Want to buy a Security Camera. How does it exactly work?

Need to buy one, but I don't know what other things are related with it.
I need it to record at night, for around 4 hours. So I'll probably need a storage device, and will I have to buy a monitor as well, to see it later, or my PC monitor will do?
If anyone holds any knowledge about it, please share.

Thanks in advance.

DIY Home Surveillance Installation Considerations - One House One Couple

Alright. Thanks. Read the article. So as I have no idea about these I am asking if I have understood correctly,
1- I will need a DVR along with the camera? I have no idea about DVR anyway, never used them!
2- I need to buy an IR camera, as I will have to record in night time?
3- That DVR disc can record the video? And I might use my PC monitor to see it later? No need to buy another monitor?
4- What could be the cost of all these? I don't really have any budget constrains, still would like to know.

DVR is a hardware which takes input from Camera and saves the videos to storage media (mostly HDD).
1. Yes, you will need both of them.
Some PCI cards might be available which can do the work of DVR, i never herd about anything like that but they might exist. Since u'll use a single camera, u need 1-channel DVR but i never saw any DVR having less than 4-channels. google for these things. You can connect n cameras to a n-channel dvr.
2. Better get a b/w IR camera as you'll record only at night. B/W camera records in better quality at night when compared to colour cameras.
3. I dont know what u mean by dvr disc. Dvr is something like a small pc-cabinet. Generally DVRs can be controlled from your PC when connected to your PC via ethernet cable. Its not necessary to have a monitor connected to the DVR but u'll need something to view the recordings on (a pc, monitor or tv). Dvr can also be connected to TVs via video cable (the yellow cable)of composite connection.
4. No idea about cost.

The information above may be highly outdated as I'm not in touch with these things since some time.

Do you want only a single camera or plan to install more in future? What is your budget?
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There are two types of DVR,
1) Standalone, which is like a DVD player which records on hdd you install in it, you can connect to TV or PC monitor
>Price: 4 Channel DVR starting @ 4k *www.ebay.in/sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_sop=2&_nkw=standalone+dvr+4+channel&_frs=1
>Camera Price: starts @ 1K choose which camera you want on here
*www.ebay.in/sch/i.html?_nkw=securi..._odkw=camera+night&_sop=2&_osacat=0&_from=R40
>YOU need to buy SEPARATE HDD
>You need to buy cable, Powersupply, connectors
these can be remote viewed on PC/Phone

2) Other is PC PCI CARD, connect camera to that and start recording on your HDD
>Price starts @ 1.9K
*www.ebay.in/sch/i.html?_nkw=dvr+4+...dkw=standalone+dvr+4+channel&_sop=2&_osacat=0
>Camera Price: starts @ 1K choose which camera you want on here
*www.ebay.in/sch/i.html?_nkw=securi..._odkw=camera+night&_sop=2&_osacat=0&_from=R40
>You need to buy cable, Powersupply, connectors

now wireless cameras have come to make job easy, they have in built mic and speaker, they record on your PC via Wi-Fi, they have PTZ CONTROL,
>Price starts @ 3.5k but go to nice branded ones,
selling on ebay like these *www.ebay.in/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p4340.m570.l2736&_nkw=tenvis check the videos on youtube for quality of cameras at night

>THIS ONE requires no computer and has HD recording on a micro SD DIRECTLY on the camera. Price 7k
*www.ebay.in/itm/TENVIS-Iprobot3-H-...1?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_203&hash=item19d8213ad1
you can easily set up this camera...
> These have no warranty, you better contact ebay seller
>Power consumption: 6W/4W (Infrared on/off)
these can be remote viewed on PC/Phone

R

Need to buy one, but I don't know what other things are related with it.
I need it to record at night, for around 4 hours. So I'll probably need a storage device, and will I have to buy a monitor as well, to see it later, or my PC monitor will do?
If anyone holds any knowledge about it, please share.

