IP Cameras

[DSteiNeuro]

I know it has been discussed before but want to get the up to date information on the best cameras to use with HS3. I probably will use Blue Iris.

I have home run Cat 5e and power to the camera locations.

Any suggestions on type of cameras and sources. Would rather pay up front rather than junk.

Thanks

[Pete]

There is no best camera to use with Homeseer.

Homeseer supports Foscam IP cameras in Homeseer Touch (well now too RTSP).

Have a read over here about the variety of IP HD cameras / budgets.

CCTV Forum

CCTV UK

10 Recommended IP cameras 2015

[DSteiNeuro]

Thanks Pete,
Will take a look. Want to take a step up from Foscam.

[Pete]

Here have older Optex combo's (PIR / Cameras) that are some 16 years old now and still looking good. I have updated the optics and thinking that I can fit IP HD boards now inside of these. (very modular construction).

Most recent IP HD cams here are Grandstream and DIY Grandstream boards (SIP is part of the OS) in Speco/Everfocus domes.

[denisl]

I have a couple of Hikvision camera's I'm testing and they integrate easily with HS3 and HSTouch. Well made also. I'm running POE. They're on the bench in my basement so not mounted and gone through the seasons outside yet but they appear well made and are easy to use. I have zoneminder and blue iris setup with the blue iris plugin. Still learning how to use BI and the BI plugin but this will likely be my ultimate setup and I'll shutdown zoneminder.

[Planetview]

I have a couple of Hikvision camera's I'm testing and they integrate easily with HS3 and HSTouch. Well made also. I'm running POE. They're on the bench in my basement so not mounted and gone through the seasons outside yet but they appear well made and are easy to use. I have zoneminder and blue iris setup with the blue iris plugin. Still learning how to use BI and the BI plugin but this will likely be my ultimate setup and I'll shutdown zoneminder.

I also have Hikvision 3MP cameras and I highly recommend them. I did not know they integrate with HS3 though, must add to my future project list....

I would like to know more about the integration once you fully explore the BI capabilities with HS3!

[reidfo]

I use Dahua cameras with Blue Iris and its HomeSeer plugin. Works great. Dahua bullet and dome POE cameras can be found for about $100 each. Just be careful that you're getting the US version and not the Chinese camera with English firmware (those can't be upgraded). I also have a Hikvision camera arriving today that I will test, but its specs are very similar to the Dahua so I expect it will work well.

[DSteiNeuro]

Thanks all.
Looking towards Hikvision. It looks like many on Amazon are Chinese gray market so will probably buy from local US distributor if price isn't too much higher.

[reidfo]

Just got my Hikvision camera. Wow, what a disappointment! I paid just over $130 from Amazon (shipped and stocked in the US) and got a camera in plain cardboard packaging without even the MAC address shown anywhere, on the box or on the camera. I plugged it in and it power up but didn't request an IP address from DHCP (I did a packet capture on my DHCP server to be sure). I'd consult the manual, but it's only written in Chinese. Huge waste of time and money. It's going right back to Amazon.

[cheeryfool]

Just got my Hikvision camera. Wow, what a disappointment! I paid just over $130 from Amazon (shipped and stocked in the US) and got a camera in plain cardboard packaging without even the MAC address shown anywhere, on the box or on the camera. I plugged it in and it power up but didn't request an IP address from DHCP (I did a packet capture on my DHCP server to be sure). I'd consult the manual, but it's only written in Chinese. Huge waste of time and money. It's going right back to Amazon.

I bought mine from B&H for exactly this reason. There didn't seem any reliable way to 100% confirm that the Amazon ones were US models. In fact many people (but not all) specifically said they'd received Chinese versions and had mixed experiences with those. B&H was a bit more expensive but I received US ones the day after ordering (I am quite close to them). I did have one that died after I had configured it, but before I had installed it and they sent me a replacement before they'd received the original one back.

[DSteiNeuro]

Just got my Hikvision camera. Wow, what a disappointment! I paid just over $130 from Amazon (shipped and stocked in the US) and got a camera in plain cardboard packaging without even the MAC address shown anywhere, on the box or on the camera. I plugged it in and it power up but didn't request an IP address from DHCP (I did a packet capture on my DHCP server to be sure). I'd consult the manual, but it's only written in Chinese. Huge waste of time and money. It's going right back to Amazon.

Lots of bad reviews on Amazon about Chinese gray market versions.
You can look for the IPs on the CCTV forum. DHCP is not turned on natively.

http://www.cctvforum.com/viewforum.p...ac84c284b7e5f2


Good to know B&H sells US versions. Seems to be hit and miss on Amazon but mostly Chinese.

[Pete]

I have purchased all of my new HD IP cameras from Security Camera 2000.

I have not had any issues to date with them in the last few years. Initially purchased IP HD boards then later IP HD cameras (all with Grandstream OS).

Security Camera 2000

I have had a couple of issues with Amazon over the last couple of months relating to purchasing items not as pictured or described. I have had no issues with returns to Amazon.

[TeleFragger]

I have purchased all of my new HD IP cameras from Security Camera 2000.

I have not had any issues to date with them in the last few years. Initially purchased IP HD boards then later IP HD cameras (all with Grandstream OS).

Security Camera 2000

I have had a couple of issues with Amazon over the last couple of months relating to purchasing items not as pictured or described. I have had no issues with returns to Amazon.

wow i like that site as in products and pricing!... thx

[cheeryfool]

wow i like that site as in products and pricing!... thx

I just checked the cameras I bought (Hikvision DS-2CD2532 POE with 2.8mm lens) and it's $188 on SC2000 and $180 on B&H (after logging in)

[TeleFragger]

I just checked the cameras I bought (Hikvision DS-2CD2532 POE with 2.8mm lens) and it's $188 on SC2000 and $180 on B&H (after logging in)

i use b&h ( have a canon 7d mark ii ) ...
my thing is a security camera page to see specs... not really vs price. still i shop around but gotcha...

so jersey shore huh...guess we could get together and talk z-wave over a beer when i go to the beach... as im 20 minutes from philly and 40 minutes from AC.

im off the ac expressway.. hah