Anyone use a system they like in either of these items?
Small 1800 sq ft dine in delivery carry out. 3 doors seats roughly 60
I recently did a new build out (only 1000 sq feet and some outside cameras) and we installed a wired 16 camera video system from www.lorextechnology.com ourselves. It was “relatively” simple to setup and has served us well. There can be so much variance in video system’s that it is hard to tell what you really need. This one seemed to a couple steps above your standard big box store security system and yet still reasonably priced. They do have and allow remote access…but I have not been away from store long enough yet to bother to set it up. We simply use a DVR box and a monitor that were supplied with the system. Biggest pain in all this was and will be running all of the overhead wires, but short of using all IP based camera’s there probably isn’t much way around that. I believe they DO offer IP based cameras as well, but of course the price increases. Once I bought the system, there is no ongoing bill, so for me it sure beat ADT or other security system where I would pay a monthly fee FOREVER - I have probably already broke even on that type of scenario. I do not have any experience with the wireless speakers, but would like to do something similar so I too would love input on this!
Thanks for the feedback! So you’re saying run the camera wire now while ceiling is open? I just worry about inspectors having some bullshit problem with it since it isn’t on my plans.
Just keep your camera wiring out of the power-wiring bundle and you should be good, if I recall correctly there needs to be a separation of high & low voltage wiring, there is some wiggle room with “Signal” wiring .
Do you plan to use coax or cat-5 for you security wiring?
Cat 5
Yes, certainly before the ceiling is up! We ran all of our wiring AFTER our electrical (rough in and final I believe) inspections - but with ceiling open, then put ceiling tile up and had our building final. No one ever asked, but I completely understand your concern. Our plans showed where computers and phones would be, but not specifically where our low voltage wires would run. We did run them all down one central (and neatly held together) bundle down center of the store, so the were pretty neat and insulated from anything else. You might also run the wires before sealing the ceiling (keep them above ceiling, but accessible) but not put actual cameras in place. That would be a little less conspicuous if you had reason to think someone might give you a hard time. I think GotRocks is probably correct that as long as high and low voltage are separate you shouldn’t be hassled, but inspections are never rooted in rational thinking! For what it is worth our system came with coax wiring.
Take what i say with the understanding that every city/county/state is different but…
Years ago when i worked as an electrician, low voltage setups could be done by anyone. And as long as the wires did not intersect or follow standard wiring, you were free to do it how ever you pleased. Every inspector i came across would never even blink an eye at low voltage wiring as long as it stayed away from us.
My advice is to use Cat5 and label it, either with colored electrical tape, or just write on the ends with a sharpie. Keep it up and away from the tiles, but still accessible and if you can run it all as one bundle it would make it easier. Zip ties are your friend (just do not tighten them all the way down, use them to make a loop to hold the wire in).
Thanks for that info! I will store for future reference.
Get Dropcams
They run on wifi… dropcam.com
Dont overthink Cameras… Are you wanting them to see if employees are being lazy? or to catch robber or emplyee stealing? A few of the drop cames should work good and you can record to the cloud… no worry about a DVR crashing or having to upgrade.
As far as speakers goes… If you use a Ipod and load it with a bunch of songs or wifi into a radio stations feed you should be fine…
but check this out
I thought that was cool!
Dropcam seems interesting, but the reviews on those speakers make me suspect. Although they do look cool.
Be careful playing a personal music library in a commercial setting, if you do not pay the licensing fees to BMI and/or Ascap (SP?), there is a penalty involved.
Commercial radio is legal, as is internet radio.
We actually use iTunes radio, it works well for us,
you can customize the station rather nicely by choosing “Never play this song again” or “Play more like this” to get just the right mix.
In addition to this information recalling from my days as a telephone man, If the airspace above the tiles is used as return air there may be a concern with the exposed low voltage wires giving off noxious gas in case of a fire.