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

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

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

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...

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.

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...

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...

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!