Off Topic- Security Cameras a dinosaur can install.

[Tommie]

I’m looking at getting some security cameras around the house. I’m looking at all the “reviews” and ads online and I now have a headache. I don’t know who to believe.
I’d like to be able to view from my phone and get “movement alerts” without paying for a “plan”.
Does anyone have a good suggestion, with personal experience?
Thanks in advance!
Josh

PM inbound

 

[J.d. Popkes]

Creepy, but good to know…. Probably applies to all the internet/app cameras. We’re always being watched. Probably need a cctv stand alone system to avoid this.

Check out this video, "ring doorbell camera commercial"
https://share.google/lI9PmmOtgvvvddF5R

 

[Sniperhandle]

I have seen that virtually all the camera systems are made in Chi-Na and have been subject to being hacked…
Now this may not be an issue to outside footage aside from a remote scan for a possible burglary and where to go to disable or avoid but I really don’t want interior footage available…
Big Brother is watching and as already pointed out, cloud based storage available to any agency wishing to have it.. Broadcast beyond a confined loop means surrendering control of a security system. A Terabyte stick will hold more than a month’s worth of recording and a system with remote access {phone} can be viewed & reset as long as there is power to the system…
Do any systems have a “Panic” button ? I am thinking of the Guthrie situation and wondered if someone is at home and alerted to intruders that fell threatening or even a remote alert that has perps in action, can a 911 call be initiated?

The phone in your pocket has done more damage to your privacy than any other device ever invented.

Your phone'[s camera and microphone have listened in and looked upon you countless times without your consent or knowledge.

 

[hoz53]

I’m looking at getting some security cameras around the house. I’m looking at all the “reviews” and ads online and I now have a headache. I don’t know who to believe.
I’d like to be able to view from my phone and get “movement alerts” without paying for a “plan”.
Does anyone have a good suggestion, with personal experience?
Thanks in advance!
Josh

there is an article in WSJ today called the “dragnet era of home security cameras” you mite want to read.

 

[Fire Dog]

The phone in your pocket has done more damage to your privacy than any other device ever invented.

Your phone'[s camera and microphone have listened in and looked upon you countless times without your consent or knowledge.

First thing is to turn off “Location” service, same for adding location to photos and in general leave the phone turned off until you need it…

 

[std7mag]

With the aggressive idiot that is my daughter's ex boyfriend, we got her the Blink system.

Breeze to put the cameras up and link everything together.
My sister paid for her subscription, showing infinite cloud storage. ( Although my daughter is erasing the false flags every week)
I also got her a 356gig memory card.

 

[Sniperhandle]

First thing is to turn off “Location” service, same for adding location to photos and in general leave the phone turned off until you need it…

You can turn off location, And it might make you feel good, But they still know your location to within a couple blocks due to cell tower triangulation. Most people leave their phones on because they don't want to miss important calls.

And if they can retrieve videos from a camera that was supposedly not recording (Guthrie Case) do you think anything you do to get away from the surveillance hasn't already been rigged?

What it boils down to is we live in a total surveillance world with no privacy. I have ad blockers and I still sit down to watch some tube at night and whatever I looked up earlier they are throwing me commercials.

If you think a vpn will give you anonymity, Think again.

And yes I have everything possible turned off, But I have no delusions that they still get what they want.

 

[Charlie-NY]

It would seem that many criminal cases were solved BECAUSE the videos were saved in the cloud where the criminals couldn't eliminate them. My Blink system has both local and cloud storage. I have no cameras inside of my house. Anything recorded outside, I really don't find "privacy" to be an issue.

 

[Sniperhandle]

Josh,

I forgot to add, The Blink cameras have an advertised 2 year battery life, We have had them up for about 18 months and we have replaced the batteries on one camera that gets a lot of use, I expect the others to maybe not even need batteries after the 2 years is up. You can go on the app and check battery status on each camera. They also have several settings to tailor them to your needs.

The cameras are very easy to install and setup, And for the price of them, We get very clear pics/videos, I am pretty happy with them.

 

[danny]

I’m looking at getting some security cameras around the house. I’m looking at all the “reviews” and ads online and I now have a headache. I don’t know who to believe.
I’d like to be able to view from my phone and get “movement alerts” without paying for a “plan”.
Does anyone have a good suggestion, with personal experience?
Thanks in advance!
Josh

Whatever you do, don't hit those garbage cans and don't get "security cameras" like we did at work, the kind you have to climb a ladder to retrieve memory cards with the images.

Danny

 

[hoz53]

You can turn off location, And it might make you feel good, But they still know your location to within a couple blocks due to cell tower triangulation. Most people leave their phones on because they don't want to miss important calls.

And if they can retrieve videos from a camera that was supposedly not recording (Guthrie Case) do you think anything you do to get away from the surveillance hasn't already been rigged?

