Ask Slashdot: A Cheap, DIY Home Security and Surveillance System? 508
scubamage writes "Six weeks ago, my home was broken into while my fiance and I were at work. Two laptops were stolen, an iPad, a power brick, a safe (complete with several years worth of taxes, my birth certificate, and old copies of my driver's license), a digital SLR, and several other costly items. We are now dealing with an attorney because the homeowner's insurance is fighting us on a number of items and we're not backing down. It has been a nightmare. However, we've now noticed that someone has been visiting our house during the day. There has been garbage left sitting on our back porch table, so its unlikely to have blown there. We've also seen footprints in our garden that are not there in the morning. Our neighborhood is essentially empty during the day, and we want to know who is on our property while we're not. If we're really lucky, reporting it to the police could recover some of our property. My fiance has asked me to assemble a home security system that is motion activated, and both notifies us of an entry, as well as records video or rapid HD stillframes when sensing motion. The goal is to do this cheaply and more effectively than going with a private security company like ADT (who, consequently, our police department told us to ignore due to the incredibly high rate of false alarms). We've already gotten the dog and the gun, so we have those bases covered. What suggestions do you have on setting up home security systems, and what have you done to build one in the past?"
Reputation (Score:4, Insightful)
You have the gun, and you have the dog. All you really need now is a reputation.
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Re:Reputation (Score:5, Insightful)
Assuming you live in Florida, start by chasing down passers-by with your car and shooting them with your gun. Given TV interviews afterwards in which you claim that you were simply defending yourself.
It might take some kind of vast racial conspiracy in order to make sure the police release you without charges. You'll have to get together with all the other Hispanic Democrats to pull this off.
If you do it right, though, you should be able to get enraged mobs of idiots to attack some random elderly couple whose son happens to have the same middle name as you!
Re: (Score:3)
That's one of the worst attempts at humor on /. What's more sad is the 'Insightful' uprating.
Usually if a joke is lame someone can manage a comeback. You've only had all night to think about it.
Granted, you're stuck with trying to defend lynching a guy who hasn't been charged, let alone proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and deliberately deepening racial divisions in America for purely political reasons.
I won't hold my breath waiting for your witty riposte.
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Assuming you live in Florida, start by chasing down passers-by with your car and shooting them with your gun.
You forgot the part where you lose sight of the passer-by, the passer-by (who is a foot taller than you) then chases *you* down, starts screaming, punches you in the face knocking you to the ground, and then proceeds to beat the stuffing out of you. In front of witnesses. Just for following him.
Treyvor Martin was a wannabe thug with a chip on his shoulder who was angry at the world for being su
Re:Reputation (Score:4, Insightful)
Well, they have the gun and the dog. That way, when the crims steal the gun, they can shoot the dog on the way out.
Seriously. For simple unattended-property burglary, a gun is just an attractive target. And most dogs will just wag their tails all friendly-like at the burglar as they come and go.
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Seriously. For simple unattended-property burglary, a gun is just an attractive target. And most dogs will just wag their tails all friendly-like at the burglar as they come and go.
Hopefully, one doesn't leave the gun in plain sight.
And even the friendliest, dumbest Labrador Retriever really is a deterrent for the garden variety low end thief. You don't know if the waggy critter wants you to pet him or if he's sizing you up because the owner is afraid of men and that vibe has been transmitted to the dog.
I've lived in rural environments for much of my adult life and people with dogs get burglarized much less than those with an empty house. Hardly the sole reason to have a dog, but it
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Re:Reputation (Score:4, Interesting)
I too have concerns about the gun. Unless you and your fiancee are going to put in the time at the shooting range to get good with it (about 500 rounds each), and the monthly practice necessary to keep your skill levels up, the gun only increases your risks without providing any particular benefit. Unless, of course, you are talking about a light, short barrel shotgun (20 gauge or less), which is the only good point and shoot self defense tool for the home (no need to aim the thing-- easy to shoot from the hip. Effective range when loaded appropriately with pheasant shot is more than a room length, few worries about over penetration, will stop any aggressor who is not wearing body armor, maybe without even killing him-- saves you on lawyer costs. Mossberg has made a plastic stock 410 gauge 3 round pump action, which would be more than sufficient.)
Another point: you are talking about using lethal force in the face of property crimes. That kind of escalation suggests that any decisions you make now about defensive strategies should be reviewed in about three months when you are not reacting to the heat of the moment.
My pertinent background: living for nearly 30 years in a rural area beyond effective law enforcement patrols, but with a nearby freeway and intermittent periods of high transient crimes. German shepherds with loud barks were an excellent deterrent and a good friends and companions. However they do need several hours of attention daily, including walks in the country for exercise and in the town for socialization skills.
