Video surveillance in an apartment building, legal or not, how to install, technical aspects

Even in a prosperous neighborhood, the entrances of apartment buildings always remain a place where you always have to think about safety and tranquility. Hooligans, drug addicts, groups of teenagers who leave behind mountains of husks, cigarette butts, beer bottles, people who put up all sorts of advertisements, those who like to draw on walls, sociable adherents of sects - this is not a complete list of those whom none of the residents wants to see. Installing video surveillance in the entrance on the floor makes it possible to significantly reduce the flow of unwanted visitors, as well as record all events.

From the material you will learn:

Main tasks and methods of organizing video surveillance in an apartment building

Of course, the main objectives of the system are the safety of residents and the safety of property, which are achieved by constantly recording everything that happens in the entrances (who enters and exits), on landings, attics and basements, nearby parking lots, on playgrounds and even in the local area territories.

In an apartment building, you can organize the operation of a video surveillance system in several ways:

1. Equipping a security room and hiring appropriate personnel. All information from video cameras is received on the monitor screen and stored on hard drives to which only security personnel have access.
2. There is no security room or concierge in the house, and video surveillance is organized in such a way that access to cameras and video archives is provided to all residents of the house online. At the same time, restrictions are introduced on access to viewing certain cameras. Some cameras can be viewed by all residents, for example, a playground or a parking lot, while others can only be viewed by certain persons (residents only of a certain entrance or on their own landing). To view the video filmed during the day and monitor the general situation in the house, one or more activists are assigned, who, in turn, devoting up to 30 minutes of time, will monitor what suspicious events occurred in the house during the day. To simplify the work, you will need to activate video recording using motion sensors.
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The first method is not very common and in most cases is suitable for luxury high-rise buildings, where residents can afford specialized security or a concierge.

The second method involves online video surveillance, which means you can watch the video from anywhere in the world, just have a laptop, smartphone, tablet or other mobile device nearby, or just a computer, and of course Internet access. Although in the first method this possibility can also be organized.

We will dwell on the second method in more detail later, since it is more convenient and advanced and has several implementation methods.

But before you talk about IP video surveillance in an apartment building, you need to figure out how legal it is, so as not to get into trouble.

Video surveillance system parameters

A video surveillance system at the entrance can scare away many who are ready to commit illegal actions. However, there is not always a need to install real equipment. Sometimes it is enough to install a dummy video surveillance device or hang a sign announcing video surveillance. Mostly it works, but what about drug addicts? Here you should not hope for the expected effect. Use real equipment if you really want to protect yourself. This will require some knowledge regarding video cameras, since they have different characteristics.

Permission

The recording quality depends on this parameter. A low-resolution image cannot serve as evidence of a crime. This characteristic can be neglected in one case - there is round-the-clock surveillance, where the main task is to scare away unwanted guests and nothing more. If the recording is to become evidence of hooliganism, then a high-resolution camera will be required.

Location

Incorrect installation of cameras reduces the benefits of using video surveillance systems. Installation requires a meaningful approach, when there is a diagram of the arrangement of system elements that must be followed. If the camera, for example, is installed too high, then you will only get a general view of a person. The viewing angle will be too large, which will not make it possible to determine even the height of the alleged offender. Viewing angle, focusing The landing is a small space, so to cover its perimeter you need to take care of a wide camera viewing angle. As for focusing, you should not choose models with a lens larger than 2.8 mm. This is enough to provide a complete overview of the landing.

External cameras

External cameras are used to monitor the area adjacent to the house, in order to determine who comes and goes, which also applies to cars leaving and approaching. A general overview is guaranteed by cameras equipped with a wide-angle lens. If you need to identify license plates, then high-resolution devices are essential, which must be coupled with a narrower viewing angle, increased focal length and IR illumination for night work. The installation location for external cameras is the courtyard area at the entry and exit points. A speed bump can be a good help in this case, forcing you to reduce speed, which improves the reading of license plates.

Event Tracking

Without viewing recordings from cameras, there is no need to install such equipment. There is no point in using a video surveillance system if there is no one to monitor the recorded events. There must be someone in charge of this process. It is advisable to review the recorded material daily. It takes organization, but it's worth it. The right approach reduces viewing time; no more than 30 minutes are spent per day. To do this, do the following:

• — activate the motion detector using a special program;
• — configure sensitive areas of the frame when movement recorded in them triggers an alarm. Such areas include mailboxes, radiators, elevator doors and platbands that are used by drug pawners.

On video: Setting up video camera recording using a motion sensor.

Contacts with the police

Video recording of the actions of persons committing offenses punishable by law at the entrance or in the local area is meaningless if you do not contact the police about this. To increase the effectiveness of such requests, attach to the application not a video recording, but still frames where the faces of unwanted guests are clearly visible. Police officers respond faster to information with a large number of clarifications, which simplifies their work. Include the date, time, and other facts that help reveal identities. If you have any idea who it might be, be sure to include that information in your application.

Important! Catching unwanted guests, even as a one-time action, brings success. Third parties are beginning to avoid entrances equipped with video monitoring elements.

How legal is this?

Organizing video surveillance in an apartment building is not prohibited by law, but even before equipping your home with a system, you need to know that:

1. Video cameras should not be hidden by disguising them under any objects, building structures, or mounted in walls for inconspicuousness. They should be clearly visible from a fairly large distance. Accordingly, special signs must be installed indicating video surveillance is being conducted.
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2. Before installing a system to monitor the situation in the local area and other areas of an apartment building, it is necessary to gather not only residents, but also all owners of non-residential premises. The goal is to hold a general meeting with an agenda about installing a video surveillance system and determining locations for installing cameras. Also at the meeting, important technical issues are discussed, such as the availability of screens and ways to view recordings, camera operating hours, online access procedures, etc.
3. The minutes of the meeting must include: the owner’s consent to install a video surveillance system, its technical capabilities and the location of the cameras, the procedure and terms for storing recordings, as well as access to them, and the cost of the work.

