# My DIY home CCTV install



## LeadFarmer (Feb 23, 2011)

Thought I'd share some info of the CCTV system ive recently installed in my home. I spent months and months researching suitable CCTV kits that I could view online when away from home, and Ive finally managed to install one.

Its a Swann Advance Series package from Maplin and comes with a 500gb DVR which has 8 channels (meaning it can take 8 cameras) and comes with 4 cameras. Bought it on offer from Maplin for £299 (usually £499).










It was easy to install, just had to mount the cameras on the outside of my house. The cameras come with about 18" of cable hardwired, with connectors on the ends. Using the 4 rolls of 18meter cable supplied, I just had to connect the cable to the camera connections and then route the cables around my house and in through the wall behind my TV. These cables then connect into the back of the DVR recorder, which then connects to a monitor or in my case, the TV.

I also used the supplied ethernet cable to connect the DVR to my BT broadband hub. This means that not only can I view the images from my laptop at home via the Swan software, I could then also view the images online from anywhere in the world, even from my mobile phone. Heres some screen shots from my Galaxy S2 phone..










Excuse my messy carport in this photo










The picture quality degreades somewhat when viewed via the internet, but is considerably better when viewed directly on my TV. But its nice to know that when on holiday abroad whilst sat by the pool sipping a ****tail I can check to see if my car is still safely parked on my drive.

I have to admit though, I didnt have a clue how to get the online part set up. Fortunately my mate know someone who worked in IT and he was good enough to come round and do this for me. Still took us a good couple of hours to get our heads around it. The only fly in the ointment is that as and when my ip address changes, I have to manually update the app on my phone & laptop.


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## empsburna (Apr 5, 2006)

Looks tidy. You could use a free dynamic dns service or buy a DDNS router to save having to mess about with a different IP address every time.


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## LeadFarmer (Feb 23, 2011)

Id like to do that. When I tried doing this I couldnt find a free ddns, and didnt want to have to pay $10 per year. Can you provide any links to suitable software please?


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## empsburna (Apr 5, 2006)

hmm. Looks like DYNDNS charge for the service now. 

You can get a windows client that might do it automatically, but you would need a windows box running all the time.

What router have you got? You might be able to do it already with that.


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## BubblesGt4 (Dec 29, 2011)

Where did you get it for £299? They are online at £499

B


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## slim_boy_fat (Jun 23, 2006)

BubblesGt4 said:


> Where did you get it for £299? They are online at £499
> 
> B


First post says Maplins.


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## LeadFarmer (Feb 23, 2011)

BubblesGt4 said:


> Where did you get it for £299? They are online at £499
> 
> B


Maplins had it on offer a few weeks ago.


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## DaveDesign (May 6, 2008)

Fot the ip, i think this is what i have used in past.

http://www.no-ip.com/services/managed_dns/free_dynamic_dns.html


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## DaveDesign (May 6, 2008)

Love the setup though. I have always looked at and considered the kits from maplin but never bit the bullet and done it!


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## Rob_Quads (Jul 17, 2006)

I've got a few cameras connected up to a server I have running - One outside wired and one internal wireless. Both connected up to i-Catcher software which is really good. Got mine to record on motion and you can mask off areas like bushes you know will move in the wind etc.


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## Hou (Sep 20, 2010)

Impressive, this is something I will be doing when I move house, although when on holiday I would be scared to see if the car had gone!

Knowing my luck they would take the cameras and recorder too, do you also backup online?


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## BubblesGt4 (Dec 29, 2011)

LeadFarmer said:


> Maplins had it on offer a few weeks ago.


That explains it!


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## LeadFarmer (Feb 23, 2011)

Hou said:


> Impressive, this is something I will be doing when I move house, although when on holiday I would be scared to see if the car had gone!
> 
> Knowing my luck they would take the cameras and recorder too, do you also backup online?


No, havent got that far yet. I did consider the theft issue before purchasing. A burglar could easily steal the DVR. Did consider placing it out of sight somewhere, but for now I need it sat next to the tv and router.

Since istalling the system I have found it useful in other ways. I can check if the bin men have been and emptied my bin, check if the wife is returning home, see who might be knocking on the door etc.