My background with firearms: a 30-06 as a very good deer rifle, a 22 pistol to deal with the occasional varmint-- skunks moving in under the barn; a raccoon who learned how to get into the garbage can, that kind of thing. A double barrel 20 gauge bird gun: I never had the opportunity to really learn how to bird hunt, but it was the gun that I kept in reach near the bed.
Now I don't live in a situation where I can keep a dog properly, and now I rely on a cell phone as a deterrent to crime: dialing a cell phone is much more effective than firearms ever were. Just look at the way crime rates have tumbled as cell phones have become more common. The correlation is too strong for there not to be a connection.
Re:Reputation (Score:5, Interesting)
No no, you have it all wrong. Our neighbors, who were burgled last year, had one of their guns stolen. That uplifted it to a much more serious crime (at least here in Texas), and they got police attention until the guilty party (a Mexican gang from the other side of town, who just picked their house at random) was busted.
Here's how you do it:
1. Get a gun. Register said gun.
2. Pour molten solder into the barrel of said gun.
3. Leave said gun in plain sight in your home.
4. If your house is burgled, report your gun stolen immediately. The police will pay attention.
5. Have no fear that your gun will be used to hurt yourself or anyone else, except whoever tries to use it.
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A 4 to 6 inch pattern sounds about right for buckshot from a gun fully choked for duck or goose hunting. Which would be a 12 or 10 gauge shoulder bruising mother: relatively heavy and awkwardly long for indoor use. But you know all about full chokes and semi chokes and open bores, since you have been throwing so much buckshot down range. You know, for instance, that a goose gun is intended to reach way out there and put a string of shot a few yards long in front of that bird, so it will fly into it. You kno
Comment removed (Score:4, Interesting)
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IANAL, but I have been told by multiple sources that a shotgun, being primarily a fowling piece and not a weapon, is more likely to get you off in court.
Also, you need to learn how to use it. I'm not talking a little bit of range time, but rather practice to the point of where when your nerves are supertense, your fingers will not function, and your brain has shut down, you can still, through muscle memory, put the gun up to your shoulder and destroy that which you are aiming for. Otherwise, the gun is ju
Re:Reputation (Score:5, Informative)
"knock, knock."
"Who is it?" as you rack a round in your pistol grip Mossberg 500, the process of which makes a very distinctive noise.
"Sorry, wrong address."
The comment about the blaring alarm scaring people off is true. As is the sound of the shotgun being racked.
Never mind 5,000 rounds a year, etc. On the off chance you have to fire after answering the door (a) you're firing from less than four feet away and (b) you're opening fire with pellets. So long as you don't try and play Terminator and use one hand to fire, you're going to hit something
Take the weapon out to the woods and put a dozen rounds through it. Take your family. You'll get to feel the kick you're going to experience and almost more to the point, the sound. Should you need/feel the need to fire another shot during an intrusion, if you've never heard a shotgun go off while you're holding it, in my experience you are more likely to pause as you recover from the shock of the sound.
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if you've never heard a shotgun go off while you're holding it, in my experience you are more likely to pause as you recover from the shock of the sound.
If you're not comfortable with guns, you're most likely to close your eyes and flinch. It's pure reflex.
Your accuracy goes way up if you can keep your eyes open and your weapon on the target.
The only way to get that level of comfort is to go out and shoot stuff.
It's best if you have someone critique you, because you may not even realize you're tensing up and closing your eyes.
Re: (Score:3)
- You won't open the door at all if there is a bad guy outside.
- You do need practice, a dozen rounds a year against clay pigeons is a waste. If you actually intend to defend yourself, take a shooting defense course, take several.
- Firing a weapon outdoors is far different than indoors; exposing the family to proper gun safety is a good idea, but outdoor != enclosed space at night.
-
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Oh, and the pistol grip makes it much more likely you'll be able to get the first shot off first; you can "fire from the hip" instead of taking the time to raise the weapon to your shoulder (not to mention that you don't have to step back from the door to raise the weapon).
I've successfully spun around and fired from the hip using MILES, so it can be done and you can hit a small target, the laser emitter on my rifle had to line up to the sensor within a few cm, but this was when I was in an OPFOR unit and I had been doing it as my full time job for some years. But generally, firing from the hip is useless; our doctrine was to always assume a good stance, line up both sights, and take only well aimed shots. A carefully aimed semi-automatic rifle is by far the most effective wa
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For in-home defense a shotgun is a really good choice. It's easy to use, which is important under pressure. And assuming you load shot rather than slugs, there's far less concern about a projectile penetrating a wall and doing unintended damage to something unseen than with something like a rifle or a handgun.
Re: (Score:3)
IANAL, but I have been told by multiple sources that a shotgun, being primarily a fowling piece and not a weapon, is more likely to get you off in court.