When holding a meeting, it is important to remember that it is considered legitimate when at least ½ of the total number of residents and owners of premises in the house take part in it.

But according to Article 46 of the Housing Code of the Russian Federation and its first part, video surveillance cameras are common property in an apartment building, and at least 2/3 of the total number of residents and other owners in the building must vote for the ownership and commissioning of such objects.

For example, 150 families live in an apartment building. 75 representatives came to the meeting, which means it is considered legal, but it will not be possible to make a decision to install CCTV cameras in the house; it is necessary that there be at least 100 owners at the meeting who would not be against installing such a system in the house.

If these rules are not followed, problems may arise in court in the future, which will lead to the dismantling of the system.

As for townhouses (multi-level apartments in a building with separate passages, another name is “Blocked Houses”), at the legislative level the legal status of such houses in the Russian Federation has not yet been determined, so before installing video surveillance in them and in the surrounding area, follow the recommendations indicated higher.

In general, you should definitely read the housing code; below is an excerpt from it.

Project budget - how much it will cost

You can try to estimate the minimum costs for several standard situations:

• External analog video camera with a resolution of 540 TVL (color)/600 TVL (black and white shooting mode) (NV), 5 internal cameras 600 TVL (VK), 8-channel video recorder (VR), power supply for the entrance of a 5-story building with 3 apartments on the site. Cameras with IR illumination. Estimated cost = 22,000 rubles, including cable and connectors + 8 thousand rubles. for installation work = 30 thousand rubles, i.e. 2 thousand rubles each from the owner of the apartment.
• 2 analog NK 600 TVL, 11 dome VC (2 per floor + entrance to the basement), 16-channel VR, 2 power supplies, cable, connectors for a 5-story building with 4 apartments on the site and protruding building structures of the floors that do not allow organizing shooting with 1 camera. About 60 thousand rubles. with work or 3 thousand rubles. from the apartment.
• 2 digital NK, 9 VK with HD 720p (1280x720 pixels) recording quality, digital VR with 16 video inputs, 12 V power supplies, cable, connectors for a 9-story building with 4 apartments on the site. Cameras with motion detector and IR illumination. The cost with work is within 90 thousand rubles. or 2500 rub. from the owner.
• The option with a PC as a surveillance workstation is difficult to calculate without a specific reference, which will depend on the number and characteristics of cameras, the length of cable runs, and the video surveillance software for work. It is of great importance whether the PC will be used for 1 entrance or to be a visual control workstation for the protection of several houses. Accordingly, the cost of organizing video surveillance for 1 apartment owner will vary.

In conclusion, it should be said that the larger the video surveillance system , the lower the cost of equipment and work for one owner. This is also why you should not confine yourself to the entrance, but organize video surveillance in the entire building or group of houses. Such a video surveillance system will be cheaper both to create and to maintain in the future, which will allow it to operate for many years for the benefit of the safety of all residents.

Rules for installing video surveillance in an apartment building

Video surveillance in an apartment building should be organized in such a way as to minimize, and ideally eliminate, the presence of dead zones in the local area.

Where should the cameras be located?

Cameras should be installed where cars can drive or stop, or people pass by.

The main areas that cameras should always be looking at are:

1. Entrance to the entrance;
2. Elevator hall on all floors (staircase, no view of entrances to apartments);
3. Tambour in front of the apartment (if there is one);
4. Front door (if there is one);
5. Playground;
6. Parking;
7. Vehicle traffic zone;
8. Pedestrian area, especially a gate (if available);
9. Entrance gates for cars (if equipped).

Video surveillance and privacy do not mix

To avoid a negative reaction from residents and guests of the house, you should not install public video cameras:

1. To view the entrance to the apartment on the staircase;
2. Inside the elevator cabins (although now you can find cameras in these places, but how legal this is is a big question).

Emergency exits

Many people make the mistake of not installing cameras in these places, because an experienced criminal first studies the area of ​​his future crimes and calculates escape routes or, conversely, entry into the premises.

Emergency entrances and exits are usually closed, but this is not an obstacle for a burglar. Therefore, it is in these places that it is important to install video cameras. Or at least dummies that will play the role of a delaying factor.

Mounting height

Cameras should not be installed at eye level. Although this will make it possible to photograph a person’s face well and in detail, as practice shows, after two to three weeks, such cameras are removed, since such a device being at eye level attracts unnecessary attention and, as a result, arouses interest, especially among young people.

The camera needs to be mounted in a place that is minimally accessible to people, so that it is not immediately noticeable, and dismantling it is very problematic. But it is not recommended to install it too high, since the face of the criminal will not be visible.

The wires must be hidden to prevent them from being damaged.

Camera angle

The purpose of any CCTV camera is limited to its functions.

For example, a device used to monitor the situation in the local area cannot be used in an elevator hall or a narrow corridor.

Each camera has its own purpose and this is important to remember. According to their fictions they are divided:

1. Preventive – a dummy camera is installed, which does not record events occurring nearby, but limits illegal actions of people and is a deterrent.
2. The identification function is a clear recording of car license plates and people’s faces.

   
   They are installed in narrow corridors, on landings opposite the elevator doors, in vestibules and front doors. Here you need a camera with a focal length of 20 - 100 mm, which provides a small viewing angle. You can also use inexpensive 1 megapixel devices, which will also provide good facial capture from a short distance.

