Home security is a concern of homeowners wherever they live. The most recent statistics available show that a home burglary occurs every fifteen seconds. One out of three homeowners will have a burglary this year. 85% of those burglaries occur during the day when no one is at home.

There are several ways that homeowners can secure their home. One of the most effective ways is with a “dummy” surveillance camera. Why are they so effective? Closed Circuit Televisions (CCTV’s) are recognized as one of the most effective home security products on the market today for one simple reason-they deter burglars.

The key in looking for a “dummy” surveillance camera is to find one that looks like the real thing. There are cameras out there that look like dummy cameras. Look for a unit that has real camera housing and a flashing red LED that makes it look like the real thing only hundreds if not thousands of dollars less. To add to the authenticity get a unit that moves from side to side following the object in front of it. Cables that give a feeling of going to a control room are also a nice deception.

Dummy cameras can be mounted internally and externally on your home in a matter of minutes. They give the look of the real thing at a fraction of the cost. They are an effective deterrent to burglary, theft, vandalism, and trespassing. Provide some real Home Security for your home and get a dummy security camera.

If you think crime can only happen to the other guy you are wrong. The “other guy” is thinking the same thing and YOU are that “other guy”. There is a reason why they call it self defense. You have to protect yourself, your family, your home and business!!

Chances are very good that you are reading this because in some way crime has touched your life or you want to be proactive and protect yourself, family, home, or business from the ravages of crime. That is the first step.

By: Jack Krohn

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Cameras are your eye in the sky and will serve you in the day and night depending on the cameras machinery. Most outdoor and indoor cameras operate under normal light and will give you the best quality when light levels are within the predetermined LUX level. Light levels are usually measured in LUX and although full daylight can be around 10,000 LUX, dusk can be as low as 1-10 LUX, complete darkness is 0 LUX and side street lighting can also be less than 1 LUX in some cases. The closer a camera is rated to 0 LUX the better its performance in low light levels. Considering a camera that has a low LUX level will enhance your system, so it can record 24 hours a day and then be viewed on a CCTV monitor.

A CCTV Monitor for a surveillance system invariably gets switched with an LCD television to capture images. This is okay as long as you do not want high quality images. Recent advancement in televisions has us viewing our programming in LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) or Plasma. CCTV monitors work under the same conditions; horizontal and vertical lines present an image, but these lines vary from 380 horizontal lines in black in white to 720×480 in LCD televisions. A monitor for security purposes are in high definition 1920×1080 which ensures that the image is adequate enough for viewing surveillance from a DVR.

The Standalone DVR is a storage unit for all motion captured from a surveillance camera. Depending on the amount of cameras will determine how many channels are needed for that DVR. When the cameras are connect to the DVR an operator has the ability to set preferences like automatic recording, motion activation, search capabilities and transferring data to a DVD. Internal components like the HDD and CPU allow for huge amounts of data to be recorded and processed efficiently. With the right compression for reducing heavily pixilated video results in a DVR that digital records and completes an overall home security system.

By: Sean Golden

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No one wants to leave their child home alone, but this is a reality in our world today. I was a latch-key kid and chances are that you were too.

But the world has changed since you and I were kids. Not that we were totally safe when we were alone at home, it’s just that now our children have even more possibilities to get hurt or get into trouble.

So now it’s our turn to feel anxious, frustrated, and maybe a little frightened at the thought of our children being home for a few long unmonitored hours. A lot can happen in just a few hours.

Not having any real alternatives to the latch-key situation, what can you do? First:

* Make sure your children are ready to care for themselves.

* Teach them basic safety rules.

* Know where your kids are, what they are doing, and who they are with.

Be extra sure that your children are ready. Can your children:

* Be trusted to go straight home after school?

* Easily use the telephone, locks, and kitchen appliances?

* Follow rules and instructions well?

* Handle unexpected situations without panicking?

* Stay home alone without being afraid?

Talk it over with them; listen to their worries and ideas. Work out clear rules on having friends over, chores, homework, and television.

Remember, staying at home alone can build a child’s self esteem, sense of responsibility, and practical skills.

Be sure and teach your children:

* How to call 9-1-1 or your area’s emergency number, or call the operator.

* How to give directions to your house in case of an emergency.

* To check in with you or a neighbor immediately after arriving home.

* To never accept gifts or rides from people that they don’t know well.

* How to use the door, windows, locks, and the alarm system.

* To never let anyone into the home without your permission.

* To never let anyone — on the phone or at the door — know that they’re alone.

