A camera system for a family house: cameras, recorder, storage

Four cameras make a starting plan to cover the entrance, the gate, the driveway and the garden, with a PoE recorder and a surveillance hard drive. The actual number depends on the plot and the views you want. The camera system builder shows the price of the assembled system at today’s prices.

How many cameras, and where

Four cameras cover the typical points: the front door, the street gate, the driveway and the back garden or terrace. A fifth is needed on a long plot or when the garage has a separate entrance. Choose the recorder by camera count: the TC-R3105 has five channels with four PoE ports; the TC-R3108 has eight channels with eight PoE ports. If you may expand later, the eight-channel one is the better start.

Which camera

There are three forms, each in 2 and 4 MP. The turret camera and the bullet camera are for outdoors, under eaves and on walls; the dome camera for ceilings and covered spots. The 4 MP image can keep more detail when zoomed in, but whether a face or a number plate is recognisable also depends on distance, viewing angle and light. All are full color: in the dark they light the area with white light, so the image can stay in colour.

Recorder and hard drive

A PoE recorder supplies power and carries the video on one cable, so the camera needs no separate socket. The hard drive should be a surveillance drive built for continuous writing: WD Purple or Seagate SkyHawk.

Using the calculator’s planning value (4096 kb/s per camera at 4 MP, 2048 kb/s at 2 MP), four 4 MP cameras recording continuously write about 176.8 GB a day, 5.3 TB over thirty days: that calls for a 6 TB drive. At 2 MP it is about 88.4 GB a day and 2.7 TB over thirty days, which fits on a 4 TB drive. This is an estimate; the calculation is in the storage article.

Wired or Wi-Fi

A wired PoE system gets power and network on one cable and does not depend on Wi-Fi coverage. For a house this is what we recommend: network cable (Cat5e or Cat6) runs from the cameras to the recorder, up to 100 metres.

Do you need an installer?

Not for choosing the parts: the builder picks the recorder and the drive from the number and form of the cameras and the retention days. Mounting is drilling and cable runs. If you would rather not do that, call an installer; the setup steps are in the installation step by step article.

How much it costs

The price depends on the number and resolution of the cameras, the recorder and the size of the drive. The camera system builder totals today’s prices of the chosen parts and puts them in the cart with one button. Prices are also shown on the product pages.

Frequently asked questions

How many cameras does a family house need?

Four cameras make a starting plan: entrance, gate, driveway, garden. Five on a long plot or with a separate garage entrance; the final number depends on the plot and the views.

Do you need an installer for the camera system?

Not for choosing the parts; mounting takes drilling and cable runs. If you would rather not do that, call an installer.

How much footage does the system store?

It depends on the size of the hard drive. Using the calculator’s planning value, continuous recording from four 4 MP cameras for thirty days is about 5.3 TB; motion-triggered recording takes less.

Do you need 2 or 4 megapixel cameras?

The 4 MP image can keep more detail when you zoom in. Whether a number plate or a face is recognisable also depends on distance, viewing angle and light. Where you will need to zoom into the footage later, 4 MP is the better start.

How much does a camera system for a family house cost?

The camera system builder shows it at today’s prices, by number of cameras, resolution and retention days.