I don't know where you live, but in my neck of the woods, we don't have 'fowls' - only targets. The advantages of a shotgun for home defense are essentially three fold - they're much more permissive of poor aim than a pistol, they're much less likely to go through a window / door / wall and injure an innocent bystander and finally, if used at appropriate self defense distances are very often fatal. That means the perp can't go and sue you for not killing him outright.
I don't think you need to run 5000 rou
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Some interesting empirical testing at the The Box O' Truth [theboxotruth.com] - or for shotguns specifically [theboxotruth.com] (page through to "next page").
And take heed of the advice at Box O' Truth that "Unless you expect to be attacked by little birds, do not use birdshot". Basically, if it's good enough to do quick and debilitating damage to the perp, it's also going to penetrate quite few sheets of drywall (unless it hits a family member soo
Re: (Score:2)
Actually, what you need is a neighbourhood (Score:2)
or community.
1. You got a gun.. At home so the next burglar can get it as well as the rest of your stuff when you're both out at work again?
2. Dog, what do you do, leave it tied up at home all day alone? Dogs are pack animals it'll end up insane.
3. You will get burgled again, just after the insurance pays out. You're now on a list which'll get passed around.
4. Upgrade your doors & windows. Those are the holes they'll be trying to get through.
Your cheapest security system are neighbours who also have an
Re:Reputation (Score:5, Funny)
You have the gun, and you have the dog. All you really need now is a reputation.
No, no, no ... get rid of the gun and get another dog.
You need a big scary dog to frighten off the burglars and a small yappy dog to bark and wake up the big dog.
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Re:Reputation (Score:5, Insightful)
The reputation you want is "do not fuck with us or you will reap the whirlwind."
Physical security takes many forms; the dog, gun, and security cameras all serve various parts of the whole picture.
As for your current situation: you were scouted out and target over a period of days, weeks, or months. You were probably hit by fairly brazen professionals. You will probably not be hit again for a number of reasons:
* you are now more alert due to having been victimized
* you are now more likely to be better prepared
* they were thorough and you have nothing of value in the house which they wanted. Presumably, it was not a quick snatch and grab due to the safe being gone, too.
* you are more likely to alert your neighbors to be alert
Alert your neighbors, if you have any. Having a strong community is the best defense against these things. Our neighborhood has a nosey codger who is quite vigilant about things like this: if someone doesn't look like they're supposed to be there, he confronts them. People home with no vehicles in the drive is usually a pretty good indication if there's no garage.
I would also suggest not leaving unsecured arms in the house if you are not normally home. If they know you're not home and have firearms, you are more likely to be robbed by serious criminals (and then have to deal with all the paperwork, headache, and guilt of stolen firearms). On the other hand, stolen firearms are fairly easy to track unless they're intended for use in other crimes.
The most likely thing is that you won't be violated again in this fashion for some time, though it pays to be vigilant in security of mind. As for the topic at hand: newegg has occasional deals in the under-$500 range (saw an 8 camera unit for about $350 recently) for decent home security systems which do what you request. They use mini-BNC and the like, I believe.
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Actually, since the house was emptied of everything, they are more likely to get a repeat visit since the thiefes know the house is going to be filled with brand spanking new everything. (apparently even some nice recording gizmos to boot)
Re: (Score:3)
The reputation you want is "do not fuck with us or you will reap the whirlwind."
Unfortunately many thieves fail to adequately research the reputation of their victims. A reputation really isn't going to protect you as much as, say, securing your property.
Been there, done that.. Here's your plan. (Score:5, Informative)
We had our cars getting broken into and did basically the same thing (minus gun).
We have a linux file server at home, so what I ended up doing was getting a V4L
compatible video capture card off ebay (I got a 16 input card for $80). 4 port
capture cards are common and cheap. Just make sure it's compatible with linux.
Then go to dealextreme.com, or I think they're also at dx.com now. There you can
get cameras, and the video balun's to make it simple to use cat 5 to run your
cameras. A camera is about $20 for a decent night vision one, and the balun set
(8 baluns to run 4 cameras) were about $25.
Once you've got your hardware all set up, you can use either "motion" or "zoneminder"
for the actual surveilence. Both will do what you want. I use motion, but
zoneminder is a little more polished in the UI department.
Finally, set up an rsync script or other mirror software to get those files off site
in case they actually try to steal your server.
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....>
Then go to dealextreme.com, or I think they're also at dx.com now. There you can get cameras, and the video balun's to make it simple to use cat 5 to run your cameras. A camera is about $20 for a decent night vision one, and the balun set (8 baluns to run 4 cameras) were about $25.
....
You forgot the step where you wait a month or four for the dx cameras to ship from HongKong....
-tm
Re: (Score:3)
A camera is about $20 for a decent night vision one, and the balun set
(8 baluns to run 4 cameras) were about $25.
