Need feedback on security cameras for home

Hillbilly

Moderator
Jan 1, 2002
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Lisa: Please talk to SantiagoDR (Don). His place is like Tiffany's.....he has cameras all over and knows the technology.
What you suggest is a good idea...

HB
 

zoomzx11

Gold
Jan 21, 2006
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Good idea. Incorporate a good loud alarm that you can turn on when you see what you do not like on the cameras. Better the thieves run than you have to deal with them and or the police.
 

lisagauss

Bronze
Feb 16, 2011
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Yeah, actaully Chip suggested the same. Hopefully he will take some time and chime in :).
Lisa: Please talk to SantiagoDR (Don). His place is like Tiffany's.....he has cameras all over and knows the technology.
What you suggest is a good idea...

HB
 

Criss Colon

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Jan 2, 2002
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I find "Big Dogs" a better security device than cameras.
Sometimes it is better to "Fly Under The Radar".
Most home robberies have "inside" help,either with keys,or leaving doors unlocked,informing when you will be away,or just informing that there is "Value" in the house.If a maid,handiman,or in some cases "family" sees a "Safe" in your house,they assume there is "value" in the house.If they see your cameras,they will assume that you have something of value you want to protect,making you more of a target.The quality of the system is also very important.
My experience has been that cameras help keep employees from stealing as much.
Security should be like an "Onion",ie.Lots of "Layers" before you get to the middle."Cameras" can be one layer,but do little by themselves.
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lisagauss

Bronze
Feb 16, 2011
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I find "Big Dogs" a better security device than cameras.
Sometimes it is better to "Fly Under The Radar".
Most home robberies have "inside" help,either with keys,or leaving doors unlocked,informing when you will be away,or just informing that there is "Value" in the house.If a maid,handiman,or in some cases "family" sees a "Safe" in your house,they assume there is "value" in the house.If they see your cameras,they will assume that you have something of value you want to protect,making you more of a target.The quality of the system is also very important.
My experience has been that cameras help keep employees from stealing as much.
Security should be like an "Onion",ie.Lots of "Layers" before you get to the middle."Cameras" can be one layer,but do little by themselves.
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Very sound advise.
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
13,766
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www.mikefisher.fun
I find "Big Dogs" a better security device than cameras.
Sometimes it is better to "Fly Under The Radar".
Most home robberies have "inside" help,either with keys,or leaving doors unlocked,informing when you will be away,or just informing that there is "Value" in the house.If a maid,handiman,or in some cases "family" sees a "Safe" in your house,they assume there is "value" in the house.If they see your cameras,they will assume that you have something of value you want to protect,making you more of a target.The quality of the system is also very important.
My experience has been that cameras help keep employees from stealing as much.
Security should be like an "Onion",ie.Lots of "Layers" before you get to the middle."Cameras" can be one layer,but do little by themselves.
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the best advise so far.

Cameras mounted up high in "secret Places" will not be seen by the Intruders, so they Intrude.
Cameras mounted visible for them will be stolen and/or avoided to be seen on, worthless.
Cameras not MONITORED by You 24/7 are anyways worthless, as the Intruders will wear a Mask and not care about a Camera when You are not watching a Monitor/not at Home.
over all, as long as you don't have a business with a valubale Inventory to be saved from the hands of your own Employees on the grounds, Cameras are IMHO worthless as a defense against getting robbed/assaulted in da House.
a reliable(hard to find) Guard would give some Help,
a Big Bad Doggy is by experience the Best Defense to keep Intruders off.
as mentioned above,
big Fancy Defense thingies such as Cameras etc suggerate to everybody that Your House is Gild Filled Fort Knox,
keep a low Level Profile with a Bad Big Dog sleeping in da Backyard,
costs just a few pounds of bloody Meat per Day and work's Best.
if you have a Big Female Dog and a Bigger Male Dog watching over His Gal You have the perfect Alarm and Protection System.