* To carry a house key with them — never leave a key outside to be found by just anybody.

* How to escape in a fire.

* To not go into the home if things don’t look right — a torn screen, broken window, or an opened door.

* To let you know about anything that frightens them or makes them feel uncomfortable.

Still doubtful?

Unfortunately, it is true that children sometimes don’t do what we want or expect of them. And there is always peer pressure to think about — even if your children are obedient, what happens when the perceived cool kids barge in because they know that there is no adult at home?

If you have any concerns that things may not be as you would want when you’re not at home, there is a foolproof solution: a wireless surveillance system.

You can actually turn your home or office computer into a powerful, global-wide surveillance system in minutes. When away you can monitor a part or all of your home, all you need is a computer with internet access. You can place wireless cameras anywhere you want to in your home and move them as often as you like.

A wireless system has many benefits.

Topping the list — Your children’s safety. If your child is injured, or there is an unexpected intruder, or any other serious problem, you can call 9-1-1 and have someone there quickly.

Next — Assurance for your child and yourself. As your child approaches their empty home they will have the comfort of knowing that you are watching with the wireless surveillance system. It’s almost as good as having you there. If privacy is an issue then you don’t have to put a wireless camera in their bedroom or any place you agree on. Obviously, all exits from your home should be monitored. You will find it comforting to know that your child is safe at all times and if not, you can take immediate action to correct it.

And one more benefit — Peace of mind. With the wireless surveillance system you can check on your home any time and know that your home is secure from burglars and intruders…even when your family is in Italy on vacation. In fact you can monitor it around the clock from any place in the world if you have an internet connection.

If you have a home alone child, acquiring a wireless surveillance system is not an investment in a system — it’s an investment in your child.

By: Amy Herndon

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Have you been considering adding a home surveillance camera to help in securing your home? Are you somewhat confused with all the terminology in the security camera industry? Most of the terms are not difficult to understand, but some may have you scratching your head. Here is a look at some home security basic terms.

A home surveillance camera system that includes “IR” technology simply means that it will see moving objects in the dark. IR or infra-red cameras use a set of special lights around the camera lens that literally make the area look as if a floodlight is shining down.

While you do not see any of this light being emitted, the surveillance camera does. You may have seen this type of technology being used by law enforcement agencies looking for criminals at night. Now, this technology is available to homeowners who want a high level of security.

When you go to s store to look over various home surveillance cameras, the store will most likely have some cameras hooked up to monitors to look over. You can use your own television at home, in most all cases, as your security monitor. Here is how it works.

TVL, or television lines as it stands for, will provide the pictures from your security camera. Your most common TV’s will put out 480 TVL. This number is out of a scale of 0 -525, with 525 being the highest quality. When looking over home security cameras you want to find those that display images in the 375 – 425 TVL range. Obviously, the higher quality images will cost more, but you have a better system also.

Another type of home surveillance camera is the dome type system. You have most likely seen these in high traffic areas such as casinos. The security camera is hidden inside a darkened dome that is mounted to the ceiling. The nice thing with these cameras is that they can be tilted and provide a 360 degree view. Remote controls can be utilized to make things even more efficient.

Although this is by no means all there is to know about home surveillance cameras, it does cover the most commonly asked questions and aspects in regards to getting one for your home security needs.

If you are looking at a camera, but have questions about features you have never heard of, be sure to ask questions about it. Having the right home surveillance camera does not have to be confusing when you know the basics in what to look for.

By: Terry Edwards

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Today’s world is becoming a more dangerous and scary place to live. Burglary, vandalism, and violent crime run rampant in some areas, and often the police presence required to mitigate the threat in residential areas leaves a bit to be desired. But there are options available for homeowners to protect themselves and their families from this threat, and to help police identify and apprehend perpetrators.

There are companies out there who want to charge consumers an arm and a leg to install a state-of-the-art CCTV or digital surveillance system in the home. But fortunately, you don’t have to be one of those people who get taken advantage of. By installing your own digital surveillance system, you can save yourself thousands of dollars, and end up just as secure as your neighbor who paid handsomely for the privilege.

Installing a home surveillance system is a good weekend project. While there will be some manual labor involved, if planned out properly, your project will go smoothly and you will be on your way in no time! Here are some tips to get you started.

1. Identify what you need to watch. Maybe you need a camera to watch your driveway, your back yard, your pool, and your front door. Maybe you just need to watch your baby’s nursery. The point is, identify how many areas you need to keep an eye on. This will give you the approximate number of surveillance cameras that will be required for your system.

