Forgive me if there is already a thread on this topic. I looked and did not see one.

We have decided to put in some home security cameras. Cameras will be placed indoors and outdoors. Unsure right now how many cameras we will need. I'm assuming between 4-6. We will likely DIY and not go through a security company. We have just started researching and I, of course, came to Texags first for advice.

Can anyone recommend systems for us to start looking at? I'd love to have the ability to remotely monitor the cameras. My wife mentioned Nest, but I'm only familiar with their thermostats. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I recently installed a system called Arlo. I like it. Recommending camera systems can be tough, because different people have different needs. I wanted something to capture video of our exterior doors and our driveway (so suitable for outdoor use), where I keep my truck parked. High resolution was important, and I wanted a a wireless system. I didn't not care about sound.

Arlo is wireless and has very good picture quality. There is no sound recording. It has done very well outside so far, no environmental issues. Most people apply the settings to start recording when movement is detected. You can adjust the sensitivity, but that part is far from perfect, IMO. The big disadvantage that brings is that it can drain your battery if you're not careful and your sensitivity is too high. Videos are stored in a cloud for up to one week for free, so you will want to download noteworthy videos quickly. You can pay a monthly fee for longer retention periods. You can set phone or email alerts when motion is detected, if you wish, and you can independently control different settings for each individual camera. The web interface and app are easy to use, but I have no basis for comparison.

Based on my needs, Arlo has been good. I have read to anticipate changing the batteries every 3-4 months. The batteries are not standard AA or AAA, and cost about $15 for enough batteries to power 6 cameras. I believe Arlo is capped at 5 cameras per unit. Also, I think they have introduced a new indoor-only model which can be used alongside the original cameras, and I believe those models record sound. I have no experience with them, however.

How tech-savvy are you? If you're comfortable with Linux and basic networking, take a look at ZoneMinder. It's a free/open-source DVR software package that has lots of options for motion detection, stream transcoding, notifications, etc. Once it's up and running you can access everything through a web interface (including remote access if you open ports through your router).

I've got a basic system going with a PoE IP camera covering my front door and sidewalk, with motion detection set to start recording whenever there's movement on the sidewalk approaching the door. Storage is limited only to how much hard drive space you have on the machine, but it also supports remote FTP/SFTP backups. It gives you the option using various standard video ingest modules (ffmpeg and libVLC), so really just about any MPEG/H.264 stream you can throw at it will work. Been very pleased with it so far and there is great community support and new updates fairly often.


https://zoneminder.com/

I understand Costco has some decent packages (stick with IP cameras / NVR)

I got my parents the avant system there and it has high resolution and night vision

The big question is if you want wireless or wired. Arlo is the only real decent wireless system I have found. I would love to do wired, but access to run the cables is difficult for me.

Thanks for all of the replies so far. It sounds like we'll really need to figure out our exact needs and find a system that works for us. As far as wired vs wireless: My home is single story with a huge attic so running wires wouldn't be an issue. My only concern with wired would be lack of flexibility with the system.

I just got the Arlo wireless set up and am pleased so far. I have three covering my front porch, driveway and back porch. I am contemplating where to mount the fourth. The notifications are insane but small annoyance when I think about all the break ins and thievery that I could potentially have evidence of.