Why Use Video Surveillance Cameras for Your Home Security?

Securing one’s home against crime is a reality we must live with today. As thieves and other criminal elements become more sophisticated, locks and alarms sometimes are no longer enough—and adapting a more robust security solution becomes pertinent.

Video surveillance cameras offer a lot of benefits in improving your home security setup. Closed circuit camera systems give you the unique ability to be alerted of an incoming threat, even before it happens. Linked with other security systems like alarms or motion controlled lighting, it can act as an active defense against criminality. In fact, the mere presence of cameras in a location often discourages would be criminals from committing their unlawful deeds, making video surveillance systems a kind of deterrent against criminal activity. And in case a crime is committed, recordings from video surveillance cameras provide law enforcement authorities valuable information for solving a felony or tracking down the offenders. There are thousands of documented cases where closed circuit security footage has helped the police in resolving crimes and assisted in identifying the perpetrators, often leading to the faster arrest of suspects.

Installed properly with the help of a reputable company, video surveillance systems will give your household a significant boost in terms of security. It is important that you have a professional company install your closed-circuit video systems. They can recommend the right equipment and set you up with a package that will fit your needs, and more importantly, your budget. An experienced team with expertise in security consulting, can help with the application of industry standards and best practices to give you a more secure home. It may entail a significant amount of investment, but a good video surveillance camera system for the home will give you a greater sense of security and peace of mind in the long term.

Know Which Security Camera Will Best Suit Your Industry?

A wide variety of security cameras are available in the market today. The trick is to identify which camera system is best suited for your application, based on your particular needs and requirements. There are camera systems designed to cater to different uses, each with unique features designed for a specific purpose.

Home surveillance cameras are intended to be simple to install, use, and maintain, with a basic feature set meant for domestic use. They are packaged to be affordable. They leverage NVR and IP camera technology to allow homeowners to monitor their homes over the internet via a mobile device, tablet, or laptop.

Retail security cameras, on the other hand, are designed to be integrated with the store's POS terminal for easy access by the store manager. Box cameras mounted over the counter area are also standard to monitor employees as well as to keep an eye out for burglars or criminal activity inside the store. Security cameras also act as a deterrent for thieves and robbers, as criminal elements are less likely to try anything funny within the premises with the knowledge that they are being watched.

Commercial grade security cameras are comprised of large scale system of cameras, monitors, and recorders that allow a comprehensive security watch over whole facilities. They also double as a means to monitor employees for both productivity and safety purposes. Commercial systems use special cameras with infra-red capability, giving the system the ability to see even in the dark. This ensures 24-hour video surveillance to keep an eye on the business-critical parts of your operations. Cameras for industrial use are also designed with special housings and enclosures to protect against accidents in potentially explosive environments. They are sealed off so that in case of a surge (or if the camera module itself shorts out), workplace safety is not compromised and your employees are protected. 

What Are Pan Tilt Zoom Cameras and How Do They Work?

Installing closed circuit cameras in your home or workplace is a great way of providing an added layer of security where close monitoring and surveillance is needed. While standard wide angle cameras can usually do the job, there are situations that require more flexible solutions.  

Pan Tilt Zoom or PTZ cameras offer additional functionality for better surveillance coverage in sensitive areas. Unlike static closed circuit cameras, PTZ cameras have the ability to change their field of view by panning from side to side, tilting up and down, and zooming in and out of their subject. PTZ cameras can do this with the help of multiple servo motors and a gimbal assembly that allows for controlled movement in multiple axes. This ability gives PTZ cameras a wider and more versatile field of cover that static units cannot deliver.

These cameras can be controlled remotely to pan around and follow a subject—an ideal feature for law enforcement and other applications requiring close monitoring capabilities. They can also be set in scan mode, where they are preset to pan or tilt in a set pattern to automatically cover a wide area. PTZ cameras are also used as an economical solution for wide area monitoring. It can cover a larger space much easier often replacing multiple guards for a single camera operator, and thus reducing manpower costs. They are also an ideal option for locations where a placing a live human sentry is not feasible or downright dangerous, say in a prison setting, or industrial locations handling hazardous materials and the like.

The ability to zoom in close to the subject also give PTZ cameras a huge advantage over static camera systems. Being able to home in close to the subject provides more detail views and better subject identification, which is necessary in law enforcement applications.

Types of Fire Alarms Available Online

Generally speaking, there are two types of fire alarm systems available in the market: conventional and analogue. Conventional systems—the simplest and perhaps most common—are essentially simple ‘on off’ switches and offer the most basic alerting system. It lacks the ability to detect smoke, dust, or steam. The simplicity of it, however, makes conventional systems a very cost effective option for households and small buildings.

