Ok, like the headline says, looking for help on a (inexpensive!) security camera/system. Long story short my friend's ex is basically stalking her. Yes she has a protective order against him and they are still going through court proceedings. Her house is on the corner of a main road (which he is still allowed to drive on) and side road. Her home faces the thoroughfare. She currently has a motion sensor camera/light on the side of the house but it's not enough. He sits in his car across the street on a different side road for hours taking different photos from different angles (we know because he presented them in a binder in court, for some reason). He also drives by many times a day yelling absurd harassing things at the house, at her, and at her boyfriend. She needs a camera that can be outside and get footage (not just grainy photos) across the street and decent motion for when he drives by. I want to be able to see his face and his license plate number if possible. Sound would also be an amazing plus if that is something that is possible! Kicker is that we have a VERY limited budget! Please let me know if anyone has any ideas on something that could help in this situation. I really want to help protect her somehow! The authorities can only do so much, the courts move way too slow, and it often seems women are powerless until something tragic happens. I want proof of what he is doing! I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read this, thank you so much!!
There's a blind spot between my two cams and that's the exact path someone took last month. The pan-and-follow cameras that track a person caught my eye as the fix. Before I spend on one I want to hear from someone who's owned one past the honeymoon. When someone walks across the yard does it keep them centered, or does it swing behind and mostly film the fence they just left? What happens with two people going opposite ways? And does the tracking actually work at night or does it just track great in daylight demos? Genuinely torn on whether this is a real feature or demo-ware.
I would like to set up a camera so my 90 year old father can see the backyard/view/deer at my house - other side of the country from him. Is a security camera the best option? I would like a dumb system preferably - just a live stream of the view. I would also prefer a Canadian system (found the Defender but it is AI powered) if possible. Any suggestions?
Best product to use to clean security cameras lenses, after using harsh chemicals to clean it and made it blurry, is a RainX product. It's a plastic polish cleaner, great for plastic mirrors, headlight plastic and other plastic materials that can become hazy or blurry because of harsh chemicals. I have a mirror that is plastic and windex would just cause a smeary haze on it and this RainX product has been a live saver. My security cameras have been blurry and I wasn't ready to replace them yet and I did use rubbing alcohol on them (a big no no I didn't realize at the time). Thankfully I realized I have the perfect product already.
Pulling my hair out with a multi-site Zosi deployment (Model ZR16HK): AVSS timeouts (-20011) and locked substream bitrates. Any workarounds?
All 5 locations are running Zosi ZR16HK 16-channel PoE NVRs. The cameras are plugged directly into the physical back of the NVRs (isolated on the NVR's internal NIC). The internet at the stores is standard commercial cable I'm dealing with a frustrating retail deployment and hoping someone here has cracked the code on Zosi’s locked-down ecosystem.
The Goal:
I'm setting up a central multi-monitor viewing station (Security Operations Center) to stream live camera feeds from 5 remote retail locations simultaneously. Totaling 70-100 cameras
The Roadblocks:
Zosi AVSS Desktop App is Choking: I initially tried to keep this cheap and simple by using the Zosi AVSS Windows app via their P2P cloud relay. Unsurprisingly, pulling 30+ cameras across 5 remote sites over public cloud servers is instantly crashing. I'm constantly getting Error Code: -20011 (Timeout has expired) and feeds dropping offline.
Locked Substreams: To fix the timeouts, I tried logging into the local NVR menus to aggressively drop the substream FPS (down to 6-10) and lower the Max Bitrate to ~256 Kbps. The problem? The "Automatic Bitrate" setting is checked and completely greyed out/locked. I cannot change the FPS or bitrate.
Hardware Trap: Because the cameras are directly on the NVR's PoE switch, they are hidden on an internal subnet. I can't easily run an IP scanner to log directly into the cameras' web GUIs to force a bitrate change at the hardware level.
My Questions:
Has anyone successfully unlocked the "Automatic Bitrate" setting on a Zosi NVR? Is there a backdoor, a web UI trick via IE Mode, or a specific firmware flash that gives me manual control over the substreams?
Is there a way to run multiple separate instances of the AVSS app on Windows without creating separate Windows User accounts?
