slo’s WEDNESDAY 7/23 poll - Outdoor Home Security Cameras

[lovesmurfs]

The home we purchased last year was completely outfitted for ADT security, including a video doorbell, which they'd hardwired into the security system.

We'd like to reactivate the video doorbell (we DON'T need the $50/month security system). However, we can't figure out how to disconnect the doorbell from the security panel, and it won't let us transfer ownership of the video doorbell as wired.

So it looks like we have a video doorbell, but, in fact, we do not. It's somewhat irritating.

 

[soccerdad72]

The home we purchased last year was completely outfitted for ADT security, including a video doorbell, which they'd hardwired into the security system.

We'd like to reactivate the video doorbell (we DON'T need the $50/month security system). However, we can't figure out how to disconnect the doorbell from the security panel, and it won't let us transfer ownership of the video doorbell as wired.

So it looks like we have a video doorbell, but, in fact, we do not. It's somewhat irritating.

Usually, you need the previous owner of the house to drop the doorbell camera off of their account before you can take ownership of it.

 

[design_mom]

We have a doorbell and one outdoor camera.

We got the doorbell first, then my husband wanted to get the sump-pump monitor... but to do that, we needed some sort of 3rd piece (I don't really know what it was... but we needed 2 things to make the sump-pump monitor to work the actual monitor and something else.) My huband found a bundle that included the 2 things we needed as well as an outdoor camera. When our kids are home, they have to park overnight in the driveway, which is an area not covered by doorbell camera so we put it up to cover that area.

I wouldn't mind having one to cover the back door as well, but honestly, I hardly ever look at the camera footage, so I'm sure it isn't worth it.

 

[amcnj]

Aside from a dog that barked when anyone neared the house, so far haven’t had any other “security system”.

 

[clappyclaps]

I have a Ring doorbell and a Ring outdoor security camera. The doorbell obviously covers the front door plus driveway, and the camera covers my garage and back gate/fence area. Originally I'd got a doorbell mostly to see who was at my door before answering it, but with living alone found the extra camera made me feel more secure.

 

[tvguy]

Good timing. I had a 4 camera system installed last week on my house. It was installed by my alarm company, however it is in no way connected to them. They no longer offer remote monitoring of cameras due to privacy concerns. The entire system is in my house, and the only people who can access it have to use an encrypted app. Supposed to be big enough to save video for a month. Cameras are all hardwired, so no batteries to change, and not linked to WiFi. While viewing remotely is over the internet, if the internet goes down, the system continues recording, and can be viewed on a monitor inside the house We had a choice of color cameras with motion sensors that turn a light on when they sense something at night. So they are color even at night. Some of my neighbors have those, most of them Ring, and they are darn annoying. You drive down our street at night and the lights on those cameras come on all over. We went with 4k Color cameras that shift to infrared at night and the video goes to black and white. The infrared video is amazing. So far the system is still learning what is a car, what is a person, what is the sprinklers, what is a cat. So far we have learned how many cats frequent our yard........2. And watch the mail truck drive past our house Friday, Saturday and Monday, and finally stop yesterday to put mail in our box.

 

[FastPasser.]

We live in a small gated community and all the homes were built as smart homes. The main gate is video monitored and every house has a door bell camera. Needless to say, AFAIK, there has not been any break in’s. since I’ve been here.

 

[Dan Murphy]

they are darn annoying. You drive down our street at night and the lights on those cameras come on all over.

We have that in our neighborhood. I don't know why the people don't adjust their camera range to not be out in the street, but rather their front yard and driveway. Easy adjustment. And the neighbor directly across the street from us must have his sensitivity to turn the lights on with an ant walking across his driveway. And then the time to remain on must be the max, short of always on. Any time (almost any) when it's later than dusk, and I look out our front windows or front door, it looks like a train coming at our house, lights ablaze. Dumb!!

 

[lovesmurfs]

Usually, you need the previous owner of the house to drop the doorbell camera off of their account before you can take ownership of it.

Thanks. They did. It has something to do with the camera being attached and hardwired to the ADT system. If we removed it and used it through battery, it would work. But then we'd end up with ugly cords in our entrance unless we got a professional to do it.

 

[tvguy]

We have that in our neighborhood. I don't know why the people don't adjust their camera range to not be out in the street, but rather their front yard and driveway. Easy adjustment. And the neighbor directly across the street from us must have his sensitivity to turn the lights on with an ant walking across his driveway. And then the time to remain on must be the max, short of always on. Any time (almost any) when it's later than dusk, and I look out our front windows or front door, it looks like a train coming at our house, lights ablaze. Dumb!!

Well, I realize cameras are really kind of a false sense of security. My neighbor had vehicles broken into several times and got great video, but they never match the video to a person. He even had a GPS tracker on a tool that was stolen and the Sheriff did go to the location where it went......before the GPS was apparently discovered and destroyed. They got lucky, one of the residents of that location was on searchable probation, and they search the house, but less than 4 hours after the theft, the tool was long gone.

 

[georgina]

By us, we have many situations of people stealing deliveries off people’s front porches, so most people sadly feel these cameras are a must.

No cameras here, but I am not convinced that they are actually useful for catching porch pirates.

I remember someone in my neighborhood posted a video of a woman stealing the holiday wreath off of their front door, and I have seen other videos on Nextdoor, but none of them were caught that I know of.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

We have a doorbell cameras, because they just seem like the "thing to do". Actually the one in the back yard is used for an alert to let the dog back in when she is done with "outside".

We have a couple other cameras outside. I named them "critter cams", they are just to observe what kind of critters come and go.

 

[sarahann77]

Technically we don't have cameras outside. We have ones inside pointing out. Bought at first for my house that I have since sold to watch who was parking in my driveway. Once I had the cameras setup they stopped though. I also had one pointed inside to watch my senior cat while I was away. It's now pointed to watch the backyard for critters etc.

 

[tvguy]

Technically we don't have cameras outside. We have ones inside pointing out. Bought at first for my house that I have since sold to watch who was parking in my driveway. Once I had the cameras setup they stopped though. I also had one pointed inside to watch my senior cat while I was away. It's now pointed to watch the backyard for critters etc.

The first house my son and daughter in law bought had a couple of cameras inside pointing out. The house was vacant and the flippers who were selling it got tired of homeless people breaking in and living in it. This was about 7 years ago and it got so bad that for a while Realtors didn't put For Sales signs up outside vacant houses, they were only listed online.

 

[RangerPooh]

We've got a doorbell camera (when we remember to charge it), one over the garage, one at the patio door, and one in the dog yard. We also have a few inside the house. Paranoid? Nope. But Memphis (even it's burbs) isn't known to be the safest. Plus we can watch what mischief our dogs and teens get into.