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This is a fantastic routine that uses an Alexa routine coupled with a SharpTools routine to notify me of any motion detected on my front porch. The Alexa routine, written in the Alexa app, makes an announcement indicating that activity is detected on my front porch. The SharpTools routine then uses my GE In-Wall Smart Dimmer switch to turn my lights on at 100 percent, delay for three minutes and then fade the lights to off. The lighting routine is programmed to only turn on during the night time hours. Both routines use my SmartThings porch motion sensor as a triggering device. 🔵 You can connect your SmartThings with the SharpTools App at: sharptools.io 🔵 How to Integrate your SmartThings devices with the Alexa App: https://youtu.be/nSBDV6Fb3NA 🔵 Samuel L. Jackson - Celebrity Voice Skill for Alexa (only available in the US) 🚫 DO NOT Click On The Following Link🚫: https://tinyurl.com/vut6rbg

YouTube Video: SmartThings works with Amazon Echo, Echo Dot, and Amazon Tap. When Amazon Alexa is connected to SmartThings devices, you may use voice commands on your Echo Dot and Fire Stick to instruct Alexa to control light bulbs, on/off switches, dimmer switches, thermostats, locks, and to perform various Routines that are configured within SmartThings app. Alexa can also check the status of motion and contact sensors. For the purposes of this article I am assuming that you are SmartThings user and that you have already installed the SmartThings mobile app for your Android or iOS device. If this is not the case you need to download the SmartThings mobile app for your Android or iOS device and create an account -- here is a link below on how to perform SmartThings Hub & Sensor Set-ups This article also assumes that you own one or more Amazon Alexa devices. An Echo, Echo Dot or Amazon Echo Plus. If you do not own these devices you may be persuaded to purchase them after watching this video. I’ll leave some Amazon Alexa device links in the description for your consideration. After you set up your Amazon Alexa device(s), you will need to download the Amazon Alexa mobile app form the Apple App Store or the Android Play Store and install it on your iPhone or Android device. Steps to Connect Amazon Alexa Devices with Samsung SmartThings Devices There are 12 steps to Connect Amazon Alexa with SmartThings. For your convenience I will leave these 12 steps as instructions below: Open your Amazon App. Tap the Smart Home menu. The home icon in the bottom right. Scroll to Your "Smart Home Skills" at the bottom. Tap "Enable Smart Home Skills". Enter “SmartThings” in the search field. Tap "Enable" for SmartThings. Log in using your Samsung or SmartThings account. Tap "Log in". Choose your SmartThings Location in the From: menu. Tap "Authorize". (NOTE: You can limit the devices Alexa accesses later in the SmartThings app). Once authorized, the following message appears: “Alexa has been successfully linked with SmartThings.” Tap “done” to begin device discovery. In the previous 12 steps, you gave Amazon Alexa permission to access your SmartThings devices, Scenes, and Routines. Now your Amazon Alexa device needs to “discover” or locate the devices, Scenes and Routines. How Amazon Discovers Your SmartThings Devices After closing the success message in the previous steps, the Alexa app will automatically direct you to discover devices. Tap "Discover Devices". You will see a message “Alexa is discovering devices” A progress bar appears in the Amazon Alexa app while Alexa looks for SmartThings devices and Routines you have authorized access to. This takes about 20 seconds. Wait for device discovery to complete. Click on [X], "Close” When discovery completes, discovered devices will list under "Devices" and Scenes and Routines under Scenes in the Smart Home section of the Amazon Alexa app. You will also see an “Add Group” message advising you that you can Tap the “+” sign to add a group to control multiple devices as once. Now you’re done with setup and ready to use Alexa’s hands-free voice control for your SmartThings devices. You can do things like: “Alexa, turn on/off the Basement Desk Lamp.” “Alexa, set the Front Porch Lights to 90.” (Brightness can be modified on a scale of 0 - 100.) “Alexa, what is the temperature in my home?” “Alexa, what is the temperature in my Garage”; “Garage Back Door” “Alexa, what is the temperature in my Living Room?” “Alexa, is the Living Room Door open?” Other things you can do depending on your device list are "Check if the back door locked" ; "Set kitchen thermostat to 70 degrees” Routines You can also turn on various Routines. Routines are changes to a group of devices that occur whenever you tell Alexa to run routine’s name. For instance, you may set a number of smart devices to open your blinds, turn on several lights, start the coffee pot and give you the morning news briefing when ever you say “Alexa, Run Good Morning” Your Amazon Alexa devices can elevate your SmartThings devices to a whole new level of automation. These devices are relatively inexpensive and quite practical. If you are interested in sourcing price and product information please check out the links in this article or follow the links provide in the description information under my YouTube video. Amazon Device Links * * Fire TV Stick * * Ethernet Adapter for Fire TV Devices * * Echo Dot (2nd Generation) * * Echo Dot (3rd Gen) * * Echo Dot (3rd Gen) bundle w/ Smart Plug * * Echo Plus (2nd Gen) * * Echo Plus (2nd Gen) & Philips Bulb Browse & Shop Amazon for other popular Smart Home Devices! You may also like these ** Website SPECIALS ** - Discount for signing up for Amazon Prime!! - Prime Student Deal | 50 Million Songs | Just $0.99 Per Month - Amazon's Most Popular Gift Ideas (Updated Daily) - Amazon's Hot New Releases (Updated Every Hour) - Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks - Audible Romance Free Trial - Access to 16,000 Woodworking Projects Limited Time Click here to access my YouTube Channel for more great household tips!

