Help setting/designing a new home security system - pref using Frigate as NVR

[seck1]

Hi

I asked the Use-IP guys for some advice, and they suggested posting here for further info. I am looking to setup a home security system for myself, and am a little confused with the myriad of options. I have listed below my thoughts and ideally what I would like - but open to suggestions. I have also attached a layout of my house/garden with measurements in meters if that helps

1. I would like to use Frigate as NVR because I geek out on these things, so ideally the camera system should work with it
2. My garden as you see wraps the house from 3 sides
3. The front garden is 7meters in length and 10.5m or so in width
4. I have a Hedge which is 1.5m or so high in the middle of the front garden
5. From the side of the house, there is a garden gate (standard full length) 4.9m from the front of the house. This leads into the back garden
6. Our main entrance is on the side of the house
7. From the garden gate we have 6.1m to the back of the house
8. 6 and 7 form a long pathway down the side which is 4.3m wide, so not an alleyway more of a driveway (although it isn’t)
9. The house is 6.3m wide
10. From the rear of the house the shed is 16.7m
11. The shed has two parts, one which is all enclosed with a door and window, and one which is just covered but accessible from the pergola side (i.e. garden side)
12. Key access points are
    1. From the front road, the walls and gates are all hip height
    2. The neighbours on right side front fence is also hip height
    3. The neighbours from right side in the back garden , fence is 6ft but still crossable
    4. The neighbour in back from left side, fence is around 5.5ft high
13. I have labelled these access points with arrows
14. Ideally I would like a camera system which monitors the entire perimeter, and eventually add to this with two internal cameras
15. PoE seems to be the best option, I have looked at solar and also wifi, but I think they are largely gimmicks - open to suggestions
16. There is a large tree which blocks most of the access to the front of the house where there is a window, but need to cover that window if possible, if someone access from left corner of front of house down the side of the fence to the window
17. The camera requirements
    1. Two way audio/mic so that I can talk to them
    2. Tracking is nice, but may not need if fixed positions can capture it all, but I do like PTZ, just because it looks cool
    3. I was thinking at the front if a 270 degrees camera mounted on corner will suffice - might not be possible
    4. Frigate NVR preferred, happy to use camera AI if better than Frigate.
    5. Night vision essential, color preferred. I have a night light at the side of my home, and street lights to the front. The rear is dark except for a security light. I can add a light if needed
    6. The ability to mark areas/zones is essential, and also to set a perimeter line
    7. Alarms based on areas of access, e.g alert if far away, alarm if closer would be nice
    8. Nice to have an alarm included, strobe/noise, but also nice to be able to set an external alarm e.g. switch on light in house - will use home assistant once I work it out
    9. Blockage of view or disconnect of cable/power alert is essential
    10. Arming of device based on time of day or even better location i.e. if I am away.
    11. Any ability to recognise people e.g. postman so alarm does not sound would be great but more of a wish than required.

1. I don’t really understand FoV etc, I have used the online calculators to educate myself, ideally the entire area needs to be covered but I don’t need great detail at a distance, just alerts
2. Ideally detection under the shed needed, but i may need a separate camera mounted closer - The issue with this is not the power - I have in the shed, but the wifi/ethernet access
3. The mounting will be on brick, the eaves on rear extension are around 2.5m high, so could be done there. Mount type, maybe one of those ‘poles’ which stick out
4. The camera for the side is an issue from what I see. The gate height and the hedge seem to block out the view unless I go higher, and also the placement of the camera on the side wall to cover the length. Are there cameras which do 180 degrees and scan the entire zone
5. Cable running will have to be on outside the house, to get up and into the attic is a major job, and then I need to bring it down again due to the router being downstairs. So think best to run outside high up, and then insert via same hole for broadband into the home. This is why cable cutting alerts are essential. Will mask the cable using vines and trellis eventually.
6. What height is best, I initially thought high up e.g second floor attic height, but have read lower better for face , which means around the 2.5m height
7. One PoE may need to be around 15m from the rear to the front - entry point for broadband is at the front of the house.
8. Cost wise I am flexible, do not wish to pay for features I do not need, but happy to pay more for cool things like PTZ if setup requires less cameras and cables.
9. I feel mounting at the rear is an issue in terms of height. I have an extension, glass and brick, if I mount on top or highest point, it seems to miss the area right in front of the door, which leaves access from the neighbour on the left closest to the glass door. He has a very low fence to a car park on his other side.
10. Configuration either by Frigate or direct to have different response based on zones, e.g. message and alert far away, alarm closer, and if really closer, then send out the SAS
11. Anyone wired up a system to play the sound of a dog barking

Also one last question how does one test the positining of these cameras to get them all working without actually having to mount them up and cable them first.
I have looked into the hikvision cameras alot and do like them, but not wedded to them. I can setup a VPN if needed, and my frigate/nvr will run on an umbrel box


Sorry for the long laundry list, but thought I would add everything here, as a reference for myself also. Thankyou in advance.

Dan