General > General Technical Chat
Pitfalls with home CCTV systems
John B:
I'm doing some research for a home installation of a CCTV system. It's not for me specifically (I'm just giving advice), and it will be done by a professional installer, so I assume it's a common brand name install like Swann or something (but I have to check exactly what system it is).
When they started questioning where the internet connection was, it piqued my interest though. I'm reminded of the pitfalls of companies mandating internet integration of their products, and the security risks of having a company being able to access your home cameras. Or reliance on long term subscription fees with minimal local hard drive storage etc.
Just wondering if there are some obvious issues I should know with specific companies, or in general with modern CCTV installations?
themadhippy:
--- Quote ---Just wondering if there are some obvious issues I should know with specific companies, or in general with modern CCTV installations?
--- End quote ---
power draw,a mate asked me to check the electrics in his unit as the leccy bill had jumped fairly substantially,only thing that had recently changed was new cctv.Turns out it was drawing nearly 300w,24 hours a day 7 days a week,around 50 units a week.
Ed.Kloonk:
--- Quote from: John B on July 28, 2022, 11:18:44 pm ---When they started questioning where the internet connection was, it piqued my interest though. I'm reminded of the pitfalls of companies mandating internet integration of their products, and the security risks of having a company being able to access your home cameras. Or reliance on long term subscription fees with minimal local hard drive storage etc.
--- End quote ---
The suggestion I have is that we should always specify that the security system is being installed in a remote location with poor net connection if any at all. If any company cannot hop that first hurdle, move on to next.
NiHaoMike:
--- Quote from: themadhippy on July 28, 2022, 11:49:42 pm ---power draw,a mate asked me to check the electrics in his unit as the leccy bill had jumped fairly substantially,only thing that had recently changed was new cctv.Turns out it was drawing nearly 300w,24 hours a day 7 days a week,around 50 units a week.
--- End quote ---
How do you make a home CCTV system that uses 300W? Was it mining crypto by any chance?
onsenwombat:
--- Quote from: Ed.Kloonk on July 29, 2022, 01:21:46 am ---
--- Quote from: John B on July 28, 2022, 11:18:44 pm ---When they started questioning where the internet connection was, it piqued my interest though. I'm reminded of the pitfalls of companies mandating internet integration of their products, and the security risks of having a company being able to access your home cameras. Or reliance on long term subscription fees with minimal local hard drive storage etc.
--- End quote ---
The suggestion I have is that we should always specify that the security system is being installed in a remote location with poor net connection if any at all. If any company cannot hop that first hurdle, move on to next.
--- End quote ---
This is a good suggestion. Having your CCTVs hooked in public internet is as red as a flag can be. People, don't do it. If you need online access to the system, have a "well secured" gateway computer isolating them.
Many of these companies are questionable (some countries have had cases where the staff has been eavesdropping on their customers). The hardware is probably questionable in terms of security. So is any and every piece of software running the system. So yeah, offline all the way.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version