Once you've got your hardware all set up, you can use either "motion" or "zoneminder"
for the actual surveilence. Both will do what you want. I use motion, but
zoneminder is a little more polished in the UI department.
If you are reading the posts for info, all of his prices are about 1/4 the cost
of actual prices. I'm not sure where the fuck you're getting a $20 camera,
new, worthwhile enough to protect anything of value. 360 lines in black and
white don't cut it son.
My cheapest cam, was $60... and it's JUST BARELY ABLE TO RENDER
A FACE FOR PROSECUTION. And I use it solely for the door. It's close
to their face, they see it... it sees them.
My most expensive was $170 and it has auto-iris... for when the thieves
try to flood the
Re:Been there, done that.. Here's your plan. (Score:5, Insightful)
I repeat:
Finally, set up an rsync script or other mirror software to get those files off site
in case they actually try to steal your server.
If you have triggers set up right, you'll have the video of the person walking right
up to your server to steal it.
Re: (Score:2)
Most crims are not criminals because they're too smart for a regular job, so that would work. But there's always the rare possibility that the bad guys are smart enough to find a way to drop the network leading out of the house (cut phone wires, cut cable, maybe cut power) to disable an alarm system. If that happens, even if the security system is still powered and operating, it's not getting anything out, and the only real hope is that the hard drive the server is writing to is hidden someplace secure.
But
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Re:Been there, done that.. Here's your plan. (Score:4, Interesting)
I've got mine set to email pictures where motion was detected to an account I have dedicated for that. By the time they uplug the server, their picture is already sitting on a remote server, waiting for me to forward to the police.
In fact, you want them to steal your server (Score:3)
My server is a very nice case mod with transparent panels and blue glowing lights that sits on a shelf next to my flat screen TV. It's so cool. It screams steal me! On top of it I leave several DVDs of porn each in their own DVD jewel box wrapper with all the porn photos on them.
Of course, there are three other IP cameras pointed at this wonderfully blue glowing empty box too, each camera with motion detection and set to email pictures to my gmail account and ftp video to an external host.
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
So you have a gmail account full of pictures of you whackin it?
That's gross dude!
Re:Been there, done that.. Here's your plan. (Score:4, Informative)
We bought one of those cheap chinese OEM CCTV DVRs (sold under several brands worldwide, the real source is a chinese company called Dahua), plus 8 cameras.
Notes:
Considering its price, the DVR works quite well, and has decent quality/framerate (30 fps / camera, 352x240). The bad thing is that the remote client software (optional usage) is Windows-only and buggy as hell.
We considered a desktop PC with a multi-channel vide capture card (it's far more flexible), but it's messier to install/maintain (bigger, with fans sucking dirt 24/7, someone may be tempted to occasionaly use as a desktop PC etc).
We installed the DVR in the entrance room, so the doorman/watcher (however it's called in English) can see what is going on AND we have all the activity recorded in case of need.
Problem: What if, for example, someone steps in with a gun and blows up the DVR? The videos are gone, and a periodic backup will not prevent this, since the most relevant video happened mere instants before, thus DVR-copy only. -- So, for the worst-case scenario (and right the most valuable one to have recorded video), the DVR seemed useless (the DVR has a built-in sync mechanism which is very unreliable, so it's worthless).
The dillema was solved with a free software called Tanidvr [sourceforge.net] (Unixoid_OS-specific, command-line, and specific to that DVR family). Basically, we bought a computer to be used as a realtime backup server, installed in a locked room in a different floor. We also have a (intranet-only) HTTP server in order to easily download the videos, if necessary.
So, no matter what happens to the DVR, we have the video data up to the exact time (delay <1 second) the machine was destroyed.
A backup script was created for video fragmentation, and to recompress the H.264 stream to fit more days into the HD (with a quality/size the DVR is unable to provide).
Well, it works for us.
Re: (Score:3)
You're talking about using NTSC/PAL analog video here -- which is completely inadequate if you'd need to actually identify someone. Even if you're lucky enough to get the perps face(s) looking straight into the camera (which you won't -- the angle you're going to have the cameras at will make it more than likely their faces will be covered by a baseball cap or something), there just isn't enough going to be the resolution necessary to be able to ID them, especially with cheap cameras from DX over long runs of cat5. Maybe IP cameras at higher resolution would be better? Just don't cheap out with low end toys (e.g. the Dlink DCS-903L I have has disappointed me).
I know, right? Lol... someone suggested a $20 camera on here... LOL!
For all these people to be nerds and geeks... you'd think they'd know
that scan lines on a camera is just as damn important as when you
are watching TV.
480 and less lines, DO NOT CUT IT FOR PROSECUTION!
Hell, 480 is barely enough to recognize your neighbors... and you know
them! Try to recognize someone you've never seen before.