Mike
 

pi2

Banned
Oct 12, 2011
961
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Other options to consider:

Alarm - preferably they type with 2 zones so even when in the house some areas are alarmed. This can the the type that has a cellular sim inside that phones two numbers - this will work even if phone lines are cut.
Recording camera that is infra-red and records stills and movies on a memory card inside.
If there are watchmen on the residence or estate a really loud klaxon type sounder that you can trigger with the alarm system remote.
Intense hidden lighting that comes on when movement is detected outside at night. In many situations a burglar will not continue hacking through window bars when there is intense lighting.
Garden design so it not possible to approach at night a person sitting outside etc.
Easily accessible not so valuable items such as an old broken down lap-top, camera, hi-fi etc. with your real treasures built in or in safes.
Code access locks the key cannot be stolen etc.
Paid external security box for gold, jewelry, documents, expensive items.
Sounder on the only drive / path to the house. This gives time to look at cameras and identify the visitor.
Second interior security door - if the main door is broken or locks forced etc. it still takes considerable time to gain access.
Emergency lighting or power back up system.
Lighting that turns on and off with a time switch. If you are away the house may be under observation and if its dark all the time its not good.
Two or three geese - have the advantage of laying eggs and being good to eat over dogs.
How to Use a Goose for Home Security | eHow.com

Physical security at least for part of the house or a room. If there is an intruder time is given to phone police, security company etc.

A friend set up an estate in remote Brazil jungle. In addition to dogs he had fireworks set around the house. They could be set
of remotely and some were the type that produced a large bang - others rockets etc.
With an attack it would sound as if a war was breaking out.

For some people dogs are impractical because they travel a lot.
Mike is right - house should not stand out as containing valuables.
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
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I Forgot The BEST Security For A Home In The DR!!!!! Used By All Dominicans.

Always leave someone in the house.
Usually it's me,"PapiGordo",or my father-in-law,"Papiflaco".
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We are "ARMED",AND Dangerous! :rambo::rambo::rambo::rambo::rambo::rambo:
 

SKing

Silver
Nov 22, 2007
3,750
183
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Always leave someone in the house.
Usually it's me,"PapiGordo",or my father-in-law,"Papiflaco".
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We are "ARMED",AND Dangerous! :rambo::rambo::rambo::rambo::rambo::rambo:
I love it! LOL

SHALENA
 

MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
13,766
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www.mikefisher.fun
PI2,
hey Man, no Pun Intended, but that's totally BS.
You made some Imaginary Plans but you show clearly that you never lived anywhere where You really needed to protect Your Place or Life.
Your Mentioned Automatic Light System is the only Point of Your long Post where I agree that it is a helpfull thingy,
all the Rest is just Fantasy from watching too many Mission Impossible or James Bond Films.
again, sorry for the Offense, nothing meant personal, but that crap by Experience is simply TV-Wishful Thinking and will not work in the real World.
as CC stated above, total agreement, the first and most important point is that there is always somebody visibly in the house/at the Place, that cut's a big amount of Burglary Possibilities out of the List, as most look for the Easy thingy, means a Rich House where the Owners are actually not at Home/on Vaca abroad etc etc.

if they are Nasty, as a lil Gang of Armed Burgler's is actually in the Bayahibe Area(suspected to be Cops involved even), then You need a Big and very Bad Azz Dog or better 2 of them, as those Guys come Armed and even bring Your Watchman on Gunpoint to Your Living Room, as it happened to Friends of Mine less than 2 weeks ago with "following Up" Occurances in the same Neighbourhood since then.

Cameras and all the other electronic Equipment will show You(in case You are at Home and Watch the Monitors at that very Moment) that somebody is Intruding Your Place, Wow!, You see it, but so what You do the next 30-60 Seconds to Defend Your Place????
do You own a Gun and more Important, Do You really Use it right away in the Fraction of the second of the available deciding Moment????
I don't think so.
they will pass Your security Cam without any Fear,
they will Kick Open Your Door with one Kick/break da Window, and Point their Gun on Your Head or Your Wife's or Your Kid's or Your Nanni's or Your Watchman's, and of course You will give them ALL they Want on Gunpoint.
If You would have been without a Fancy Securuity System in the First Place they may not have choosen Your Place for the Visit, and if You would have left Your Frontdoor Unlocked they may not have Kicked/damaged it open, so You would have saved at least the Money for those Reparations, Lol.

to run a Fancy Security System means to do it Right on the Full Level with all the needed Guns at hands in case You seen a Intruding Party on da Screen, If You are not used to Shoot on Humans, as I suppose almost nobody on the Bord is, then such Security Thingy will be just a Fancy looking Alert for the Bad Guys to get exactly into That Place of Yours and You will be at that Moment as vulnerable as a Fish on the Hook behind my Boat.

forget about the TV/Cinema Crap,
think and plan simple,
Life is for most parts very simple run and Probs in Life are for most Part to be solved Simple.
a Big Bad Doggie or 2 in the Backyard cover more than 3 Watchmen and 20 unwatched/unguarded Security Cameras.