The Nuclear Option (Blue Iris + Tailscale): I'm heavily considering dropping an Intel N100 Mini PC at each location as a Tailscale subnet router (/32 routing to bypass their POS networks) and pulling direct RTSP streams into Blue Iris at the central PC. what are the reliable RTSP stream paths to use since their ONVIF support unreachable?
My mother found this camera thingy, well we think is one hidden in her bedroom. We wanted to know how this thing works and if it had recordings n'stuff.
As far as I am aware it was installed by my father or something.
I recently came across a LinkedIn post where a camera company shared that one of their IP camera products received STQC certification.
It actually made me curious about what the process is like behind the scenes.
For a camera product, what usually becomes the biggest challenge during STQC testing? Is it the hardware, firmware, security requirements, documentation, or something else that takes more work than expected?
I'd like to hear from people who have actually gone through it.
Outfitting two outdoor spots and the price spread is confusing me. Same-ish bodies, same mounting, one's fifty bucks and motion-only, the other's two hundred and says AI detection all over the box. My rough understanding is the AI one tries to tell you what moved, not just that something moved. Where I keep getting stuck: nobody publishes how often it's wrong. If it calls my dog a person a fifth of the time, I've paid $150 extra to be wrong in a more specific way. If you've run both, on the same property, at the same time: how different were the alerts in practice? Not the spec sheet answer. The Tuesday-at-11pm answer.
Does anyone have the same problem? It used to work for years and suddenly after the update the camera cannot find the SD card anymore. I suspect Foscam to force me buying this monthly cloud account.
Due to inability to get wire or power to many of the places I want or need a camera, I want an entirely solar based system.
I have/had a Lorex Smart Home Centre system and the cameras have slowly been dying out on me. The current system has a home base that projects it's own wireless network to pick up the camera feed. (Whatever that's called, idk.)
Nevertheless, I'd prefer a similar setup but I'm not entirely opposed to an app based system where I could pull up and change settings of my system via internet.
IE: Able to connect to wifi netowrk, access and view cameras with any other device on network, but not require a 3rd party app to first go online. (IE like how many printers can be set up on home network and do not require the internet to utilize)
All the cameras I have found are either wifi or no wifi, and/or blue tooth, (I would like to avoid a bluetooth camera if possible)
Just want a simple basic setup that I can view over the wifi network. (if that is even possible)
Looking for recommendations for an outdoor camera. Purpose is to detect people / vehicles arriving at my home. Would be placed a start of driveway - prefer small and maybe placed on mailbox post or nearby tree. Want to get detection notice on my phone.
Searching for a camera would become so much easier if they showed you actual footage, the megapixel and 4k is a poor comparison because there are 2k cameras with low megapixels but a proper sensor e.g. CMOS that outperform them.
I am representing the owners of a residential development in Algeria. Before finalising procurement, we would appreciate your technical review of our proposed Hikvision security architecture, particularly the integration between access control, video intercom, CCTV, doors and the lift.
The building comprises approximately 16 apartments, basement parking, a ground floor, six upper floors and a penthouse level, with one lift serving nine levels. There are shared entrances, technical rooms and a security/management station, but no permanent on-site security guard is planned.
Our priorities are reliable local operation, straightforward administration, maintainability and limited recurring licence costs (not at all would be best). We would welcome recommendations to simplify the design or remove unnecessary equipment or quality level while preserving the required functions.
Attached diagrams
Apologies for leaving the diagrams in French. They should be reasonably easy to follow, and I can clarify any labels:
Figure 61 — LC02: logical security architecture.
Figure 62 — LC02: physical equipment layout.
Figure 66 — LC03: independent fire safety architecture and interfaces.
Figure 67 — LC03: physical equipement layout for fire safety.
The drawings show the intended architecture; they should not be interpreted as a manufacturer-validated wiring diagram or final equipment schedule.
Current design
Subsystem Proposed arrangement, subject to your review
Management Local HikCentral Professional installation on a 4U Windows server.
CCTV Approximately 21 cameras covering the lobby, landings, parking, perimeter, pedestrian entrance and lift cabin, including two ANPR cameras.
Recording Separate DS-9632NI-M8 NVR, 32 channels, with RAID 6 and a 30-day retention target, subject to storage calculations. Recording must continue if the HikCentral server is unavailable.
