Article #5: Common Mistakes People Make When Buying Barn Cameras

The most expensive barn camera mistake is not necessarily buying the most expensive system. It is buying something that is inexpensive up front and unreliable when livestock or property are depending on it.

Mistake #1: Buying Consumer Wi-Fi Cameras Because They Look Easy

Consumer Wi-Fi cameras are appealing because they are inexpensive and simple to demonstrate. But farms are difficult environments: internet is often at the house, barns may be metal, distances are long, and cameras operate through cold, heat, dust and humidity. A camera that works only when the barn door is open is not a dependable monitoring system.

Mistake #2: Looking Only at Purchase Price

The economics of livestock have changed. A calf that represented an $800 loss several years ago may represent roughly $2,500 or more today, depending on the market and the operation. If better monitoring helps save even one animal, the value of the camera system looks very different.

The useful question is not only, 'What did the cameras cost?' It is also, 'What can dependable monitoring save me?'

Mistake #3: Buying Components Instead of a Complete System

Commercial cameras, DVRs, NVRs, switches and antennas can all be purchased separately. The difficult part is making them work together reliably. Riverwind's job is not simply to sell boxes. We design, program, pair and test the equipment so the customer does not have to become a networking specialist.



We sometimes compare it to farm equipment. I could rebuild the engine in my old Allis-Chalmers tractor, but when I open the hood on a new one there are things I am perfectly happy to pay someone else to understand. Camera networking is much the same. If you already know how to configure commercial cameras, antennas, IP addresses and networks and are prepared to support them yourself, you may not need Riverwind. Our job is to make that technology work for the producer.

Mistake #4: Ignoring Technical Support

Before buying, ask who you will call when something stops working. In our experience, roughly 95% of troubleshooting calls are not ultimately caused by defective Riverwind equipment. Problems are often a damaged Ethernet cable, a router change, a loose connector, an unplugged power supply, rodent damage or a lightning event.

The value of support is having someone who understands the whole system and can work logically toward the actual failure. When Riverwind equipment itself is defective, we work to get the customer operating again quickly and advance replacement equipment when appropriate.

Mistake #5: Not Researching the Company

Do not rely only on testimonials posted on the seller's own website. Search independent agricultural discussions, social-media comments and other sources. Find out how long the company has been in business and whether customers can reach real support after the sale.

Riverwind also shares customer comments from our Facebook community, but we encourage people to look beyond anything we choose to place on our own website. Public agricultural discussions and customer comments that have not been rewritten into polished testimonials are often more useful when you are checking a company out.

Riverwind systems are used by livestock producers throughout the United States and Canada and by university farms, schools, zoos and other organizations that come to us through the agricultural and animal-monitoring world. Our customer service and technical support are handled in-house in the United States.

Mistake #6: Ignoring Security and Procurement Requirements

Riverwind's camera equipment is NDAA compliant. That is especially important for universities, schools, government agencies and organizations subject to applicable federal procurement or grant requirements. NDAA compliance means the equipment is selected to comply with applicable federal restrictions involving certain prohibited telecommunications and video-surveillance equipment and manufacturers.

For an individual cattle producer, NDAA compliance may never be part of the purchase decision. For an institution using federal funds, it can be essential.

Questions Worth Asking Before You Buy

How will the cameras communicate between my barn and house?

Will the system arrive pre-programmed?

Who provides technical support, and where is that support located?

What happens if a component fails?

Can I find customers discussing the company somewhere other than its own website?

Is the system being designed around my farm, or am I simply being sold a box of cameras?

There is a difference between inexpensive and economical. An economical system accomplishes the job without unnecessary cost. An inexpensive camera that is not working when you need it can become very expensive.