We’ll be honest: Full-feature security camera rigs aren’t necessary for all homes or even office spaces. They’re more frequently found in higher-end neighborhoods and sensitive commercial areas such as banks. However, you might just be concerned about an angry ex or devious neighbors, which is an understandable situation for the average Joe or Sally. In fact, it’s possibly the number-one reason most people end up investing in a camera system with a DVR — or, in the case of modern surveillance setups, NVR (network video recorder). The legal implications are undeniably valuable and could very well punch beyond the price tag of whatever surveillance array you pick up, pricey as they may be at times.
A “security camera system” employs multiple cameras on a CCTV network that’s attached in some way to a DVR or NVR terminal to store recordings for later viewing. In most cases, these terminals will offer the option to expand internal and external storage, save recordings to the cloud or overwrite old recordings with newer ones. You’ll invariably use the lattermost option sooner or later since the sheer size of the recordings can suck up terabytes of storage rather quickly, especially if you’re running multiple cameras concurrently in 1080p with audio to boot. If that doesn’t float your fancy, most camera systems also offer some form of motion-based recording to pare down the recording time strictly to moments of elevated risk when nearby activity is detected.
Software compatibility is often not an issue with camera systems since the NVR usually serves as its own reduced-functionality terminal that’s focused on reviewing and saving recordings, manipulating cameras or altering settings. However, it’s worth noting that not all camera systems will support mobile software for Android or iPhone, which is an easy deal-breaker for many. There’s no denying the ability to keep an eye on your home or office from a remote location with nothing but a smartphone and a cellular internet connection, and this has become an epic selling point for the contemporary surveillance setup. Don’t worry: We have plenty of those on our list today too.
Apart from app support, the main features that you’ll need to look out for include video resolution, audio recording, color or gray scale, infrared (night vision) and motion sensors. Keep in mind that most camera systems come in varying packages that include more or fewer cameras ranging from two or four all the way up to 12 or more. The media connections on the NVR are also important in case you want to connect multiple various monitors or computer systems to support your surveillance array. You should also keep the consistency and synchronicity of the cloud service, if any, in mind: They vary in bandwidth, storage and update frequencies.
You might be surprised to know that the most complex part comes down to the installation, which is uniform across most brand offerings. However, there’s no need to keep a hawk eye out for the ideal surveillance array; that’s what we’re here to work out for you. With that said, kick back, breathe easy and allow us to spy on the market’s offerings to reveal the best outdoor wireless security camera system with DVR for your personal space.
Best Outdoor Wireless Security Camera System with DVR Comparison Table
| Product | Photo | Camera Resolution | Camera Channels | Motion Detection | Night Vision | Audio | Warranty (Years) | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CamView Editor's Choice |  | 720p | 4 | Yes | Yes 65ft | Yes | 2 | Check Price |
| SafeVant |  | 960P | 4 | Yes | Yes 65ft | No | 1 | Check Price |
| Panasonic HomeHawk |  | 720p | 3 | Yes | Color | Yes | 1 | Check Price |
| Firstrend |  | 1080P | 8 | Yes | Yes 65ft | No | 1 | Check Price |
| SMONET |  | 960P | 8 | Yes | Yes 65ft | No | 1 | Check Price |
| ONWOTE |  | 960P | 4 | Yes | Yes 80ft | No | 1 | Check Price |
| Luowice |  | 960P | 4 | Yes | Yes 100ft | Yes | 1 | Check Price |
| Zosi |  | 1080P | 4 | Yes | Yes 65ft | No | 1 | Check Price |
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Best Outdoor Wireless Security Camera System with DVR Reviews
CamView 720p — Best Outdoor Wireless Security Camera System with DVR
We have to admit that this is basically a tie with Firstrend’s camera system on this list due in large part to CamView’s UK roots, which restricts some of the services that are offered by the company. However, if you happen to live in that area, you’ll get the whole shebang: professional installation and an exceptional warranty in addition to better-than-those-other-guys hard- and software right out of the box.