Mike
 

donP

Newbie
Dec 14, 2008
6,942
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2 + 2 + 00

Dominicans always try to have a family member in the house - all the time. That's good.
If you cannot do the same:
2 dogs (large breed, preferably dark) outside
2 chihuahuas inside the house ; they serve as EWACS and get alarmed even before the outsiders know what's happening. :bunny:
If you are sensing problems: Never leave the house to check things (even it it means sacrificing your dogs), stay put and wait with your 'escopeta' and buck shot 00...

donP
 

dv8

Gold
Sep 27, 2006
31,266
363
0
i have one feedback on security cameras. we had one at the front gate. one day a lightning struck a palm tree outside the backyard. the charge "jumped" on the wall and fried our gate motor and the camera. plus gates of our neighbours. and their inversors. zzzZZIP.
 

bryan1258

Bronze
Dec 24, 2007
547
60
0
Cameras film people that could care less if they're on camera or not! They rob and pretty much know that they'll get away with it. Get a large hungry dog and a shotgun. Sit outside on your rocking chair with your shotgun, hound, and whiskey, just like Hunter S Thompson would.
 
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pi2

Banned
Oct 12, 2011
961
0
0
I live in a town situation where there is normally a security guard to cover 30 or so units so my situation may be different.

I have had the house entered once when I first got here. They took obvious low value things lying about deliberately - old computer, old hi-fi and left.

I have used the interior metal security gate once. When I sounded by remote in my pocket a loud alarm and the metal gate was closed the thieves ran.
One kick or multiple kicks would just bust the foot.

A zoned alarm was helpful when I was running a business as was a 'driveway patrol' unit so if someone entered there was a noise.

Thieves of a local hotel were successfully prosecuted with video camera evidence.

One other tip is that domosetics or workmen can copy a key and there are people who can pick locks . Its good to have multiple keys or numerical locks of quality.

Neighbours leave their properties unoccupied for long periods with similar precautions with success.

A sophisticated alarm might be 500 dollars with sounders and battery back up. If I'm out of my house and my mobile goes off from the alarm I can go round the poilcie station or security office, pick up re-inforcements and investigate making the place secure again quickly.

Dog food for 3 years would be pricy.

My camera system cost 50 dollars and is also useful when I have workmen in the premises.

Large external security box for belongings such as deeds, expensive cameras, gold etc. costs 6000 a year.

I don't doubt you have achieved safety with your dogs etc. but for many people this is not a practical solution.

However in Europe I used to pay 400 dollars a year insurance and the place was still burgled. Some moderate expenditure or security gates, cameras, alarms etc. is to my mind a sensible option.

If I had a house invasion of the type you describe I would lock myself in my secure room and tell them to clear out
everthing from the house. Meanwhile the alarm system would have phoned the police and or security service as the second number and I have a few other precautions I'm not going to publicise.

Actually even if you are an excellent shot a single person's chances with two dogs against 3 armed men are not that great.

I worked in Kiev when shootouts were commonplace. One morning I went down to my normal tube stations to catch a train. Police were all around and walls were pock marked by the bullets that had been shot earlier.
If you went to a restaurant or club you used to have to give up your weapon to join 100 others hanging there.

I have witnessed a large German Sheperd guard dog trapped and strangled by a simple wire noose. Hence the flock of geese.

;)

So each to his own.

S.





