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  #1  
Old 01-13-2010, 11:28 PM
mtheo mtheo is offline
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Default Game Camera for Security

I'm looking for a game camera for home security

Has anyone had a good experience w/ any particular brand or model?

I want something with infrared flash, uses sd cards, uses only one size battery and has good enough resolution that individuals can be identified.

My plan is to strategically place one to obtain photos of individuals "snooping" around the outside of my home. I plan to leave this camera in place year round and service it with rechargeable batteries and swap out sd cards for perusal on my computer at my leisure.

Last edited by mtheo; 01-14-2010 at 12:14 PM. Reason: to clarify where I intend to use.
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  #2  
Old 01-14-2010, 01:37 AM
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Look at the "Stelth Cam Rogue IR" (aka 540IR). I have been using one for a couple of seasons on a deer feeder and it takes good photos day and night. The flash might be too bright for indoor use, but it works well at 25+ feet.

It has an IR flash, uses SD cards and can plug into a 12v gel-cell battery for long term use. They sell for under $130 in my area.
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  #3  
Old 01-14-2010, 03:35 PM
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There are a lot that will do the job. I've got a WGI IR4C
that I've been using just for that the last few months.
It cost about $90, and is IR flash and uses C cells inside the
camera. But I wired an external power jack on mine and can use
any kind of battery. Some people have trouble with them, but mine
has been going since last Sept with no problems. I record video
most of the time. "20 seconds with a 30 second delay"
It's 320x240 res, but it's still good enough to make out who is
there. The stills are 4 MP day, and about 2 MP for the night B/W
IR stills. Uses SD cards up to 2 GB.
The sensor is pretty good. I have mine mounted near the garage,
and it will light up on someone walking down the street, 55 to 60
feet in front of the cam. I had it light up on a crook who was trying
to break into the car across the street. That was 80-100 + feet.
Couldn't make out details on him, but it sensed him. Just too far
for the IR flash to light em up. But anyone near my trucks will be
lit like a Christmas tree, and ID will be easy. It will sense birds that
light in front of it. So for less than $100, I guess I can't complain
so far. I took it to my Oklahoma place in November, and I got
quite a few deer videos and stills and with no feeder at all.

Just planted it in a place I thought they would be running, and sure
nuff, it got a few of them.
I'm fixing to build a "deluxe" trail cam from a Sony W290. It will
do 12.1 MP, and 720p HD video. I've already bought the camera,
but still need to buy the sensor board, case, etc..
I'm in no rush on that as I won't be using it until the spring.
It will be a white flasher.. I don't want to mess up the day color
with a IR hack on that cam. It will be more for higher quality day
pix.
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  #4  
Old 01-14-2010, 06:15 PM
Bekeart Bekeart is online now
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Quote:
It's 320x240 res,
Putting it into perspective, that is the same resolution as VHS tapes.

Bekeart
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  #5  
Old 01-14-2010, 06:41 PM
rburg rburg is offline
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Ok, not what the OP asked, but I'll answer a different question (no reason for me to use logic.) What he asked is important, and it will allow him to review others trespass at his leisure.

But every bit as important, or maybe more so, is to know when they're prowling and he is at home. Just over 5 years ago, I had a burglary in my detatched garage. The alarm didn't extend out there. So they came inside, stole all my cool stuff, then left. I didn't discover it till about 0600 the next morning.

My answer was 2 fold. First, I did the obvious and extended my home alarm to the garage. The alarm panel allows me to code those zones to chime when they fault. It means each of the keypads squeal when either of the doors open, or the long reach motion detects anyone (or thing). So when I'm sitting here in my recliner, hammering away at the laptop or watching TV, I know if a door opens or anyone is inside the garage ( or my front or back door is opened.) That coveres the obvious.

But at any Lowes or Home Despot you can also get wireless motion lights. They're intended for use on outside applications to turn on flood lights. Because they're wireless, the little battery powered motion detectors can be put almost anywhere. When they detect someone (or a critter) in the coverage zone, they're designed to turn on an outside mounted light. But there is nothing sacred about that part. The brand we have also has a device that looks like a computer surge protector. It has two rows of outlets, one always energized and the other that goes hot when the sensor sees something warm.

