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Security Tip

Have neighbors, friends or family pick up your mail, mow your lawn, use your garbage cans, and park in your driveway when you are away.

Even if a burglar knows you are away, the activity around your home will act as a deterrent.


 

 

 

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Security Camera Equipment

A Look At The Other Key Surveillance Components

 

If you've read the section on video surveillance, then you understand two basic motivators for installing security camera equipment: deterrence and apprehension, which play a key role in protecting your family and property.

But the camera is only part of a complete turn-key surveillance system. Although security cameras, spy gear and other CCTV equipment can get quite technical, we'll stick to our principle of simplicity. So here are the basics.

At its' most basic your security camera equipment will include at least one video camera (often with a motion detector to trigger the camera), and a monitor.

A more complete security camera system will also have a digital video recorder (DVR) to capture the image. And if you need to monitor more than one area, a switcher or multiplexer is used to monitor and coordinate multiple cameras.

It may sound complicated, but it doesn't have to be. Now let's look quickly at the pieces.


Security Cameras

As you know from security camera basics, there are a several types of cameras, each suited for a specific purpose or environment.

You'll need to choose between hard-wired and wireless security camera systems. There are security cams for low-light areas, and for night-time monitoring. And there are cameras are made for indoor or outdoor use, and some are built to be used anywhere.

And don't forget the specialty spy gear: nanny cams, and hidden cameras that are designed to look like something else (a lamp, teddy bear, smoke detector, etc).

As already stated, the camera is only one part of a complete video security system


Surveillance Monitors

Many security camera equipment packages also include a CCTV monitor. After a camera converts an image into an electrical signal, the video signal is transported to a remote point for viewing and possible recording. The monitor then converts the electrical video signals, transmitted over cable or via radio waves, into viewable images.

The security monitor receives the transmitted video signal and paints it across a cathode ray tube (CRT) to display an image. Although similar in function to a TV, a CCTV monitor provides higher lines of resolution (better picture quality) and accepts only video signals rather than RF/antenna signals. And the monitor has a longer life span.

Pre-packaged security camera equipment will often include either dedicated monitors or switchable monitors A dedicated monitor displays the video from only one camera. A switchable monitor enables the user to switch between different cameras. Generally, switchable monitors have larger screens and give you the ability to view multiple images simultaneously (multiplexed), as well as to scrutinize the camera image more closely.


Switches and Multiplexers

As the number of cameras increase, additional security camera equipment may include switchers, VCRs, multiplexers, and quad splitters.

1) Switchers - A switcher enables a user to select the area they want to see by pressing a button associated with a specific video camera. The most popular type is a sequential switcher, which will switch from one camera to another automatically, at user-defined intervals. Now you can keep tabs on multiple cameras with only one monitor.

2) Multiplexers - A video surveillance multiplexer collects images from up to 16 surveillance cameras and displays them on a monitor, either one at a time in full screen, or simultaneously on a in reduced sizes. Multiplexers also can record all images onto a single videotape if you use a recoding device.

Most multiplexors today contain motion detection features that enables one camera to record more frames of video that show motion than from one not showing any motion.

3) Quads - Similar to multiplexers, a quad compresses images from four separate cameras and simultaneously displays them on a single monitor screen. Or a single camera can be selected and displayed full screen. Unlike multiplexers, quad recordings show only what appears on the monitor at the time of recording.


Recording Devices

If you plan to record images for later viewing, your security camera equipment should also include a VCR designed for security systems.. Recording can be either a set of stills taken at predetermined intervals or constant video recorded to a tape system or digitally to a hard drive. For example, a surveillance camera can take a picture every of your yard every 30 seconds, but increase it to every 2 seconds when it detects activity.

Security system VCRs can record video images in either real-time or time-lapsed modes.

In real-time mode, the tape moves at the same speed as a home VCR and produces high quality recordings, but requires a tape change every 2 to 6 hours. The 24 hour real-time VCR will record 24 hours of video on a single tape at 20 frames per second.

Time-lapse recording makes it possible to record video over long periods of time - from 12 to 960 hours - on one T-120 video tape. However, the number of pictures recorded per second in time-lapse mode decreases significantly as the recording time increases. As fewer pictures are recorded per second, critical images may not appear on tape.

Choosing the right security camera equipment offers a great advantage by letting you monitor multiple areas of your property, and improving your chances of preventing the threat before it can escalate into theft, vandalism, or harm to your family.

And if an intrusion does occur, your video camera system gives you the hard evidence to prosecute or resolve the trouble.


For more information:

Video Surveillance: First consider whether its' the right choice for you.

Types of Security Cameras: Get the biog picture on what's available.