3. The function of monitoring the general situation, the movement of people, cars, and other objects. You need a camera with a focal length of 2.8 - 20 mm, which provides a wide viewing angle. Do not purchase cheap devices; they will not provide a detailed view of an object from a great distance. Here you need at least 3 mega pixel video cameras.

Timely response to the situation

A security post with a monitoring system for quickly responding to an offense is not a panacea, but its presence is preferable.

After all, it is desirable for someone to constantly monitor the situation in the house and quickly respond to illegal actions.

But modern technologies allow the use of other solutions, which we will talk about later.

What if the residents are against it?

What to do if residents sound the alarm, write collective complaints and resist the installation of a camera in every possible way? But nothing - you don’t need the residents’ consent to install a camera. Regulatory legal acts do not provide for restrictions on the installation of video cameras by individuals, as well as a unified procedure for video recording for various purposes, such as protecting their property or monitoring a land plot. In addition, video cameras are not actions for the use of common property, which by law require the consent of shared owners. There is also no need to hang a sign. But you must take into account that there are still limitations:

• You cannot install a camera so that it is aimed at the apartment of a neighbor in the stairwell ( Federal Law “On Personal Data”, paragraph 1 of Article 3 ), more precisely, his actions (entering and leaving the apartment) should NOT be captured by the camera.
• Let's say you can't install a camera without the possibility of your apartment or your neighbor's actions being captured in the frame. Then you will need his written consent to process personal data ( Federal Law “On Personal Data”, clause 1, part 1, article 6 )

If you install a camera in circumvention of these restrictions, then you will definitely lose the case and the camera will have to be dismantled. This is the best case scenario. At worst, you could face criminal charges for violating privacy. The Criminal Code under this article regulates a fine of 200 thousand rubles, or imprisonment for up to 2 years.

Here the truth is most likely on your side, because... Assessing legality is very difficult. Proving that a camera violates a neighbor’s rights is even harder. In general, in order to pull this turnip out of the ground, the neighbors will have to run around and try hard to prove that you are encroaching on their privacy (remember, if you have met the conditions above)

Options for installing a video surveillance system on the landing and in the entrances

Today, three options for installing video surveillance systems are widespread:

1. Individual installation - the homeowner independently orders the installation of a video peephole, a camera above the front door, or does it himself;
2. Video systems whose operation is limited to entrances - intercoms, cameras above the entrance to the entrance, opposite the front and elevator shafts;
3. Outdoor devices for monitoring the situation in the local area;
4. All three of the above types are combined into one system with video output to one monitor and recording to one recorder, or uploading it to one cloud on a remote server.

Modern video intercoms in the above-average price range have the ability to connect several more cameras to them to monitor the situation in the staircases and in the entrance. How it is connected is shown below.

Many systems include the use of motion sensors, which significantly reduces the size of the occupied space on the HDD.

Files with motion can be marked with a special marker and this greatly saves time in searching for the necessary information.

To install video surveillance the following can be used:

1. Digital IP video cameras;
2. Wireless web cameras;
3. Registrar or cloud service;
4. Power unit;
5. HDD;
6. Cables;
7. Monitor;
8. Switch (switch);
9. RJ-45 connectors;
10. Installation kit.

Software:

1. IVideon;
2. Axxon Next;
3. ISpy;
4. Other programs.

Main parts and components of the system

Standard video surveillance at the entrance includes the following elements:

• Digital or analogue cameras. The first option is considered more expensive, but its high cost is compensated by a clear and high-quality image. The second devices have less capabilities. At entrances, it is recommended to use color cameras capable of operating in day-night mode. When there is insufficient lighting, such devices switch to broadcasting black and white images. A CCTV camera for an entrance with IR illumination is considered very effective, ensuring operation in the complete absence of lighting.
• Computer or DVR. The PC must have a board to which signals from the cameras are output. Every device needs a hard drive with sufficient capacity to store information for a long time.
• Auxiliary equipment: camera power supplies, wires, cables, connectors. Networks are protected from mechanical damage using corrugated hoses or cable ducts.

Methods of technical implementation

Technically, the idea of ​​video surveillance in an apartment building can be implemented in several ways using:

1. IP systems;
2. Cloud service;
3. Turbo—HD systems;
4. Other solutions that are offered to clients by different companies.

Companies that install video surveillance systems may have different names for the methods listed above, but their technical implementation is practically no different.

Cloud service

This solution involves recording video to a special cloud service, for example, Ivideon.com or Ezvizlife.com. Local recording to the recorder is not provided.

The beginning and end of recording is controlled by a motion sensor. Records are stored on a remote server, usually in archived form for up to 7 days.

For video surveillance, Hikvision DS-2CD2120F-I 1080p and DS-2CD2110F-I 720p cameras are usually used, as they are supported by the ivideon.com cloud service. But other models may be offered to customers.

At night, infrared illumination of objects is possible at a distance of up to 30 meters.

Access to live video directly from the apartment is possible from the following devices:

• on Mac OS web client Safari;
• Windows Phone, iOS, Android smartphones;
• from MS Windows devices web client IE, Opera, Mozilla Firefox Chrome, etc.;
• devices running on MS Windows OS (integrated software).

Camera placement diagram.

Advantages of cloud video storage:

1. Inexpensive system compared to others;
2. Storing video on a remote server eliminates theft of recordings, which in other solutions are stored in the apartment on recorders. Finding such a recorder will not be difficult for experienced thieves; it is enough to track which apartment the cable is laid into;
3. Night mode;
4. Enable motion sensor video recording.

Installation kit included.

Flaws:

1. If there is no electricity in the house, the routers installed by the provider will stop working, which will prevent online video transmission;
2. Internet failures will also negatively affect the operation of the system, so the provider must be trusted and reliable;
3. Possible malfunctions in the server on which the video is recorded (rarely happens).