Best camera to get, is the kind that take actual jpg (or other) images,
not line-scan cameras. If you can't afford that
Steal someones (Score:2, Redundant)
Steal someones 'secured by' signs from their front yard and put it in your yard. Seriously if someone is going to break into your house they are going to do it security system or not.
If you're only goal is deterring any thefts that is about the best thing you can do really. Now if you want to have evidence to hand over to the police then that is another story all together.
Re:Steal someones (Score:5, Funny)
Steal someones 'secured by' signs from their front yard
Maybe you can tack the sign up on your wrought-irony porch railing.
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Seriously if someone is going to break into your house they are going to do it security system or not.
Got any stats to back up that statement? My assumption would be that criminals will just walk next door where there isn't a sign.
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Zoneminder (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.zoneminder.com/ [zoneminder.com]
It integrates well with MythTV, too.
Gun -- ? (Score:3, Insightful)
Guns aren't any use if they're a) not handy, and b) not understood. Could also backfire if the bad guy takes it away from you. Or steals it from you while you're gone during the day.
Don't get me wrong: I have a number of guns in my house. But that alone doesn't make me feel safe in the event of a break-in. I hope you catch the cock-sucker, but be careful that you don't become another "statistic" in the process.
Re: (Score:2)
It's a prisoner's dilemma. Guns are good for you, because they make you feel a little safer. They are terrible for society, because they are stolen by thieves, who sell them to gangster wannabes who wouldn't normally be able to get them.
Re: (Score:3)
That's nothing at all like the prisoner's dilemma.
Bear trap with a raspberry pi in the catch (Score:3)
Should catch geeks better than unobtainium!
Frontpoint (Score:5, Informative)
We were broken into about 5 weeks ago. I originally considered Frontpoint about 5 months ago, but we kept putting it off. It's the only security company that had mediocre to good reviews consistently.
They have a few options - what you're looking for is their "ultimate" version, which includes cameras. It streams online I believe, and you can turn on/off the security system from your phone or their web page.
They do not send out a rep to do installation, instead they ship the system to you (they'll probably upgrade you to next day shipping for free if you mention you just had a burglary) and you set it up yourself. It took me about 15 minutes to set up, although I had to re-glue some of the door sensors.
When you call, or email, their sales agents don't try to upsel you. They work with what you want, and try to assess your needs based on how you describe your house. If you want an extra sensor for something, they are happy to give it to you - but they will want to know why, and if they don't think it's needed, they'll try to talk you out of it. I had the feeling they actually cared about my interests, and not selling me more equipment.
They also follow up on any feedback you provide, and actively try to resolve issues. I'm really happy with them. They use alarm.com for monitoring.They also have additional styles of sensors that the average joe doesn't care about (ones that you install in the door, rather than putting on the outside of the door - i.e. invisible), but you need to ask. They try to keep it simple.
I suggest (Score:5, Funny)
Since you have the gun already, landmines for the garden are the obvious next step
Cheapest ... (Score:2)
You could also leave a few scraps of yellow crime scene tape and a chalk outline of a body in front of your house. Give them something to think about.
Hunting Camera (Score:5, Informative)
Get a hunting trail camera. Takes pics on an SD card. Not networked, but is designed to be outside and it should get you the information you seek relatively cheaply.
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Get a hunting trail camera. Takes pics on an SD card. Not networked, but is designed to be outside and it should get you the information you seek relatively cheaply.
Showing pics to cop after crime...
Cop: Yep, that's a person, definitely not a deer.
Owner: Can you get them?
Cop: What am I going to do, put out a bolo for a smudgy blob?
-AI
several options (Score:3)
I use a combination of Yawcam and Vitamin D. Neither are particularly great, but they serve my needs. And they're (mostly) free. I get images emailed to me when it detects motion in my apt and I can view live video remotely from my phone or a browser (via ssh or vpn). I use the Star Trek Enterprise (NCC-1701) webcam that I got from thinkgeek.
I've been thinking about adding something to monitor and record audio too. Also, been thinking about switching to use a kinect as the camera.
I'm glad this story was posted because sometimes I think I'm too paranoid for doing all of this. This is somewhat re-assuring.
Kamodo dragon in the front yard on chain. (Score:2)
Grizzly bear mother and cubs in the back.
Cobras in the house.
That will fix the prowler right up.
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Get a girlfriend. (Score:3, Funny)
All the surveillance you can take.... Oh wait, you said "cheap".... never mind...
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Also not compatible with $existing_girlfriend, as mentioned in TFA.
Unless $existing_girlfriend is $open_minded...
