Video Surveillance With Linux?

[Carl Youngblood]

My company, Confreaks, using high-end remote control Sony surveillance
cameras when we record conferences.  They have a great zoom level and
good low light support, but they are not cheap:

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/302318-REG/Sony_EVID70_EVI_D70_1_4_CCD_Color.html

The main reason we use these is that their servos allow for a lot
smoother movements than most surveillance cameras and their zoom is
really good, but they may not be right for you.

Carl

On Mon, Apr 21, 2008 at 1:37 PM, Brandon Beattie
<brandon+plug at beatties.us> wrote:
>  Good cameras can be expensive if you need decent night vision distance
>  (50+ feet).  I've spent several hundred on a single camera to get the
>  540x720 resolution and great night clarity but if I had to do it over
>  again I would put in two lower cost cameras for half the cost.  Camera
>  quality does very greatly but try to find something around 480 lines of
>  verticle resolution, many cameras like the ones from costco area super
>  cheap 380 lines and the quality isn't great. Cameras with the Sony HID
>  chips are really good, sharp chips are okay (it's sometimes hard to find
>  out which chip cameras have).
>
>  One of the most limiting factors in picking a camera will be the lens.
>  Most cheap cameras don't have a wide angle on them so design out how
>  you'll aim them before you buy the cameras.  Cameras with lens that can
>  be swapped usually start around $200 each.
>
>  If you don't need the highest quality cameras you can go with super
>  cheap ones and it may work fine.  The higher cost cameras buy you
>  distance, clarity, color, and the ability to get wider angles so if
>  you don't need those you can get away with cheaper cameras.