In the video which follows I will instruct you how you can use your subscription for YouTube TV to sign-up for any of the applications offered though the Amazon Fire Stick without any additional subscription cost. YouTube TV only broadcast in High Definition (1028p), which is to say that YouTube TV content is not currently available in 4k resolution. However, If have a 4K TV, a 4K Ultra Fire Stick in addition to your YouTube TV subscription, you can access available 4K Ultra High Definition content for those Amazon Fire Stick Apps which are offered in conjunction with your YouTube TV subscription. That's right! You can activate the Amazon App and view available 4k UHD (Ultra High Definition) content without have to pay additional monthly fees. In the video that follows I show how you can access NFL football games via the Fox Sports app in 4k Ultra HD without having to pay the monthly fees for the Fox Sports app. You simply enter YouTube TV as your paid provider and you can begin enjoying all the live game in UHD 4k!! Video Product Links: * * Fire TV Stick 4K * * Fire TV Stick Gen 2 * * All-new Fire TV Cube

In the following video I explain how to install an OEM fuel filler gas door spring clip for my 1997 GMC Sierra K1500 pickup truck. The part that I used is an OEM 1552-1575. A link to the part is provided in the description below. According to the description, this part fits 1988 - 1999 GMC, Cadillac and Oldsmobile. I provide step by step instruction for removing the fuel door, inserting the clip and reinstalling the fuel door. I also highlight the importance of using penetrating oil when removing rusted screws. Because I neglected to use penetrating oil, I also had the opportunity to demonstrate how to remove a seized and broken stud from the fuel door mount. ** OEM Fuel Gas Door Spring Clip ** Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra Gas Tank Door ** Amazon Prime & Other SPECIALS ** - Amazon Prime Discount!! - Prime Student Deal | 50 Million Songs | Just $0.99 Per Month - Amazon's Most Popular Gift Ideas (Updated Daily) - Amazon's Hot New Releases (Updated Every Hour) - Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks - Audible Romance Free Trial - Access to 16,000 Woodworking Projects Limited Time

How to often should you check your spare tire? What should you look for when you inspect your spare tire? How can you tell when your tire was manufactured? Is it ok to keep a tire more than 5 years? Should you keep it more than 10 years? Is it ok to have cracks in the sidewalls and tread blocks as long as they are small? How can you tell if you have legal tire tread? How much pressure is enough when inflating your tire? If you cannot answer some these questions then check out my video. I will provide the answers to these questions and many more! ** Amazon Prime & Other SPECIALS ** - Amazon Prime Discount!! - Prime Student Deal | 50 Million Songs | Just $0.99 Per Month - Amazon's Most Popular Gift Ideas (Updated Daily) - Amazon's Hot New Releases (Updated Every Hour) - Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks - Audible Romance Free Trial - Access to 16,000 Woodworking Projects Limited Time

In the following video I show how to troubleshoot two common problems that can occur with a bathroom sink drain plug. The first problem is when the drain stopper will not stay closed. The second problem is when the drain plug will not open.I give detailed guidance how to repair both problems. Click here to view an additional related video showing the installation of the Moen Bathroom Sink faucet featured in the video above. Subscribe to my YouTube Channel here Amazon Product Links: ** Moen Bathroom Faucet ** Eleven Inch Basin Wrench ** Oatey Plumber's Putty ** RIDGID Pipe Wrench -~-~~-~~~-~~-~- ** SPECIALS ** - Amazon Prime Discount!! - Prime Student Deal | 50 Million Songs | Just $0.99 Per Month - Amazon's Most Popular Gift Ideas (Updated Daily) - Amazon's Hot New Releases (Updated Every Hour) - Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks - Audible Romance Free Trial - Access to 16,000 Woodworking Projects Limited Time

Attractive landscaping can add additional value of your home. Knowing how to design, layout and install low maintenance landscaping can save you precious time and money. In this article I will give you ideas, free tips and tool suggestions to assist you in installing edging, landscape cover and plants that will result in an attractive, low maintenance landscape that is likely to add much value to your home. Did you know that proper lawn care and landscaping can differentiate your home from other homes of equal perceived value? Many sites estimate that proper and attractive landscaping can add 10 to 15 percent of additional value of your home. However, if not done properly, maintaining that lovely landscape can require too much time and money. You want to be able to enjoy your floral and plant beds, not become a slave to them. The answer, low maintenance landscaping! Read on to learn about the tools, tricks and tips for installing plastic edging to achieve attractive, low cost and time saving landscapes. Materials Needed In preparation of your project you will require the following landscaping materials: Plastic Edging 25 Yr Landscape Barrier Cloth Landscaping Stakes Brick Nuggets Plastic Planting Pots Having the necessary tools to prepare your landscape beds is essential to your success. To ensure that you are able to properly prepare your beds I recommend the following