We placed it upstairs in the master bedroom. I plugged in a light and a transistor radio (without batteries). When something enters the "zone" it turns on a bedroom light and starts playing music for us. If you aim the sensor downward, it won't pick up things very far from the place its mounted. Better still, you can buy additional sensors and turn the little inside switch to the same channel. It means you can cover the back and sides of your home if you desire.

Then you can review your SD card to see what set it off. In my circumstance, I just arm myself heavily and go investigate. Surefire in one hand, 44 Maggie in the other. My yard, and I don't like uninvited prowlers at night (or any other time.)
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  #6  
Old 01-14-2010, 07:14 PM
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Rburg, that's exactly what I do. I have the motion sensor
lights both front and back, and they use remote beeper units
to beep inside when one is tripped. They use the house wiring to
receive the signal.
You can choose the number of beeps. So I have 2 beeps
for the front, and 3 beeps for the back. So I know right off
the bat where the hit is. That sensor also reaches out to the
street, and will turn the lights on even if a car drives down
the street.
I think what I really want next is a full time video camera
mounted out front. I could use an old TV or whatever to see it.
But that way, when the motion detector goes off, I can see if it's
a real problem, or just a false alarm. You get quite a few falses
from varmints, hot leaves moving, etc..
Heck, I remember it saved me from getting a lawn mower ripped
off one night. It was about 9PM, and I got the beeper hitting.
But it kept going.. If it's a car driving by, it's twice and no more..
I went out to the front door and opened it up, and some guy was
in the process of pulling my mower out from the side of the house.
I scared the dog @#$% out of him, and he runnoft..
I got in my car and chased him around the block. He hid in some
bushes for a while, and then ventured out. And I was right behind him
in the car.. He runnoft again at a rapid rate, and I just let him go.
Wasn't much I could really do. I wasn't armed at the time, so wasn't
going to try to hold him.
I don't think he'll back back to this house again.
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  #7  
Old 01-14-2010, 08:44 PM
Wayne02 Wayne02 is offline
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What is the idea behind using a game camera as a security camera, as opposed to using an actual security camera? Cost, quality, features?
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  #8  
Old 01-14-2010, 10:36 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wayne02 View Post
What is the idea behind using a game camera as a security camera, as opposed to using an actual security camera? Cost, quality, features?

Its not really any better if the security camera feeds a DVR. But that one is expensive and some are difficult to use (at best.) The security cams are relatively cheap, but the connection requires Cat 5 or CoAx. And then there is the cost of the DVR (thousands for a good one.) Worse, reviewing the recordings is really time consuming. If you use 4 cameras, and you only know you're looking for a problem over a 6 hour period, it will take maybe 24 hours of dull watching to find the problem.

A game cam only activates when it see's motion. A much easier and cheaper solution.
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Old 01-14-2010, 11:26 PM
m1gunner m1gunner is offline
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There is software for security cameras that only record when there is motion (really when there is a change to the image. no seperate motion detector).

Also, there are wireless security cameras as well as ones that record to removable sd cards. But the game cameras will be cheaper, but will not offer the image quality of the security cameras.
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  #10  
Old 01-15-2010, 11:51 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rburg View Post
Its not really any better if the security camera feeds a DVR. But that one is expensive and some are difficult to use (at best.) The security cams are relatively cheap, but the connection requires Cat 5 or CoAx. And then there is the cost of the DVR (thousands for a good one.) Worse, reviewing the recordings is really time consuming. If you use 4 cameras, and you only know you're looking for a problem over a 6 hour period, it will take maybe 24 hours of dull watching to find the problem.

A game cam only activates when it see's motion. A much easier and cheaper solution.
Dick,

Your solution sounds fine, but FYI, there are many options for security cameras that have built in (record to SD) DVR capability and also can be triggered via motion.

