Open source software for managing and recording IP cameras.

Sconsey

Hi,

I am planning on setting up two cameras, indoors, pointing out two windows to cover front and side doors of house. I would like to bodge together a solution myself as opposed to buying a kit. I am not at all willing to buy any kind of hardware that requires an ongoing subscription.

I plan on getting two POE IP cameras and connecting them back to the home router via ethernet. I am wondering about software for managing and recording the cameras. Could anyone recommend some open source software (Windows or Linux) to do the job? I am only really interested in something to manage recording, I don't need remote access or anything like that. I plan to get a small PC to host this on, with one or two terabytes of storage, local storage only, I don't need cloud backup.

Bonus question! if anyone has built anything like this yourself, what hardware did you go for to host the software? Are there any pre-made boxes? I don't really want to build a full PC if I can avoid it.

Thanks

munsterfan2

I use Frigate, in docker in a small intel box. https://docs.frigate.video/frigate/installation/

cromelex

Frigate is supposed to be great for this. And if you had something like a google coral, you can even have it run AI image recognition (ie, face detection etc).

niallb

Frigate looks good, though I've used more basic ones myself as I didn't have the power for such an AI based solution. Years ago I tried zoneminder and motioneye on a raspberry pi.

It's easily installed on a basic PC - very easily as a home assistant addon which gives you loads of other options too.

Keep an eye out for something like a Dell 3070, 7060 micro form factor.

Do you have anything already that might be suitable like a laptop with a broken screen?

If you're certain you only need two cameras, you could also consider buying a new or second hand Synology NAS.

Synology has an app called "Surveillance Station" which manages the recording and scheduling of a huge range of IP cameras.

Buying any Synology NAS that supports the app includes lifetime license for the first two cameras so there's no ongoing cost.

You can add cameras as a once off license payment if you like. A new enough Synolgy NAS can alternatively install Frigate directly.

Sconsey

Thank you all for responses, lots to work through here. I have a desktop PC I could use to host this, Can get my hands on an older laptop but am happy to spend a few euro for a dedicated box that would suit the job and be low power consumption. A NAS might fit the bill. Thanks again.

Sconsey

Follow-up question if anyone can answer please….

I did a bit more digging and now I am torn between using a Linux box or getting a dedicated NVR. I am broadly aware of the pro's and con's of each, my question is about networking.

Looking at the network diagrams for NVR's it appears you should run a cable from each camera back to the NVR, and connect them directly. I was kind of planning on running my cameras back to a network switch which is connected to the router.

I assume if I go the Linux-box/Friagte option I can connect the cameras to a switch on the network and let the router manage DHCP for the cameras and box.

For an NVR, I could connect the box to a switch or router, but are NVR's configurable to manage/record cameras on the netwok or do they only see cameras that are directly attached to the NVR box? I understand that the answer may depend on the software on the NVR, but would be interested to hear anyone's experience of either scenario in terms of reliability, etc.

Thanks

hesker

I have one camera connected to an NVR and then to router. App on phone allows me to review footage. Config was through a web interface if I recall correctly.

Has been 100% reliable over last 4 years.

niallb

Depending on the NVR there are two good reasons you might want to plug directly into it.

For a start, many of the cameras available are not running on an ethernet cable, but on coaxial with a combined power supply feed. There is then a single ethernet cable going to your switch and the DVR provides the network stream rather than the camera. You'll usually have a bundle of DC power jacks to make this happen.

A second reason to run network cameras back directly is that the NVR might support supplying power to attached network cameras. The power supplied is often as passive DC voltage and is not the same as that provided by a standards compliant PoE switch.

bikermartin

For managing and recording, check out ZoneMinder or MotionEye. They're open-source and should do the job well. As for hardware, consider a NUC or Raspberry Pi. You can also look into pre-made NAS devices.