tools. Garden Hose Hand Trowel Garden Hoe Garden Rake Edging Tool Long Handled Sod Plugger (Also called a bulb planter) Wheel Barrow or Utility Wagon Garden Gloves I also recommend the following tools for the cutting of plastic landscape edging and the trimming of barrier cloth. Rubber Mallet Utility Knife Tin Snips or Pruning Shears Wide Blade Putty Knife Knee Pads Cardboard (as a surface to cut barrier cloth) Layout the Design The easiest way to layout a functional design with gradual and uniform curves is to use a fairly rigid garden hose to form the proposed lines of the edging. Laying a garden hose does two things for you; first it allows you to visualize your design before excavating your lawn, and second the hose can be used to mark and guide you in cutting perimeter line of your bed. Another thing to consider when laying out your intended design is the size of the plants, bushes, etc. that you plan to use to fill the landscaped area. Obviously, the larger the plants or bushes, the larger the area needed to accommodate them. Finally, you must consider the cost of covering the surface area of your bed. Be aware that the larger the design, the more costly it will be for the surface materials that you plan to use as a decorative cover. Once you are content with the design it is time to cut in the edging trench. If you intend to incorporate curves into your landscape designs you need to make certain that the curves in your design are functional, subtle and uniform. To ensure that the curves in you layout are functional, consider the type of mower that you have and whether it will be capable of following the radius of your design. If the radiuses are too tight you will have a tough time following the curves as you attempt to mow against the edging. Personally, I make my radiuses fairly tight around landscaped shrubs and trees because I use a lawn tractor with four wheel steering which allows me to easily follow a fairly curvy design. If you do not have this type of mower you should consider making your curves more subtle. Cutting in the Trench Using the garden hose as a guide, carefully begin cutting in the edging trench. The depth of the trench should be about four to five inches, depending of the depth of your edging. The trench should be cut as perfectly vertical as possible on the outside edge. A good edging tool makes cutting the trench much easier and the tool will help you maintain the edging going forward. Once a horizontal outside edge is cut in, place an angled cut on the inside portion of the horizontal cut toward the bottom front edge and remove any sod within the bed. You are now ready to insert the edging. Place the edging in the prepared trench and secure the edging against the outside edge using plastic edging stakes. You should drive on edging stakes using a good rubber mallet. They should be driven were two sections of edging are joined and approximately every four to five feet depending on the number of curves in you edging design. If you need to join sections of edging you will want to cut the top and bottom portions of the leading edge of the plastic edging using a utility knife or tin snips. This is necessary so that the joining sections can be overlapped creating a solid weed barrier. Now secure together the two sections of edging with the provided connector pin. With the edging is place, it is now time to backfill the edging. Backfill the Edging Rake the some loose soil to create a sloping surface toward the outer perimeter of the prepared bed. Make sure you tightly pack the loose soil against the inside edge of the entire length of the installed edging. The packed soil helps the edging stay firmly in place. When the soil is firmly packed, you should have about two inches of space below the top of the inside surface of the edging. Install Barrier Cloth When buying barrier cloth, be certain that you purchase a thick and sturdy premium cloth rated for at least 25 years or greater. If you by purchase a thinner cloth it will be necessary to double up the layers to ensure proper protection from weeds. Roll out the barrier cloth ensuring that you overlap each additional row about three to four inches. Also, ensure that you extend the cloth at least 4 inches beyond the farthest section of the outside plastic edging. This excess is important to ensure you have ample coverage. The cloth tends to pull away from the edging when you place the weight of the brick nuggets on the cloth surface. Once the barrier cloth is in place, you will need to lay cardboard under any portion of the barrier cloth that extends outside the landscaped bed. We need to trim any excess cloth that extends far beyond the bed’s plastic edging perimeter. Using the utility knife, cut any excess barrier cloth using the cardboard as a cutting surface. You should cut the cloth about four inches out past the outside edge of the edging layout. Once the barrier cloth is trimmed, you are ready to cover the cloth with brick nuggets, stone or lava rocks. Fill with Brick Nugget Landscape Cover Medium I incorporate brick nuggets into my landscaping. A rule of thumb, you want to lay about 2 to 3 inches of cover material on top of your barrier cloth. Be sure to check the coverage instructions on the bag of your selected landscaping cover material. I have found that you will always require about one third more material then that which you had initially planned. The moral of the story, don’t skimp on the brick nuggets. Once I have adequately