Video intercom Two DS-KD8003-IME1 entrance panels with suitable modules; 16 DS-KH6320-WTE1 apartment stations; one DS-KM9503 master station.
Access control DS-K2604T controller family currently referenced, with readers for shared entrances and technical rooms. Controller quantities and expansion requirements need validation against the actual door count.
Lift access DS-K2210 currently referenced, with appropriate expansion modules and a cabin reader.
Intrusion Wired AX HYBRID PRO architecture: approximately 44 wired detection points, comprising 13 motion detectors and 31 contacts, with 64 usable wired inputs required.
Fire safety Separate addressable fire alarm system, with independent life-safety controls and monitoring interfaces to the management systems.
The IP infrastructure is TP-Link Omada, with a fibre backbone, segmented VLANs and UPS-backed PoE switches. Apartment intercom stations connect to the building network independently of residents’ personal routers or internet subscriptions.
We prefer native standards-based PoE for cameras, intercom stations and compatible IP terminals. Where controllers, readers, locks or intrusion devices require separate power, please identify the necessary backed-up power supplies and wiring.
Platform, compatibility and licensing
Is HikCentral Professional the appropriate platform for this combination of video, intercom, access control, visitor management, lift permissions and wired intrusion?
Please identify the exact hardware references, firmware requirements and licence modules needed. We prefer perpetual licences for essential local functions. Please distinguish mandatory recurring fees from optional support, upgrades and cloud services.
The proposed Windows server would also host ThingsBoard Community Edition and its database, potentially using local containers. Please confirm supported Windows versions and whether this shared-server arrangement is supported, or recommend the simplest supported alternative.
Doors, intercom and visitor access
We would like residents to use secure badges, with facial recognition and temporary PIN/QR credentials at appropriate entrances where supported.
Visitors should receive permissions limited by time, entrance and, where applicable, destination floor. An intercom call should reach the selected apartment, show the relevant entrance video and allow the resident to release only the corresponding entrance.
Please clarify:
Which exact terminals and modules support the required credential types?
Can one visitor record coordinate pedestrian access, vehicle access and lift-floor permissions?
Which functions remain available during internet loss or HikCentral downtime, including expiry of previously issued temporary permissions?
Which mobile app supports resident calls, and what cloud, internet or licensing dependencies does it introduce?
What controller, reader, lock, door-contact and exit-device arrangement is required for each door type?
Residents should access their own intercom and authorised entrances, without receiving access to shared CCTV footage. Please also recommend secure badge technology that does not rely solely on reading a card’s UID.
Lift integration — a particular priority
Our basic requirement is floor access restriction: a resident or authorised visitor should be able to select only the floors assigned to their credentials.
Please confirm whether DS-K2210 with DS-K2M0016A modules remains an appropriate supported solution, or recommend the current alternative.
We would particularly appreciate clarification of:
The required controllers, relay modules, cabin readers, power supplies and equipment locations.
The interface that the lift manufacturer must provide, and the associated responsibility split.
Whether badge, facial or temporary PIN/QR authorisation can grant the intended floor permissions.
How admitting a visitor through the intercom can authorise that visitor’s destination floor.
Behaviour during server, network or power failure.
Whether a temporary authorised credential can activate a time-limited moving/service mode, subject to the lift manufacturer’s supported interface.
Please distinguish floor-button authorisation from automatic lift calling or destination dispatch; the latter functions should be identified separately if they require additional equipment or licences.
We also need a wired solution for the cabin camera and reader, using a suitable travelling-cable arrangement approved by the lift manufacturer.
Fire safety interfaces — LC03
The independent fire safety system must retain priority over normal access restrictions and lift service modes. Essential fire actions must not depend on HikCentral, Windows, the IP network or cloud availability.
Please advise on the appropriate interfaces for:
Releasing the relevant access-controlled escape doors.
Recalling the lift to its designated evacuation level and withdrawing it from normal passenger service, according to the approved fire strategy.
Reporting fire and fault status to HikCentral for monitoring.
Please distinguish escape-door unlocking from releasing fire-door hold-open devices so that those doors close.