FOSCAM (Score:2)
Logitech delivers a surprisingly good turnkey solu (Score:5, Interesting)
IP Cameras (Score:4, Informative)
IP cameras have become quite cheap, depending on your needs. If you get PoE models they are also far easier to run than traditional cameras, as a single CatE cable can get the job done. I've set up small systems a number of places including my house, and it all works quite well and easily. While you can go the open source route, I found the easiest way is with some Mac software. You can even do it without network DVR software and use cameras that capture to onboard SD cards. I find that inconvenient, but it can be a good backup if your cameras are mounted out of reach but your server isn't.
Checkout, in no particular order:
There's a product for every need. Cheap, $50 indoor lit-room only solutions to $2000 pan/tilt/zoom IR illuminated outdoor vandal proof units.
TrendNet [trendnet.com] makes affordable PoE switches. 10/100 is fine, an individual camera stream is maybe 2Mbps for a high res stream.
I use SecuritySpy [bensoftware.com] on a Mac. Even watching 8 cameras it uses
Place cameras where you can get good shots of faces as they come through doors. Maybe one of your driveway or street in front to get a car. They won't stop the break in, although visible cameras outside may be a deterrent, but they will give you a fighting chance of catching the person who did it.
Oh, and get a dog with a loud bark. Most robbers don't want to find out if it is a small dog or big dog!
Re:IP Cameras (Score:5, Insightful)
Trendnet has a good supply of cameras as well. They're cheap, but I can say from experience the 110w, 121w, and 312w all do a perfectly decent job. They're not the best thing in the world, but they just work. Trendnet's "monitoring software" is crap however.
640 x 480 cameras don't get good faces. Even megapixel shots from any more than a couple feet away aren't that great. A better bet is to cover vehicle approaches. No one is going to steal your TV on foot, no one is going to loot ten minutes worth of your stuff on foot, and cops have a much better chance of spotting "Two white males 1998 red ford ranger with a dent on the left side of the bed" than they have of spotting "black male with a mustache and an earring in his left ear wearing a blue shirt." The guy in the shirt will have a chance to change shirts before the cops even show up at your door. The guys in the truck are going to use that truck in another break in.
In my experience, the two guys doing home invasions (one guy goes in, one guy keeps the car running and sits on lookout.) will hit a neighborhood a few times before things get hot. If you can ID the car, cops will have a *MUCH* better chance at nabbing the perps. I passed a couple frames I managed to get of a car that was involved at a break in near my home to the county sheriff. The cops were thrilled to have that more than a description, as it gave them a much narrower focus.
They ARE coming back (Score:2)
Android + Prepaid Mobile + WiFi (Score:2)
You can buy an Android phone for a prepaid cell account for under $100. (used phones are doable too ) Various camera apps will do scene detection and emailing of stills or video or can do periodic image capture. Powered by a microUSB is easy enough, with it's internal battery as a backup for short power outages.
WiFi works fine, and with a home UPS will be up and running for most local power outages. Having a $X a day plan from the carrier will allow the mobile network to be used as a backup to the the WiF
here ya go (Score:2)
2 of these
http://www.offroaders.com/directory/animals/images/Labrador_Retriever_chocolate_named_Hershey-s.jpg
+
1 of these
http://www.leadslingerarmory.com/assets/images/Springfield/xd-tactical-bitone.jpg
Consider sound as well (Score:2)
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Sending sound information to your phone would be a lot less bandwidth than video. It would be easier for you to respond in real time. Tha
Zoneminder (Score:2)
If you're Linux-savvy, try Zoneminder. All you need is a PC and a camera, for which there are extensive compatibility lists online. Once you have motion detection working, you can set up a shell script to copy to a remote host - in case the Zoneminder box itself gets stolen. For bonus points, use a small-form-factor PC and hide it somewhere clever, like behind a ceiling tile or under the staircase.
If you're not so comfortable doing it yourself, there are many vendors online who sell pre-configured kits i
You have to separate issues (Score:5, Interesting)
First, DOCUMENT YOUR POSSESSIONS!!!
Take pictures that show model numbers and serial numbers. Keep a list of serial numbers. Keep receipts. Register the devices with the manufacturer as additional proof of ownership. I'm sure your insurance agent told you this when you set up the policy.
A surveillance system would have done nothing to prove the value of what you lost. On video, a $6000 laptop looks exactly the same as a $350 laptop.
As to the surveillance system, there are a number of consumer systems available at a reasonable price. Anywhere from a single camera up to 16-camera systems. $400-500 will buy you a ready-to-roll 8 camera system with DVR and remote monitoring, including iphone/android phone video feed. Not pro-quality stuff but decent. Just make sure you post "This area is under video surveillance" signs at the entrances.
I don't think I'd bother with a monitored alarm system, though I'd certainly consider one that makes a lot of noise and flashes a lot of strobes. The fact that a system is monitored isn't what deters theft. It's the noise and attention that is drawn to the scene that chases them off.