IP system

This video surveillance system provides for video recording both on a remote server and locally on a DVR recorder.

This solution can also use Hikvision cameras with both day and night modes with infrared illumination.

Video signal transmission is possible both via cables and via WI-FI.

The IP system is included.

Video recording is carried out:

1. On a 4-channel recorder, which is installed in one of the apartments. The amount of allocated disk space for video recordings is recommended to be at least 1 TB, the data storage period is at least 1 month;
2. In parallel, recording is carried out in the cloud on a remote server.

Access to video recordings is possible from the same devices that we mentioned above; we will not repeat them.

Advantages of an IP system:

1. Parallel video recording both to the recorder and to the cloud on a remote server, where the data can be stored for a long time;
2. Two data storage locations, which will protect against loss of video files;
3. Possibility of video signal transmission via WI-FI;
4. Night mode;
5. Work with a motion sensor.

Flaws:

1. The need to use one of the apartments to install the recorder, and, consequently, lay cables through the apartment;
2. More expensive than the regular cloud service described above. As a rule, the cost of installing such a video surveillance system will cost 2 or more times more.

Turbo HD system

This system provides for video recording only locally on the recorder, while remote access to video files via the Internet is available.

The video is recorded without sound, but optionally this service can be ordered separately.

The system kit includes:

Video recording is carried out only through a 4-channel Hikvision recorder on a 1 TB HDD, which is installed in one of the apartments.

Files can be accessed online from any of the devices described above (see “Cloud service”).

Advantages of Turbo HD system:

1. Moderate installation cost, cheaper than an IP system, but more expensive than a Cloud service;
2. Constant online access to the registrar of house residents from many devices (tablets, smartphones, etc.);
3. Night IR illumination up to 20 meters;
4. Enable motion sensor recording.

Flaws:

1. Only one data storage location;
2. The Internet, to which the cameras must be constantly connected, must have good speed;
3. One of the neighbors will have to give access to their router by specifying the details for setting it up;
4. Since recording takes place around the clock, the recorder must be turned on constantly, which can cause inconvenience for people living in this apartment.

More about CCTV cameras with remote access, popular models, connection methods, selection criteria.

Installation

The installation process of a video surveillance system is based on the following steps:

1. Installation of a power source, for which the panel on the landing is suitable.
2. Installation of cameras in accordance with their location diagram.
3. Power supply via twisted pair cable to the network switch and cameras separately. Another option is to power it using the PoE ports of the switch.
4. Installing the switch in the main junction box, where all the wires are connected, followed by running the cables to the cameras.
5. Installation of smaller distribution boxes in close proximity to the cameras to accommodate PoE power adapters with appropriate wiring.
6. Connecting the switch to a PC or DVR and setting up IP cameras.
7. Installation of a program aimed at supporting video surveillance. With the help of such software products, motion recording, sensitive areas, etc. are configured.
8. Setting up remote access if necessary.
9. Connecting a building-wide network to broadcast from IP cameras to the PCs of the residents of the house, which is again related to how much demand there is for this.

On video: Installing IP video surveillance with your own hands.

How to make video surveillance yourself

You can install video cameras on your own, without resorting to the services of companies, in the entrance and stairwells, on the balcony for video surveillance of the parking lot, but this requires certain knowledge and training.

You can install both analog and IP cameras. The latter will be preferable, since they convey the picture better and have better characteristics.

IP cameras are also easier to install and configure. The overall price of an IP system will be cheaper than an analogue one.

If you install analog video surveillance, then to get good picture quality day and night you need expensive cameras, since cheap analogue ones will only have foggy pictures.

To further reduce the cost of installing IP video surveillance, you can use Chinese Hikvision cameras and DVRs, which can be ordered directly on aliexpress.com or other similar Internet sites. They have proven themselves well.

A hard drive for storing video recordings should be selected in size from 640 GB to 1 TB or more.

But it all depends on the number of cameras. If you have one, then a 640 GB disk is enough for two weeks of continuous recording.

You can use external HDDs, which must be connected to an external power source, or regular ones, which are used in computers with a 2.5 or 3.5 inch form factor.

The second type of device, as a rule, is mounted inside the recorders and connected via a SATA connector, where the 12V power supply is also connected.

Decide what you will shoot and in what quality. For example, to view the area in front of the house you need to select a 3 Mpx camera, but for shooting in the entrance and on the landing, 1 Mpx is enough.

The first camera is considered a street camera, which means it must record events around the clock. To connect the wires in this case, you must use a sealed box.

The second camera should start recording based on an event, i.e. when a motion sensor is triggered.

The next thing you need to pay attention to is the network video recorder. It can be 4, 5, 8, 9, 16 and 32 channels.

For home use, a 4-channel (for four cameras) Hikvision Line MicroNVR or Super MiniNVR recorder is quite suitable.

You can also use a computer or laptop as a medium-power recorder, but since in recording mode they must work around the clock, the electricity consumption per month will vary from 100 to 150 kW, which is not suitable for us.

To initially set up the system, you will need a monitor. The setup consists of assigning IP addresses to cameras, setting the correct time and other settings.

For ease of maintenance and management of the system, as well as connecting more than one camera with Internet access to the system, you will need a router or network switch.

This will also allow you to view online videos remotely from any device.

To power the camera, you need to use a high-quality power supply of 12V and at least 1A.

If you plan to install several devices, and they will be located at a distance from each other, then use one power supply of 12V and 5A.

Power can be supplied to the cameras via the same cable as the signal (POE support). To do this you need a splitter, injector and power splitter.

