Condo Surveillance System

[PMK]

Hi,

I need to set up a surveillance system for a condo in Pattaya. It will monitor 2 doorways, have two monitors, and a receiver/DVR or DVD recorder. It should be wireless, and also have a built in web server so that it can be monitored over the Internet without being connected to a computer. I've contacted four companies in Thailand for a quotation but have either not recieved a satisfactory response or none at all. I'm looking for advice, in this order:

1] a reputable Thai company to supply and install the hardware.

2] The name or URL of a good security forum where I can research this to do it myself efficiently, meaning I'm trying to avoid spending a lot of time on fruitless Google / Yahoo searches or browsing forums which are focussed on webcams or other technologies that are not useful in this situation.

3] A reputable US (has to be US or Canadian) supplier where I can get some good advice and order everything I need.

Thanks,

Peter

[ltdknowledge]

Good site for info although in the UK www.y3k.com

[cdnvic]

Dlink makes an excellent security camera that connects to your wireless internet connection. I reccomend using a pc to record as its more reliable and holds far more data than a dvd or tape. Also, you can connect to it remotely when you aren't at home.

http://www.dlink.com/products/?pid=342

[monty]

I'm using fujiko equipment, available all over Thailand.

They use re branded geovision cards, which are excellent and have a good support system, including frequent updates of software etc...

Excellent features, including watching the video on your phone or PDA through GPRS.

Only thing I would try to avoid is going wireless. I've had several wireless camera's from the el cheapo's sold at the side of the street, to expensive wifi ones and I dumped them all due to reliability problems...

This is the fujiko website:

http://www.fujiko.biz/home.asp?sLang=EN

And this is the site of geovision, where you can find detailed info and downloads of the latest software:

http://www.geovision.com.tw/english/produc...ystem_Intro.htm

And the download section:

http://www.geovision.com.tw/english/5_0.as...=didg&pno=4

I have the 8 channel GV250, which costed 10,000 Baht...

[PMK]

Wired is not an option because we can't drill through the condominium walls.

It looks like I'm going to have to go with something like that D link DCS 5300G Then the problem is going to be the second camera - well, maybe I can dispense with that.

You've both given me some good ideas-the one of using a PDA as a monitoring device in particular is intriguing. Would that work with this camera or any other camera you know of will or would I also have to have a computer connected to the network as well? I guess the question is do you know of any camera that supports GPRS? Any other thoughts would be most welcome.

[monty]

Basically the monitoring on PDA is possible when your camera's are hooked up to a PC (wired or wireless) and that PC (which also acts as a recorder) is connected to the internet, in my case ADSL.

Then you can monitor the camera's on pretty much any device which is capable of accessing the internet.

With the equipment I use there is software for PDA's, symbian OS phones, windows mobile phones etc, as well as any pc with a java capable browser.

If you really have to go wireless, I'd go for a regular camera hooked up to a 2,4Ghz transmitter/receiver combo.

This was by far the least troublesome wireless setup I had.

A cost breakdown for new equipment with the specs you need would be:

Cheapest complete PC: 12,000 Baht

4 channel geovission card: 7,000 Baht

2 decent camera's: 9,000 Baht

2 one watt 2.4Ghz video transmitters: 3600 Baht

So roughly 32,000 Baht would give you a complete system, with possible expansion to 4 camera's and comes with very comprehensive software.

You can set it to only record when movement is detected or records continuously , it can send pictures to an e-mail address when movement is detected, you cam monitor from anywhere you have internet access (if the surveillance PC is connected to internet) and lots more...

[PMK]

So you feel the 2.4Ghz video transmitter is superior to a 2.4Ghz wireless camera?

Basically the monitoring on PDA is possible when your camera's are hooked up to a PC (wired or wireless) and that PC (which also acts as a recorder) is connected to the internet, in my case ADSL.

Then you can monitor the camera's on pretty much any device which is capable of accessing the internet.

With the equipment I use there is software for PDA's, symbian OS phones, windows mobile phones etc, as well as any pc with a java capable browser.

If you really have to go wireless, I'd go for a regular camera hooked up to a 2,4Ghz transmitter/receiver combo.

This was by far the least troublesome wireless setup I had.

A cost breakdown for new equipment with the specs you need would be:

Cheapest complete PC: 12,000 Baht

4 channel geovission card: 7,000 Baht

2 decent camera's: 9,000 Baht

2 one watt 2.4Ghz video transmitters: 3600 Baht

So roughly 32,000 Baht would give you a complete system, with possible expansion to 4 camera's and comes with very comprehensive software.

You can set it to only record when movement is detected or records continuously , it can send pictures to an e-mail address when movement is detected, you cam monitor from anywhere you have internet access (if the surveillance PC is connected to internet) and lots more...

[monty]

The 2.4 Ghz camera's have to conform to the wifi (801.11 b/g) standard.

As such they are limited in transmission power of around 30mW.

Means they won't transmit through solid objects very well!

The 2.4Ghz video transmitters sold here in Thailand transmit at 1 watt (1000mW), giving them a much greater range and less prone to interference.

Strangely (but luckily) enough in my place they do not disturb my wifi network!