DIY Home Security System (Video Cameras)

I have a Foscam FI8904W outdoor camera. I've had it for couple of years. They're not too expensive. Mine runs over WI-FI and I use my Synology network drive to keep record of events.

I just picked up the Netgear Arlo home security system from Bestbuy and installed it last week. The install was simply drilling 1 pilot hole and using tapcon screws for the mount.

http://arlo.com/en-us/

These are completely wireless cameras that run on CR123A batteries(4-6 months with average use battery life)

You get 7 days of cloud storage that overwrites the first day on the 8th day all for free. You can pay for more storage and more days but that would involve a monthly fee to Netgear. You can access your cameras live, setup schedules, view & manage recordings all via the iOS or Android App. There is also a desktop browser app that you can do all the same stuff with.

Videos record at 720p and are pretty clear for the purposes that I was looking for.

Trowa wrote: ↑I just picked up the Netgear Arlo home security system from Bestbuy and installed it last week. The install was simply drilling 1 pilot hole and using tapcon screws for the mount.

http://arlo.com/en-us/

These are completely wireless cameras that run on CR123A batteries(4-6 months with average use battery life)

You get 7 days of cloud storage that overwrites the first day on the 8th day all for free. You can pay for more storage and more days but that would involve a monthly fee to Netgear. You can access your cameras live, setup schedules, view & manage recordings all via the iOS or Android App. There is also a desktop browser app that you can do all the same stuff with.

Videos record at 720p and are pretty clear for the purposes that I was looking for.

What worries me about the Arlo is that is says operating temperature is -10C to 50C. We always dip below -10C so what happens then?

https://community.netgear.com/t5/Arlo-K ... /ta-p/1705

Trowa wrote: ↑I just picked up the Netgear Arlo home security system from Bestbuy and installed it last week. The install was simply drilling 1 pilot hole and using tapcon screws for the mount.

http://arlo.com/en-us/

These are completely wireless cameras that run on CR123A batteries(4-6 months with average use battery life)

You get 7 days of cloud storage that overwrites the first day on the 8th day all for free. You can pay for more storage and more days but that would involve a monthly fee to Netgear. You can access your cameras live, setup schedules, view & manage recordings all via the iOS or Android App. There is also a desktop browser app that you can do all the same stuff with.

Videos record at 720p and are pretty clear for the purposes that I was looking for.

They look great! The only issue I could see is, they seem to be easy to just remove if someone wanted to?

Trowa wrote: ↑I just picked up the Netgear Arlo home security system from Bestbuy and installed it last week. The install was simply drilling 1 pilot hole and using tapcon screws for the mount.

http://arlo.com/en-us/

These are completely wireless cameras that run on CR123A batteries(4-6 months with average use battery life)

You get 7 days of cloud storage that overwrites the first day on the 8th day all for free. You can pay for more storage and more days but that would involve a monthly fee to Netgear. You can access your cameras live, setup schedules, view & manage recordings all via the iOS or Android App. There is also a desktop browser app that you can do all the same stuff with.

Videos record at 720p and are pretty clear for the purposes that I was looking for.

Wireless like these suck especially for outdoor. If you put it somewhere easy someone can steal it. Not only that but if you put it on your roof it will be a royal pain in the ass to take it down and change the battery every few months.

These Arlo cameras are also Wifi 2.4 GHz. They are going to kill your wifi network with 4 cameras.

They are also battery powered. Battery power and constant winter cold are not a good thing.

i was also looking at these but really what use are they if they dont trigger an alarm if someones trys break into ur house

irishguy wrote: ↑i was also looking at these but really what use are they if they dont trigger an alarm if someones trys break into ur house

You would not use any sort of camera for that. Otherwise you would be getting notified about every spider that crawls in front of the lens.

Trowa wrote: ↑I just picked up the Netgear Arlo home security system from Bestbuy and installed it last week. The install was simply drilling 1 pilot hole and using tapcon screws for the mount.

http://arlo.com/en-us/

These are completely wireless cameras that run on CR123A batteries(4-6 months with average use battery life)

You get 7 days of cloud storage that overwrites the first day on the 8th day all for free. You can pay for more storage and more days but that would involve a monthly fee to Netgear. You can access your cameras live, setup schedules, view & manage recordings all via the iOS or Android App. There is also a desktop browser app that you can do all the same stuff with.

Videos record at 720p and are pretty clear for the purposes that I was looking for.

Really simple product, but I'm also concerned about a few things:

1) Batteries. Amazon sells these things for $10 each! Each camera needs 4...and goes through them in 4-6 months. That's a lot of money.
2) Data - as was already mentioned, this could really eat into your monthly bandwidth
3) Operating temperature for Canadian winters.

hotsnacks wrote: ↑They look great! The only issue I could see is, they seem to be easy to just remove if someone wanted to?

Not if you put them high enough where a typical person cannot reach the unit.

Also by the time someone pulls it down you have their face on camera.

robbieD wrote: ↑Really simple product, but I'm also concerned about a few things:

1) Batteries. Amazon sells these things for $10 each! Each camera needs 4...and goes through them in 4-6 months. That's a lot of money.
2) Data - as was already mentioned, this could really eat into your monthly bandwidth
3) Operating temperature for Canadian winters.

1 - Buy rechargeables and you're golden
2 - I didn't see a huge increase in my data usage
3 - This could be a potential problem that I have yet to experience.

Trowa wrote: ↑Not if you put them high enough where a typical person cannot reach the unit.

Also by the time someone pulls it down you have their face on camera.

Well having a bungalow, I don't really have much height.