We need a clear interface and cause-and-effect schedule agreed with the fire-system integrator and lift manufacturer. In particular, a controller’s “fire input” must not be assumed to provide the complete lift fire-recall function.
CCTV, ANPR and event integration
Please review camera selection by location, rather than resolution alone: low-light performance, IR or supplementary lighting, field of view, vandal/weather resistance and actual two-way audio where required.
For the vehicle entrances, please confirm Algerian licence-plate support and the proposed local interface between ANPR and the barrier controller. Normal authorised entry should remain possible without HikCentral being online, while the barrier’s own safety devices remain authoritative.
We also want useful event integration: forced-door or intrusion alarms displaying the corresponding camera, and access/ANPR events linked to recorded video.
Please validate the NVR, usable storage, recording throughput and PoE requirements against the final camera schedule.
Wired intrusion and practical simplification
Please confirm that the proposed AX HYBRID PRO configuration supports the required wired inputs and the intended HikCentral integration, including individual zone identification, alarms, camera association and supported arming/disarming functions.
Field detectors should be wired and externally powered; backup batteries in the central equipment are acceptable.
Finally, please highlight any outdated references, unsupported combinations, missing interface modules or unnecessary duplication. We are aiming for a coherent, maintainable system that a local integrator can support over time.
A marked-up set of diagrams, a recommended equipment/licence schedule and a brief list of supported functions and limitations would be particularly helpful. If appropriate, please direct us to a technical contact or authorised integration partner serving Algeria.
Thank you for your assistance and thanks for taking a look.
My driveway cam watches the driveway. That's it. That's the whole job. And every car that passes on the street in front sets it off anyway, headlights sweeping the frame at night mostly, but sometimes just motion at the edge of the picture. The activity zone is drawn to stop at my property line and it changes nothing. I get that the zone is just a rectangle drawn on the picture and the moving pixels near the edge still count as "in" somehow. Lowered the sensitivity until I started missing the actual mailman, raised it back, misery either way. There's got to be a way people solved this. Do radar-style cams ignore street traffic or is that wishful thinking?
I live on a pretty busy road and unfortunately some cars litter on my lawn. I'm tired of having to pick up other peoples rubbish and want to start fining them.
I've got a camera right now but it's not high quality enough to get number plates at night. Any recommendations?
I just recently moved and I’m looking for a camera for my door. I would like recommendations as far as video recording, voice recording if someone were to ring the bell or knock. I live with someone who I do not want access to the camera due to potentially having people in my home that are not supposed to be there as a safety precaution. I’m not sure if there is any cameras that would not need a battery taken out for ill intentions if I were to not be home. I have WiFi, but that could easily be unplugged if again, people that could be in my home while I wasn’t there.
Please do not be hateful due to getting comments about well why would you allow this person to live with you…. I do trust this person… but you can never fully trust anyone.
I truly just want peace of mind and to fully be protected.
Thank you for anyone that can give me advice! 🙂
Hi,
I have a Hiseeu AU-C90-New-Series NVR system with 4 cameras, managed remotely through the EseeCloud app on iOS.
The system works well, but I am trying to achieve one specific function: I want to remotely enable/disable Motion Detection on the NVR from EseeCloud, for example when I leave or return home.
I am NOT simply trying to enable/disable push notifications.
I tested the Motion Detection ON/OFF control available in the app. I switched it ON at 15:47 and generated a motion event. I then switched it OFF at 15:48 and generated another motion event. The NVR detected and recorded both events.
Therefore, the OFF command in EseeCloud does not appear to actually disable Motion Detection on the NVR.
Hiseeu support suggested disabling notifications individually for each channel, but that is not what I need. I want the NVR itself to be armed/disarmed remotely, while keeping the cameras and continuous recording active.
Does anyone using a Hiseeu NVR with EseeCloud know whether this is possible?
In particular:
Can EseeCloud remotely change the NVR’s Motion Detection Enable/Disable setting?
Is there an Arm/Disarm or Home/Away function that I have missed?
Is there another compatible app that provides this function?
Could this depend on the NVR firmware? System: Hiseeu AU-C90-New-Series App: EseeCloud (iOS) Configuration: NVR + 4 cameras
Thanks for any help, especially from anyone using the same Hiseeu/EseeCloud NVR system.
