My neighborhood used to be pretty safe, and has been pretty safe since most folks around here are retired and stay home and do yard work, that is, up until recently.  Our neighborhood had a couple of cars that were broken into within the last month, and yesterday some jacka$$ went though and opened/searched the storage sheds in my garage and stole the only thing of real value:  a Ryobi power drill set worth about $150.  But that is replaceable.  The real worry is that it occurred right after I left for work in the morning and while my mother was at home.   Had my mom went to garage and seen the perp, she may have been harmed.  It is sad we have to resort to doing this but it has come to the point where there is no risk too large to be taken for granted and we are willing to invest some $$$ for video surveillance.  We will look into other options like a garage door and/or fencing but right now I am interested in a reliable surveillance system with specific features. 

I have been researching Amazon, etc, for a video camera surveillance system.  There are some decent systems with good reviews but most of them require at least a power line running from camera to power source.   This is difficult considering the places where I would like to place cameras are not exactly close to  any power outlets.  And also would like to place cameras out of reach of intruders.   I want to set up a completely wire-free system with 4 cameras.   Does anyone have experience or suggestions on completely wire-free systems?   I know costco has the "Arlo" package, any thoughts on this system? 

Below is a list of some features I prefer:

1. Battery operated or solar or rechargeable and completely wire free cameras
2. 3-4 cameras
3. Network Video Recording or DVR with at least 1 terabyte hard drive or cloud storage of at least 7 days, preferably 1 month, with no monthly service/subscription fee
4. easy to connect to monitor and internet
5. ability to view using mobile device (my phone) via dedicated APP
6. prefer 1080p resolution but 720p or 960p  is ok
7. night vision (most cameras will be equipped with this feature)
8. motion detection so it records only when get action

Also, not sure how my internet connection would factor in,  right now i have shi++y  HawaiianTel,  but plan to upgrade to Spectrum very soon, any thoughts on how internet connection may factor in?

Thank you folks, I am trying to set this up ASAP since the perps may come back and steal more or potentially do more harm than steal,  I can always count on the preppers and professionals on this forum for fast and reliable advice of which I am very grateful!   

Internet speed can be a  factor.  When I pull my WYZE from my phone, I noticed on weekend nights it takes a little longer to transmit the video than normal.  Not that much, but I do notice.

So this could be  a factor if someone breaks into your home and seconds matter.

But it's not a huge delay like the MSD shooting in FL.  IIRC there was a 10 minute lag.  So PD thought Cruz was still roaming the halls, but he was already at McDonalds eating and wondering why no one arrested him yet.

I would recommend Blink for all the features you are looking for.  It sends the recording to the cloud, so even if they stole the camera, the recording will still be there.  If you get a HD system and they steal it, you won't have any recording of the event.  Blink uses a lithium AA battery that lasts 2 years.

Arlos have mediocre battery consumption. A WiFi link is OK but not that secure. An IP based camera has a lot of features based on software and can do a lot for a lot less $$$. That what all these Arlos and Rings are. A game cam with a cellular capability would be ideal in your situation. Or if you want to tinker a Particle IoT board with mesh.

I’m a fan of Nest products. I have them in my dad’s house and they have worked well, good features, resolution, recording, etc. They have battery run outdoor cameras that many of my friends use in Hawaii and the mainland. They aren’t cheap, but they seem proven.

A couple of good friends live in PC and Waipio areas. Those areas seem to be getting targeted more and more often. Was talking to my dad’s neighbor the other day and seems like reports of breaking when people are home are getting more common. Sounds similar neighborhood to yours where many retired folks who are at home during the day. Heard many stories like yours where someone left for the day and then someone broke in and their parent or older relative was home. They are getting much more brazen.

Zmodo from amazon had clear picture and video feed with my old router. I returned it as the motion detection was not consistent enough to be considered reliable. Others on Amazon had better luck. Maybe mine was defective.