Impressions
“Well, what could possible go wrong with a company called ‘CamView’?” Indeed, cameras are their forte, but we’ll tell you right now why their offerings are a problem: They’re just so good that you might forget there are alternatives. Didn’t see that one coming, did you? Seriously, these guys are great: With a clean-cut, no-nonsense website that tells you everything they do from top to bottom, you’ll not only find yourself deeply interested in their offerings, but you might even let their specialists install the goods while you’re at it. Oh, and did we mention they have genuine cloud support?
There’s just one catch: They only operate out of the UK. That’s not so bad if you’re okay with international shipping, but we don’t think they’ll fly someone overseas to hook up the rig for you.
Hardware
As far as hardware goes, it’s more of the same reliable tech that you’ll find in any security brand name. The one detail that might bother some folks is the 720p recording, which sounds like a rip, but with everything else you’re getting in this bundle, we’re going to just mention that anything over 720p is going to be compromised with issues like low frame rates and high storage consumption. You don’t really need anything better than 720 for capturing most close-quarters details in office spaces or around small premises such as simple parking lots or your front lawn.
There’s motion-based recording, a fairly standard infrared lamp setup that promises 20 meters of night-vision goodness, audio recording and a 1 TB drive out of the box to support it all for around 17 days before overwrites are needed. With 720p, that does seem a little short, but keep in mind that resolution isn’t the only metric of quality to consider in videos since bit rate, frame rate and color space are all contributing factors, and it sounds like CamView does these quite well with their offering here. There’s also an audio plug for the cameras to add voice to the recordings.
Software
So, here’s where things get even awesomer. Yes, there’s the usual and expected remote viewing support for Android, iOS and PC environments that are on the same network, but you also have cloud support here, which means that anywhere you go with cellular internet is game for remote viewing wherever you happen to be. You’ll need a cloud account and the CamView cloud app to make it happen, and it all works so very well once you’re in the door with their service.
Installation, Warranty and Customer Service
If you’re in the UK, it seems that they’ll install the system for you, which is a great benefit if you’re not in the game of getting the wireless aspect all synched up and wires connected where they need to go. Another major plus here is the two-year warranty, which is double what most security manufacturers offer and just makes that pitch-perfect price tag feel even more warranted. Of course, there’s also lifetime free technical support on the side too.
Verdict
- Superb video quality despite settling on 720p
- Audio recording, motion-based recording, infrared lamps, weatherproofing and more
- Two-year warranty as opposed to the usual one-year offering that’s provided by competitors
- Genuine cloud support that allows for remote viewing anywhere, not just on the local network
- Camera servos can be reliably adjusted through the CamView app to pan around the area
- Despite these many features, CamView’s product just works
- 720p might be limiting for larger areas where finer details are more important
- The company runs out of the UK, so some of their support options may not be available overseas
SAFEVANT 960p — Most Affordable Security Camera System
We’ll admit that the lack of an HDD probably goes a long way in making this camera system so affordable, but in reality, factoring in the cost of a 2 TB drive still puts this camera system well under the costs of other comparable offerings on the market. It’s a fully feature-packed setup too.
Impressions
Specializing in a full array of monitors and CCTV cameras, SAFEVANT is a lesser-known company that covers all bases within its field. All of their offerings fall in the 720-1080p range, so if you were expecting to find a 4K entry on this list for some reason, we’re here to disappoint. However, don’t let that deter you from the fact that SAFEVANT makes an excellent product for all security purposes, and we’re about to see why.
Hardware
It was always curious why cameras would come with 960p compatibility. Why 960p? Why not just 720p and 1080p like all the normal human beings in the rest of the world? We don’t have an answer to that, but at such a low price tag, we’re not ones to complain either. Functioning as an indoor or outdoor camera, there’s everything that one could hope for here: weatherproofing, 20m night vision, motion detection, auto-pairing to home base and four channels to cover all bases in a small-ish environment. No HDD is included, so be prepared to turn around and spend almost the same amount on hardware to save the videos to, which suddenly explains the price tag. Still, it’s not a bad offering.