filled the area, I pack the nuggets firmly in the sloped area next to the edging. This provides additional lateral support to the edging. Packing gives the edging some structural integrity for the weight of the mower for when you edge your grass against the landscape perimeter. As a finishing touch, I use my wide blade putty knife to neatly tuck the excess barrier cloth down between the nuggets and the inside of the edging. This helps discourage any weed growth into the bed and gives the edge a clean and tidy finish. Planting One key to ensuring your landscapes stay care and maintenance free is incorporating perennials plantings into your design. There are many strong, attractive perennials to choose from for your landscape, including: Forsythia, Asters, Texas Ranger, Chrysanthemums, Daffodils, Hostas, Hardy Hibiscus, Purple Coneflower, Peonies, Russian Sage, Siberian Iris and Hardy Lilies. One of the more predominate perennials that I use in my designs is Hostas. Hostas are low maintenance, shade-tolerant and will thrive in almost every soil type. Additionally, hostas can be divided to expand the plantings in your landscape. There is about a four-week window during September to October to divide and plant your hostas. You should allow at least three or four weeks for the hostas to become established before the soil freezes solid. I use incorporate several varieties of hostas for color variation. I typically alternate these colors when placing the plants into the landscape design. To discourage uncontrolled spreading of my hostas and other perennials I pot my perennials in containers. To incorporate my containers into my landscape design I follow these four easy steps: Position the containers proportionally on your landscape ensuring that your plants are correctly proportionally spaced. Brush away the brick nuggets from the area of the intended planting and use a utility knife to cut an “x” in your barrier cloth. Fold back the barrier cloth to expose the soil. Use a long handled sod plugger to make a receiving hole that is large enough for the container. Prior to placing the container into the hole. remove the bottom of the container with a utility knife Finally, place the planting into the landscape, backfill with soil, reposition the barrier cloth and brick nuggets around the new planting, and water the plant. Low maintenance landscaping simplifies your life and gives you more time to do things you really love. Try some of these landscaping methods and plants for easy gardening. You are certain to increase the value of your home and you’ll have much more free time to spend with family and friends. Whatever in on your list of your home project endeavors; I wish you safety and success! Here are links to additional videos in this series: - Landscaping with Brick Nuggets (Part 2) - Landscaping with Brick Nuggets (Part 3) - Repairing Plastic Edging - Landscaping with Brick Nuggets (Part 4) - Landscaping with Brick Nuggets (Part 5)

Proper cleaning and lubrication of your garage door hardware will ensure proper and reliable operation of your door for many years. This video will provide you with the practical instructions and the necessary steps needed to eliminate a significant level of noise specific to your garage door opener and door. I'll provide you all the steps associated with cleaning the garage door tracks, the screw drive rail and the screw drive trolley. Here is a video that explains how to properly clean and lubricate your garage door step by step: The companion video mentioned in the video above can be found here The following are links to the products that I used in these projects. Feel free to click on these links to access product information and reviews: ** Lucas Oil 10533 White Lithium Grease ** CRC 5037 White Lithium Grease ** WD-40 Specialist Protective White Lithium Grease (alternate aerosol lithium grease) ** Simple Green Industrial Cleaner and Degreaser * * Ultra-Life MAX 2 Nylon Garage Door Roller * * LiftMaster - Garage Door Opener Vibration Isolator Kit 89LM ** SPECIALS ** - Amazon Prime Discount!! - Prime Student Deal | 50 Million Songs | Just $0.99 Per Month - Amazon's Most Popular Gift Ideas (Updated Daily) - Amazon's Hot New Releases (Updated Every Hour) - Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks - Audible Romance Free Trial - Access to 16,000 Woodworking Projects Limited Time

Have you ever considered the purchase of a good security camera system? If you are like most consumers, there is so much information about the different types of camera systems that it makes it difficult to know where to begin. I can certainly relate to your confusion. I was in your very shoes at one time. However, after implementing my Amcrest system and having more than a year to work with the cameras and software, I can confidently recommend my set-up to anyone who wants the piece of mind that comes with having a reliable, good quality camera system. Read on to see how you can set-up a DIY home security camera system so that you can have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that your family, home and contents have an additional measure of protection and safety. Surveillance System Series Content This article is the first in a series of six articles written to give you all of the necessary information to install a good and reliable camera system while helping to remove any uncertainty associated with purchasing the proper hardware. I upcoming articles I will discuss the different