Required equipment – ​​cameras, recorder, components

The entrance video surveillance system includes:

• Cameras . They can be analog or digital. The former will cost a little less, the latter will give a clearer image. You should not buy either very cheap or very expensive cameras. Some due to low quality, others due to rising overall costs, which can lead to the refusal of some or most apartment owners to organize video surveillance. Color video cameras with a “day-night” mode for switching to black-and-white mode in low-light conditions and IR illumination for operation when the lighting is turned off, a lamp burns out or breaks on the floor area are desirable. For optimal shooting mode when visitors appear, cameras should have a built-in motion sensor.
• DVR or PC with camera signal input card, surveillance software. Both receiving and recording devices must have a HDD of sufficient capacity to store a long-term archive of events. The choice of this or that equipment depends both on the installation location and on the responsible persons who will directly work with it, the procedure and schedule of operation, and the general situation.
• Power supplies for cameras, corresponding cables, wires, connectors. For ease of installation, cabinets and interfloor risers for low-current communication and television wiring are used. To protect the cable leading to the video cameras in the entrance from mechanical damage, including intentional damage, a corrugated metal sleeve and a plastic cable channel are used.

The use of wireless cameras in entrance conditions is inappropriate for a number of reasons:

1. The length of cable routes is minimal, and the presence of ready-made channels and lockable cabinets for low-current communication wiring makes the installation, installation of power supplies, and switching as convenient as possible and reliable in terms of protection against breaks.
2. The presence of a large amount of interference from a variety of household, computer equipment, mobile devices, shielding of the passage of waves by reinforced concrete structures of interfloor ceilings, flights of staircases.
3. Increasing the cost of the project due to their higher price, the purchase of additional equipment (routers, modems), payment for connection in case of choosing WiFi, GSM cameras.

The selected receiving and recording device should preferably provide a reserve for the number of connected cameras, the ability to replace the HDD with a larger capacity disk to expand the capabilities of the video surveillance system.

Cameras installed on the facade of a house must have an all-weather design with protection from moisture, dust, and heated housing in accordance with the climate of the region. It is better to choose vandal-proof internal tracking devices. It may be somewhat more expensive at the first stage, but it will be cheaper during operation. Usually it is possible to convince residents at a meeting that this approach is correct without much difficulty.

Is it possible to independently install surveillance at the entrance?

Installing video surveillance in the entrance of a residential building is, first of all, choosing the best places to install cameras that allow high-quality filming according to the following parameters:

• At least one of them must be mounted on the wall of the house to record the appearance of those entering the entrance on the porch, in front of the entrance. It’s good if the camera has the widest possible viewing angle to assess the general situation (a group of people approaching or driving up together in a vehicle, their actions, negotiations, the presence of bags, objects in their hands, tool boxes, etc.). If there is a video intercom at the entrance, you can include it in the general system or install a new camera, a video peephole, which provides a higher-quality image for identifying the faces of visitors at the time of dialing the access code or negotiating with residents.
• It is also advisable to install a camera to monitor parking spaces in front of the entrance, roadway, sidewalk, benches, children's playground, if it is nearby. This will solve many problems in the event of emergency situations, from accidental damage to cars while parking to loading stolen property, illegal actions against residents in front of the entrance.
• The ability to identify the faces of all people who climbed the stairs to the landing of each floor and exited the elevator at each level.
• Entry into the field of view of video surveillance on the floor of the doors of all apartments, technical rooms (electrical switchboards, elevator machine rooms, elevator unit and others), entrances to the basement, attic, technical floor.

The requirements for installing video cameras at the entrance are simple:

1. The installation location should provide the greatest possible view.
2. The devices must be securely mounted on the ceiling, wall using the supplied fasteners or, if necessary, additional devices (brackets, rotating mechanisms).

It is advisable that the installation of cameras be carried out by employees of a specialized organization dealing with video surveillance systems, employees of the technical department of a security company. It’s great if this company directly works under an agreement with a management company or HOA to protect a group of apartment buildings where the entrance to be equipped with visual control is located.

The installation location of the receiving and recording device may vary depending on the situation:

• At a 24-hour surveillance post of a private security company guarding the group, a complex of residential buildings.
• In the concierge room at the entrance.
• In a non-residential, auxiliary, technical room (board of a homeowners association, management company, stroller room, workshop, etc.).
• In the apartment of the person in charge (elected senior resident, social activist). Typically, such a location for installing the recorder is chosen when installing a surveillance system by the residents of one entrance.

Often in the latter case, an attempt is made to install video surveillance in the entrance with your own hands in order to reduce the overall cost. There are successful examples of this approach. But it should be taken into account that enthusiasm alone is clearly not enough. It’s good if the residents are employees of organizations involved in the installation of power supply systems, communications, security systems, and IT companies. Then their knowledge, skills and experience will be enough to install a generally simple video surveillance system at the entrance. But, if there are no such specialists, then it is better to hire specialists so as not to confirm the well-known proverb.

Two points are also important during the operation of the system:

1. Appointment of responsible persons, procedure for accessing video data, transferring it for review to residents of the entrance, law enforcement agencies, actions in case of unusual situations. This will help both to promptly identify shortcomings in the work of cleaners, postmen, electricians, signalmen, offenses on the part of visitors to the entrance, and to avoid various rumors.
2. Solve the issue with the maintenance of the tracking system. After all, it is often difficult and expensive to install surveillance at the entrance, but it is easy and simple to render the system inoperative and even unsuitable for repair without appropriate supervision.

No matter how trite it sounds, only a detailed study of technical and organizational issues by all persons interested in the appearance and long-term operation of a video surveillance system in the entrance will make it possible to make a minimum of mistakes and avoid complaints and criticism from apartment owners.

