We've begun a renovation and removed all the sheetrock and insulation in the house. I'll be installing a surveillance system and want to make the most of the opportunity to have free access to all the walls, ceiling and attic. I'm also installing home automation, security system, CAT6 throughout, network hardware, and media room. I've been working with a local installer here in the Dallas area and I'd like advice beyond this one source.
The current proposal is to use:
- Luma (SnapAV) for surveillance (not impressed)
- Araknis (SnapAV) or Pakedge for networking (seems overpriced)
- Control4 for home automation and media room functions (also overpriced)
- Alarm.com for security
My current intention is to go with:
- Synology NAS running Surveillance Station
- Axis or Vivotek IP cameras
- Panoramic fisheye cameras on each exterior corner and one in the living room
- PTZ dome cameras at the front door and one bedroom (where the dog spends his days)
- Considering separate IR illuminators; particularly because I have issues with bugs/spider webs on outdoor cameras with onboard IR.
- eero or similar mesh WiFi solution
- Apple HomeKit compatible locks, lighting, etc. for home automation
- Alarm.com for security (without video integration)
I currently own a Synology DS214play and have been testing Surveillance Station with two IP cameras. The software is very powerful, but it seems very sluggish and can be temperamental. Perhaps my NAS is outdated or the disks are wearing out, but if it struggles with two cameras, how can I expect it to perform with seven or eight? I'm also not impressed with the iOS app. Its notifications aren't informative and features are limited. Does anyone have experience with Synology (good/bad) they can share? Are there similarly capable, similarly priced NVRs that you prefer? iOS app is important.
I've only recently joined IPVM, but I've learned more about the limitations of panoramic fisheye cameras. It makes sense that, when focused on the same area, even a 12MP panoramic camera wouldn't have great resolution compared to a dome camera (since the panoramic camera is also capturing way more area). Considering that, I'm now leaning toward dome or bullet cameras outdoors; perhaps with one or two fisheye cameras in areas I want to monitor, but don't necessarily care about the lower resolution.
So happy to have discovered this site. So far it's well worth the money. Thanks!