Google 'Brickhouse'.
.
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  #11  
Old 01-16-2010, 12:16 AM
mtheo mtheo is offline
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Thanks very much for the security cam suggestions......

What I would really like to know is if anyone has a favorite game camera that has been useable for catching trespassers in the act. I have some suspicions that I want to confirm...this might involve concealing and relocating the camera more than once to confirm and might ultimately lead to the installation of a more sophisticated system.
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  #12  
Old 01-16-2010, 12:11 PM
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I have a Bushnell, recent model, IR night (black and white) and color daylight, very clear pictures, or you can set it to take a short "movie",too. At BassPro 175$, works with a set of AA batteries for months, now. Small camera, just a little bigger than the palm of a hand, but good quality pictures.
IR models tend to be advertised as being invisible, might be true for animals, but the red IR ist visible in the nighttime, so this is the only disadvantage.
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Old 01-16-2010, 12:55 PM
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Well don't get a Moultie I-40, didn't last a year and IR Sensor when out. Dead as door nail. $ 200 bucks wasted. Check out Cabelas for reviews on them, seems like all them have there problems.

See ya,

Snowdoggie
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  #14  
Old 01-16-2010, 01:14 PM
mtheo mtheo is offline
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Thanks snowdog....there seems to be a lot of Moulties around here heavily discounted. Hermann's Bushnell sounds interesting...it is things like the glow from the IR emitter that I need to be aware of.

Seems like the literature for a lot of electronics seem to skip over important details like noise, battery life etc.
We bought a weather forecasting clock for Christmas ...the literature left out the fact that the forecasts were only for the major cities....closest major city for us is 60 miles away...the clock went back.
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Old 01-18-2010, 06:52 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by snowdog View Post
Well don't get a Moultie I-40, didn't last a year and IR Sensor when out. Dead as door nail. $ 200 bucks wasted. Check out Cabelas for reviews on them, seems like all them have there problems.

See ya,

Snowdoggie
MA has a law that features a principle called 'implied merchantability'.

Basically it says that if you buy a product, even one without a warranty, the manufacturer is liable to ensure the product functions as expected.

I'd go direct to the manufacturer (then dealer if necesary) and argue that a game camera that failed that quickly was of such poor quality that it would flunk the 'implied merchantability' standard.

Check and see if a similar statute exists where you live.
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Old 05-30-2012, 01:29 AM
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Default Dropcam

Take a look at the new Dropcam (www.dropcam.com).
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Old 05-30-2012, 08:58 AM
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Back in 2009 when I had my trouble with a guy trespassing on my property, it was a trail cam that caught him, although by accident but it was the pictures of him that basically did the job. He did steal one camera (never could prove it but no one else but me and him back there). I would make sure my camera is a 5.0 megapixel and buy one of those heavy duty boxes they sell for them now that are really hard to break into or steal like some of the cheaper cables they come with.
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Old 05-30-2012, 10:09 AM
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We had some thief in the night, steal my tailgate off my F250 and after insurance settled for $1800.00 for a salvage take off tailgate, I bought an after market type tailgate for $400.00 and a Moultrie m80 trail camera with 5mega pixel and video clip capable and infared a night and seperately two new SD cards 8 GB, so I can swap them out without losing any action.
Had some expereince with trailcameras and wanted one with AA batteries lithium and metal security box. Have had this one since January and like it alot.
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Old 06-22-2012, 04:43 PM
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Hey, I know it's been a while, but did you ever find a camera to use? I am in the situation you were in. Someone has been stealing some things on my property.
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Old 06-22-2012, 06:40 PM
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My UPS delivery man is a prolific hunter. I asked him about trail cams. On his next delivery he brought me his. It was a Bushnell. It worked well enough to allow me to politely confront the snooper.

I still haven't purchased one. The model loaned to me has been discontinued.
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Old 06-22-2012, 06:46 PM
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caught these zombies on camera but haven't seem them since I posted pics around the neighborhood.


Last edited by Step N. Mud; 06-22-2012 at 06:49 PM.
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