Home Security

A revolution in home security, home security kits offer home owners many advantages over ‘wired’ systems. To name a few benefits, they are easy to install and they cost substantially less and they are portable which means you can take them with you if you decide to move.

Called ‘wireless’ home security systems that come in kit form do the same job as wired systems so you and your family are protected against burglary, vandalism or worse. You can install them in minutes too as you don’t need to run and glue yards and yards of unsightly wires around the walls of your home.

The need for home security
A kit is possibly the easiest yet the most effective tool for increasing security, safety and peace of mind. Home security kits come in a range of sizes and configurations too. It is not enough today to rely solely on solid doors and burglar alarms unfortunately, as thieves are finding more and more ingenious ways to break through home barriers. The most convenient method for home owners is to install a home security kit. Additions can also be purchased so that a home owner can place cameras that monitor the perimeter of the home as well as sensors and alarms. Combining a simple home security kit or several kits together with surveillance equipment contributes to a large security system, catering to particular needs of the home owner and providing every aspect of personal home security one could possibly need.

Easy installation
Home security kits are incredibly easy to install as there is no wiring necessary. Wireless systems such as these don’t need to have wires running throughout the interior walls or from the inside to the perimeter either. An added bonus of a wireless system is that it is not possible for an intruder to disarm the system by cutting through the wires. The only way to disarm the monitoring device is with an access code.

You will need a few basic tools to install the security system and that is all as these systems usually come complete with a main control panel, sensors for doors and windows plus motion sensors and a siren.

The first step to installing is to plan where to put the control panel. The control panel is an integral part of a system and should not be placed near to or be visible from external doors and windows, yet it should be in a central location with easy access to those in the home. There should be an electrical outlet close by yet it should be far enough away from any appliances that might block its radio waves, especially microwaves, TVs and radios.

The next step is to plan where you will be installing the motion sensors and the siren. The siren should be placed in an area that is not obvious yet also in an area that won’t muffle its sound. The security panel should be installed at a height that is comfortable enough for easy use and this also needs to be near an electrical outlet. If your security system has a monitoring system, you will need to install the panel close to a phone line and this may require the services of a technician.

Home security sensors should be placed on all exterior doors and garage doors and even on interior doors should you wish. Depending on how many windows you have, you might need to purchase a few more sensors, place these at the edge of the windows. Door and window sensors come with a transmitter and a magnet and these two items need to line up with each other so that when the contact is breached the alarm is activated.

The next step is to program the dials on the siren. Your home security kit will come with a set of directions to guide you through this step. The last step is to test your system to make sure that each sensor is working and that the siren is working.

Home security cameras for the technically challenged

CCTV home security kits are perfect for the technically challenged and contain cameras, a receiver and a remote control much like a TV remote. Mini wireless camera kits are also a good buy as they are tiny and easy to hide, plus having no wires won’t give them away. They can be installed as far as 100 feet away from the receiver and can be attached to your TV, but can also be hooked up to a VCR if you want to record movement, or to your PC. They also offer remote viewing options so you can see what is happening at home while you are at the office or away on vacation.

By: Mac Abley

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So you have installed a home security camera system at your home, or are planning to install one. That is great news, because you can start using your camera system to prevent problems as well as provide evidence if vandalism or theft occurs. But if you are currently in the market for a home security camera system, then you might want to consider some of the added features that are available. Many home security camera systems can provide you the ability to view your cameras while you are away from home over the internet. But it is important to look for certain things when you are considering a remotely viewable home security camera system.

The most important thing to consider when you are selecting a remote-viewable security camera system is the security of your system on the network. It is important to ensure that the system you have selected has the ability to set up a password protected user account, so that you can ensure that you will be the only one that has access to your system. After all, you don’t want someone else being able to watch you on your cameras.

Next, you should consider your internet connection…do you have a static IP address or dynamic IP address internet connection? If you do not know the answer to that question, then it is very likely that you have a dynamic IP address, because static IP addresses cost more on a monthly basis from your internet service provider. It is important to know this when selecting a home security camera system, because if you can avoid having to pay an extra $10-30 per month for a static IP address, then you can save a great deal of money in the long-run. So when you are selecting a remote viewable home security camera system or DVR, be sure to ask if it will work with a dynamic IP address. Most of the systems on the market will not work with a dynamic IP address, which is why our Alnet Systems PC-Based DVR Cards have become very popular for home security camera installations. This system has built-in support for the dynamic IP addresses, so that you can view your cameras remotely, without having to pay an extra monthly fee to your internet service provider.