Software
Motion detection alerts and app support for remote viewing make up two standard but important features here. SAFEVANT makes the clear distinction that you don’t need to share the local network in order to tap into the drive storage, so there’s a trace of cloudy goodness at play here. Remote viewing extends into PC operating environments as well but with a different program.
Installation, Warranty and Customer Service
With both an email and phone line to get ahold of customer service reps and a 60-day money back guarantee, you can rest easy that your investment is protected and backed with confidence. As usual, it doesn’t seem that SAFEVANT offers any kind of installation service, but the setup is praised as being rather easy on this particular camera array due to the auto-pairing feature.
Verdict
- Includes weatherproofing, 20m night vision and motion-based recording
- 60-day money back guarantee
- Excellent price
- Easy to set up
- No HDD included with the product
Panasonic HomeHawk — Truly Wireless Nature
With only three cameras, a truly wireless experience that runs on rechargeable batteries and ultra-simple pairing, it’s hard to beat a brand name that you know when it comes to quick, easy and affordable outdoor and indoor surveillance.
Impressions
Ah, Panasonic. Do we really need to run down who and what Panasonic is? You probably have a few appliances in your home already that bear the brand alongside Sony, Samsung and others. While this doesn’t necessarily mean that their array of camera systems will stand up to dedicated security firms such as ZOSI, there’s comfort in seeing a recognizable brand. Still, it’s worth noting that Panasonic has more or less garnered a reputation for being a cheaper alternative to other preferred options, so we’ll step into this one cautiously and see what their offering is worth.
Hardware
We’ll give it to Panasonic: The Homehawk has some style. Not only are the cameras sleek and modern, but the NVR itself carries an almost futuristic look that— wait a minute, that’s another camera? Yep: It’s a 720p three-camera bundle with two “standard” cameras and a third “set top-style” type that we figure was intended for setting on a desk somewhere. The actual NVR blends in nicely with the rest of your entertainment or computer setups but isn’t much to look at. Sorry, folks; we know how badly you wanted to show off your surveillance mainframe to friends and family.
The cameras come packed with wide-angle lenses that cover everything inside a 172-degree arc in addition to color shooting in both regular and night-vision modes. There’s also a two-way talk function built into the camera modules themselves, which some camera systems on our list actually missed. We understand that it’s not the most important checkbox to tick off, but it’s nice to push a button and speak to the UPS guy through a surrogate.
The most impressive part of this offering, however, is the truly wireless nature of the whole shebang. There are literally no wires; the whole rig can be launched from Panasonic’s own rechargeable batteries, which are cited to be “long-lasting”. We’re not sure about that battery life, but if it supports microSD, that lends to the possibility that RISC computing tech is under the hood, which translates to efficiency. However, Panasonic’s specs page refers to 4 GB cards as a sort of benchmark for competent storage capacity on this system, which suggests that there’s probably a low ceiling on how much you can save. If that’s the case, then you’re looking at a tactical solution, not so much a strategic one.
Note that the microSD card goes in the NVR, not the cameras themselves.
Software
There’s very little information to go on here. There’s the HomeHawk app for your Android or iOS tablet or smartphone for remote viewing, which suggests that either some form of cloud service is at play or you can tap the recordings from a local network. It seems that the highly mobile setup of the camera system and its NVR implies that PC remote viewing wasn’t accounted for, but we can’t be sure.
Installation, Warranty and Customer Service
You actually need to call Panasonic’s customer service centers to obtain a manufacturer’s warranty. We have no further information on that part, and it goes without saying that it’s not what we’d call a “benefit” when you look at what other companies are offering.
Verdict
- Completely wireless, running on rechargeable batteries
- Water- and dust-resistant and color night vision
- MicroSD-compatible
- Incredibly easy setup
- There’s technically no warranty on these cameras until you contact the manufacturer to request one, which probably costs extra
- It could be a hassle having to recharge the batteries every so often, negating some of the wireless benefit in the long run
- Since there’s no HDD, storage capacity is questionable, and Panasonic’s own marketing suggests that the logic board in the NVR may not support higher than 32 GB cards — 72 hours of 720p recording by their math
Firstrend 1080p — Camera System with Best Customer Support
Apart from offering an excellent product with a one-year warranty to boot, getting on the phone with Firstrend’s tech support and customer claims center is one of the nicest experiences you’ll have. If you value having an official support structure to back up your investment, roll with this company.
