Thursday, April 25, 2013

More problems with Q-See security cameras

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As many of you know from my past writings, I truly dislike Q-See Cameras security system. This is one of the most complicated security systems to install, unless, of course, you are Geek Tekkie with no life and all you do is read computer code for a living.
Here's what I have written in the past:
Q-See Cameras, worst system out there
Q-See Cameras don't work
The Q-See camera system comes with a poorly written instruction booklet that basically says call their tech people to install. I did call, and they quoted me some outrageous price that was more than $2,500. Can you imagine that? To install an $800 system?
So I reached out to a local computer professional and had them install the system. When I talk about installing, I am NOT talking about just putting the cameras around the house and connecting them to the DVR. I am talking about the reason you purchase security systems, to access them remotely.
Yes, it was easy to install the camera so they work and display their views on a TV screen inside the house. With 8 cameras, the wires can get a little tricky, bringing them into the house to connect to the DVR.
The real problem, though, is following the spaghetti like instructions in the small, fine print-like instruction booklets that come with the system. They are impossible to follow. I've tried. (And I used to program and sell software programs to IBM back int he 1980s when computers first came out. Today, software programs are written by people with no social skills. They don't know how to talk to normal people and write to themselves.)
Once again, I am having problems.
I paid someone to set up the port forwarding and set up the many, many criteria and settings required to get the system to be accessed from outside of the home through my home network. It took about 3 hours. I figured, I had wasted so much money already, what's another $300? It's far less than the $1,500 Q-See's technicians wanted. (They were so rude when I called anyway. They didn't seem to care about everyday people like me. Probably only kissing the ass of big businesses where they can make a fortune. Many big businesses don't mind wasting money on schlock.)
Now, Comcast upgraded my system replacing the Router and the Modem with one Tower which does both. That changed the IP address, and now the system is down. Useless, again.
I've spoken with people who have other systems. They showed me their instructions. So simple to install and connect an iPhone, iPad or Android App to access the video images live. Such a great idea, when it works.
But the Q-See Security Camera system doesn't work that easily. The instructions are so complicated, I doubt even a computer tech professional can easily figure them out.
Why does it have to be so complicated? Because the people who designed Q-See cameras don't care about average people. And when average people complain, they viciously attack and slam you for speaking out.
Tough shit. I am going to tell everyone I know that the worst thing I did was to purchase your system and share my frustrations with everyone. The public deserves to know.
Maybe, instead of bashing me and others who complain, you might spend your free time at Q-See redesigning the system, making the instructions EASIER TO FOLLOW, and creating a process that easily connects it to an App without having to have a degree in Computer Science or Technology.
I'll call and pay a local computer tekkie and pay him to update the system to allow me to access the poor images from a Cell Phone/iPad app.
-- Ray Hanania