The best video surveillance is not necessarily the best home security camera system for you. Different systems are made to fit different needs. Here's a quick look at video surveillance for 'your' home.
Determine what you want your video surveillance to do.
When it comes to finding what's best for your home, it can seem tricky but it's not. Companies offer a variety of systems and with a variety of price tags. However, just a little bit of knowledge will help you discern exactly what system will work best for you.
The place to start is to look at the two major types of systems:
Continuous Recording: Just like it sounds, this is the system we are all familiar with. There's a video tape and a camera and it records 24/7... not really a video tape any more, but you know, it's what pops into our heads. Most systems now have a Digital or Network Video Recorder (DVR/NVR) or similar. It works more like TiVo.
Pros: Your investment is one time. Cameras can be wireless or hardwired. Since it's recording all the time, you aren't going to miss a thing! These are a great option if you need a constant eye on something or someone. For example your work place. These systems will record all transactions from a cash box at work or all customers entering and leaving a business. A friend with a dairy, just set hers up to record the clients that pick up their milk and food orders and caught a customer taking a little extra than his share in the first week.
Cons: A system that records continually is pricier than a system that records only specific events. You will be purchasing your cameras and a recording device, usually a NVR. You are looking at $2000 to start for a NVR with 4 cameras. Set up is a bit more extensive as well. The DVR system is more complex to set up to be viewed remotely. It requires configuring your router to port forward to the DVR from your static IP address. This can sometimes be difficult but is usually achievable and requires that you have a static IP address (not common WiFi.)
Event Activate Recording: Triggered recording is just that. if you need video surveillance for the side of your home that is frequently quiet, having a video clip recorded only when there is motion is the wise choice. Instead of scrolling through hours of the wooden fence not moving, you'll get a clip only if someone comes over the fence and into your side yard.
Pros: Uses wireless IP cameras. You only have recordings of action. Recording to the internet means you can view it anytime and anywhere. A 4 camera system starts at about $600 when added to an ADT Pulse system with one camera FREE on current promotion. You can also start with one and most people can purchase as you need to and install it yourself.
Cons: If you are looking for constant recording, this is not it.
Knowing what you would like to do with your camera will eliminate many cameras on the market today and simplify your choice.
Part of a service or stand alone.
Another decision will be to purchase cameras that are simple cameras that sit in your home or cameras that are a part of a service. Stand alone cameras are just that, they operate independent of any other component. A common concern of these is security and the ability to be hacked into. Simple box systems are a little less expensive and do not carry a monthly fee but the ones that cost less than a service or professionally installed system tend to have cheaper security measures as well.
Often, when you get into the price range that carries comparable security measures with a service, you are headed towards better security. At this point, you might want to look at the advantages of a service since the savings aspect is no longer a reality. Take a peek below to see some of the benefits of adding cameras to your ADT Pulse security system. Having cameras tied in to an ADT system starts at $10 more regardless of how many cameras you have.
Use ADT Pulse Cameras for multiple uses beyond security.
Although we offer a continuous recording system, the majority of our customers find event activated recording meets their needs, I will expand on them a bit more and the various uses beyond simply recording activity.
Here are some great uses:
Crime prevention - Recorded clips are viewed more often. To review even 12 hours of recording is A LOT, but to review 4-10 30 second clips isn't much. So if a burglar is watching your home every morning when you leave, you'll notice it sooner with event activated recording than with continuous. IP cameras also record to the internet so you can watch it on your phone laying in bed at night.
Check in on Fido and the kids - Now, I don't mean to imply your pets or kids disobey, but in my case, the 6 year old might occasionally take the 4 y.o.'s toy and say it was the other way around. The first time he saw the video facts it cured him of that temptation, even where there's not cameras, just sayin'. More importantly, verify the dog walker took Fido out and the kids are home safely doing homework.
Stay on the couch - Use your front or back door camera to check who is at the door without interrupting your home office time, the big game or your afternoon nap on the couch. Just check your mobile device or Samsung Smart TV.
Automations - Automations allow you to use other devices to trigger the cameras to record automatically. For example, record a clip of the front door area each time the front door is opened. You can even add an alert that emails you or texts you a notification and link to the video clip.
Peace of mind - Do you ever get that funny feeling that something happened? Check what's going on from any mobile device and calm your nerves.
There are cameras everywhere these days. AND it is making a difference in how crimes are prosecuted. With many cities asking residents to inform authorities that they own a system, agencies are able to look at footage around a crime and often locate a suspect, their car or in some cases, counter unreliable eye witness accounts and keep innocent people out of jail and guilty people in jail.
As you add video surveillance to your home or business, you are taking a step to raise the percentage of prosecuted burglaries from 13% to a statistic that will make a burglar think twice. Click below and get a price quote for your home, place of business or both!