Impressions
Firstrend is a reputable surveillance camera manufacturer, but sadly, they don’t appear to have their own website to show for it. Instead, their products are sold through third-party outlets albeit with excellent ratings to boot. They do price their wares on the high end, but you’re actually getting hardware that meets the payment, so their offerings are worth considering if you have a high-profile home or office environment that needs a little security inside and out. However, the most notable trait of Firstrend is their customer support structure, which is cited time and again as impeccable.
Hardware
Some reviews, we start by discussing the camera features; others, we like to bring up the tired and outdated technology that’s often baked into the logic boards on the NVRs. Here, Firstrend doesn’t really make us think much about anything else than the uniformly 1080p recording capabilities with the huge antennas that stick up off the NVR itself. From the outset, we guessed that the Wi-Fi works just ducky on this sucker, and yep, that seems to be what users and Firstrend themselves indicate. We’re already off to a good start with that and the 2 TB drive that comes preinstalled, which is twice what other manufacturers include out of the box.
It’s worth noting that both 3.5- and 2.5-inch drives can be used with this NVR, adding a layer of versatility that other NVRs do not. The NVR supports eight channels, which is adequate for a small facility.
Software
There’s nothing special to discuss with the software, but that’s not a bad thing: It’s more of the same that you expect and already know how to work with. With app-based access for iOS and Android in addition to remote casting for various popular PC platforms, it’s a standard setup that complies with all basic internet protocols. There’s perhaps one cool feature worth noting: email alerts with screenshots of suspicious or motion-detected activity.
Installation, Warranty and Customer Service
Interestingly, Firstrend offers an uncommon perk: a 60-day no-fee return policy. That’s a whole two months to decide that you don’t want their product, which is one-sixth of their warranty period wherein free component replacements are possible in the unlikely event of a failure somewhere. However, the customer service aspect, while laudable, feels a little flimsy what with a simple Hotmail address to reach out to for assistance. Hey, at least they provide some line of communication.
Verdict
- Unparalleled customer support
- Supports 1080p across all shooting modes
- Comes with the usual array of must-have features: infrared-based night vision, motion detection, audio recording and weatherproofing
- Supports email alerts for whenever activity is detected on specific cameras
- No-fees 60-day return policy
- Supports both 3.5- and 2.5-inch disk drives
- 2 TB drive preinstalled, double from what competitors offer out of the box
- Price is a little on the high end, but that’s to be expected given what’s packed inside
SMONET 960p – Expandable System for Reasonable Price
Impressions
SMONET — sometimes stylized as Smonet — is a surveillance technology manufacturer under Global Sources and is staffed with members who have prior experience under Microsoft, Huawei and Samsung. They’re a straightforward name in the business and aren’t the first term that comes to mind when one thinks of security solutions, but they offer solid, highly rated equipment for residential and commercial solutions alike. Their camera array offerings keep with traditions of well-rounded hardware combined with versatile software features to provide a complete security suite.
Hardware
The hardware is a standard mixture of good-enough HD recording with a 1 TB drive out the box, which can be upgraded to a single 4 TB drive. Unfortunately, there’s only support for a single SATA connector in this fashion, so you won’t be using this rig with any sort of RAID. There’s also a single USB 2.0 port for comparatively slow data transfer to an external drive. The terminal itself is classified as an NVR, which serves as a network-attached alternative to standard NVR solutions. As such, it supports IP cameras, which are the golden standard for Internet-connected surveillance systems and form the spine of most contemporary camera systems on commercial premises today.
Put simply: While SMONET hasn’t given us the latest hardware to work with here, it has offered a dedicated solution for professional and personal settings alike.