types hardware available in an attempt to answer many of your questions. Simply put, the goal of this series is to help you determine the appropriate system to ensure proper protection of your most valued assists. Allow me now to give you an outline of the content in the upcoming articles Best Cameras for Your Outdoor Surveillance System In the second article I intend to explain why I purchased Power over Ethernet cameras, (referred to as PoE Cameras), and why I highly recommend that you purchase PoE cameras rather than the various wireless cameras that are often promoted as better solutions for your home. Surveillance System Design & Layout In the third article I will talk about the importance of designing and lying out your system to ensure proper camera placement. I will include installation tips and ideas to help you determine the best locations to mount your cameras. Careful planning and proper layout of your cameras is vital in order to achieve maximum coverage of your home’s parameter. While camera placement is important, you also must give consideration to your ability to access your intended mounting points. Easy access these mounting locations will become critical when installing your Ethernet cable runs. With an established layout plan, you can easily determine wire run distances and calculate wire footage and material cost. System Components & Cost In the fourth article of this series I will provide you with a detailed overview of my Amcrest system. I will review the specifications, capabilities and of the Amcrest NVR - Network Video Recorder. I will review the 1080p POE Bullet IP Security Cameras. In addition I will discuss the specific size and cost of the add-on Surveillance Hard Drive. I will show you how you can easily install the hard drive via the instructions provided in the Amcrest quick start guide. I will furnish product links so to that you can investigate the details of my system and consider product reviews. Finally, I will list the various components that I purchased and discuss the total associated costs. System Installation & Setup In the fifth article I will explain how to properly connect and test your cables to ensure a proper connection and broadcast signal. I will give you information and cost on the tools need to assemble and test your cables. I will also demonstrate how easy it can be to make your own cables with the proper tools. System Monitoring In the final article I will demonstrate how to use the Amcrest system to view camera activity either on your PC or Smartphone. I will demonstrate live streams and show you how to search recorded content for specific events. After reading this series I am certain that you will come to the same conclusion that I did; the relatively low cost and minimal effort needed to install a good and reliable camera system is not only a good idea, it is also a very wise investment. The peace of mind I have gained by after installing my Amcrest system is invaluable to me. Thanks for reading this intro segment on Home Video Surveillance. We’ll see you in the next segment! My System Components The following are the components of my current security surveillance system Amcrest NV4108E-HS Amcrest ProHD Outdoor 1080P POE Bullet IP Security Cameras WD Purple 4TB Surveillance Hard Disk Drive Cat5e Ethernet Network LAN Cable 500ft Optional Installation & testing items: Tonor Network Lan Cable Tester (compatible with RJ45 RJ11 RJ12 CAT5 CAT6 ) 5 Port Fast Ethernet Switch TRENDnet 8P Crimp, Cut, and Strip Tool Cat5e RJ45 Connector

WiFi Cameras or Power over Ethernet Cameras - Which are best? This is the second in a series of six articles written to arm you all of the required information needed to install a good and reliable camera system while helping to remove any uncertainty associated with purchasing the proper hardware. Simply put, the goal of this series is to help you determine the appropriate system hardware and components to ensure proper protection of your most valued assists. In this article intend to explain why I purchased Power over Ethernet cameras, (referred to as PoE Cameras) and why I highly recommend that you purchase PoE cameras for your outdoor surveillance needs rather than the various wireless cameras that are often promoted as acceptable solutions for your home security system. As evidenced in my introduction to this segment , my answer to this question of the best security cameras is Power over Ethernet or (PoE) cameras, particularly if you are planning to install cameras outdoors for the protection of your home’s parameter. WiFi cameras can definitely have a place in your security system. More on that later… Why PoE Cameras for Outdoor Surveillance? Allow me to support my recommendation for PoE cameras for the exterior of your home. First, allow me to explain how the two PoE or Wireless cameras get their power. PoE Cameras are designed to work with PoE capable Network Video Recorder (often referred to as NVR). A Power over Ethernet camera receives both data and power supply over single Ethernet cable. You can use either a Cat5e or Cat6 Ethernet cable. I purchased Cat5e network cable in bulk and I made my own wire runs. Ethernet network cables are very easy to make with the proper tools. Other Important Differences between Wifi & PoE Cameras Wireless cameras are able to connect to your network without network cables, however they still need to be connected to a power source. The power must be supplied either by a power cord or it