2. Identify where you need to position your cameras. Now that you know how many cameras you will need, you have to identify where you are going to mount them. This can be accomplished using a floorplan or drawing of your property layout, and perhaps a ladder and digital camera to take some photos of where cameras will go, and what you would like them to see/cover. This should also give you an idea as to what materials will be needed to perform the installation, such as mounting hardware, cabling, etc.

3. Identify what kind of cameras you need. Now that you know how many cameras you need and where you intend to put them, you need to put that info to use in identifying the kind of cameras you need. Is the camera being placed indoors or out? If you are placing the camera outside, it needs to be able to withstand the elements, so you need a camera that is weatherproof, or you will need a weatherproof camera housing to protect the camera.

Is the area being covered always well lit, or is there little or no light available at times, and do you even need coverage during those times? If you need coverage in near or complete darkness, you will need a camera that is either low-light sensitive or an infrared/night-vision camera.

4. Identify what type of viewing and recording system you need. Now that you know how many cameras you need, you already know how many channels are required on your recording/viewing device. Further, you need to identify about how long you need to store recorded video. For example, is this your permanent residence, or a vacation home or cabin, where you might not be there but once every few weeks? These will all be important when buying your system.

5. Identify where the viewing/recording unit will go. Once you know where you want to place your DVR or other recording device, you can easily decide how much wiring you will need to install the system, and get an idea where and how the wiring will be run.

6. Decide which installation materials, hardware, and accessories you will need to install. How long are your wire runs going to be? Will you need to run your power separately, or together with the cable? If you run them together, you can save a great deal of headache by using Siamese coaxial cable, which consists of a shielded coaxial cable, bonded to a two-conductor power line.

If you run your own cable, you may need BNC or RCA video connectors and power connectors for the cameras. Also, depending upon how many cameras you need, you may use individual power transformers (similar to a cellular phone charger), or go for a distributed power box instead.

On the mounting side of things, you may need mounting brackets, housings, and other additional hardware (screws, nails, etc).

Once you have accurately identified what you need, it’s just a matter of calling our friendly and helpful sales team for help choosing the right product, or making a visit to our online store to place your order, anytime day or night. You’ll have your product in just a few days, and be ready to move forward with your project.

At this point you should have a pile of information and hardware at your disposal. Here is a quick checklist of everything you should have:

- Cameras

- A Viewing/Recording System

- Power Transformer(s) for the Cameras

- Cable(s) (Video and Power)

- Connectors (unless you have pre-made cables)

- Camera Mounting Hardware and/or Housings

- Instruction Manuals for all of the above.

- Spare parts (in case you make a mistake)

Additionally, it can be a big help to have a “field monitor” on hand when installing your cameras. A “field monitor” is a handheld video screen that you can connect directly to the camera while on the ladder, and will help you get the camera in just the right position before you come down. This will save you tons of headache and hassle as you install your equipment, and will help ensure a good install on the first try.

Before you install, here are a few other things to know:

1. Know the laws regarding surveillance in your jurisdiction. For example, it is illegal in some jurisdictions to record video AND audio. In others, it is necessary to post that surveillance is taking place. If you don’t already know what the laws regarding surveillance are, consult your attorney or your local law enforcement agency for more information.

2. Know the building and fire codes for your jurisdiction. Some states require special types of cabling to be used (such as PLENUM), where others require such installations to be handled by a licensed electrician or installer. Other areas may require you to have some type of building permit to install surveillance on your property. It’s best to check with your local building inspector to find out for sure.

3. Know that all your equipment works before permanently installing it. Some folks make the mistake of not testing the equipment right out of the box, only to find that they installed a camera that was damaged in transit on the peak of their roof, and it takes several hours more to take down the bad camera, and again to reinstall it after a replacement is received.

Finally, remember, SAFETY FIRST!! Don’t get into an install that you are not physically capable of, or that you lack adequate knowledge or experience to perform. Be especially cautious working around other electrical wiring and utility connections. Having great security is worthless if you’re dead.

By: Ryan Temple

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While many homeowners install surveillance cameras to provide evidence when something occurs on their property, these same surveillance cameras can also decrease the chance of anything occurring in the first place. These cameras, when positioned in visible locations in and around your property can discourage thieves and vandals from even entering your property, let alone conducting their illegal activities.

