So I am James. I am a long time Security Camera NERD. Starting back before some of the people reading this was even born. When B/W cameras and Reel to Reel was the way to record. Oh much fun back then lol.. Then moved up to Color Cameras on Time Lapse VCR.. While people were recording the Show they watch My recorder was CCTV fun lol... Bought 2 of them before buying my first DVR in 2013 or Dec 12 I guess... Before it was Shelf of VHS tapes 45 in all on a 30 day rotation... Don't ask. lol I Prefer BNC over IP. I do have a few IP cameras... Most of my Collection of cameras are things that people today think is new Tech in a way. 2010 camera with as it claims 220x zoom but really is only 22x with 10x digital... Crazy thing is it can zoom and has Counting ability. I have some PTZ Analog Cameras that have alarms and a lot of cool things that I like it use lol Remember I said I am a NERD lol... Like my first PTZ is 27x 2004. Then was slick. But since got a 37x 600tvl, 650tvl and a 960h 37x ptz... Had a 4x ptz with lED IP camera that I used for all of 2 days before I packed itup and gave the toy to a friend that thought it was cool until he seen my Back yard PTZ. Connected to 3 motion sensors. Will take trigger and zoom and track until no longer in view. 360 it will catch and track motion even if you were dropped in lol... I have a LPR camera with LR white un seen leds. White is better where the red will or can blur out the plates. I have a 10x bullet 17" monster that I used to use for plates. Just the IR was red and wouldn't get all the plates at night but does have 200ft IR range. I have most of my Cameras with IR cut filters and use IR Blasters. Came by my house at night with your Phone camera gonig your going to swear it is day time in my yard. So all my Cameras I use at night in Color. While the Color at night is still color isn't as nice as it is for the day...
So to date While I have favorite Cameras Amcrest is by far the Best Picture Quality that I have. Besides 2 TVI 5mp that is just wrong to even try and compare lol.
If it works I am going to attach a picture of a couple of my Favorite Box cameras lol. All silver one is from 04 and the 37x one silver and black is from 2012. In no means is the Samsung 220x really that. I have 2 versions of that. Low light and that one day night.
Welcome to the Forum! using IR blasters is a great idea, in my opinion, I have been letting our R&D team know this as it illuminates a wider area than the camera generally can. also, you can add many of them to create great IR coverage and lighting all over the house/property.
I will admit with anything thing can have its limits. I have a 8 IR unit that is 5 years old now that is almost in the end of its life. Sadly the Quality wasn't as high as others in my setup. Only bought it as a FILL where I had a Dark spot. Looking over the unit I found the sensor to turn it on and off was bad and don't know how long it has been running in the ON position. The good news is they made it so it would stay on rather then one of my other 96IR units that went out of service because the person that built it didn't have same option. Lucky for me I am a Electronics Nerd and soldered in a new sensor. Not all Electronics are created equal. I have ordered some Replacement 850nM IR leds and new sensor to make it work right again lol... Now I just check my Blasters to make sure they are off at day time every so often. Not as often as I clean my Camera lenses. You know them working at night was all that I cared about until this one went dim.
So yes even in your Cameras that have IR or Night vision as some call it over time the LEDs can go bad. Not always at the same time and at times depending on how they are made it might be that you can't even tell. Reflections are a bad thing or can be. Also don't have SHINE it can have same washout effect. All this info is only for ones reading that don't already know that might be thinking about buying some for their setup...
Hmmm, this is a great setup, I was thinking when I move to my next place I will set up some IR blasters on the same circuit and have them on a timer switch that will turn them all on at specific times and off at others.
Timers are great and I did have them setup some years ago with them. Then I had to make changes with the seasons and thought they are built with sensors I will just let them do their jobs lol.... Ok I still have the timers and thinking about it it is a good idea as a fail safe kind of sense. Then have them come on at 20min before the time of winter Dark and then in case of them messing up like this it wouldn't be on 24hrs only normal winter hours max. Off time is good as well because again it is the longest time run for winter but would be off hours before do to normal sensor if working.... Also even though I have no dark day time spots so not an issue in the case your system or others had some dark areas that might turn them on early under normal summer use with timer only come on no longer then your longest set time anyway... I know where my timers are going to put them back in place. Thanks for the Idea.