must be supplied from an installed battery, which would need to be replaced from time to time. Another substantial difference between WiFi and PoE cameras is that PoE cameras are able to be installed with a connection distance up to 100 meters, which converts to approximately 328 feet. WiFi cameras have a connection distance of about 10 meters or 32 feet. This distance assumes that you are connecting to a typical router and not using a WiFi extender to advance the wireless signal. Therefore PoE cameras have a connection distance which is ten times the distance of wireless cameras. Still another factor to consider is signal interference. Since data transmission over PoE is through wired network cable, there is no signal interference or signal jamming. Therefore PoE is much reliable than WiFi in terms of data transmission. Finally, an IP camera system based on PoE is much easier to manage. BOTTOM LINE: If you want extremely stable network signal for your exterior cameras you need to buy PoE Security system. So is there a place for WiFi cameras in your home’s security system? Absolutely! WiFi cameras work best indoors where they can be placed within a comfortable range of your router signal and be plugged in to standard power source. Because they connect via a WiFi signal they can transmit data without a hard wired transmission wire. Since these cameras are using your WiFi signal it is best to limit the number of cameras to one or two or you could experience connection issues. So if you are looking to get a couple of indoor cameras and you want to be able to plug and play with out all of the wiring work associated with installing Ethernet wires, the plug in or battery-powered, wire free WiFi cameras should top your list. However, if you want stable and reliable outdoor security camera system you should definitely select PoE cameras. I trust the information presented in this article has gotten you a little more comfortable with installing your own surveillance system. If you are currently considering the installation of security cameras, I am certain that you will eventually come to the same conclusion that I did; the relatively low cost and minimal effort needed to install a good and reliable camera system is not only a good idea, it is also a very wise investment. The peace of mind I have gained by after installing my Amcrest system is invaluable to me. If you are contemplating the purchase of a good and reliable surveillance system be certain to check out the component list for my system listed below. Thanks for reading this intro segment on Home Video Surveillance. Be sure to subscribe to this website so that you'll get notice of the additional articles in this series! My System Components The following are the components of my current security surveillance system * Amcrest NV4108E-HS Amcrest ProHD * Outdoor 1080P POE Bullet IP Security * WD Purple 4TB Surveillance Hard Disk * Cat5e Ethernet Network LAN Cable 500ft * Cat5e RJ45 Connectors Optional Installation & testing items: * Tonor Network Lan Cable Tester (compatible with RJ45 RJ11 RJ12 CAT5 CAT6 ) * 5 Port Fast Ethernet Switch * TRENDnet 8P Crimp, Cut, and Strip Tool

Planning for Proper Camera & Network Video Recorder is Essential This is the third in a series of six articles written to arm you all of the required information needed to install a good and reliable camera system while helping to remove any uncertainty associated with purchasing the proper hardware. Simply put, the goal of this series is to help you determine the appropriate system hardware and components to ensure proper protection of your most valued assists. In this article intend to explain need to carefully plan and layout your system before purchasing your equipment. Planning your surveillance system layout will eliminate many of the error and pitfalls that will occur if you just jump ahead and purchase your hardware. You must give focused consideration of where you will place your Cameras and the Network Video Recorder. Let’s begin with Camera placement. Your camera mounting points will ultimately influence the placement of your Network Video Recorder. This is due to the fact that the NVR should be placed in the approximate center of your cameras so that your cable runs are somewhat equal distances. 4 Vital Factors Influencing Proper Camera Placement So what are the biggest factors that will influence your choice of the mounting points for your cameras? First and foremost, you want to determine if you will be able to easily access your mounting points. If you are able run your cables to an attic you typically can gain easier access to your home’s eaves which can help simply your cable runs. Also while considering your wire runs, you need to make think about ways to conceal your network cabling as much as possible. You can do this by running cable in your eaves, within soffit and under siding corner caps and siding panels, assuming your home is constructed with vinyl. In addition to having the ability to access the mounting point you must also consider whether the intended location give you acceptable viewing coverage of the areas that you need to monitor. You most certainly want to ensure that you have high visibility of your front and back doors, driveway and any windows that are not viewable by neighbors or by someone passing by on the main street. According to the article “Burglar-Resistant Homes” written by Nick Gromicko and Kenton Shepard, “34% of burglars enter through the front