Security at Home advice

[TallTrees]

Hello ~

I would be very grateful for advice if possible.

I want a security camera fitted to the outside overlooking garage/drive,  it can be wired and mounted to a wall 

overlooking this area. Power and fitting would be no problem.  I have been looking Argos, Screwfix, Toolstation, Amazon.  It is a confusing bunch of "stuff"  ~ I would like an alert to my mobile and not being a super techy something that is quite easy to set up, having read occasional nightmare senarios on the feedback pages about not connecting to apps etc.

I have a Microsoft Lumia 640 ~ purchased 2016 (on PayMonthly O2) so would need to be able to connect to this type of mobile phone.  

I have WiFi at home.  I have a computer too.

one camera to start perhaps expanding if I can techy that!   ~  but not essential.

Not costing an arm and leg but quality is important I know.

Thank you from TallTrees 

[Cleoriff]

Hi @TallTrees

I haven't got a security camera but my friend has. Now she lives in a ground floor flat and has only one positioned so it can see the front door and surrounding ground areas.

It sends push notifications to her android phone when she is away. Even abroad. 

Similar to this one

https://www.amazon.co.uk/ieGeek-Security-Waterproof-Surveillance-Detection-black/dp/B073GQ8T2L/ref=s...

That's quite inexpensive (as there is a sale on ) and really does depend on how much of the property you want to cover.

[TallTrees]

Hi @Cleoriff

Thank you so much for the information ~ will look at this ~ I understand completely

about ground floor flats you do tend to feel very vulnerable.

Thank you again 

[Cleoriff]

It's actually a very big flat on an exclusive development @TallTrees.

It's set back from a main road. so only people wanting to access the building should be in the grounds.

There is a high security gate to the back of the building,(only accessible via the owners security card) which is why they don't have a camera to the back door.

[TallTrees]

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@Cleoriff wrote:

It's actually a very big flat on an exclusive development @TallTrees.

It's set back from a main road. so only people wanting to access the building should be in the grounds.

There is a high security gate to the back of the building,(only accessible via the owners security card) which is why they don't have a camera to the back door.

---

Understood @Cleoriff~ I have been viewing the camera and it has very good reviews.  I am still reading as I can pick up comments about location and fitting etc.  just read that it works with an auto flood under which is similar to here. pir flood on garage lights up the drive.

I have an open frontage to road up to the garage and feel vulnerable there.

Someone can creep around there I can't see it at all. We have a set of doors there too which have been made secure ~ (these doors are not used after dark)  people do come up the drive to put things in the wall mounted post box to advertise etc. there is no window overlooking there.  So in evening there is no way I can see anything so really need a camera to help with this.

[Cleoriff]

I know the one I linked to does have a wide angle turning point worked via the motion sensor.

Their front door is situated at the side of the building. The camera can pick up anyone accessing the grounds at the front i.e. from the road. They can watch them approach their front door.

Numerous times when we have been out she has shown us what's happening on her phone linked to the camera. "Big Brother is Watching You" 

[TallTrees]

That's what I want too @Cleoriff

Communication with phone and viewing 

Thanks again cleo

[sheepdog]

Just a thing on power, I've fitted a camera to a large room in a church and there was no way I could route a power plug to the fixture and the other obvious bit was the power plug couldn't be prone to wandering hands (as in conveniently turning it off at the wall). However, PoE (Power Over Ethernet) was the answer and all that was needed was a PoE switch to provide power in a secure room away from everyone and it provided both power and network in one cable. 

I got the Reolink one which I'm happy with linked to a NAS drive though 250GB at SD quality is more than  sufficient for a month to six weeks worth of uncompressed recording with a little bit of fiddling (records 24 hours though framerate not continous). 

Also be careful of how long you keep the recordings for (30 days is normal) and you have signs that are clear otherwise you may run foul of the GDPR rules and you may be doing things illegally. This is a good summary on what you need to due to be compliant: https://kieran.ie/gdpr-and-home-cctv/ though do read up on the ICO website. Even though I had the camera installed, I couldn't record till I had the signs and registered the premises with ICO so made it legal to use. 

[TallTrees]

Thank you very much @sheepdog

I appreciate your information, it is not something I would have considered re the recording rules

does make me feel upset but actually I understand the reason.  Some of these items are packed with a label (I think).  I thought it only applied to commercial premises really.  Power switch can be inside although appreciate nothing easy and realistically it is only a deterrent ~ stops the walk-by thief from maybe lifting my outside "stuff" or vandalism etc.

Things have changed alot here (probably elsewhere too) Our Council have decided to switch off the Street Lights at Midnight so we are plunged into darkness up to about 6am in winter.  Our Police Station no longer exists and there is no where to ask or report anything, we are virtually left abandoned apart from 999 and for thefts of outside items, vandalism or damage that number would not be appropriate.  

Thank you very much from TallTrees

[Cleoriff]

You are correct @TallTrees about the council plunging areas into darkness after 12mn.

No street lighting at all where I live and I am in a busy town.

In our cul de sac alone we saw the increase of sensor lights on every house over the past 2 years.

3 of my neighbours have installed cameras as an additional safety precaution.

If they can't help with our safety and security, then we have to do it ourselves.