[clug] IP Surveillance Cameras Hardware and Software

[Luke Mewburn]

On 19-08-28 16:28, Keith Goggin via linux wrote:
  | I'm interested in setting up a remote outdoor camera coupled to a
  | 4G Modem/Router.
  | 
  | It would be for 'surveillance' of a kind, the 'Snow Cam' kind.
  | 
  | I'm happy to experiment with software packages and building a web
  | page to display relevant data.
  | 
  | As a starting point I need to select a camera suitable for the task.
  | 
  | I'm considering the following cameras
  | 
  | https://www.dahuasecurity.com/products/productDetail/21487 and
  | 
  | https://www.dlink.com.au/business-solutions/DCS-4633EV-Vigilance-3MP-Day-Night-Outdoor-Vandal-Proof-Camera
  | 
  | Cost/Performance trade off is an issue.
  | 
  | Can any one advise a way forward.


I'm leery of the Dahua and Hikvision cameras. Without sounding too
tinfoil hat about it, there's been enough stuff in the press over the
last few years about infoleak of traffic to back "home" to China, and
the workaround in the forums seems to be "block outgoing traffic [to
China]".  I think the cameras are popular because they're cheap, and
people spend a bunch of time (rather than money) to workaround such
issues.


I've considered the Unifi (POE powered) cameras, but they're not cheap:
	https://www.ui.com/products/#unifivideo

Although the Unifi prices seem comparable to that Dahua IPC-HDBW1831R-S
that you linked.  Whilst cloud is an option, you can run them easily
using a local NVR without the cloud.


An option I've been recommended to investigate is the "Wyze" cameras.
	https://www.wyze.com/

They're about U$20, which ends up being A$80 by the time you
deal with the AU "Treasure Island Tax".  These aren't POE powered -
they're wifi backhaul with micro-USB power, which seems a bit clunky.
They are "cloud upload" by default, but there's a replacement firmware
that allows you to connect locally and grab the video yourself without
the cloud:
	https://www.reddit.com/r/wyzecam/comments/7w4kx4/openipc_open_source_firmware_with_rtsp_for/


Luke.