Gun safe (Score:2)
Doing it wrong. (Score:2)
Locking things up in a safe is completely pointless if they can pick it up and take it with them. All you've done is give them an easy way to quickly steal all of your important things.
Honeypot (Score:3)
If you're going with a system with obvious cameras, you may want to install a few "honeypot" decoys to throw the thief a little change-up, in case he starts ripping them down to avoid surveillance.
Maybe a boobie-trapped safe, too. Might not be exactly legal, depending on how lethal the boobie-trap is, but it's not like the thief will call the cops and report your trap in a stolen safe. Especially if the boobie-trap is 100% lethal...
"We've already gotten the dog and the gun, (Score:2)
so we have those bases covered."
Did you train the dog to shoot the gun?
Then you really don't have all of your bases covered, do you now?
Sharx (Score:2)
They're a bit pricey, (I think I bought a fully loaded wireless and weatherproof model for about $280) but setup was simple and it performed as advertised.
You dont need a security system (Score:3)
Well, maybe you do, but the point is that isnt the way to solve the problem you are immediately about. What you want to do is catch these people - whether with a camera or otherwise. A security system wont be something desinged with that in mind, but more general goals. It might, for instance, have decoy cameras so as to make it appear better defended, to scare off would-be burglars. You do NOT want to scare these people off, you want to catch them, right?
So focus on that and rethink the problem. One classic and effective technique is to stay in the house while making it appear that you went with everyone else. Then just keep a low profile and very quiet and wait with that baseball bat, and 911 on speed dial...
Re: (Score:2)
Get a dog
Unless the thing you're guarding is a tinderbox.
Re:Don't be a tightwad (Score:5, Insightful)
Get something like a Honeywell Lynx Plus. It's wireless, easy to install, and easy to set up. You don't even need it monitored--the sound of the panel blaring would send any burglar packing. As for CCTV, you can get some dead cheap camera/DVR deals on Newegg, but don't expect awesome quality or lifespan.
Re: (Score:3)
If they're looking to catch the daytime lurker (and likely robber), I'd imagine you'd want it to be silent. At least for this job. A real alarm can come later if necessary.
So, for this, maybe a trailcam would do the job on the cheap. Otherwise I'm sure there are webcams that do it.
Re:Don't be a tightwad (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Don't be a tightwad (Score:5, Informative)
If they're looking to catch the daytime lurker (and likely robber), I'd imagine you'd want it to be silent.
I use MythTV as a PVR, so adding MythZoneMinder and a few IPCams was pretty simple. It sends me a text message when one of the zones is breached, and I can look at the images or the live feed from my phone or work computer. One of the cameras is a PTZ, and the only time I got to use it in anger, turning it to face the kids who were about to tag my mailbox got them to change their minds. If something's happening that really concerns me, I can call the police direct or ask one or several of my neighbours to help out.
Re:Don't be a tightwad (Score:4, Informative)
I've long wanted to put one of those systems together....looks to be pretty well supported, and works with a pretty large amount of equipment...
Another vote for zoneminder (Score:3)
Re:Don't be a tightwad (Score:5, Informative)
I do, I work for an organization with about 100 sites which I have to go in and out of, including during hours when I have to disarm a site.
The security company, by and large, doesn't really care about the brand of system in the site, they can interface to many, so long as they're commercial products. In our case, only one door into a secured area won't immediately set the alarm off, that one door has a delay before the alarm goes off, in which one disarms the system. The attendant at the security company gets an alarm on their computer screen when a site goes off, and they call the police if they don't receive a call within a minute or so of the actual alarm going off, even if one disarms the security system post-alarm. One has to know who to call and has to have a code word to prevent the authorities from being called.
In some residential installations, the security company will call a phone number on the account and ask for the code word instead of waiting for a call.
As far as burglars go, without some kind of monitoring, a burglar will still have a few minutes to grab whatever they can, even while the thing is blaring, as it's unlikely that the neighbors will call the police until the alarm gets annoying and they figure that no one is around to shut it off.
There are also fairly inexpensive ($500-$1000) camera systems with eight cameras (expandable to sixteen) at Costco that use PoE cameras. One has to run Ethernet wiring to locations for the cameras, but the advantage of needing only one battery backup for the main DVR/switch outweighs the use of separate power at each camera, in my humble opinion. I'm considering a system like this, but I know that I'll probably spend another $500 wiring for it, with the horizontal cable, the patch cords at each end, the conduit pipe for the outdoor cameras, the patch panel, the snap-in connectors, and the like, and that's assuming that I can coax an old battery backup back to life with a new set of SLAs for it.
There's no good cheap solution, in my opinion. If one is in a house, signing up for monitoring for a certain amount of time may yield a free system for detection.