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## LeadFarmer (Feb 23, 2011)

empsburna said:


> hmm. Looks like DYNDNS charge for the service now.
> 
> You can get a windows client that might do it automatically, but you would need a windows box running all the time.
> 
> What router have you got? You might be able to do it already with that.


Thanks, Ive got a BT Hub2.

Whilst im pleased with the cameras that come as standard Im thinking of upgrading one to a higher quality picture. I doubt I could read a cars numberplate when parked on the road outside my house. Can anyone recommend a camera with a high quality image?


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## npinks (Feb 25, 2008)

Looks a good setup, there's another swann setup at maplins that has remote controlled tilt and swivel cameras, similar to one sold at Costco that I might invest in


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## Derbyshire-stig (Dec 22, 2010)

I got the same type of system from maplins, it had the 2 Pan tilt externals and 2 fixed camera`s, I was really impressed with the system, I set my BT hub no problem, even had to buy a new mobile to run swannviewer lol,
Ive found the night led`s are a bit too bright(or my car is too shiney) if its in too dark a area.


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## LeadFarmer (Feb 23, 2011)

I wouldnt mind adding a small pin hole type camera to the system. Perhaps hide it somewhere discrete under a window frame where it ccant be seen. Might even capture folks faces even when wearing hoodies?


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## Derbyshire-stig (Dec 22, 2010)

LeadFarmer said:


> I wouldnt mind adding a small pin hole type camera to the system. Perhaps hide it somewhere discrete under a window frame where it ccant be seen. Might even capture folks faces even when wearing hoodies?


maybe one of the hidden ones in a outside lamp, gives you a better angle for what your after.


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## LeadFarmer (Feb 23, 2011)

npinks said:


> Looks a good setup, there's another swann setup at maplins that has remote controlled tilt and swivel cameras, similar to one sold at Costco that I might invest in


Im sure you would be able to operate the pan & tilt cameras via your mobile phone, using the Swan app:thumb: Obviously it would be wrong to tilt and view the neighbours property when she is sunbathing


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## Derbyshire-stig (Dec 22, 2010)

LeadFarmer said:


> Thanks, Ive got a BT Hub2.
> 
> Whilst im pleased with the cameras that come as standard Im thinking of upgrading one to a higher quality picture. I doubt I could read a cars numberplate when parked on the road outside my house. Can anyone recommend a camera with a high quality image?


 the Digital zoom isnt that bad so you can get reg plates, I live in a cul de sac and can get the reg numbers of the cars at the house right over the other side or if anyone turns around outside.


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## LeadFarmer (Feb 23, 2011)

Thanks stig. How good is it at reading reg numbers when not zoomed. Im thinking of the ability to capture reg numbers whist not being at home, with the camera panned back? Say if a car pulls up suspiciously outside my house whilst im away from home?

Though I do like the idea of a pan/tilt camera for being secretly nosey. What kind of angle can your camera tilt? Does it do 360deg for example?


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## PG Monkey (Apr 19, 2010)

I'm thinking about this but what has stopped me taking the plunge is how obvious the cameras are.

Does anyone have covert/pinhole cameras set up?


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## Rob_Quads (Jul 17, 2006)

I have a white dome camera on the side of the house which has white cladding and from the road it just looks like the exhaust vent from a boiler. Only if you look hard do you realise its actually a camera


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## Techgeek (Jun 7, 2007)

Your cameras are a bit too high for facial recognition, if there is an incident all your really going to see is the top of their heads, ideally you want to have them a bit lower and pointing more horizontally. That does put them more at risk for vandalism but its a tradeoff for more usable images. The best budget cameras I've tried with good low light perfomance are the 700 line cameras with the sony effio-e dsp.
In the menu turn dwdr on high, dnr to high, day/night to colour, agc to high
If you want to spend a bit more for better image quality look at samsung w5 chipset cameras.
try not to go any lower than 600tvl as a rule of thumb.


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## Rob_Quads (Jul 17, 2006)

Techgeek said:


> Your cameras are a bit too high for facial recognition,


Not sure if that was pointed at me but if it was then its not too high after capturing a nice face shot of something who then attemped to get into our garden. The police said it was very recognisable.


