2010 July 05

Most crime experts agree that the best crime tool is one that prevents the crime in the first place rather than just trying to foil it as it is taking place. There are plenty of ways to send a clear signal to would-be intruders that the security of your home and family is a high priority to you, and that they would do well to try to choose a less challenging target elsewhere.

Of course, some security measures, especially those inside your home may be best kept discreet or even virtually undetectable. But before a burlar can break into your home they have to size it up from the outside. They will be looking for clues about how prepared you are as a homeowner and how difficult you have made things for them to be able to get in and out as quickly and stealthily as possible.

So the outside of the house is where you can make a clear statement to potential burglars that your home is not a good choice for intrusion. One way you can do this is by using home security video cameras in prominent and also strategic areas of the outside of your home. You can bet that burglars will be looking for these cameras when they go through a neighborhood as the last thing that they want is to have their image captured on video where it can be used to help identify and prosecute them.

So if you choose to use a camera system outside, it’s actually a good idea to make them large enough that they can easily be seen from the street. Put them in a prominent location that can’t be missed by an outside observer. Make sure that they cover any vulnerable areas of the home and major entry and exit points too. That makes the planned break-in so much harder to accomplish.

You can even consider using fake security cameras for this job if money if a major consideration in your home security budget, and you just afford the real thing yet. Many fake cameras look identical to real ones and can’t be distinguished as not being the real thing unless you actually take them apart. Remember, the strategy in this case is to try to prevent the crime more than actually catch the criminal in the commission of the crime.

Many criminals will not want to take the chance of breaking into your home if they get the impression that you are well prepared and that you have a good security plan in place. So plan ahead to try to prevent the crime before it can even begin.

By: Jim Johnson

About the Author:

Wireless security surveillance cameras used to be used exclusively by banks, but now the technology has been passed down to the consumer. Anybody can purchase and install a cheap wireless security camera system with little hassle at all. Wireless is the way to go, and there are several reasons why.

Don’t Tear Up Your House!

The greatest benefit of these is that you don’t have to mess with your house’s infrastructure. This is what causes you lots of headache when you’re installing a CCTV or other wired system. With those systems, you have to run wires through your ceiling and walls.

Most of us aren’t up to this kind of handwork. We’re talking about drilling, soldering and everything else you can imagine. It’s even worse if you live in a big house where you’ll have to run wires everywhere. If you’re not a real handyperson, you end up having to call a professional to get it installed, and that hits your pocket book.

More Efficient

They are more efficient than old school systems. This is especially true if you are installing cameras or lights outside. Breaks in wires are a major reason why camera systems go on the blink. With this kind of system, you can cut that risk down to zero.

With this type of system, you can mount cameras or lights in any part of the yard, and you don’t have to worry about storms, rain or heavy winds knocking out your home’s security. Using this technology protects your system against the elements.

Special Features You Can Do Just About Anything With

These systems give you lots more options for special features. They allow you much more room to customize your security system. Instead of wires running all over the place, your system uses an antenna that sends data to a receiver. This gives you a wide range of choices about where you’d like the data sent. You can have it sent directly to your PC, or even your mobile phone. That way, you can keep tabs on the house from anywhere. Your wireless security cameras can also notify you when there is something funny afoot.

Without all those wires to mess with, you can place your cameras anywhere. Put one in the bushes, on the mailbox, in the bird feeder. With the tiny cameras they make these days, your options are unlimited. Your indoor placement options also increase. Light fixtures, alarm clocks, paintings-let your inner spy run wild.

These days, it costs no more than a regular system. The prices have come down, and as the popularity of this technology soars, they make easier and easier systems to install. Go wireless and you can keep your home or business safe the easy way.

By: Andrew Stratton

About the Author:

Intelligent Video Surveillance represents the next level in security camera protection. Through using IP cameras that record video input as digital data, IVS software displays live video and monitors this data for behavior that’s been pre-programmed as a potential threat.

IVS can be implemented either into analog CCTV systems or IP cameras. Depending on your specific situation, IP cameras can be programmed to fulfill the exact needs or your home, office or property.

Let’s use an example. Say you’re in charge of security for a large train station. Your cameras can be programmed to monitor when people step too close to the edge of a platform while passengers are not meant to be getting on trains. Security staff can then be alerted instantly of this occurring, or a response warning those who caused the breach can be sounded out along the platform. As the specific video image is recorded and monitored by the IVS, it’s possible to implement software that automatically protects your clientele, staff and assets automatically to a degree never before imagined.

Other examples could include a specific customer loitering in a store for an unwarranted period of time, unusual car activity in the car-park of your business or bodily interaction that indicates the presence of physical violence. Audio capabilities can also be engaged and monitored, where if sound levels reach unusual levels, security personnel can be notified and protective measures put in place.

Another feature of IVS is that of motion detection and the tracking of objects. Let’s say, for example, you’re recording a car park at night that shouldn’t have any movement. The cameras can be on at all times while not recording useless data of an empty car park, and only be engaged when movement does occur. This movement can then be monitored automatically, with cameras being able to pan, zoom and tilt to keep a constant, ever-watchful eye on whatever is causing the movement in the frame. Such capabilities were previously only available with an actual human present to perform them, and it’s an unreasonable notion to assume any human could keep such a consistent eye on all cameras, twenty-four seven.

This notification can be made through email and SMS, and it’s not necessary that any human be present at the location in order to watch the footage being recorded. Through video servers, authorized personnel will be able to view live or previously recorded footage from a remote location anywhere in the world.