Arlos have mediocre battery consumption. A WiFi link is OK but not that secure. An IP based camera has a lot of features based on software and can do a lot for a lot less $$$. That what all these Arlos and Rings are. A game cam with a cellular capability would be ideal in your situation. Or if you want to tinker a Particle IoT board with mesh.

what do you mean arlo has "mediocre" power consumtion?   do yo mean it uses a lot of power so it has to be recharged often?   or do you mean it has minimal power consumption and does not need to be re-cahrged often?

The first question I'd ask is what do you think a video system will do to protect you, your family, and your property?
Reaction is always slower than action.
My solution was a perimeter Hog style fence, with barbed wire,  gated,  warning signs, and multiple dogs.
Multiple free roaming dogs( I have 5)  My dogs are "doorbells" , I don't have vicious breeds.
Down side is they bark at anything and feeding them, but they are good company and
keep the rats down.
Back on the mainland I knew a guy who lived where dogs were very limited by CCRs,
so he got peacocks.  Geese are also good guards.
Granted animals are a chore and you have to watch where you walk,
but think about it, if the SHTF,  you have something to eat.

what do you mean arlo has "mediocre" power consumtion?   do yo mean it uses a lot of power so it has to be recharged often?   or do you mean it has minimal power consumption and does not need to be re-cahrged often?

yes. Especially when it triggers often. Need to recharge often.

The first question I'd ask is what do you think a video system will do to protect you, your family, and your property?
Reaction is always slower than action.
My solution was a perimeter Hog style fence, with barbed wire,  gated,  warning signs, and multiple dogs.
Multiple free roaming dogs( I have 5)  My dogs are "doorbells" , I don't have vicious breeds.
Down side is they bark at anything and feeding them, but they are good company and
keep the rats down.
Back on the mainland I knew a guy who lived where dogs were very limited by CCRs,
so he got peacocks.  Geese are also good guards.
Granted animals are a chore and you have to watch where you walk,
but think about it, if the SHTF,  you have something to eat.

good question,  i have a dog, non-viscious, in fact she perked up when the guy was burgling my house but did not bark so my mom did not think anything of it,  she thought it was the neighbors,  anyways,  more dogs were an option but my mom no like take care, and i have chickens already so im ahead of the game as far as prepping goes.

to answer your question:  the ability to see areas outside of my house without actually having to go outside.  a $500 investment that would give me that ability would be priceless, compared to spending 1000s on fencing and walls and guns which also are not garanteed. 

bottom line  thanks for asking the hard question,  i am still interested in finding a solution for camera surveillance...   

If on a budget, I would go Nest. I saw Samsung IP at SAMS club. It wired to a main unit so no power is need at camera location. Works pretty good. I use Lifeline Alarm and CCTV to do my home. Professional IP FLIR and smart cameras. I do not care if it’s larger than smaller type. I want the crooks to know I have them. I have no blind spots. I own the day and night, security is my main concern for my family and protect my weapons and property. Spend more if you can, if you can’t Id the crook, no can catch them.

good question,  i have a dog, non-viscious, in fact she perked up when the guy was burgling my house but did not bark so my mom did not think anything of it,  she thought it was the neighbors,  anyways,  more dogs were an option but my mom no like take care, and i have chickens already so im ahead of the game as far as prepping goes.

to answer your question:  the ability to see areas outside of my house without actually having to go outside.  a $500 investment that would give me that ability would be priceless, compared to spending 1000s on fencing and walls and guns which also are not garanteed. 

bottom line  thanks for asking the hard question,  i am still interested in finding a solution for camera surveillance...   

I understand.  You want to have a visual so you can call 911 and
not wander out with a shotgun to confront.
My 911 response here can be up to 1/2 hour.
So I ignore Oahu rules.
look up
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ubiquiti_Networks
I don't know how much area you want to cover,
but I can cover over a Kilometer with mine.
They have solar stuff.