Re: (Score:3)
After you register, here are the fees for false alarms in a 365-day period:
1st and 2nd none
3rd $50.00 Fee may be waived if user attends an Alarm User Awareness School offered by the Cincinnati Law Department
4th $75.00
5th $100.00
6th $150.00
7th $200.00
8th $300.00
9th $400.00
10th $500.00
11th
Re:Don't be a tightwad (Score:5, Interesting)
That figures for a city. When I lived in San Francisco I had neighbors which would trip my alarm for fun and quickly made the cops tired of showing up. This is a troublesome catch-22 because when your system actually catches a wolf, nobody cares because they are sick of hearing it. I think in these modern times, an internet-attached system is the way to go because it can notify the owner and give them real-time video and data they need to make an informed decision about whether to actually set off a visible/audble alarm and/or notify the police. Everyone hates false positives!
Re:Don't be a tightwad (Score:4, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Re:Don't be a sucker (Score:3)
Not true. Plenty of options for self-monitored systems. If you want a hard-wired system and have a land-line, you can get setup for about $400. Video would of course cost more, but I've seen systems through costco than can be setup for a few hundred. For under a grand you could be setup.
Exactly right.
Google will find many such systems, some with night vision, many of them with wireless cameras which go a long way toward reducing installation costs, and allowing you to hide the recorder without a lot of wires running to it, making it harder to find and steal.
Lots of these also have text messaging or email alert systems and some even have remote monitoring that you can access from any web browser (including your phone).
Monthly services have such a high false alarm rate that police are start
Re: (Score:3)
and have a land-line
You do realize that the land lines connect outside the house. It is trivial to disconect the telephone service to a residence (and internet for people like me). Most thieves may be too uneducated to notice, but I would not invest in any security system that relied on something so easily disabled.
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:3)
But she's specifically asking for a DIY solution, and is apparently pretty serious about it since she's already gotten a dog and a gun for security purposes.
Re:Don't be a tightwad (Score:5, Informative)
99% of the time a very loud siren will stop the theif from spending much time in your property. Even if you had the most expensive ADT setup it still takes minutes for police to do anything about it anyway.
You can pay ADT $45/mo for 5 years to install $200 worth of equipment and feel better. But you can get better results installing your own system and hooking up with something like NextAlarm for $17/mo no contract and get email/SMS notification when anything goes wrong, check event history such as who armed and disarmed and even get SMS when your housekeeper disarms/rearms, etc.
This combined with a cheap Lorex/Swann net connected DVR system from Costco that lets you instantly see 8/16 channels of video from your smartphone will be more than adequate.
There is a small learning curve when programming your own alarm panel, but since you are asking Slashdot, you probably know how to google already. Hopefully.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Re:Don't be a tightwad (Score:5, Interesting)
If you want to see who's wandering around your yard get a decent quality IP camera and go to the trouble of configuring it. I very highly recommend Axis cameras (and very highly recommend AGAINST Sony cameras), probably the 216FD, or the M3304 or 216MFD if you need megapixel resolution. Expect to pay >$500 if you go that route, but they're worth it and when you're done you can sell them again for a decent price. Log into the camera, set your IP address, and set up motion detection. You'll see how to do it, it's pretty straight-forward. Try to make sure that your motion detection area doesn't include any bushes or anything else that moves in the wind. If you get an Axis camera you can download the Axis Camera Station recorder for free, which is a nice, basic video recording system that is pretty easy to configure (easier than Blue Iris, even). Set it to record continually to a hard drive you don't use for anything else (a cheap external USB drive works fine), since megapixel video sucks up drive space at a pretty phenomenal rate. Three or four images per second should be sufficient, and the camera will raise motion alarms that make it easier to review the recordings. Put it inside a window or under an eave, you don't want to deal with the cost for weatherizing something that's just temporary, and since any of the cameras I mentioned are POE you just need a CAT-5 cable and your system is set.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3)
Better plan: Place a honeypot "screamer" device that sends its GPS location every 30 seconds to a server that you control. Let the thief lead you to *his* lair.
Great idea, but don't forget to check into your local laws and regulations (specifically wiretapping and surveillance laws) prior to deploying such a device.
How much would it suck to get arrested for illegally bugging the guy who just robbed you?
Re: (Score:2)
All that gun will do is get stolen. And then when it's used in commission of a crime, you'll be the one hauled in for questioning.
How do you figure? Also, firearms (both long guns and handguns) aren't required to be registered in MOST states (and no laws at the federal level). So how will they come looking for you if your gun is used to commit a crime and it's not registered to you?
Re:Gun? (Score:5, Interesting)
Re: (Score:3)
It depends on the state but IIRC 32 states allow you to kill and intruder in your home. There are even a few like Texas that allow you to kill a trespasser. Threatening to kill someone in your house is not making death threats under the legal definition of such if your state has "Castle" laws that allow you to kill an intruder (doesn't matter if they are armed or their intent).