Analogue addressable systems are more modern alarm systems which can detect telltale signs of fire, like smoke or steam. They can also be assigned a specific "address" in the system so they give the functionality of identifying which alerts have been tripped or have a fault, effectively locating where in the building the source of the fire might be.

A popular choice for fire alarms are the automatic types, which are activated by heat detectors strategically mounted either on the walls or the ceiling. A variant of this is a system is one which is activated by smoke detectors instead. There are also combination smoke and fire detector types that sound a local alarm, in the presence of smoke or extreme heat. Some of these alarm types also have strobe lights that go off with the audible alarm sound to inform the building occupants of an emergency. These however, are all just alarm systems that alert of the presence of fire.

An automatic fire sprinkler system with heat detectors are common with offices and commercial establishments, where fire suppression is urgently needed. These work by having a heat sensitive material working as a switch, which is tripped when exposed to heat, sounding the alarm while simultaneously activating the sprinklers.  

The most advanced fire alarms incorporate an automatic sprinkler with both smoke and heat detection capabilities, with a control panel that works as a fire indicator capable of displaying which alarms are tripped and where the fire is.  This advanced system, besides sounding a local alarm, also sends alerts to the local fire department for immediate emergency fire response.

Knowing About 8 Channel NVR Security System

Installing traditional closed circuit camera systems can be challenging as it involves a lot of wiring and connections to sort out. NVR security systems offer less complicated solutions with a host of features that give them an edge on/over their analog counterparts.

Network video recorder or NVR systems, work much like a traditional closed circuit system. The main difference is in how the system components are interconnected. NVR systems connect using a wired LAN network or wireless connection or WAN. NVR leverages the use of IP cameras that can be connected via cable, or via wireless internet connection. This effectively gets rid of the wires and simplifies the physical installation of your cameras. As components for the network can be bought off the shelf from your IT equipment supplier, putting an NVR network together costs much less compared to analog systems that require specialized components and equipment.

Being fully digital, NVR systems also uses high definition H.264 video encoding, resulting in better picture quality and more efficient data transmission and streaming compared to most analog systems. NVR systems allow you to monitor your cameras via the web through your mobile device such as a laptop, tablet or smartphone. As long as you have access to the internet, you will be able to monitor any camera in your NVR network from virtually anywhere.

Network video recorders come in multi-channel packages, from basic 4 channel boxes to massive 128 camera systems for large scale applications. For the home or a small business establishment, an 8 channel NVR unit would normally suffice. Analog video systems often need to have a separate power distribution hub for the cameras that it uses.  Network video recorders feature Power over Ethernet or PoE, which allows you to run power to your cameras using the NVR itself to simplify wired connections to a single CAT5 cable.

How IP Cameras Are Better for Security Purposes?

Security surveillance systems that use IP (internet protocol) cameras can receive and send images or footage over a network or the internet.  IP cameras are like webcams but are more advanced as they are used for surveillance and security purposes. In fact, they are suitable alternatives to analog CCTV cameras—and they are widely used in homes, businesses, and commercial spaces. Some IP cameras can work better with an IP camera software, which provides access to more features of the system (like analytics and the ability to easily review footage remotely). This way, they are deemed beneficial for certain security applications.

IP cameras come in two types based on their operating systems: decentralized and centralized. The latter needs a network video recorder (NVR) to record images in digital format to a storage device like a hard disk drive. Decentralized IP cameras can run without an NVR, as they have built-in recording capability and record the footage directly into a digital storage media. In some cases, the footage can be saved and viewed live in the cloud. Regardless of your choice, you should be able to access the footage from anywhere with internet access.

Remote viewing is one of the most notable benefits of IP cameras. Hence, you can check what is happening in your home or office, even when you are not there. This can be handy if you are constantly away and you want to monitor your household or business and its occupants remotely. Some systems may allow you to view footage in real-time from your smartphone, too. IP camera systems can have as much cameras as needed, as long as there your broadband signal or strength can support them.

Certain features of IP cameras make them ideal for any security application. High-end units can capture high-definition and clearer images. Reputable suppliers carry IP security cameras, which have their own IP addresses. The cameras have smart functions, too, like a built-in computer system for network communication, and they are packaged with all the necessary things you will need to view footage over a network. IP cameras are reliable when identifying objects from a distance as they can zoom in without diminishing the image quality. They are easy to install, and most are plug-and-play units you can set up yourself.