Get the highest resolution cameras you can afford.  It uses more memory, but if your not on constant recording its not too bad.
We had a couple cars broken into in my area and a few homes had cameras, HPD will ask if you can review your footage for any evidence and the higher resolution will make a difference.
I wanted a wireless system at first, but went with a wired system due to battery life on cameras.  I have the cameras, monitor, recorder, and router hooked up to those APC type battery banks and thats hooked up to my solar battery back up system for my home.  Its not perfect due to internet goes down and I wont have remote acess, but someone is always home and could see the cameras (Buys Time).

check out these IoT boards.
https://store.particle.io/
Instead of having something passive as a surveillance system maybe you can have it trigger something i.e. lights, siren, alert SMS etc.

My ultimate security


because bad guys coming into my home don't deserve HOPE

My 911 response here can be up to 1/2 hour.

How do you get such a fast 911 response?  A cop told my friend in my subdivision to not sell all his guns and keep at least one
because it would take at least 45 minutes to get out there.

after much research i determined that most  security camera surveillance systems can be categorized into 3 groups:
1. wired:  each cameras required a hard wire for power leading to a power source,  and a hard wire for video leading to the recording device (DVR/NVR)
2. wireless:  misleading because the term only refers to the way the video is transmitted, in other words, requires only a hard wire to a power source/outlet
3. wire free:  (Arlo)  battery operated cameras that do not require a hard wire to power source and transmits video to recording device via wi-fi

you can say that option 2 "wireless" is a hybrid of the other 2 types.

I would prefer a "wire free" system like Arlo provides BUT, and its a BIG BUT  ,  Arlo is not capable of hooking up a monitor to the home base,  you can only access the live video feed or recorded snippets via the APP on smart phone or computer and REQUIRES INTERNET CONNECTION,  this is a huge drawback that I assume Arlo will fix later.  In other words,  I cannot hook up a monitor to the home base to see live feed, there is no video/VGA output,  you would need to access the live feed on a device that has internet connection (which happens often because HiTel blows).   and if the internet goes out, you would be unable to access the feed.   Also Arlo does not have hard drive storage, only cloud storage and only up to 7 days with the free version.

having a monitor hooked up to see live feed is essential.  if i hear a bump in the night i'd much rather run to the monitor and see live feed than fumble and log into the app on my phone. 

this issue with the "wireless" and "wired" system is installation. wiring would require holes to be cut through walls that i don't want holes in.

So i came to a conclusion, I will go with the "wireless" system and have the power lines installed professionally, this way not as many holes would need to be cut, only the holes for the power lines, and the base that comes with that system would allow for a monitor to be hooked up via VGA output.
 

Another option would be using IP cameras that use power-over-ethernet (PoE).  Data and power are transmitted over a single ethernet cable.  This would eliminate your need to install electrical at the camera's location.  With this type of setup you can have an NVR w/local monitoring.  The downside is that type of camera setup is not easy to configure, but if you have a tech-inclined friend he/she could probably help you get it set up.

Another option would be using IP cameras that use power-over-ethernet (PoE).  Data and power are transmitted over a single ethernet cable.  This would eliminate your need to install electrical at the camera's location.  With this type of setup you can have an NVR w/local monitoring.  The downside is that type of camera setup is not easy to configure, but if you have a tech-inclined friend he/she could probably help you get it set up.

I agree with IP cameras and get professional install. I tried wireless and get interference from my home phone. So I went wired budget CCTV and not that great for night. So I spent as much as a Barrrett 50 for my system. Super clear. Get Smart IP for main area and smaller for other areas. Talk to local CCTV company and get a free quote, then decide if you want it and install it yourself. 

Another option would be using IP cameras that use power-over-ethernet (PoE).  Data and power are transmitted over a single ethernet cable.  This would eliminate your need to install electrical at the camera's location.  With this type of setup you can have an NVR w/local monitoring.  The downside is that type of camera setup is not easy to configure, but if you have a tech-inclined friend he/she could probably help you get it set up.

PoE was an option but still need to wire each camera to the NVR device...   Wanted a system with the least wiring and drilling holes...   thanks for suggestions!