Connecting an IP DVR, algorithm of actions

The first thing you need to do is connect a hard drive to the recorder.

A common case is when the HDD is inserted inside the recorder and connected there.

Next, to carry out the settings, we connect a monitor to the recorder. To do this, you can use HDMI or VGA cables. It all depends on what type of interface is supported.

Next, we connect the IP camera to the RG-45 connector and through the power supply to the network.

If you want to connect several cameras at once, you will have to use a switch with several RG-45 connectors or purchase a recorder with several LAN ports already built-in.

Apply power to the recorder and start it, the monitor screen should light up.

As a rule, the first time you turn on the recorder, it will format the hard drive.

The setup wizard will then launch. The default login is “admin”, the password field is empty.

We set real time, date and language.

Click NEXT where we are asked to restart the recorder for the changes to take effect.

Next we will be asked to configure the network.

If you have only one camera, then we set up the network settings for it manually; they are indicated in the operating manual of the recorder.

We enable DHCP only if we use several cameras connected via a router.

Click OK. If the message “Test gateway ERR (error)” appears in the next window, simply ignore it by clicking “Skip”.

Next, a window for installing a mobile application may appear for viewing videos remotely via the Internet.

You can skip these settings for now, the application can be installed later.

If you register IP cameras manually, select manual mode in the next window and click NEXT.

In the next window, add a device (video camera) and its IP address.

Enter the default login (admin) and password (admin).

Click next and DONE.

Reboot the recorder. Subsequently, the image from the camera will appear on the monitor in the window.

To start recording, click the record all channels button. And to go to the video recording settings, you need to click the corresponding menu.

Why is it even needed?

Video surveillance on the landing and entrance of a residential building - viewing cameras

Installing video surveillance in the entrance of a residential building, with the right approach, allows you to solve the following problems:

• Monitoring the safety of common property - intercoms, mailboxes, lighting devices, elevators, etc.;
• Prevention of illegal actions, acts of vandalism, hooliganism, violence, robberies, which are often committed in entrances;
• Prevention and rapid detection of burglaries and other crimes committed in the entrances of residential buildings;
• Control and deterring of unwanted individuals who regularly visit the entrance: drug addicts in search of a stash and the pawnbrokers themselves who get into the habit of entering your entrance, as well as homeless people and other uninvited guests.

Connecting two IP cameras to the recorder via a router

Our goal is to create a small IP video surveillance network of two cameras - one outdoor, the other indoors.

You can connect to this network via a computer or laptop (netbook).

You can also set up remote online viewing of images from cameras via a smartphone.

A 2.5-inch HDD from a 500 GB laptop will already be used here.

Install the HDD into the recorder.

Connecting cameras can be done in several ways. The simplest is to connect them directly to a switch that supports POE; in this case, we do not need a separate power supply for each camera.

If you use a power supply, then you will have to run a separate 12V cable from it to each device.

But to avoid this, you can supply power to the camera directly over twisted pair cable. To do this, use brown and blue wires.

The orange and green wires are used for the signal.

The fact is that not all cores are used in a twisted pair cable. Only the orange pair (orange and white-orange) and the green pair (green and white-green) are involved.

But the brown pair and the blue one are not used, so we can supply 12V power through them.

Select the blue and brown pairs, and tuck the rest back into the cable.

Crimping occurs according to the same principle as a regular twisted pair, but the blue, white-blue and brown, white-brown wires are excluded from the connector.

Since the connection will be made directly to the computer, it is better to crimp using the “Cross” scheme.

We connect the blue pair to “+”, and the brown pair to “-”.

We connect the connector and power connector.

To prevent the wires from dangling and to protect them from moisture, you can use a junction box.

We connect the second camera in the same way.

Next you need to supply power to the cameras. It should be 12V with a current of 1A.

If we have two devices, then we can use a 12V and 2A adapter, and to connect them, we can purchase or make a splitter ourselves.

We connect it to the adapter.

And we already connect video cameras to it.

Plug the adapter into a power outlet.

Next, we connect the cameras to the router.

Next we connect the DVR itself. First the power adapter and then using the network cable to the router.

We connect a monitor to the recorder.

After you have connected everything, turn on the power. As soon as the software loads, a message will appear indicating that the hard drive has been formatted.

Then, as in the first case, the setup wizard will appear and one of the cameras will immediately be picked up.

Then he sets the language and time, everything is done as in the first case.

Testing the gateway with a positive result indicates that there is direct access to the Internet through the router.

Next, we repeat the steps indicated in the previous section.

We configure the second camera manually. Click “Settings” and then “Add”.

Click OK and go to digital channels. There we see the second camera.

On another channel we activate the second camera, it should pick up.

How to choose a camera?

We will only consider external video cameras, because hidden video surveillance is prohibited. Therefore, there is no point in considering clever camouflaged mini-cameras - you can easily fall under the criminal code of the Russian Federation. The only thing that can be used in this case is a video eye.

How to choose a camera to install? The form factor and viewing angle will not play a special role here - you will need (and are allowed - more on this below) to monitor only a small area in front of the front door, so we will only rely on resolution. Let's go to the catalog https://ultrasb.ru/oborudovanie_dlya_videonablyudeniya and start choosing. What criteria are we interested in when choosing a camera for the front door:

1. We need an IP camera with PoE (Power over Ethernet) power supply
2. Ability to record in HD/FulHD quality (720p/1080p)
3. The presence of a motion sensor (recording only when movement occurs in the frame)
4. Availability of a built-in microphone or the ability to connect an external one
5. Illumination for work at night.
6. Private zones function. Allows you to specify areas of video surveillance that should not be recorded by painting this restricted area

Is it possible to install a street camera?

