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[needsecurity]

Hi Everyone! I am new to the forum but have been coming to the X10 site since about July when my car started getting tampered with by a stalking neighbor. He messed my car up badly. I had to drop all my money into getting my car fixed so I wasn't able to afford a system. But now the jerk is messing with our Christmas lights by cutting the wires. I have 3 small children and my husband is at work long hours, sometimes overnights. This man has verbally harrassed me and my family and made threats but the police won't do anything without evidence.   

Can someone please tell me what I would need? The site is covered in products and I'm just lost.

This is what I would like... a camera system that will record things in low light and be motion activated and where it sends the video to my computer and automatically records and saves it. It needs to expandable to where I can eventually add a home security system (like the window and door sensors). I don't need bells and whistles, just something to catch this A-hole in the act and good enough video to where I can show the police for a positive ID and bust his butt once and for all! I just want to start with the basics. If one of the deals has what I need and includes more, that's fine. 

Please tell me the best things to get for the money and everything I'd need to get this guy caught . I don't have much money to invest so the cheapest way to get the job done is my goal.

Thanks so much to whoever takes the time to answer my post.

[HA Dave]

......... I don't need bells and whistles, just something to catch this A-hole in the act and good enough video to where I can show the police for a positive ID and bust his butt once and for all! ........

Oh yeah... and then the policeman... [or the judge] will say something and Mr A. Hole will start going to church and become a model citizen. You must live in the "land without lawyers". Actually.. he will likely only receive a ticket with a very small fine (no court date). Interestingly... if you break the law in recording his actions.... YOU could be in much more serious trouble.

I know of one lady (with a similar problem) after recording her neighbor and showing police... heard he received a ticket. But the neighbor also bought an audio/video receiver of his own. And by yelling out his window... proved that infact.. HE was the victim of stalking. She found herself in court. (I must remember to thank God for the lawyers).

I use cameras myself as part of my security setup. I like having one big honking IR camera (the IR lights glow pinkish at night) making it easy to spot. I don't record audio... as that is against the law in my state. I have MORE motion sensing floodlights than most four or five homes would. I use the same motion sensing floodlights (PR511) to trigger cameras and audio warnings. The outdoor speaker warns away tresspassers as well as giving me a heads-up inside. You can get a glimpse of the setup in my YouTube video [near the end].

My security system is only an extention of my Home Automation... I have no particular crime concerns. I wish there was a technology product [sold anywhere] that could make you safer.. but I honestly don't know of any. A couple of easy to see cameras hung too high to be tampered with and lots of extra lighting can't hurt. Good strong locks on doors and windows is really good too.

[needsecurity]

Thanks for your reply .

I live next do to a sherriff and he has advised us to get a security camera. As have the police I've had come out to the house. They said they need proof that he's the one doing these things and a camera would provide that.

The problems started when this man beat his 16 yr old daughter and was arrested and charged and we took her in since CPS didn't do anything. The day before court is the first time he messed with my car, I guess in hopes we wouldn't make it to court to testify against him. He was convicted and got probation. (our justice system at it's best) And he's been ordered to stay 150 yards from his daughter, which means him being on my property violates his probation.

As far as our interaction with him, or his other daughter, we have 100% ignored them even when the other daughter is outside yellin obscentities at myself or my children. He has set up a video camera on our house to watch his daughter. Before he beat her so badly she was in the hospital, he was known as the neighborhood pervert, spying on women who would be in their backyard doing their yard work or sun tanning, ect.

I'd like one of those motion flood cams that record when activated and have it record onto my laptop. The site has so many different products that I can't figure out which ones I need to buy. Do I have to have software in addition to the cameras? He works nights, gets off at 3am, so I know he's doing these things in the dark. Audio isn't as important I guess, just video. I'm not worried about him breaking into my house, maybe I should be. But that's also why I said I'd like something now that can be expanded to home security later on because it would give us peace of mind.

Any more advice on products to buy would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much!

[HA Dave]

.........I'd like one of those motion flood cams that record when activated and have it record onto my laptop. The site has so many different products that I can't figure out which ones I need to buy. ....

I have owned most of the X10 cameras... with the exception of the floodcam. I like all the X10 cameras Ive tried... but I haven't heard many good reviews of the flood cam. This shouldn't be confused with the X10 floodlights (PR511)... I like those.

For computer recording (the BEST quality) you can find video cards on-line for very little ($15) now.... and the needed software should come supplied. I haven't tried the video-card inputs yet... but have heard great things about them.

You can also record to an old VCR or even a DVD recorder using a variety of X10 motion sensors and an X10 VCR Commander.

Lights are important with cameras.... lots of lights. If you can't shed a bunch of light where it will be needed... look for (non-X10) IR cameras. Here is a good [yet low priced] IR camera from Sam's Club http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=335252&pCatg=5867 Since your problem person also knows cameras... I would use wired cameras.

X10 makes a pan & Tilt mount called a ninja. They can be alter a bit to hold a not-to-large IR camera. Many of us have done this.... and it's awesome. The pre-set function also allows the user to change the area/place to where the camera "points".

Hope this is a help of a start...