PI2,
hey Man, no Pun Intended, but that's totally BS.
You made some Imaginary Plans but you show clearly that you never lived anywhere where You really needed to protect Your Place or Life.
Your Mentioned Automatic Light System is the only Point of Your long Post where I agree that it is a helpfull thingy,
all the Rest is just Fantasy from watching too many Mission Impossible or James Bond Films.
again, sorry for the Offense, nothing meant personal, but that crap by Experience is simply TV-Wishful Thinking and will not work in the real World.
as CC stated above, total agreement, the first and most important point is that there is always somebody visibly in the house/at the Place, that cut's a big amount of Burglary Possibilities out of the List, as most look for the Easy thingy, means a Rich House where the Owners are actually not at Home/on Vaca abroad etc etc.

if they are Nasty, as a lil Gang of Armed Burgler's is actually in the Bayahibe Area(suspected to be Cops involved even), then You need a Big and very Bad Azz Dog or better 2 of them, as those Guys come Armed and even bring Your Watchman on Gunpoint to Your Living Room, as it happened to Friends of Mine less than 2 weeks ago with "following Up" Occurances in the same Neighbourhood since then.

Cameras and all the other electronic Equipment will show You(in case You are at Home and Watch the Monitors at that very Moment) that somebody is Intruding Your Place, Wow!, You see it, but so what You do the next 30-60 Seconds to Defend Your Place????
do You own a Gun and more Important, Do You really Use it right away in the Fraction of the second of the available deciding Moment????
I don't think so.
they will pass Your security Cam without any Fear,
they will Kick Open Your Door with one Kick/break da Window, and Point their Gun on Your Head or Your Wife's or Your Kid's or Your Nanni's or Your Watchman's, and of course You will give them ALL they Want on Gunpoint.
If You would have been without a Fancy Securuity System in the First Place they may not have choosen Your Place for the Visit, and if You would have left Your Frontdoor Unlocked they may not have Kicked/damaged it open, so You would have saved at least the Money for those Reparations, Lol.

to run a Fancy Security System means to do it Right on the Full Level with all the needed Guns at hands in case You seen a Intruding Party on da Screen, If You are not used to Shoot on Humans, as I suppose almost nobody on the Bord is, then such Security Thingy will be just a Fancy looking Alert for the Bad Guys to get exactly into That Place of Yours and You will be at that Moment as vulnerable as a Fish on the Hook behind my Boat.

forget about the TV/Cinema Crap,
think and plan simple,
Life is for most parts very simple run and Probs in Life are for most Part to be solved Simple.
a Big Bad Doggie or 2 in the Backyard cover more than 3 Watchmen and 20 unwatched/unguarded Security Cameras.

Mike
 
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MikeFisher

The Fisherman/Weather Mod
Feb 28, 2006
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www.mikefisher.fun
which one is the Dominican Local Police Station You contact when Your Handy shows a Alarm at Your House to send a backup Unit of Officers there to take care of things?
sounds like You are very well high connected,
but then You would not need any Alarm System anyways.

Mike
 

pi2

Banned
Oct 12, 2011
961
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The main police station is less than a half mile away.
Police even off duty have numbers but yes I have contacted police officers before and met with good response.
Also private security firms. There is a price to be paid afterwards....
No if there is a break - in the doors etc. need securing.
The alarm system was under 500$. Dog food for a year?
I don't have too much problem with the local police.
But if someone has kicked the outer wood door in and is approaching the interior metal door its good to investigate - but not alone.

Hardwired security systems to the local phone servie start at $150 - mobile systems are a bit more expensive - but if your are investing $ 000 's in a property, electricty etc. over 5-8 years - lifetime of system is this excessive?
Condo charges in Florida can be $2,000 per annum.

If you are way out in the jungle other systems are good - I hinted that in my orignal post.







which one is the Dominican Local Police Station You contact when Your Handy shows a Alarm at Your House to send a backup Unit of Officers there to take care of things?
sounds like You are very well high connected,
but then You would not need any Alarm System anyways.

Mike
 

Criss Colon

Platinum
Jan 2, 2002
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Dear, "PU"2

You have been given a lot of "good advice" so far.Given to you by "DR1ers" who have many many years of experience in the DR.
I am happy that you already have "All The Answers" to keeping you,and your "Stuff" safe.
Anyone who is worried about the cost of "Dog Food" needs every penny they have.
Please continue your informational postings.Us "Old Times" obviously don't have any idea what it's like to live here in the DR! :rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
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PS,are your TV cameras "Glad to see you' when you come home?Do they run around wagging their tales and barking?" :cheeky::cheeky::cheeky: