Hello Dave,
Thanks for posting your query, let's see if we can give you some options to consider:
I think the most cost-effective solution for an outdoor wireless camera would be to use a Y-cam in a shell. Let's illustrate that with a few links:
Y-cam black - wireless network camera with built in IR LEDs for see-in-the-dark performance.
Y-cam Knight also available - same thing, different plastic body colour that's all.
And recently launched, a new model with the added ability to store video locally on an SD memory card;
Y-cam black SD and
Y-cam Knight SD.
To weatherproof any of these and make them suitable for outdoor use, Y-cam provide the
Y-cam shell camera housing.
OK, that is option one for your wireless outdoor camera.
Right, bear in mind that these are all
network cameras, you will need a wireless network to connect them to. Typically this wireless network will exist because you already have an internet connection in your home and have been provided with a wireless router by your internet service provider. If not, there are several options to achieve a wireless network e.g. replace the router with a wireless router, or add a wireless access point to your wired network.
Assuming you have a wireless network, then it is simple enough to connect the Y-cam to that network, and then to view and record your camera on a PC which is also connected to that network (free software to do this is provided with the Y-cam camera).
Option 2 - you could use mains networking rather than wireless networking. It is possible to use Homeplug adapters to utilise your existing in-house mains wiring as a computer network - you just buy a couple of adapters, and wherever you plug them in they create network points for you.
This would allow you to use wired network cameras, rather than wireless.
A well-proven wired network camera all-in-one solution would be the
ACTi ACM-1231.
Again, ACTi cameras are supplied with free CCTV recording software to allow you to view and record your camera on any PC connected to the home network (or even remotely from across the internet from any other location in the world).
Some people don't like to leave a PC running 24/7 to fulfill this function, so the thing to do then is to use a network video recorder such as the
QNAP NVR-104V. This is a simple fit and forget device for recording your network cameras.
Hopefully the product pages that those links take you to will help you to see and understand how it all comes together
If it raises more questions then please don't hesitate to come back for more ...
We now have videos on many of the product pages which will provide additional information to help you understand what the product does or how it performs, just scroll down the product page to find the video and watch it right there on the product page.
And, if you have any queries about a particular product, you can now click the link near the top of the product page to 'ask about this product'.
Hope that helps ...