The camera tech is fairly cut and clean, bringing a 1/4″ color CMOS sensor at 1,280 x 960. Out of the box, you may get either a 3.6 mm or 4 mm lens; SMONET themselves admit this is a lottery roll, but we don’t expect the difference to have a significant impact on the quality of your shipment. Night vision is built in with an infrared receiver that works effectively up to 20 meters, which is ample for small parking lots, storefronts and foyers without sacrificing considerable quality. There’s no illumination with the infrared activated, keeping the camera covert under nighttime cover. This all comes in an IP66 water- and dust-resistant package, but unfortunately, there’s no battery operation here.
Software
With this product, basic functionality is met in graceful stature with the essential array of storage, backup and retrieval solutions between internal and external drives as well as — here’s the hugely important part — iOS and Android app support for mobile smart device access. You can tap the NVR itself directly for playback and USB backup if need be, but you can also cast the content remotely to a PC as needed. Since there’s no centralized cloud support, you’ll tap into the recordings through a shared Wi-Fi network, meaning you’ll need to be on the premises to see what the cameras see.
Installation, Warranty and Customer Service
SMONET doesn’t perform installations, but they do offer a one-year warranty with a lifetime of free technical support. To be honest, these details aren’t exactly conveyed in a way that inspires confidence, but with the overwhelmingly positive feedback on SMONET’s camera arrays, we can let it go. There’s one little bonus to take note of here: Should there be any failures within that one-year window, you can receive brand new components for free straight from the manufacturer themselves.
Verdict
- Decent hardware specifications that should do the job just fine without a hitch
- Offers motion-sensing, audio recording, color video, infrared nighttime recording and IP66 weather-resistance
- NVR allows for backups, mobile app support on a local network and remote casting to PC
- NVR only supports a single drive of up to 4 TB in addition to one lonely USB 2.0 port for handling backups
ONWOTE 1080p – Most Cost-Effective Choice
Impressions
Unlike SMONET, ONWOTE has a dedicated website that speaks lengths to their involvement in their line of business. Dedicated strictly to surveillance solutions, this manufacturer brings a rather impressive selection of distributed and all-in-one camera systems that covers pretty much every base imaginable on residential, commercial and industrial fronts. As expected of any dedicated camera company, there are several packages that range in the number of cameras supplied in addition to varying NVR hardware solutions.
Altogether, ONWOTE caters to low- and high-end markets alike and should be considered a leader in the industry.
Hardware
Keeping the price point real, ONWOTE delivers quite a reasonable punch hardware-wise. Bringing a night-vision array of IP66-secured 1080p cameras, their product is off on the right foot. That resolution drops to 960p for infrared recording, and the whole machine is advertised to write video at 15 fps, which is a little choppy but passable for the cost.
The NVR itself reasonable for the price despite support for only a single SATA with a USB 2.0 port. The 3.5-inch SATA port can handle up to 6 TB, which is modest for a multi-camera array at 960-1080p. Unfortunately, it ships without a drive out of the box, so you’ll need to either donate one from your PC or purchase it separately before you can record to an internal drive. Since the USB port is about 10 years outdated, don’t count on recording anything directly to an external drive in any appreciable capacity.
Software
You’re getting fairly standard remote view support for Android, iOS or PC operating environments. There’s not a whole lot of information to work with here, but it’s safe to assume that being an NVR, all basic internet protocols are compatible with the hard- and software here. The usual functions of backing up data to external drives and allowing users to gain access to recordings through mobile apps on a local network are all available here.
Installation, Warranty and Customer Service
You’re getting a standard dose of 24/7 technical support with a limited one-year warranty on your investment. Certain parts are covered within this warranty for brand new replacements under nebulous conditions that are outlined by ONWOTE, which you’ll have to work out when you cross that bridge, but we’re safe to wager that you shouldn’t run into any problems of that nature with these cameras.
Verdict
- Excellent price
- Supports motion-sensing, infrared nighttime recording, audio support and IP66 weather-resistance
- NVR allows for backups, mobile app support on a local network and remote casting to PC
- No HDD installed out of the box
- NVR only supports one USB 2.0 port and a single drive, but at least it goes up to 6 TB — roughly half a year of recording
Luowice 960p – Great Choice with 11-inch Monitor
Impressions
“Never fear; we are here.” If we can be a little honest, Luowice’s website doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in their brand. However, we’re here to confirm that yes, Luowice is a legitimate company despite less-than-perfect ratings, inflated price tags and a sketchy software download page. They offer many other kinds of camera products aside from what we’re reviewing here today, and you have to commend them on one point: They really push the software downloads for those who buy their products unlike some companies (Dell for one) that prefer to stow away their drivers where you can never find them.