What it boils down to is we live in a total surveillance world with no privacy. I have ad blockers and I still sit down to watch some tube at night and whatever I looked up earlier they are throwing me commercials.

If you think a vpn will give you anonymity, Think again.

And yes I have everything possible turned off, But I have no delusions that they still get what they want.

this is right on the money!!

 

[LT313]

Ditched Ring & Blink after I found out they share live data with Flock. If you don't know what the Flock system is or about look it up. Make sure you find a picture of one so you know what they look like. The next time you leave your house and go for a drive you'll see them everywhere! I've found them on county roads far from any big city.

 

[PhilC]

First thing is to turn off “Location” service, same for adding location to photos and in general leave the phone turned off until you need it…

Have a Kyocera flip phone and simple call and text program, no data or pics. It is off except when I want to use it. I can text with it but is a hunt n peck PITA, everyone who has my number knows what I just typed.

 

[vonb]

This is timely as it was just announced yesterday. Wyze was putting the heat on Ring and with all of the recent media attention, Ring has opted to cancel its partnership with Flock Safety:

Ring cancels its partnership with Flock Safety after surveillance backlash

Flock off

www.theverge.com

Another item to consider with any of the WiFi cameras, it's been known that suspects will come into an area and jam WiFi signals prior to/during the crime. Local storage is best.

 

[Handi204]

I have a blink system does what it’s supposed to do, easy to set up only issue I had was we changed internet system, couldn’t get it to connect, finally called Blink the tech walked me through it, all is well as long as you have internet.

 

[nakneker]

So this thread brings up a lot of insight. Lots of points to consider. We have cameras on the place but I really never put much thought into them, I can be simple like that.

I feel sorry anybody who taps into my camera system, good way to get scarred for life, there can be a lack of clothes at times but if your spying you deserve it.

 

[xr650rRider]

I never dreamed we had people working on top secret projects that were under constant threat of being spied upon. Like mission impossible in real life.

Jamming is not that big of an issue. Now if your selling drugs or illegal devices then don't read how to avoid it.
https://reolink.com/blog/how-to-prevent-wifi-jamming/

 

[xr650rRider]

I setup a friends Blink camera system a couple of years ago. He has a shop that is 50'x120' and no good way to get an internet signal at that time. Used a Verizon MiFi for WAN connection, installed a Wilson cell phone booster connected to Yagi antenna pointed at nearest cell tower. Installed UPS that blink base, cell phone booster and Mifi charging adapter plug into. Installed solar panels on each camera. Even if power were disconnected the system can relay videos for quite a while. It works well but cameras are fixed and don't track. They are horrible about picking up flying insects. In Texas at night they are almost unusable and he has to turn them off a lot of the time. When the wasps are swarming, he has to disable them during the day as well. Turn the sensitivity really low and they don't pick up someone walking around.

There are also hidden cellular game cameras that pick up anybody coming or going that are independent of the Blink system.

 

[Sniperhandle]

I setup a friends Blink camera system a couple of years ago. He has a shop that is 50'x120' and no good way to get an internet signal at that time. Used a Verizon MiFi for WAN connection, installed a Wilson cell phone booster connected to Yagi antenna pointed at nearest cell tower. Installed UPS that blink base, cell phone booster and Mifi charging adapter plug into. Installed solar panels on each camera. Even if power were disconnected the system can relay videos for quite a while. It works well but cameras are fixed and don't track. They are horrible about picking up flying insects. In Texas at night they are almost unusable and he has to turn them off a lot of the time. When the wasps are swarming, he has to disable them during the day as well. Turn the sensitivity really low and they don't pick up someone walking around.

There are also hidden cellular game cameras that pick up anybody coming or going that are independent of the Blink system.

That's one thing I like about living in the High Desert of Utah, We have bugs, But not enough to bug me.

 

[Xerothermic]

We have the WYZE cameras in the barnyard to keep an eye on critters, the grandgirls all have an invite so they can keep an watchful eye on their goats during kidding season. The cameras are fairly cheap and need no subscription whatsoever. As long as they can hit your wifi, you are good to go. I now have them all around the outside of the house and garage.

CW

Wyze Cam v4 | Wired Indoor/Outdoor Security Camera

Wyze Cam v4: 2.5K QHD resolution, Color Night Vision, indoor/outdoor use, 24/7 recording with MicroSD. The best "never wonder again" security camera ever made.

www.wyze.com

WYZE had a software issue that pissed a lot of people off, a few years back. An issue, IIRC, that shouldn't of happened if the company was on top of their game. They fixed it and moved on, to their credit. They were cutting edge with resolution, storage options, colored night vision and AI type features. Great kit at the time for around $20 per camera. I use a WYZE in my garage, as my only camera, so I can keep track of the garage door that I have a tendency to leave open.

Extenders, think baby routers of sort, are a cost effective way reaching outbuildings too far from main router.

Check their website out for where they are today product wise.