IVS systems can also be surprisingly cost effective and easy to install. Since the features of IVS come from computer software rather than internet cameras themselves, there won’t be a need to make many changes to the current maintenance and lay-out of your current camera set-up.

IVS is without doubt the cutting edge of security technology. Combined with well placed, well protected IP cameras, your protection has never before had such a watchful eye over it. While many of the technological advances of today could be seen as frivolous or unnecessary, Intelligent Video Servers have created a functional, tangible difference to the way to protect you, your staff or your family against danger.

By: Wes Fernley

About the Author:

The nanny cams or nanny cameras seek to carry out in-house surveillance and are especially set up for monitoring the activities of the child care provider or home care giver (the nanny). These cameras are important for you to see to it that the nanny provides adequate care for your little one and there are no instances of child abuse occurring. In the event of suspicion of child abuse or serious neglecting of duty and responsibility on the part of the home care provider it is the nanny cam recordings that can be resorted to for verifying the guilt or innocence of the concerned nanny.

The nanny cam setup

The nanny cams usually come installed within soft toys or some common solid object of household use. They remain concealed within teddy bears used for cuddling by the child or a clock or pot containing a plant or some other suitable object. A Kleenex box that houses tissue papers may also well conceal within it a nanny cam. It is common to find the standard nanny cams to come accompanied with built in wireless transmitters that transmit the video pictures of activities in the room taken by the nanny cam. Recording devices kept in some other room receive the transmitted signals using wireless receivers and record the video pictures.

Host of surveillance functions of nanny cams

Apart from recording the activities of the nannies the nanny cams as in-house surveillance systems also help out in other ways. These spying techniques help keep an eye on the activities of professional cleaners who may be occasionally hired for cleaning up the home. Again, they can help keep watch over occasional in-house sitter service activities opted for. Home security is what the nanny cams always seek to ensure.

Careful installation for ensuring security and proper functioning

Though the nanny cams act as good in-house surveillance systems and are capable of offering a host of functionalities they need to be set up with the observance of considerable caution. There have been incidents reported wherein the security of homes have been actually breached instead of being ensured by the use of nanny cam setup. In such cases the homes had become exposed to some person equipped with a simple cheap receiver of the nanny cam signals transmitted. Such incidents have led to doubts being cast over the utilities and functionalities of nanny cams. However, it is also true that such instances are rare and with proper installation procedures being adopted the possibility of such problems arising will be nullified.

By: Tania Penwell

About the Author:

Home security camera systems can be a good way to monitor your surroundings, however, the options available on a home security camera can be frustrating to sift through in order to find the best system for your needs. People have different reasons for wanting a home security camera in place.

There are those that find a security system necessary in order to be a more participating entrepreneur, while others feel like they need the benefit of a home security camera. Whatever your reasons, all security systems can be costly, so make sure to sit down and assess your budget before investing in camera for personal or professional use.

The first kind of home security camera is known as a dome camera. Obviously, this camera comes in the shape of a dome and it fits conveniently on the ceiling of your home or business. You will find the dome cameras often times in casinos where they are used to monitor the tables. You will also find home security at its most fashionable with the dome lens.

There are dome cameras that can be placed outside, however, you must use a special armor type in order to do this kind of mounting. Sony carries two different types of dome security cameras and they are a leader in the industry. You can choose from the Verifocal dome camera, which has the highest resolution (420 lines) and an adjustable lens.

You can also purchase Sony’s Infrared Armor dome camera, which acts as a hidden camera and is the most durable of all of the dome cameras. Dome cameras are the most popular security cameras because they are impossible to detect which angle they are viewing unless you are at close range. They come in black or white and they all have adjustable lenses.

The second type of home security camera is the bullet camera. The lens is long and resembles a rifle, which is where the camera finds its name. Bullet cameras are easily visible and can be mounted to a wall or a ceiling. They use a 12V DC voltage, and the power cable should be included when the camera is purchased. Most of these cameras will film in color and then change their resolutions to black and white when the light levels are lower.

The resolution during the day is much better with the bullet security systems, but if you have an alternate form of lighting, like a streetlight, people can sometimes be seen from up to 70 feet away. The most popular brand of bullet security cameras is the SPECO CVC-6805SX, which is color and has a fixed lens of 4mm.

The other home security camera system that is popular in order to secure your business or home is the infrared cameras. These cameras are good if you need to see mainly at night. A main issue with the infrared camera is that it does not do well for residential security. The infrared camera has lights built around the lens in order to make the image look like it was filmed during the day.

Do not confuse the infrared cameras with night vision cameras because the main difference between the two is that the night vision cameras do not have the built in lighting. The most cost efficient infrared security camera is made by Digital Peripheral Solutions and it is the QSVC422 CCD color outdoor camera, which is $137 to $157 depending on where you purchase your system.

People need to feel they have a secure home for different reasons and their measures of security, whether it is a home security camera or one that just sits outside of their business, will vary. However, some people feel the need to have the security of a camera simply because they cannot be in two places at once. If someone is approaching a building and spots a security camera they are less likely to want to take the chance of getting caught, and the possibility that a camera could save your home or business from being violated is worth any possibility of damage.

If you research the options with security camera systems, you will find home security, as well as commercial security, will come in many different prices, models, and capabilities to pick and choose what you want.

By: Mike Selvon

About the Author: