Home Security Camera Systems
Home security camera systems are becoming more important to homeowners. Houses equipped with home security systems enjoy lower insurance rates and higher resale values. These benefits are assured even if a security surveillance camera never catches a burglar or vandal in the act. No matter what the crime rate is in your neighborhood, security cameras for your home are as good an investment as a new roof. Learn more about home security camera systems... |
How Do Home Security Camera Systems Work?
Closed-circuit TV (CCTV) security camera systems are the tried-and-true technology for surveillance monitoring at homes and businesses. Older models still use video tapes to store the action they record - or, more often, the lack of action. Video tape in older CCTV camera security systems may run continuously, recording perfectly ordinary and forensically useless scenes. If a particular event (such as a break-in) must be found there's a lot of fast-forwarding and rewinding to do.
More modern and efficient CCTV tape systems are motion-activated; the cameras do not record unless something of at a least a specified minimum size moves within their range. Such camera surveillance systems can be fine-tuned to ignore insects, chipmunks, cats, small dogs, etc. In this way, only potentially relevant video is stored and has to be reviewed. You may still get burglarized by a trained carrier pigeon, but that's a risk you'll have to accept with the newer technology.
Many CCTV home security system cameras use looped tapes that record over their previously stored footage continuously. You need not remember to load a fresh tape when one is full, and you don't end up with a garage full of tapes. Just be sure a looped tape can store a useful amount of footage, such as a week's worth, whether you use continuously-filming or motion-activated cameras.
Digital and Wireless Security Cameras
Digital security camera systems have some advantages over tape. First, they can store much more footage in the same physical space because they use hard drives to store digital video files; a hard drive of sufficient capacity can store HD video that reveals every detail of activity. Second, it is easier and faster to access a random segment of a video stream in digital form, as anyone who's played with the slider control on a YouTube video knows. Third, digital video can be enhanced easily with editing software to bring out details such as a license plate or a burglar's tattoo. Taped footage must be converted to digital format before it can be enhanced, and that's a time-consuming task.
Wireless home security systems have radio transmitters built into their cameras and a recording base station. Cameras can be placed anywhere around the house very easily without running cables through walls and ceilings. Wireless security cameras can be monitored on a standard television or they can even stream video to your smartphone or computer via the Internet. In recent news, this capability enabled a vacationing couple to thwart an attempted burglary even though they were 1,400 miles from their home!
Home security camera systems can be installed by professional security companies such as ADT or Broadview Security (formerly Brinks). But they are also widely available at Radio Shack and other electronics stores, and from many online vendors. Installing modern home security cameras, particularly wireless ones, is as easy as setting up a printer. Don't be afraid to try it yourself.
The GE 45234 Wireless Color Camera System is a low-end example, starting at $99. It comes with one wireless color camera that can transmit up to 200 feet, a receiver, and hardware to connect to your TV. It also features night vision and audio detection notification, and the ability to add an additional camera. The downside is that this system doesn't record surveillance video that can be reviewed later.
A more sophisticated system is this Lorex DVR Security Camera System which includes four wired night-vision weather proof cameras, and a receiver with built-in DVR for recording and playback. This $629 system supports local viewing and live video streaming over the internet to your PC, Mac or smartphone. They also sell a system with wireless cameras for $799. (Look for the 20% coupon on the website.)
Do you have a home security camera system? Post your comment or question below...
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Posted by Bob Rankin on 16 Sep 2010
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Article information: AskBobRankin -- Home Security Camera Systems (Posted: 16 Sep 2010)
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Most recent comments on "Home Security Camera Systems"
Posted by:
Manuel De La Paz
16 Sep 2010
Thank you for your continual effort to keep people up to date as to what products are available for Home Security. I want to put a link from this article onto our blogs at www.SurveillanceX.com and www.SpyTeQ.com. Most of the upgrades we get is just for the purchase of a simple DVR in peoples place of business or homes. This has turned into the most popular DIY upgrade that people make.
I am glad you explain why. The advantages over tape are fantastic. The other most purchased item is a phone alert. If someone breaks in the telephone calls them. They can listen in or go to the internet on network capable systems. The Iphone and Android phones allow people to actually see instantly what is going on. People have even watched the police catching the burglars. Even with video the police may still never find out who broke in. Surveillance is great but catching the culprits is even better.
Posted by:
Rusty
16 Sep 2010
I am surpised you did not mention X10 camera systems. We have used them for years and expanded our system and have them very useful.
Posted by:
Donald
16 Sep 2010
I purchased a 3-wireless-camera system that displayed on TV and did not record. I have multiple wireless devices in the home that all worked together well until I added the cameras. Then, everything went berserk, many of my connections became unstable and some were completely disabled. I have since gone to using a web cam inside the house and find that one connected to my desktop covers the main room I'm concerned with. I can record continuously or use motion activation to record for a sepcified time & I can watch the live feed from any web browser. I use Mobiscope software which can handle up to 4 cameras including a network camera [but i don't know how to set up the multi-camera configuration]. It's very easy to use. I get an email if the motion-activation is triggered. I have a cat and he has never triggered the motion activation, and the live view lets me check up on him when I'm away. I can even connect to the web client from my iPhone and the picture is good enough that I don't need to carry a computer or find one. I do need to have lights on at night to be able to see the view well.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Some wireless camera systems do mention that they WON'T interfere with wireless phones and routers. That would be something to look for when purchasing.
Posted by:
Marty
17 Sep 2010
I believe the $629 Lorex system mentioned in the article comes with cameras that are not wireless, although cable is included.
EDITOR'S NOTE: You are right! I meant to mention this one: http://sylvaniastore.lorextechnology.com/product.aspx?id=2138 instead. It sells for $799 with the 20% coupon on the site.
Posted by:
Rob
19 Sep 2010
Thanks for the timely article, Bob! This is exactly what was on my mind for adding to my home. And you addressed the one question that was bothering me, which was whether the wireless cams could peacefully co-exist with wireless routers. Thanks!
Posted by:
fkgaza
23 Sep 2010
One of the cameras I use is an Airlink101. Got it at Frys for $75 a year ago. Wireless and connect to it via IE at an IP address (192.168.xxx.01). Works okay. Has a microphone so I can listen too. Occasionally I have to reset it (e.g. unplug it, or reset the router, or restart a PC). Has nitevision (needs more LEDs). Focus is not great, but at $75 does what I need.
Posted by:
Kinney
23 Sep 2010
I use Linux and have a home surveillance system set up using an open source program called "motion". ( http://www.lavrsen.dk/twiki/bin/view/Motion/WebHome ) It's well supported by both the author and the community. It supports wired, wireless and even old discarded video cam recorders (via a tuner card). I personally use an old web cam I purchased for about $10 or $15, point it out the window of my office and keep an eye on my house from the office, live! Motion is highly configurable. It takes snapshots at pre-defined intervals then wakes up and creates a short avi movie when it detects motion. Using a "mask" file, you can eliminate trees in the background and bushes in the foreground, for example, that generate motion when it's windy. Not all webcams are supported by the Linux kernel but plenty are. A $10 surveillance system! You can't beat it!
Posted by:
jd
24 Sep 2010
If you do not intend your camera video stream to be visible by anyone on the internet MAKE SURE that you secure the camera.
Here is a link to a website that will give you an idea of the work that has been done to find unsecured webcams.
http://www.i-hacked.com/index2.php?option=com_content&do_pdf=1&id=81
Not only can the video stream be observed, but on cameras with pan and tilt controls the camera can be repositioned.