Hardware
The NVR consists of a four-channel layout with room for one HDD up to 4 TB. They claim that a 1 TB HDD is able to hold 30 days of recording, which is actually better than average but not entirely surprising when you consider writing formats and the dedicated role that a surveillance NVR plays. Also keep in mind that a bare-bones operating environment is on board, which takes it easy on any drive space that might be used in the machine’s operation. With that said, you’re not getting the most brilliant CPU or RAM included, but that’s to be expected of a system that supports up to four cameras at HD+ resolutions and a slideshow-esque 15 fps.
As expected of the camera, you have the 960p HD video with audio pickup, motion-sensing, infrared and the whole nine to make the rig hum with every basic security feature that you could ask for. However, the NVR itself lacks an audio out, so while you can review the videos from it on the inbuilt 11-inch monitor, you’re not going to hear anything until you export the videos to another device. There’s solid Wi-Fi reception through the high-gain antennas on each camera, which is unusually good and should be considered a major benefit for larger facilities where Wi-Fi coverage is difficult. Adding to that is the “Repeater Mode”, which triples the reception clarity and distance through some technical sorcery that we’re not privy to explain in depth.
Software
As you’d expect, there’s a minimalistic operating environment on board with basic functions for viewing, editing and exporting videos or adjust camera settings from a distance. You can fully expect support with both Windows and Mac PCs, but it’s unclear how the NVR will play with Linux.
Installation, Warranty and Customer Service
Luowice, being your typical camera manufacturer, will not offer to install the cameras and NVR for you; what they will do is provide a standard one-year limited warranty that includes brand new replacements for certain components should they wear out or break inappropriately inside that time frame. Their customer support line has limited hours, so no 24/7 support.
Verdict
- Exceptional Wi-Fi reception with high-gain antennas and a “Repeater Mode” that triples reception power
- Cameras possess the usual array of motion sensors, infrared lamps, weather resistance and audio support
- The NVR comes with an inbuilt monitor
- Efficient recording, keeping storage usage on the low and topping 30 days on a 1 TB drive
- Only supports up to four cameras
- Like other NVRs, there’s support for only one internal HDD
- Quite expensive — almost unreasonably so
ZOSI Camera System – Best 1080p Choice
Impressions
As we say many times throughout this article, a manufacturer that has its own polished website makes the finest first impressions, and ZOSI is no exception to that. On the ZOSITECH website, you’ll find that they truly specialize in just security equipment, mainly camera systems that are packed with NVRs for CCTV recording. Glancing over their products, it appears that you’re getting great bang for your buck, but we’re going to pick apart their four-camera 1080p setup here to see if that holds up.
Hardware
Do you like 1080p FHD videos that capture every little detail? How about 4K? Okay, relax — we’re kidding about the 4K; who has the drive space for that anyway? While you have the option to downscale to 720p to save space on your drives if needed, you can always stick to 1080p to ensure that the little things are made apparent when you review your recordings. Remember that 720p is considered a basic requirement since it strikes a finer balance between drive space, processing power and detail rendering, but as we approach the second decade of the millennium, it’s probably time to think about 1080p as the base option for recording systems.
The NVR comes packed with a 1 TB drive from the moment you boot it up, there’s the standard-issue 20m infrared lamp setup that enhances nighttime shooting, and you can customize the motion detection to work at specific sensitivities on certain cameras. The cameras are rated at 2.0 megapixels for snapping pictures, which is roughly double 1080p video in terms of resolution.
