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Started By
Message
Cheap, local storage, outdoor camera recommendations
Posted on 8/17/21 at 11:00 am
Posted on 8/17/21 at 11:00 am
I’ve recently been suckered into joining our neighborhood HOA, and the neighborhood is looking to get a camera for the entrance to catch license plates.
They went and got two quotes from security companies, around $5k each. In the 4 years I’ve lived here, we have needed it twice, so I’m looking for cheaper alternatives.
I’m a big fan of Wyze, and from my limited research is a good option, but thought I would ask here. Wyze is easy to install, can record locally without WiFi, will plug in so no worries about battery, but my main hesitation is 32gb and the 2-3 day storage (unsure if SD will allow us to make out plates) since it is continuous instead of motion events recording locally.
Anyone have a good experience with a similar type camera? Ideally would plug into an outlet, cheap, outdoor rated, saves locally, and can store 7 days of data (or records motion events instead of continuous).
They went and got two quotes from security companies, around $5k each. In the 4 years I’ve lived here, we have needed it twice, so I’m looking for cheaper alternatives.
I’m a big fan of Wyze, and from my limited research is a good option, but thought I would ask here. Wyze is easy to install, can record locally without WiFi, will plug in so no worries about battery, but my main hesitation is 32gb and the 2-3 day storage (unsure if SD will allow us to make out plates) since it is continuous instead of motion events recording locally.
Anyone have a good experience with a similar type camera? Ideally would plug into an outlet, cheap, outdoor rated, saves locally, and can store 7 days of data (or records motion events instead of continuous).
3
Posted on 8/17/21 at 11:12 am to LSU Delirium
Does that quote only count the cameras? Or did they include electrical install, conduit, pole(s), etc.
Posted on 8/17/21 at 11:19 am to mchias1
We have an outlet, so no electrical work, etc. They are quoting a “commercial grade” nvr system and installation, and whatever else that comes with that. We don’t need anything that sophisticated to pull a license plate every 2 years, and to be frank, we don’t have budget for it either.
This post was edited on 8/17/21 at 11:23 am
Posted on 8/17/21 at 11:24 am to LSU Delirium
where will these cameras be mounted?
Posted on 8/17/21 at 11:27 am to LSU Delirium
Korkstand incoming....
Reolink 4k Cameras and NVR.
Even with this, you'll be lucky to catch liscense plates.
Reolink 4k Cameras and NVR.
Even with this, you'll be lucky to catch liscense plates.
This post was edited on 8/17/21 at 11:28 am
Posted on 8/17/21 at 11:30 am to mchias1
Brick wall / facade that’s at our entrance. ~15-20’ from outlet, no WiFi available.
Posted on 8/17/21 at 11:49 am to Lonnie Utah
quote:
Korkstand incoming....
Posted on 8/17/21 at 11:49 am to LSU Delirium
You are not going to catch plates reliably with a Wyze cam.
Plate cameras are built specifically for that purpose. They capture at high frame rates, have fast shutters, focused IR emitters, long focal lengths (zoomed in), and firmware written specifically to tone down taillights and "enhance" reflections from plates. And even with all that, they still need to be mounted in the right location to get a good angle to read plates reliably. They generally cost $1k and up for just the camera.
At the very least you need a camera with a zoom lens. Wyze cameras have a wide field of view, so not only are you wasting a lot of pixels and not getting nearly enough pixels on the plate to read it, but you are also allowing in far more variance in light sources that the firmware has to deal with. A reflecting plate can get washed out.
I don't know who you got quotes from or what exactly they quoted, but if you tell them you want to capture plates then they will quote for capturing plates, and they're not going to do that with a Wyze cam. These quotes might include a system to automatically read the actual plate number (character recognition, not just images) and store them in a database.
Plate cameras are built specifically for that purpose. They capture at high frame rates, have fast shutters, focused IR emitters, long focal lengths (zoomed in), and firmware written specifically to tone down taillights and "enhance" reflections from plates. And even with all that, they still need to be mounted in the right location to get a good angle to read plates reliably. They generally cost $1k and up for just the camera.
At the very least you need a camera with a zoom lens. Wyze cameras have a wide field of view, so not only are you wasting a lot of pixels and not getting nearly enough pixels on the plate to read it, but you are also allowing in far more variance in light sources that the firmware has to deal with. A reflecting plate can get washed out.
I don't know who you got quotes from or what exactly they quoted, but if you tell them you want to capture plates then they will quote for capturing plates, and they're not going to do that with a Wyze cam. These quotes might include a system to automatically read the actual plate number (character recognition, not just images) and store them in a database.
Posted on 8/17/21 at 11:52 am to LSU Delirium
quote:
~15-20’ from outlet,
The issue with a NVR type system isn't power. It's do you have a way to run Cat5/Cat6 cable to the camera(s) and do you have a way to secure the NVR.
Posted on 8/17/21 at 1:52 pm to Korkstand
quote:
You are not going to catch plates reliably with a Wyze cam.
I have a wyze cam that covers my driveway. You cant read the tag # on my truck as it passes by aprox 10 feet from the wyze camera
Posted on 8/17/21 at 2:08 pm to weadjust
quote:Right, only 10' away and presumably driving slowly and you still can't read it.
I have a wyze cam that covers my driveway. You cant read the tag # on my truck as it passes by aprox 10 feet from the wyze camera
Wyze and other cheap cameras are for keeping an eye on things, basically to see that something happened. There is value in that and IMO for the price they are worth it. But you need perfect conditions to ID a person at 20 feet, and you can forget about catching plates on moving vehicles, especially at night.
Posted on 8/18/21 at 7:06 am to Korkstand
Some great info in here, thanks everyone!
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