Yes, such cameras are quite suitable. As an example, consider the FX-IPC-C20VP-IR LS IP video camera. It is intended for installation outdoors, but this is why it is suitable for us - the housing of “outdoor” cameras and FX-IPC-C20VP-IR LS, among other things, is made in a high-strength metal hermetic casing. This will be additional protection against vandals

In addition, the camera has a good viewing angle (from 97 to 33 degrees horizontally). Again, why do we need a viewing angle in the entrance? This may be necessary if residents begin to complain that the camera is pointing “in the wrong direction” (we’ll talk about this in more detail later). To protect yourself from slander from neighbors, the camera has another necessary function - “Private Zone”, the setting of which will allow you not to film an area that does not belong to your property.

Video surveillance via smartphone application

When you reach the “Install a mobile application” section in the settings wizard, the system prompts you to install the application on your smartphone via a QR code.

Install the QR Scanner application on your smartphone and launch it.

For Android, scan the right QR code.

You will be taken to the application page and then click on the download button.

After the XMEye application loads, install it.

Subsequently, you need to create an account by registering in the system.

Go to the application and click "+" to add a device.

Create and enter a device name in Latin.

Next we move on to the settings on the monitor. Proceed to the next QR code by clicking the “Next” button.

In the application on your smartphone, activate the QR code scanner and scan it on the monitor.

This barcode will add the device to the application.

The third line is optional.

Click search. The application will find the device.

Close the setup wizard on your monitor and log into the device on your smartphone.

Select the camera you need and get the image.

Similarly, remote online video viewing can be configured on a tablet or computer running Windows OS.

To do this, just download and install a similar application Xmeye APK developed for this operating system.

Number of cameras

It will depend on many factors that must be taken into account in the pre-drawn layout plan. The number of cameras is naturally influenced by the number of objects and places in which video surveillance will be conducted. In most cases, the problem is solved by 2 cameras. One is mounted above the entrance for recording and subsequent identification of visitors. She also looks through the part of the yard adjacent to the entrance.

As for the other camera, it is mounted, for example, on the landing of the 1st floor. It is advisable to install it in such a way that it is possible to monitor the elevator and mailboxes. In some cases, the entrance may be equipped with an emergency entrance, so you will have to install another camera that will monitor the emergency entrance door. Separately, it is worth considering the organization of the workplace of an employee who will view records online.

Installing modern and securely hidden video recording equipment will allow residents of the entrance to receive effective protection from attacks by intruders. In this way, it is also possible to ensure protection not only of the personal values ​​of the residents of the entrance, but also of communal property. Do not forget that, in accordance with the requirements of the law, each video monitoring system must be marked with a sticker that indicates that video surveillance is taking place at the facility. Often its presence alone reduces the likelihood of being attacked.

⚡ Judicial practice

Judicial practice on the issue of installing video cameras is quite diverse and heterogeneous. Since the legislation does not clearly regulate the installation of video cameras in the entrances of residential buildings, the courts often take a contradictory position on similar claims.

For example, in case No. 2-223/2016 ~ M-142/2016 of the Rylsky District Court of the Kursk Region, the court came to the conclusion that the neighbors’ claim on the issue of dismantling the camera did not have any support. The court supported its position as follows: cameras installed in common areas do not record the internal layout of apartments. They are aimed at public areas and do not violate privacy in any way. The residents' assumptions that the owner was collecting information about the private lives of other citizens through the installed camera were not supported by anything .

In case No. 2-1257/2015 ~ M-1361/2015 of the Predgorny District Court of the Stavropol Territory, the court came to the opposite conclusion that the cameras installed in the entrance violated privacy and ordered the owner to dismantle them.

AHD or IP video surveillance for an apartment building

Both analog (AHD, HD-TVI, HD-CVI) and digital (IP) video surveillance systems are very popular in apartment buildings. The difference in them in the context of apartment buildings is that analogue ones are a little cheaper, and digital ones have a little better picture quality. Compare for yourself:

Digital also allows you to easily scale the system if you want to add more cameras, while with analog systems this would be problematic. If you plan to install video surveillance yourself, then AHD is preferable in your case, since it is much easier to connect.

Implementation methods used

The camera installed in the entrance can be one of three types. Most often, individual devices, general surveillance systems and outdoor devices are installed on the territory of apartment buildings.

Personal tracking devices

For installation inside buildings, in most cases, individual surveillance devices in a vandal-proof housing are used. According to signal transmission technology, they can be analog or digital.

Cameras of the first type are characterized by low cost, no problems during setup and a high level of reliability.

IP models make it easy to implement the ability to track entrances via the Internet and open access to data to a certain number of users.

Since there are no special access devices on sale, their main characteristics are taken into account when choosing a suitable option.

General access surveillance systems

General entrance cameras are monitored by the person responsible for home security.
If you need to create and install a system that allows general surveillance, you will need at least three cameras. The first records the entrance and exit of people from apartments to the elevator, the second records everyone who enters the entrance, the third displays the space in front of the front door. Data from the cameras is displayed on the concierge’s monitor or on the computer screen of the person responsible for home security.

Such a system can cover all entrances; up to 16 separate devices can be connected to one recorder.

External cameras monitoring the local area

For the local area, cameras with a wide viewing angle are needed.
For the street, cameras with a wide viewing angle are chosen, which must be hung in places with the greatest traffic. The most popular are cased devices with a standard or moving design. Classic models make it possible to monitor activity in a separately allocated zone; rotary models can be controlled using special software, from a keyboard or remote control.

The devices must be equipped with a sealed housing that is completely protected from moisture and dust. It is also better to choose options with a temperature range suitable for a specific region; on average, it ranges from -50 to +65 degrees.

