Security Camera Battle

[johnjk]

I took advantage of the Prime Day sales and bought an additional security camera for my alarm system. I wanted one that capture the man door and garage door for my barn. Easy. Mount the solar panel, install camera mount, pair camera, plug in panel and adjust for proper coverage.
Got it done, verified the picture and back inside. Pull up video a few minutes later and it is pointing down at the patio. Hmmmmm. Interesting. I must have bumped it when dressing the cables. Back out, adjusted again and back in. Wife gets home and no camera notification. Pull it up and we’re inspecting concrete. The mount is magnetic so maybe it’s not holding? Back out and adjust. This time I check video from garage and what do I see? Birds flying up under the eaves. Birds enjoying their new perch. Birds treating my camera as a new ride. Sitting on it, adjusting the tilt under their weight. Time to up the game. Some quick research, a few buttons pressed and I’m ready to up my game.
I gave the camera a bird spike Mohawk and installed spike strips on all their favorite roosting spots. They were mildly upset with the escalation. Lots of noise, Impromptu bird meetings in the tree next to the barn…. Camera stayed put. Next round if they choose to escalate will be sealing off the underside of the roof. As of this morning, the camera is where I left it yesterday evening. The birds are still upset but I don’t see them up under the porch. I may smoke a celebratory cigar out there and pee on the post to mark my victory when I get home. I just hope they don’t target the other camera.

 

[Speed25]

I took advantage of the Prime Day sales and bought an additional security camera for my alarm system. I wanted one that capture the man door and garage door for my barn. Easy. Mount the solar panel, install camera mount, pair camera, plug in panel and adjust for proper coverage.
Got it done, verified the picture and back inside. Pull up video a few minutes later and it is pointing down at the patio. Hmmmmm. Interesting. I must have bumped it when dressing the cables. Back out, adjusted again and back in. Wife gets home and no camera notification. Pull it up and we’re inspecting concrete. The mount is magnetic so maybe it’s not holding? Back out and adjust. This time I check video from garage and what do I see? Birds flying up under the eaves. Birds enjoying their new perch. Birds treating my camera as a new ride. Sitting on it, adjusting the tilt under their weight. Time to up the game. Some quick research, a few buttons pressed and I’m ready to up my game.
I gave the camera a bird spike Mohawk and installed spike strips on all their favorite roosting spots. They were mildly upset with the escalation. Lots of noise, Impromptu bird meetings in the tree next to the barn…. Camera stayed put. Next round if they choose to escalate will be sealing off the underside of the roof. As of this morning, the camera is where I left it yesterday evening. The birds are still upset but I don’t see them up under the porch. I may smoke a celebratory cigar out there and pee on the post to mark my victory when I get home. I just hope they don’t target the other camera.

I feel you. We've got a bird nest on our front porch light fixture (ceiling mounted), but they're generally fine. Last week a black snake climbed the brick and was trying to get to the nest, so it wrapped its lower body around the camera in the corner and tried reaching out to the nest. It made it 2'+ out, but still 3' short, but it shifted my porch camera in doing so. As a consolation prize, it found the other nest by the gutter and enjoyed some eggs for lunch.

 

[Old Machinist]

I just wish I could keep the spiders from stranding a web in front of the lens.

 

[skeets]

OK it would seem we have at least one expert on these things, so I will ask. I dont have a smart phone so we can rule anything like that out right from the get go. I have reviewed and read ,and still am confused about these things. I have several buildings that there is no way I can connect with wire, so I need something that will go to my WiFi and into a drive or some kind or recording device. So what do we have boyz and how good are they, and yes the out buildings have AC power

 

[Speed25]

OK it would seem we have at least one expert on these things, so I will ask. I dont have a smart phone so we can rule anything like that out right from the get go. I have reviewed and read ,and still am confused about these things. I have several buildings that there is no way I can connect with wire, so I need something that will go to my WiFi and into a drive or some kind or recording device. So what do we have boyz and how good are they, and yes the out buildings have AC power

Without a smart phone, you're more limited. The easiest would be using trail cameras that store images on an SD card, but that means you have to retrieve the SD card every so often and load the images to a computer. Some come with replaceable batteries while others have a little solar panel with a rechargeable battery.

Beyond that, I'm using the only true long-range WiFi setup I know of, and it only has access via a phone/tablet app. If I find a way to access it via PC, I'll post more info. All of the other WiFi setups aren't really practical as they only create their own network and you have to be within 20'-30' to access it with a smart phone. They won't connect to an existing network.

 

[Russell King]

Look at true security camera systems that have a central “computer” that records the cameras. Like at a convenience store.

 

[#40Fan]

Skeets, you could use regular security cameras that tie into the recording device with cabling. You can also get converters that will change the HDMI output to a coax connection that will allow you to run the video feed over a long distance, back to a monitor/tv/etc.

