Mastodawn

I have the new RingCam in hand ready to install & I'm currently debating with myself about installing it over my front driveway.

I currently have a #DoorBellCam & a #RingCam in my backyard & I could install the RingCam to cover the side yard access to the backyard instead.

I only pay for video coverage for the Doorbell Cam but would also pay for video coverage for the driveway cam which would be positioned to be able to record car license plate numbers.

There have been some "suspicious" drivers who have appeared to have been "casing" the street.

The "problem" with security cams is that they can seldom help to "solve" crimes committed by anyone on foot &/or who covers his/her face but that would change, if I can catch a license plate # of a car belonging to someone suspected of illegal conduct on my street.

At least then, the local PD would have some identifying info to go on.

I hate to have to do this but I'm definitely learning towards doing it. 🤷‍♂️

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Starcade Jun 17, 2025

@sgt1372

I have cameras at my door and driveway, both of which I tweeked this year to capture more footage. Originally I was just capturing if you were on my property.

Not long ago, one of my neighbors was robbed, who lives down the street, and I diidn't capture much, as they never came to my property.

Since then I've made adjustments to capture a much wider area, including people driving by. I'm also capturing anyone at my mailbox. It really doesn't cost me anything to record more often, and I thought it would be interesting to see the results.

Now I'm capturing people walking dogs, people spending time with their kids, people running. Who knew so much activity was happening? 🤔

As far as cloud, I rather like that option AND I can record even when there's a power outage. There's pros/cons for onsite, but I'm okay with offsite storage. I used to manage a lot of DVRs for work, basically security cameras with onsite storage. There's definitely some management needed there from time to time.

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sgt1372 Jun 19, 2025

@Starcade
#HomeSecurity

Well, I installed the #Ring Spotlight Cam over the driveway . . .

& it's not working right -- it detects cars but not people but everything else (light, siren & live view) is working properly.

Now I'm seeing all of the car traffic in front of the house but I the cam doesn't have sufficient resolution to show the license plate numbers. Not even on one of my cars parked on the street.🤦‍♂️

Called Ring to try to trouble shoot the cam but their only suggestion was to do a "hard reset" (which I didn't do; I only did a couple of reboots) or to try to "remove & reinstall" the cam, which I'll try to do tomorrow because it's still 100 degrees F outside. 😮

And if it still doesn't work, I'll return it for a replacement which hopefully will work better even if it can't do what I wanted it to do.

Oh well . . . 🤷‍♂️

PS: Installation of the mount on my stucco was going slowly until I remembered that I owned an impact drill with long carbide bits. LOL! 😉

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Starcade Jun 19, 2025

@sgt1372

I have to admit, I've never used my camera to read license plates. I'm sure there are professional cameras that are capable and are probably costly. Ring is more a consumer grade camera, with I believe, a fixed wide angle lens.

As far as detecting people, I've had to tweek my setting many times to get better results. I have a zone for my driveway, and then an additional zone for the street. There's senstivity settings for motion, and how long to record. If something goes by too quickly, I don't always capture it. While there are systems for always recording everything, I'm more interested if something enters my space.

Well, the cam seems to be working for both cars & people now because it recorded a woman pushing a stroller down the sidewalk last night.

I'll check to see if I records me when I put out the trash can & move my car later this morning. If it does, it'll be all good.

Since the cam can't record licence plates, I changed the zone to just cover the driveway & sidewalk which will reduce battery usage by eliminating all the footage of the cars passing in front of my house.

But I linked the driveway cam to the doorbell cam to get the full range of movement of anyone walking from the driveway to the front door & back for a better picture of the activity.

That's as much security as I need.

Now I gotta deal with the roaches crawling into my garage.😲

Some of which manage to get into the house despite spraying all of the doors regularly on both side with insecticide & using bait & roach motels in the garage. 🤦

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Starcade Jun 19, 2025

@sgt1372

I have my camera linked to my path lights, so it one goes off, everything syncs together. If you walk near or into my driveway, lights go on both in the driveway and walking to my front door.

So, the Spotlight cam apparently has fixed itself in terms of people motion.

Went outside to put out the garbage can & it recorded me doing that. It also recorded another neighbor pushing a stroller down the sidewalk.

However, the cam failed to record me backing one of my cars into the driveway but recorded me getting out of the car.🤷‍♂️

Added the Smart Alert selection for "any motion" (on top of people & cars ) to see if that'll cover it.

Will be driving that car later today & it should show me driving in & out of the driveway.

We'll see . . .

I've got a motion detector light on the wall between my 2 garage doors & walkway lights that are hard wired to a time.

OBTW, I can read the plate on my car in the driveway which is very close to the cam. So, maybe if someone pulls into my driveway it may be able to read its plate.

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sgt1372 Jun 19, 2025

@Starcade #HomeSecurity

PS: Now that I've got #Ring on my mind, I just bought 2 more Spotlight cams that are on sale on Amazon to cover the 2 side yards which are blind spots.

Will link them to the Spotlight cam over the backdoor after I receive & install them.

Don't think any of them will really matter in terms of security. The doorbell & driveway cams are most important for that.

I just like the idea of being able to see 360 around my house. 😉