Software
While other cameras on this list haven’t made it very clear how their internet services work, ZOSI makes it pretty obvious that you don’t need a local Wi-Fi connection that’s shared with the NVR to tap into your recordings. Rather, ZOSI’s servers identify your internet-connected NVR and allow you to tap into any network to reach said recordings from your home or office for retrieval. Some of the entries on our list may actually have this feature, unbeknownst to us at the time of researching them; to that, we refute the manufacturers who didn’t make it evident how their apps work. With that said, you know with confidence that this is how ZOSI works.
Concerning the rest of the software notes, we’d like to say that this is a pretty standard offering in every other regard: You have mobile apps and support for PC remote viewing, which spans across all popular operating environments on both hardware platforms. This software is what affords the aforementioned “anywhere access” cloud service, so we’d definitely recommend installing the app to make the most of your camera setup. There are also “smart notifications” that will notify you with a screenshot whenever motion is detected, and you have control over how this setting actually works.
Installation, Warranty and Customer Service
On a great plus, there’s a two-year warranty on the whole setup: cameras, NVR and all. We’re not actually positive if NVR will replace the HDD, but they’ll offer brand new replacements for the core equipment itself in the event of a failure. Of course, expect free lifetime tech support in addition to the warranty.
Verdict
- Shoots in 1080p for all recording modes
- Packs in night-vision recording, weatherproofing, motion detection, audio recording and more
- The system can alert you whenever there’s activity detected in sensitive areas as customized by you
- Two-year warranty exceeds most competition’s coverage by double
- ZOSI is a highly dedicated and well-known security hardware company
- None that stand out
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Best Outdoor Wireless Security Camera System with DVR Buyer’s Guide
How are security camera systems normally set up?
Typically, you’ll hook up the NVR (“mainframe” or “terminal”) to a mouse and monitor and use it as you would a regular PC. The cameras would be perched in various indoor or outdoor locations with power cables running to outlets and sometimes data cables running back to the mainframe, which stores the data and gives the user access to camera controls, playback, offloading and more. The exact nature of the setup is rather complicated to unravel blow by blow, but at its core, it’s straightforward and intuitive — just a tedious exercise in strategic line-running. Most of the real difficulty boils down to how your house or office is arranged, which will affect the path of the wires, but this isn’t an issue if you purchased a camera system that allows wireless conveyance instead.
Keep in mind that when you go for a wireless camera system, you’re not necessarily getting a product that’s truly wireless. All that’s meant by this is that your cameras, whether battery-powered or requiring power from an outlet, are able to connect to local Wi-Fi to write recordings to the NVR or the cloud, either of which you can access through a mobile app for most camera systems today. These mobile apps will vary by manufacturer, but they’ll typically support both iOS and Android smart devices. These apps are a simple matter of punching in credentials to log in and tap into your recordings remotely, which is possibly the niftiest little feature one could ask for since you can watch over your personal spaces remotely and sometimes even control the cameras.
What happens if the Wi-Fi goes out on my connected camera system?
It depends on the camera system soft- and hardware as well as the settings that you’ve cut out. All good camera systems will support memory cards, external drives and even internal drive swapping; failing adequate local storage, it’s possible to utilize a subscription to a cloud service that will store your videos instead. Not all NVRs will let you do this, but you can usually arrange the order in which data is saved to various connected drives under specific circumstances. This means that — you guessed it — a Wi-Fi outage just causes the NVR to revert to local recording until the internet connection is restored.
Now, understand that some NVRs might stream directly to a cloud service, but it’s not beyond any manufacturer to be frugal with their networking and set up your box to store the data locally until it can be written to the cloud. In these cases, the data is already on local storage; it’s just awaiting a connection so it can synchronize locally saved data once more. In the case that you have no local drives attached to your camera system, however, you’ll either lose some of your older local data or the system will quit recording altogether. Long and short: If you’re going to spend a little green on a surveillance array, go the extra mile and get a 2-8 TB external drive to be safe. It might just save you a great deal of legal or financial trouble down the road — or should we say in your driveway.
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Is there any reason I can’t or shouldn’t use outdoor security cameras inside my house
There’s no reason you can’t use outdoor cameras inside a building, but whether you should is a different question. Bear in mind that outdoor surveillance solutions typically include water- and dust-proofing (IP certification) in addition to sensor suites that are arranged to maximize on outdoor recording through various weather conditions. However, these features will do just fine inside your home or office; the question is just a matter of whether you want to spend extra on cameras that are good in both environments or if you’d rather save a dime and stick to the more fragile indoor varieties.