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## kings.. (Aug 28, 2007)

whats the playback quality like from the DVR?


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## R7KY D (Feb 16, 2010)

I bought a Maplins cctv set up but had to change the cameras as they were awful in the night vision stakes

I've got a dome on the front of the house ,and 3 bullets sited elsewhere the dome is nice and small and seeing as i'm in a bungalow you can hardly notice

Heres a pic from the dome although looking at it i need to focus it a little , I want to change it to a PTZ which I will be able to control from my phone using the Naway app which is what I use now just without the PTZ


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## ardandy (Aug 18, 2006)

The proof of the pudding for CCTV is what its like at night. Even my phone can do great vid during the day.


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## BMW Shortie (May 27, 2008)

ardandy said:


> The proof of the pudding for CCTV is what its like at night. Even my phone can do great vid during the day.


Totally agree, 80% of offences happen during darkness, this is where 80% on the cctv systems dont capture anything of value!


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## ffrs1444 (Jun 7, 2008)

Nice Set up guys im after a cheap DVR type one only one camera but if say any sort of damage found can take memery card out and view nothing as big as yours


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## Techgeek (Jun 7, 2007)

Rob_Quads said:


> Not sure if that was pointed at me but if it was then its not too high after capturing a nice face shot of something who then attemped to get into our garden. The police said it was very recognisable.


I was on about the OPs outdoor cameras.


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## PrestigeChris (Nov 17, 2009)

http://proxy.metro-group.com/Makro-United-Kingdom/18/#/zoompage/40/

page 40 of this offer book, same system is it not? £299 including the vat


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## LeadFarmer (Feb 23, 2011)

My CCTV system is coming into use this week. Im away on holiday and im having a new driveway installed. So now I can sit in my caravan and watch him work via my laptop.


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## gazzaog (Oct 4, 2012)

ImDefo going to go down the 4 camera route at some point to. cheers for the info everyone.


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## benji1205 (Jun 15, 2009)

I have invested in some of these. I have 3 Axis cameras. Even though they are a little more expensive, I have linked them to a PC which records when a certain % of the picture changes. I have one covering the side of my house / drive, another covering the front door / window and another covering the back. Linked it all up and view it via my iPhone from anywhere. Really handy and images are clear enough in the evening. Somebody got beaten up outside my house and the police came asking for copies of the video - thats the problem when they are so visible. Although hopefully act as a detterent also.

My uncle has a dome camera on the corner of his house and the clarity is immense. The camera cost him about £1800 so not for everyone, but he was after something that you could zoom in and pick peoples faces up if need be (he lives near an alleyway leading from the local secondary school and have quite a few unruley youngsters passing through). He caught one lad nicking his dustcaps and attempting to nick his hubcaps - suffice to say the kid had the fright of his life when his mate ran off and he turned round with my uncle stood over him.


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## ffrs1444 (Jun 7, 2008)

Swann do a free address for swann customers


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## Techgeek (Jun 7, 2007)

Swann dvrs have been hacked to gain shady types full access to yoir network, they inject a piece of code to make the dvr act as a gateway/router

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2


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## ffrs1444 (Jun 7, 2008)

Techgeek said:


> Swann dvrs have been hacked to gain shady types full access to yoir network, they inject a piece of code to make the dvr act as a gateway/router
> 
> Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk 2


Didn't know that cheers buddy


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## willwander (Nov 30, 2012)

Nice setup, keep an eye on that Land Rover, been a lot of them nicked round our way.


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## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

Did you see planners on TV last week? They had a complaint about the amount of cameras a guy had on his house from a neighbour. They made him remove 1 as he had too many within a certain distance(can't remember the detail). It was rediculous of his neighbours to complain, if he wants to keep an eye on his property that's up to him. I do sometimes think though that too many can lead to youths targetting property for mindless pranks etc.
Guy a few doors down from us has them and the local kids love winding him up by playing in his garden, sitting on his wall etc. He also gives them a reaction which I don't think helps. Keep telling him to ignore them if they're not causing damage, they'll soon get bored. It's quite funny but obviously I'd be furious if they were doing it to me:lol:


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