door; 23% enter through a first-floor window; 22% enter through the back door and 9% enter through the garage.” Therefore these access points will need to consider when planning the layout of your monitoring areas. The most effective way to determine the surveillance layout for your property is to make a rough layout of your home. Be sure to include roads and nearby residences on your sketch to help identify areas of vulnerability. The monitoring of front and rear doors is vital, as statically, these are the access points for the majority of most forced entries. Another factor to consider when laying out your cameras is what I call redundancy of video coverage; having cameras in the viewing scope of other cameras, so that your equipment cannot be accessed or tampered with without the vandal’s actions being recorded. One way to achieve this is by attempting to conceal your live cameras while mounting a dummy camera in plain view. The sight of any exterior camera should the ample to persuade a potential vandal to move on to another home. However, if the vandal determines to damage your dummy camera, the act will then be recorded while the cost of camera loss will be minimal. The final thing that you will want to do while installing your outdoor cameras is to choose mounting points that will place your equipment at a height of 10 feet or more above ground level. This way a potential vandal will need to take additional time and effort to attempt to damage or disable your cameras. So you may be asking yourself, how many cameras will I need to purchase? Your layout plan will help you answer this question. Your camera count with vary based on the size and layout of your home and the number of access entry points. The Amcrest Network Video Recorder that I use accommodates up to eight cameras, which should be ample for most home surveillance applications. I have included the NVR model number for your reverence in my list of components, which is included in the description below this article. Now let’s address the placement of the NVR, the Network Video Recorder. As mentioned previously, you should attempt to place the NVR in the center of your intended camera mounting points to trying to ensure fairly equal network cable distance to each camera. Preferably, the recorder should be placed in area where it can be concealed and perhaps secured. Concealment is important because any savvy intruder will likely attempt to remove or destroy the NVR to eliminate any evidence of his or her intrusion. Finally, you must also consider the number of barriers that you must drill through to run network cable to your cameras. Any location that permits you to minimize drilling of walls and ceilings to run cables is preferable. In my case I needed to remove a section of wall in my garage to run Ethernet network cable to my attic. Once I had the cables in my attic, it was much easier to run cable to my camera mounting points. As a side note, when I did my initial installation of my surveillance system I was only installing four cameras. However, I had the foresight to run a fifth cable just in the event I wanted to install an additional camera at some point in time. That decision turned out good because I recently decided to install a fifth camera on the ceiling of my garage interior. I would therefore recommend that you pull additional wire while making your wire runs in the event that you may want to install additional cameras at some point in the future. The final consideration for the placement of your NVR is whether or not your intended location is near a power outlet. It is great to place the NVR in a false wall, locking cabinet or a closet, but if your concealed location does not have a power source it will not be a practical location. I trust the information presented in this article has gotten you a little more comfortable with installing your own surveillance system. If you are currently considering the installation of security cameras, I am certain that you will eventually come to the same conclusion that I did; the relatively low cost and minimal effort needed to install a good and reliable camera system is not only a good idea, it is also a very wise investment. The peace of mind I have gained by after installing my Amcrest system is invaluable to me. If you are contemplating the purchase of a good and reliable surveillance system be certain to check out the component list for my system listed below. Thanks for reading this intro segment on Home Video Surveillance. Be sure to subscribe to this website so that you'll get notice of the additional articles in this series! My System Components The following are the components of my current security surveillance system * Amcrest NV4108E-HS Amcrest ProHD * Outdoor 1080P POE Bullet IP Security * WD Purple 4TB Surveillance Hard Disk * Cat5e Ethernet Network LAN Cable 500ft * Cat5e RJ45 Connectors Optional Installation & testing items: * Tonor Network Lan Cable Tester (compatible with RJ45 RJ11 RJ12 CAT5 CAT6 ) * 5 Port Fast Ethernet Switch * TRENDnet 8P Crimp, Cut, and Strip Tool