To ensure covert surveillance is carried out around the clock, including at night, street cameras are supplemented with IR modules with an illumination range of 10 to 100 meters.

A modern video camera for an entrance or for the street must meet security requirements and be quite convenient in terms of setup and operation. It is best to choose standard dome or case devices made of durable metals with lenses protected by special glass.

Prices for access cameras

The cost of equipment depends on its technical characteristics (type of video camera, resolution, focal length, body material, backlight range), image enhancement technologies and video data transmission used, manufacturer and delivery conditions.

Below are comparative data on three popular manufacturers of video surveillance systems: Polyvision, HiQ-Electronics, HiWatch.

When choosing an equipment supplier, it is recommended to pay attention to manufacturers who have a specially dedicated line for apartment buildings, which includes all the necessary cameras, as well as components and consumables for them (PoE equipment, cable products, specialized cable for elevators, which is stable to vibrations, friction and constant loads).

How to properly organize residents’ access to video broadcasts or video recordings from surveillance cameras?

Evgeny Gumenyuk

Head of the video surveillance technical equipment sector of NVP Bolid CJSC

If you need to provide residents with access to video broadcasting, the right solution would be to organize a special separate video broadcasting server with personal accounts for users, with differentiated access rights to video materials. The best option is to connect the system to a cloud video surveillance service, where all these functions are already implemented. It is wrong to allow users to connect to the video surveillance system directly; it should not be subject to load from clients, this can lead to slowdown and instability.

Olga Sinyavskaya

Development Manager for the Commercial and Residential Real Estate segment at TRASSIR

It is important to consider two sides of the problem here. The first is convenient access to video in the event of an incident: damage to health, damage to property, theft. The second is privacy protection. In our opinion, the best way is to divide access into zones. At the same time, access to video from common areas is provided with justification of the need for each individual case. And video from vestibules is provided exclusively to residents of this vestibule in order to maintain privacy.

Applications and software for viewing recordings continue to develop; in addition to the video viewing function, you can already set up receiving notifications from cameras and viewing the archive; in the future, two-way audio communication with cameras will appear. Important attributes of the solution are data encryption and the ability to view images from cameras even at low Internet speeds.

Maxim Maximov

Leading specialist in video surveillance of the Mastercctv brand (Accord-SB Group of Companies)

As a rule, an account is created with limited rights to view 1-2 public cameras in the yard or parking lot, cameras at the entrance to the entrance or local area. Residents should not be given access to other video cameras.

What measures need to be taken to protect the video surveillance system of an apartment complex or apartment complex from hacker attacks?

Evgeny Gumenyuk

Head of the video surveillance technical equipment sector of NVP Bolid CJSC

The most correct thing to do when organizing such a video surveillance system is to reliably isolate it from external access. Hacker attacks can lead to the loss of records of any incidents or the complete destruction of equipment in order to stop recording. Ideally, the video surveillance system is connected through a firewall and access remains only with the server to which clients connect. It is correct if this server is not located on a local network with a video surveillance system.

The result will be a closed and protected video surveillance system, cut off from the outside world and, accordingly, any factors that impede correct operation, and an external server for clients (or a cloud service), attempts to hack which will not cause any significant harm.

Olga Sinyavskaya

Development Manager for the Commercial and Residential Real Estate segment at TRASSIR

The most effective protection is to use cloud data storage. It is much better protected than a local server at the concierge. To a layman, it may seem that the cloud is more vulnerable because it is “somewhere on the Internet” and is easy to attack by hackers. However, cloud servers are securely protected by service providers staffed by the best cybersecurity experts. Our practice shows that recorded cases of hacking occur through the personal gadgets of residents by selecting a combination of passwords for personal accounts. To further protect camera data from unauthorized interception and downloading, we recommend that you provide:

• separate cable infrastructure for the video surveillance system;
• connection to the main and backup communication channels;
• the presence of a managed switch with various degrees of protection.

Maxim Maximov

Leading specialist in video surveillance of the Mastercctv brand (Accord-SB Group of Companies)

Information security of the video surveillance system will be ensured by changing all default passwords, and administrator rights for a designated group of people (2–3, no more). Persons maintaining the system need to be granted only the rights to view online video and archives, without the right to make changes to the working system.

All devices that have access to the Internet should also change their standard ports, place them behind an additional gateway, physically separate them from any other network, and not use switches installed for other needs.

Hacker attacks can lead to the loss of video recordings of any incidents or the complete destruction of equipment in order to stop recording.

Which brand of CCTV cameras to choose for an apartment building?

There are a huge variety of manufacturers on the video surveillance market. We recommend sticking with well-known and proven ones, since they are on the market seriously and for a long time, they have fairly good technical support and, most importantly, a guarantee. If the equipment is faulty, often damaged during transportation, the manufacturer will replace the cameras for you. This is why we do not recommend ordering equipment from Aliexpress. Yes, there are already quite high-quality samples there. But most of the reviews that we can find on CCTV cameras from aliexpress were taken immediately after receipt. It would be interesting to make such a review in 5 years. Will these cameras still work? Very rare, which cannot be said about other video surveillance brands.

We often come to redo video surveillance, to those who bought cheap equipment on aliexpress, it often arrives without the Russian language or breaks down very quickly. As a result, the client has to pay twice, since nothing can be done with faulty equipment and it cannot be returned anywhere.

Who do we consider trusted brands and which ones will we consider today as options for a residential home?

HiWatch is a global brand that we often install in apartment buildings. Polyvision is a domestic brand that we establish as an alternative to HiWatch when the client needs the lowest price. Hikvision - advanced video surveillance systems with many intelligent functions.