1) yes u need to buy Hard disk and INsert INSIDE DVR
2) You donot need monitor , you can connect your PC monitor ONE TIME and do the configuration and IP settings then later on You can access DVR via webbrowser or Mobile [android and some symbian,(mayb other also)] to View the live recording

3) addition to z3rO

Like PC , DVR have also IP address , so when you need to view reocrded videos you can enter DVR's IP address in your Internet explorer browser , it will ask for username and password , and once you enter it you will be able to see live video and also have option to view old recovrded videos ,settings

Also some DVR have option to set Dyanmic DNS [like no-ip.com ] using it you can access live video preview from INTERNET without having STATIC ip connection

below is sample preview screen

*imageshack.us/download/90/84374209.png

Rajesh345 said:
1) yes u need to buy Hard disk and INsert INSIDE DVR
2) You donot need monitor , you can connect your PC monitor ONE TIME and do the configuration and IP settings then later on You can access DVR via webbrowser or Mobile [android and some symbian,(mayb other also)] to View the live recording

but you don't get clear picture. if you get digital ip camera (from ebay) which has resolution of 640x480 or HD 720p also, and night vision also, it is more clearer, no need to buy hdd or WIRES for camera as it is wireless, and you need only a plugpoint in your house to power the camera

something like this Product Category of TENVIS IP/Network Wireless IP Camera

Alright. Thanks a lot guys. So if I buy a normal camera, I will need to buy DVR, a HDD, cables, power supply and all those stuffs. Nah, I am better off with the wireless one. With wireless one, I just need to plug it to a power source and it will record the data to the internal SD card, then later I can take that SD card and see the recorded stuff on my monitor or TV right? Btw, will that thing rotate? or is it a fixed view unit?
Now that one you posted, the brand is something called Tenvis. Is that a good brand? Cause I have never heard about it before.

ithehappy said:
Alright. Thanks a lot guys. So if I buy a normal camera, I will need to buy DVR, a HDD, cables, power supply and all those stuffs. Nah, I am better off with the wireless one. With wireless one, I just need to plug it to a power source and it will record the data to the internal SD card, then later I can take that SD card and see the recorded stuff on my monitor or TV right? Btw, will that thing rotate? or is it a fixed view unit?
Now that one you posted, the brand is something called Tenvis. Is that a good brand? Cause I have never heard about it before.

you no need to remove sd card, you can view it on your computer remotely. if the model is has PTZ(Pan Tilt Zoom),you can move the camera with your computer or phone remotely. the main thing why sd card is because it will record without the help of pc or dvr

i don't know completely about that tenvis brand but saw some YouTube videos, i think you better contact the seller for warranty And details. many people on YouTube got replacement if there is some problem, but here in india we cant say unless we talk with the seller

you will keep camera outdoors where it rains? then go for outdoor camera

you can even try those Dlink and TPLINK cameras, but first know about warranty details.

actually i know well about these analog wired cameras as i have them, but in next month or so i want to buy a wireless camera

Alright. Thanks again. Actually I'd prefer an unit which could rotate by itself, as this will only be used in night time I won't be up to control it manually.
Yes, I need to place it somewhere where it can catch the entrance portion of my home. So in rainy seasons rain might hit it, so I think yes, an outdoor unit might be preferred.
At least you have some idea about analog ones, I don't have any idea, now I've a little, thanks to you guys.
And I'll check D-Link ones.

ithehappy said:
Alright. Thanks again. Actually I'd prefer an unit which could rotate by itself, as this will only be used in night time I won't be up to control it manually.
Yes, I need to place it somewhere where it can catch the entrance portion of my home. So in rainy seasons rain might hit it, so I think yes, an outdoor unit might be preferred.
At least you have some idea about analog ones, I don't have any idea, now I've a little, thanks to you guys.
And I'll check D-Link ones.

the feature of the unit which can rotate itself is called PTZ.
If rain hits there, there is a tenvis oudoor ip camera on ebay but no ptz, no sdcard. so you need a computer and a router running in the night to record.
or place the camera where rain wont hit it and go for tenvis iprobot 3, which has ptz, sd card recording, HD720p, but not waterproof