System Components & Cost This is the fourth in a series of six articles that is intended to provide you all of the necessary information to install a good and reliable camera system while helping to remove any uncertainty associated with purchasing the proper hardware. Simply put, the goal of this series is to help you determine the appropriate system hardware and components to ensure proper protection of your most valued assets. In this article I intend to provide you with information about the components that you may want to consider when planning the layout your surveillance system. I also will give you an idea of the cost that you may expect for a DIY surveillance system. Prior Important Content If you missed the previous articles of this series allow me to encourage you to take the opportunity to review them. Particularly, I suggest that you watch the previous two articles. In the second edition of this series I compare and contrast the PoE (Power over Ethernet) cameras to WiFi cameras and make recommendations regarding the best cameras for indoor and outdoor surveillance systems. In the third article talk about the many elements that you will want to consider when planning the layout your surveillance system. That article gave multiple tips for the enhancement of your surveillance coverage, it also addressed many factors that you must consider for the proper placement of your Network Video Recorder. Be sure to check them out. The NVR is the Heart of the Surveillance System That said; let’s talk about equipment and cost. Be sure that I will leave a complete component list in the video description that is included below this video. The heart of any Power over Ethernet surveillance system is a good Network Video Recorder or NVR. The NVR that I selected was Amcrest NV4108E-HS. This unit features 8CH Recording, Playback & Live View supporting up to 8 Amcrest IP Cameras. It provides up to 8MP/4K Resolution @ Real-Time 30fps. It also provides limited support for third party brand ONVIF compliant IP Cameras. The NVR software provides intelligent search, playback, and backup functions. These functions provide enhanced ease of use and security. The NVR is Plug & Play. It is easy to setup and easy to configure. You can scan the provided QR Code on NVR from the "Amcrest View" app to instantly access live viewing and playback. The NVR connects to and manages all the POE IP cameras on your network directly through their Ethernet cables for ultimate ease and convenience in a home security system. The throughput of 80Mbps enables you to watch things happen, as they happen, in real-time, providing highly reliable HD video without loss or delay. The unit also includes USB backup feature. The NVR comes packaged with power supply, USB mouse, network cable, and quick start guide with user manual and CD and it is guaranteed for a Full Year from purchase. There is also US Support and US Warranty offered by Amcrest. My cost for the purchase of the NVR was $179.99 via Amazon. You'll Need to Add a Surveillance Hard Drive It is important to note that the Amcrest NVR is not shipped with the hard drive. The unit supports internal hard drives up to Six Terabytes. The hard drive needs to be purchased separately and installed. I installed the Western Digital Purple 4TB Surveillance Hard Disk Drive. The drive was simple to install. I followed the clear instructions provided in the quick start guide. I estimate that this size drive provides me with about 30 days of recorded activity, depending of the levels of motion detection. The cost at the time I purchased the drive was $108.99 Power Over Ethernet Cameras I also purchased four Amcrest ProHD Outdoor 1080P POE Bullet IP Security Cameras. These cameras can be purchased at a cost of $60 per camera. I recently purchased a fifth camera that I will soon be installing. I did not include this additional camera in the cost of my initial installation price. Network Wire, Connectors, Crimping Tool & Tester I purchased 500 feet of Cat5e Ethernet Network LAN Cable. The cost of the cable was about $65 dollars. Add to that the cost for the Cat5e RJ45 Connectors. (I purchased a pack of 50 connectors), a crimping tool, and connection tester. These additional items cost around $30. Total Surveillance System Cost Adding all of these items together I arrived at a total system installation cost of $634.38 As mentioned in the beginning of this video, I have included product links in the description below for your convenience. Please feel free to use them to investigate product reviews and current product price information. I trust the information presented in this article has gotten you a little more comfortable with installing your own surveillance system. If you are currently considering the installation of security cameras, I am certain that you will eventually come to the same conclusion that I did; the relatively low cost and minimal effort needed to install a good and reliable camera system is not only a good idea, it is also a very wise investment. The peace of mind I have gained by after installing my Amcrest system is invaluable to me. If you are contemplating the purchase of a good and reliable surveillance system be certain to check out the component list for my system listed below. Thanks for reading this intro segment on Home Video Surveillance. Be sure to subscribe to this website so that you'll get notice of the additional articles in this series! My System Components The following are the components of my current security surveillance system * Amcrest NV4108E-HS Amcrest ProHD * Outdoor 1080P POE Bullet IP Security * WD Purple 4TB Surveillance Hard Disk * Cat5e Ethernet Network LAN Cable 500ft * Cat5e RJ45 Connectors Optional Installation & testing items: * Tonor Network Lan Cable Tester (compatible with RJ45 RJ11 RJ12 CAT5 CAT6 ) * 5 Port Fast Ethernet Switch * TRENDnet 8P Crimp, Cut, and Strip Tool