It’s worth noting that companies and individual people do commonly use outdoor camera systems for indoor environments, so if you opt to go this route, we’re not going to stop you.
What video resolution is recommended for a security camera system?
Ah, the old resolution debate. Most people should know by now that 1080p (full HD or FHD) isn’t necessary in the majority of the places where you’d perch cameras since the space that’s watched by any given camera will usually be small and contained enough for 720p (high definition or HD) to pick up the relevant details. Since 1080p is double the resolution of 720p, you’ll fill your drives twice as quickly, so you should stick to 720p except in highly sensitive cases or areas where you expect to pay more attention to small details in the recording.
With some cameras offering a maximum of 720p to 960p, it’s not hard to see that even manufacturers themselves aren’t particularly bothered with gaming or movie resolutions on surveillance rigs. That, we think, speaks for itself.
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Is there anything specific I should carefully look for?
It really comes down to the conditions of wherever you’re setting up said cameras. If you’re aiming for an outdoor solution, then IP certification for water- and dust-resistance is all-important in addition to motion sensors for conservative recording and infrared for nighttime detection. Beyond those three, your biggest concern will be wireless support and whether or not there’s a mobile app that allows you to reliably access your recordings on the fly. As long as you have those five options, the rest ultimately boils down to your specific needs and preferences.
Indoor camera setups are typically simpler since the conditions are more forgiving. You can usually stick to lower resolutions more consistently and forgo the fancy sensors, but since indoor environments are also fraught with motion, motion-sensitive recording probably won’t be as effective in most places such as an office or bathroom — okay, we’re kidding about the bathroom. In all seriousness, indoor recording will be more depending on cloud storage solutions or larger local drive arrays; the rest of the soft- and hardware involved is a matter of convenience at that point.
Is there any reason to leave the cameras recording all the time?
In sensitive settings where money or valuables are involved — think jewelry store, bank or Brinks trucks — sure, there the risk of motion-based recording is too conservative to be called “safe”. While you can stick to motion-sensitive recording in general commercial settings as well, you likely won’t benefit much from it since constant motion could keep the cameras in a steady recording state, but there’s nothing wrong with implementing motion sensors here on the occasion that nothing of interest is happening. Generally speaking, motion-based recording is ideal for individuals who are just trying to protect their homes or a general space where nonspecific problems could arise.
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Conclusion
It’s been a long article, but it’s hard to be so informative in few words. With eight surveillance arrays reviewed in-depth, we think we’ve given you the means to set off on your own and seek out the solution that’s right for you, whatever you’re trying to protect. Even if the apple of your eye wasn’t on this list today, that’s okay: We’ve given you the basis to find similar such technology elsewhere, and you now have the wherewithal to confidently shop for the right product. Hey, we wouldn’t just research these topics and rock these huge articles if we thought the paint on the walls was the only thing reading them; some folks just don’t know where to start when they begin their investigation into home surveillance and professional camera arrays.
Normally, we’d talk about the future of camera technology right about now, but in truth, it’s hard to see it going anywhere productive any time soon. There are implications with virtual reality (VR) that are no doubt in the works, but don’t expect to see these revealed in any meaningful capacity in the coming five years. For the large part, cameras are in a comfortable spot right now with the advent of smartphones allowing just about everyone to have access to the recordings from just about everywhere. Just think: There was once a time when people would have to hope nothing happened while they were on the road and would only find peace when they returned to their office or home setting to check the DVR.
Nope, those days are long behind us now.
When you think about it, today’s take on surveillance cameras is adequate for nearly all applications with even spy cameras being a hot topic for indoor surveillance. Say what you will about Big Brother and invasions of privacy; we write these articles in good faith that you aren’t abusing any of this technology to nefarious ends. For those with genuine intentions, we’re here to help you find your way to the most efficient solutions, and we hope this article has served its purpose to those ends.
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