The truth is, theft and vandalism are generally crimes of convenience, so anything that you do to make it less convenient helps to deter this theft or vandalism. Simple steps, such as locking doors and closing windows can go a long way to preventing theft, but there are few things that can be done to prevent vandalism. Home Surveillance Cameras are one of these steps that can help prevent the theft and vandalism at the same time. When someone sees that your property is being covered by surveillance cameras, it makes it much more likely that if they do vandalize or steal anything that they will be caught on tape and caught by authorities.

This is the reason that many homeowners are now installing outdoor home surveillance cameras to help deter theft and vandalism on their properties. These cameras generally not only have good color video during the daylight and switch to black and white mode with infrared night vision in no-light conditions with varying ranges. This allows you to record what is happening on your property even in no-light conditions when you cannot even see at night. At night, these night-vision outdoor cameras are visible, as they illuminate with a faint red light, showing any would-be thieves and vandals that they are being watched even at night.

By: Michael Dunteman

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As soon as you start thinking of setting up your Home Surveillance you realize that the Camera, however important, is but one element of a System. Which is therefore the Camera System you should select?

As in so many other fields of human activity, the answer, unfortunately, is always the same. “It depends…” But this answer gives you freedom of choice and the opportunity to personalize your selection, making it the most suitable to your unique circumstances.

The simplest system permits only to monitor camera views in real time (that is without recording). Such a system is adequate for checking the entrance door (or any other fixed place), for monitoring the sleep of a baby in the cradle or the games of the kids in the yard (if they do not run out of view…).

Whenever real time monitoring is not sufficient for surveillance purposes one should select a suitable recorder. For examining recorded tape footage on the premises, that is when there is no need to view from a distance, analog technology based on one of the available types of tape recorders is adequate.

A tape recorder will be suitable if the time available between cassette changes (two to four hours) is sufficient to suit your needs. Otherwise special time-lapse recorders can be obtained that conserve tape by sampling images at pre selected intervals.

The system becomes more complex if more than one camera sends images to monitor and recorder. In this case one of the two following solutions is available. Either one can sample in sequence (using an automatic switcher) every camera in turn or, using a Multiplexer, one can examine multiple reduced views on the same monitor.

But if images must be seen at a distance using the Internet, then the analog technology is not suitable any more. One must go digital to permit manipulation of images by software as in Personal Computers or in specially designed dedicated DVR (Digital Video Recorder) hardware.

Besides allowing transmission, digital technology permits software compression of files resulting in economic use of hard disk drive memory for many hours of continuous recording.

A PC based digital video system is programmed through software while a DVR is set up with a kind of hand held remote controller.

A PC uses a digital screen while a normal analog monitor is used for hardware DVR (although images are digitized for manipulation and recording).

A PC system can easily be expanded later should the need arise, while the rigid construction of hardware DVR is not readily amenable to further additions.

To select the most suitable Camera System for home surveillance one should think about the actual needs and one should answer the following questions as correctly as possible to narrow down the search.

Is the system needed only to monitor views in real time?

Is analog video cassette recording technology adequate? (No Internet).

How many camera views should be available?

If recording is needed, will sampling of images at intervals be sufficient?

Is a multiplexer needed for monitoring at once all camera views?

Is there a need to observe the views from a distance through Internet?

Would you be comfortable with PC programming?

In conclusion the selection of the best Camera System for you depends on the answers to these questions.

By: Elia Levi

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For many people, a home surveillance security system is one of the best ways to protect those you love. Having a secure system to watch your home will help you have the peace of mind to rest comfortably. When you leave for work or vacation, you will know that a security system is monitoring your home effectively. You do not have to worry about the kids coming home from school to house with burglars, or awake to find the house had been broken into the night before.

A variety of security systems is available for your home to keep these and other dangerous incidents from happening. You can choose a motion sensor that is sensitive to catch and distinguish between the movements of dangerous intruders from that of your children and pets. This allows you to have the best in security without the inconvenience of false alarms. Many security systems do not provide for a difference like this. Therefore, when shopping for a quality home surveillance security system, it is important to find a system that offers the best of both worlds.

Another feature to look for in a home surveillance security system is a panic button. If you home and encounter a dangerous situation, you need a fast and easy way to get help. Some of the best security systems allow for this. They offer access to emergency help quickly when a phone is not nearby.

Many security packages offer other features as well. If you are looking for complete home security protection, look for security systems that also send off signals when dangerous levels of carbon monoxide are detected. Some systems will also detect dangerous levels of smoke in your home and get help directly to your doorstep. Other systems will also monitor for glass breaking.

By: Y. Tilden

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