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cctv camera, composite outputs

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Well, I can recognize a car in my driveway, or a cat in the yard, when the dog starts barking, so I don't have to go to a window to see what the fuss is all about. I can recognize which neighbor comes over and steals my free local newspaper... But I don't really need high detail for most things. The daytime images are better detail. Fortunately, I don't live in a high crime area, and just have the cameras out, is deterrent enough. You get what you pay for, but for $25 these aren't completely useless.

They look perfectly fine - it would be uncommon to use hi-res cameras for security purposes, these are pretty typical and normal.
 
I'm using two of these, **broken link removed** , and they do a good job, day or night. Replaced the lens in one with a wider angle view, get most of the backyard. Not real high resolution, but don't need to read license plate numbers. I can easily spot cats and squirrels, and send the dog out. Might post a picture of what's on my monitor later. Not bad for a cheap $25 camera...

where can you get wide lenses for these types of cameras?

thanks
 
They look perfectly fine - it would be uncommon to use hi-res cameras for security purposes, these are pretty typical and normal.

Well they look fine if that is what you are happy with. For "MONITORING" purposes these cheap cameras will do the job but they let themselves down in low light. For "SECURITY" purposes these are NOT typical & normal & anything less than 1/2" sensor , 540 lines would be questionable. Want to read a number plate at 50m in total darkness with headlights shining at the camera ? These won't do it. They will only show that something is there at night or that something has black hair , red jacket & blue jeans if in daylight.
 
HA! I laugh my a** off when I see fuzzy, grainy "security" video, and someone asking for help identifying the person(s) on it. What's the point in even having security cameras if you don't get a quality image? The good ones aren't even all that expensive anymore.
 
how does it work then? the more lines the better?

which of these would be better in low light - I guess the more expensive one?

**broken link removed**
**broken link removed**
 
HA! I laugh my a** off when I see fuzzy, grainy "security" video, and someone asking for help identifying the person(s) on it. What's the point in even having security cameras if you don't get a quality image? The good ones aren't even all that expensive anymore.

The grainy image come from the compression used in the DVR... Still, it's better than I really need, and get a pretty good idea what time something happened. Started out with an old webcam and a VCR...

Lenses can be found online, little more than I wanted to spend. I've got a box of little board cameras that were given to me. Most don't have lenses, wires, or much of anything useful for testing them, so they just sit. Got lucky, think I have another lens to match, I just went with the one that looked easiest to clean up...
 
Low light capability & resolution are two different things. You really need to get the specs sheet to find out what they will do. Generally the bigger the sensor the better it will be in low light & the higher it will be in resolution. CCD sensor is far better than cmos. They are up to 3rd generation super HAD sensors now. Look at the lux it will work to (0.01 will be a good camera) This is usually the level the IR filter operates. Don't forget that under IR operation you lose your colour information. Resolution can be affected by the DVR compression & DVR resolution settings. Most DVRs now use H264.
Remember , a camera hasn't been made that cant be defeated by a hoodie & sunglasses.
@ Harvey - bet your pic isn't grainy in daylight - it's due to operating IR
I get these sorts of issues on a weekly basis , too many people watching NCIS & spy movies
 
The grainy image come from the compression used in the DVR... Still, it's better than I really need, and get a pretty good idea what time something happened. Started out with an old webcam and a VCR...

That would be some dam unusual compression scheme. My DVR doesn't cause any grainy images, but the cheap cameras I've tired do.
 
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That would be some dam unusual compression scheme. My DVR doesn't cause any grainy images, but the cheap cameras I've tired do.

Actually, it's a pretty high end DVR, just old and well used. Speco Technologies, don't remember the model number off hand. It was thrown out during a hotel renovation job... Just needed a hard drive, and a remote, since most of the front buttons don't work well, one missing...
 
Let me know if someone throws out a projector.

Yeah, I'm looking for one, working or not.
 
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Two minute video export from this evening... I know it's just wrong, but not much interesting happens on camera.

[video]http://img695.imageshack.us/img695/2266/8bu.mp4[/video]
 
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Harvey - That is pretty funny!

I would recommend against getting one of these cheaper cameras. Quality is not good at night. I love these:

Welcome To CNB Technology.
VANDAL-RESISTANT DOME CAMERAS - CNB VCM-24VF VANDAL RESISTANT DOME CAMERA, 600 TVL, 2.8-10.5mm VARIFOCAL LENS, 0.03 LUX

You may say; "wow thats expensive"! This is a real cctv camera, and a low/medium priced one at that. The quality is amazing. Picture is great, has a varifocal lens, so viewing angle can be set from like 20 degrees to almost 90 degrees. It is a True-Day-Night camera, so viewing at night is amazing. Almost no light is required to get a clear picture. It is also a vandal-dome, so you can literally whack it with a bat and it will not give in! (Even try hitting the dome part!)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ag2sibGYiM
 
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Harvey - That is pretty funny!

I would recommend against getting one of these cheaper cameras. Quality is not good at night. I love these:

Welcome To CNB Technology.
VANDAL-RESISTANT DOME CAMERAS - CNB VCM-24VF VANDAL RESISTANT DOME CAMERA, 600 TVL, 2.8-10.5mm VARIFOCAL LENS, 0.03 LUX

You may say; "wow thats expensive"! This is a real cctv camera, and a low/medium priced one at that. The quality is amazing. Picture is great, has a varifocal lens, so viewing angle can be set from like 20 degrees to almost 90 degrees. It is a True-Day-Night camera, so viewing at night is amazing. Almost no light is required to get a clear picture. It is also a vandal-dome, so you can literally whack it with a bat and it will not give in! (Even try hitting the dome part!)

YouTube - Vandal Proof Security Dome Camera Torture Test

A lot of people wouldn't see any difference in the comparison but to those who work with this stuff it is obvious. those $50 cameras are usable but only for short range with good constant light levels. "You get what you pay for" has never been more true than with CCTV cameras. The camera in the link would be the starting point for my installations & go upward in quality from there.
 
A lot of people wouldn't see any difference in the comparison but to those who work with this stuff it is obvious. those $50 cameras are usable but only for short range with good constant light levels. "You get what you pay for" has never been more true than with CCTV cameras. The camera in the link would be the starting point for my installations & go upward in quality from there.

That was the $25 camera I linked earlier... I really don't have security issues, and the lower quality video is fine for what I use it for. It's just simpler to look at the monitor, and see if there is something that needs my attention, rather than get up and look out a window, or go outside when the dog barks. I get packages delivered to the door, and it gives me a little peace of mind, know that if I ever lose a package, I might have some clue about what happened. Hasn't happened, and been in this house over 20 years, just don't have to worry about it.
 
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