. I was leaning towards the Ring system, but it is only rated for about 30°F. Most of the others claim around 4°F, which I thought was a strange number. Does anyone live in the mountains with a battery-powered system that can offer some input?

I was also considering the Eufy cam because it is not a magnet mount, but am not excited about a hub in my house.
 
I'm bringing this thread back up because I'm in the market for some wireless cameras. Does anyone have any experience with the cameras in the cold? Keep in mind, I'm in Western Montana. I was leaning towards the Ring system, but it is only rated for about 30°F. Most of the others claim around 4°F, which I thought was a strange number. Does anyone live in the mountains with a battery-powered system that can offer some input?

I was also considering the Eufy cam because it is not a magnet mount, but am not excited about a hub in my house.
I think the ring temp rating is based on battery performance in the cold but just a guess. We have used ring for many years but rarely have cold here. Probably the coldest we get is around 15 degrees or so. When it's really cold the battery life does decrease a lot. It's similar to if you were using a camera outdoors, you will get maybe 1/2 the life when it's really cold. Again no experience with sub zero temps but no issues in operation (other than battery life) for 15 degrees-ish.

Also don't forget a cam for your car if you live in an urban area. This saved us TONS of trouble recently when a person crashed into us then lied when their bill became due and said it was our fault. The video showed they were at fault and both insurance companies recognized that immediately after seeing the video. Without the video it would have been our word against their lies.
 
They also have a history of terrible security with amazon employees being able to access cameras and being hacked there's a good podcast I'll try and dig up that covers ring and their history of problems

P sure its this one, this entire series is a good overview of amazons shady dealings
 

If you don't mind police having access to your footage at a whim
Whatever we get has to have remote access as we leave our home for the winter for an RV park in Arizona. So we are trying to figure out a way to keep an eye on things. Our kids are about 10 minutes away.

Your concerns are the reason I don't want a hub in the house, like the SimpliSafe system offers. These cameras would be outside and in the shop. Not in the house.


edit: it was the Blink ones I'm looking at, not Ring. Supposedly, the batteries in the Blink ones last two years (LOL) but they are only rated for 30°F. I realize the batteries are going to fade quicker in the cold, I'm just wondering if it will completely stop working due to the cold. I can have the kids come by and change the batteries every couple of weeks.
 
Last Edited:

Upcoming Events

Tillamook Gun & Knife Show
Tillamook, OR
"The Original" Kalispell Gun Show
Kalispell, MT
Teen Rifle 1 Class
Springfield, OR
Kids Firearm Safety 2 Class
Springfield, OR

New Resource Reviews

New Classified Ads

Back Top