 

[johnjk]

Well the birds have upped their game. I need to determine what round 2 is from my end. Good thing I didn’t get that cigar out yet

 

[#40Fan]

Build a dome over it with chicken wire.

 

[Old Machinist]

On my cameras that had bird issues I put a shelf covering them for the birds to perch on.

 

[johnjk]

Camera is back up. Seems they want to nest on the spikes. Storms rolling in so Orville is on deterrent duty tonight. Quick update. Orville is a miserable failure.

 

[Elliott in GA]

OK it would seem we have at least one expert on these things, so I will ask. I dont have a smart phone so we can rule anything like that out right from the get go. I have reviewed and read ,and still am confused about these things. I have several buildings that there is no way I can connect with wire, so I need something that will go to my WiFi and into a drive or some kind or recording device. So what do we have boyz and how good are they, and yes the out buildings have AC power

Look at ReoLink wi-fi cameras with solar. You can simply install the camera and solar panel, and it will connect via wi-fi. You can attach a ReoLink HUB to your wi-fi router via an ethernet cable (the HUB will actually connect directly to the cameras too) to record all of the cameras; the cameras can also store on micro SD card inside the camera. You can monitor and control everything from your computer using the ReoLink CLIENT (free download for Windows or Mac).

The cameras will send e-mail images and video clips to your and/or other people (family) devices/computers.

Argus 4 Pro 180 degree camera with solar panel is $153 https://reolink.com/us/product/argus-4-pro/

The HUB for up to 8 cameras is $133 https://reolink.com/us/product/reolink-home-hub/

The CLIENT software is free to downlod from ReoLink.

I have this equipment at home and our property 250 miles away (there is cellular wi-fi gateway at the property), and I can monitor and control everything from anywhere I have an internet connection. I was getting emails and links (as packages were delivered to the house) in Greece (my phone plan includes 5G data in many foreign countries).

 

[skeets]

Thanks Elliott, I will look in to them

 

[Speed25]

Thanks Elliott, I will look in to them

How far are your buildings apart? Can your home WiFi reach them, or even one of them?

 

[Elliott in GA]

How far are your buildings apart? Can your home WiFi reach them, or even one of them?

Yes, the wi-fi reaches all of them (otherwise, they would not be connected/sending photos and video clips).

At our property, the longest distance is over 80 feet, and the signal strength is showing full power. I do not lose connectivity (the system constantly monitors itself) even in extreme down pours during strong thunderstorms.

Obviously, there a limit to the wi-fi's range, but ReoLink (and others) sells wi-fi extenders (they require AC power or you would have to build your own solar/battery storage/inverter solution).

 

[Speed25]

Yes, the wi-fi reaches all of them (otherwise, they would not be connected/sending photos and video clips).

At our property, the longest distance is over 80 feet, and the signal strength is showing full power. I do not lose connectivity (the system constantly monitors itself) even in extreme down pours during strong thunderstorms.

Obviously, there a limit to the wi-fi's range, but ReoLink (and others) sells wi-fi extenders (they require AC power or you would have to build your own solar/battery storage/inverter solution).

That's why I was asking his distance. 100' or 500' makes a big difference.

I'm using a wifi camera system with a hub as well, but the advertised range is 3000' (straight-line), and about 1500' with terrain/trees. It just doesn't work without a smart phone, but like yours, if set up with a smart phone on the app, it'll email pictures. I'm only a few hundred feet away, but it's showing full strength, despite basement walls and trees.

 

[skeets]

My small garage is about 300 feet away,, so that might be a problem the house and main garage wont be a problem. I remember back in the old days, when Ma Bell and I did a stretch together, they use an nernal intercom that used the 110 volt to power each unit and transmit on the same wires and as long as you were on the same side of a transformer it worked. I wonder if there is anything like that now, with out having to worry about phone data or wifi distance?

 

[Speed25]

My small garage is about 300 feet away,, so that might be a problem the house and main garage wont be a problem. I remember back in the old days, when Ma Bell and I did a stretch together, they use an nernal intercom that used the 110 volt to power each unit and transmit on the same wires and as long as you were on the same side of a transformer it worked. I wonder if there is anything like that now, with out having to worry about phone data or wifi distance?

It's called ethernet over power (EoP), but I don't have any working knowledge of it. I remember there were issues using different electrical panels with it, but I don't know if that was a grounding issue or what.

 

[Elliott in GA]

My small garage is about 300 feet away,, so that might be a problem the house and main garage wont be a problem. I remember back in the old days, when Ma Bell and I did a stretch together, they use an nernal intercom that used the 110 volt to power each unit and transmit on the same wires and as long as you were on the same side of a transformer it worked. I wonder if there is anything like that now, with out having to worry about phone data or wifi distance?

They have stuff that works over AC lines (see below), but you would have to confirm function on your wiring.

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BUT, depending on the view/orientation of your garage - you could watch it with a camera mounted on your house or other near enough to your house structure. The detection range of the PIRs on the camera is over 200 feet for large objects like vehicles.