Finally, look at the remote viewing options that the home security camera system or DVR offers you. The remote viewing ability of standalone and PC-based DVRs vary widely from basic Internet Explorer-ONLY remote viewing through a web browser, to more advanced PC-Client remote viewing that offer full-resolution access to your cameras, and even Windows Mobile PDA phone and Windows Mobile Smartphone remote viewing, like with our Alnet Systems PC-Based home security camera systems. With the PDA phone and Smartphone remote viewing, you are even able to connect in to view your live and pre-recorded video right from your cell phone, so that next time you are on the train and stressing out about whether or not you shut the garage door, you can know for sure in seconds.

The decision to install home security cameras is becoming an easy one in today’s society…but ensure when you do, that you select a system that can work for your needs. Consider the costs and remote viewing capabilities at the same time, because a cheaper DVR can sometimes cost you more in internet connection costs over the long run, while providing lower-quality recording at the same time. Let the remote access allow you to have better peace of mind, and stay more connected with your largest investment, your home.

By: Michael Dunteman

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Security cameras are an ideal means for monitoring the school premises, students and staff in the school. Installing security cameras in the schools has become highly important as more and more cases of crime crop up at a regular basis. These cameras are highly useful because with the help of such devices, the school administration can monitor the movements of students and detect illegal activities like vandalism, drug use, fights, trespassing, thefts, etc. They can be placed near entrances, hallways, stairwells, cafeterias and parking lots to capture each and every activity taking place in these areas.

Surveillance and monitoring are necessary for preventing crime and can easily be done with the help of security cameras. These cameras help in preventing occasional thefts, fights and other violent activities by keeping track of the movements of the students. With the help of these cameras, a clear picture of people entering and exiting the school premises can also be captured thus, making the school secure and safe. The security cameras also play an important role in maintaining discipline within the school premises. Through these cameras, the school authorities are able to monitor the behavior of students towards their peers and teachers and the attitude of teachers towards their students.

The CCTV digital video technology present in these cameras help the police in monitoring schools remotely, with the permission of the school authorities. This enables the police to reach and help out in case of emergencies and also carry out investigations in case a crime is committed in the school. Installation of these cameras helps in reducing the incidents of harassment or any other nuisance within the school campus. Thus, installing security cameras in schools provides a sense of security to students as well as the school staff.

By: Laura Wattenberg

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Security camera systems are undeniably important to help protect your business from theft and vandalism, as well as to provide video to police if anything occurs at your business. However, a quality PC-Based DVR Security Camera system can be used for many more purposes when configured properly. Security cameras are generating content 24 hours a day, which can easily be used to help your business stand apart from the rest of your competitors. Benefits are not limited to specific businesses, but can be adapted to virtually any business, to help customers remember you, talk about you, and refer others to you as well.

First, it is important to ensure that you have a camera system that can support easy remote viewing by your customers. We always recommend PC-Based DVR Card/Software packages for this application, because they offer the best remote viewing options, and can generally support hundreds of simultaneous logins. The system that we have used for most of our forward thinking business customers is the Alnet Systems PC-Based DVR Cards, which install into a standard Windows XP or Windows Vista PC, and allow for remote viewing from hundreds of simultaneous users. This system allows you to permit access to specific cameras only, so that you can specify certain cameras only to be viewable by customers. If you currently have a more limited VCR Based or Standalone DVR Security Camera system, you can easily remove the DVR or VCR and install a PC with a DVR Card. The cameras will plug directly into the DVR Card, instead of the standalone DVR or VCR, allowing for a simple upgrade to your existing camera system. The PC-Based DVR systems are easily upgradeable by installing additional cards into the PC, allowing you to keep your existing cameras for security, and adding additional cameras for content.

Once you know that your system is capable of broadcasting video to your customers, it is time to look at some of the hidden benefits of your business security camera system. The type of business is important to consider when you are looking at using your cameras to the benefit of your business. Think of something that can help make an impact to your customers with video content. For example, our shipping facility uses our camera systems to take snapshots and video of packages as they are being shipped. When our packages are shipped out, customers receive an email with a JPG image of their package as it is being checked before it is boxed. That way, customers can see their items, and it provides a great personal touch, as well as helps catch any errors before the customer even receives their package.

Other uses include auto repair facilities, with cameras showing the bays of their facility as well as the parking lot. These cameras can be embedded into a web page, so customers can simply view the cameras live by viewing their website. This allows customers to view their vehicle while it is in the parking lot, or in the shop being worked on by the technicians. The Auto Repair market in general has suffered in the past 20 years from trust issues with the public, stemming from some facilities that break the public trust. Customers can see the trustworthiness of your business, when they can view their car at any time; it lets them see that there is nothing to hide. Several auto shops that have installed these systems not only saw a greater amount of traffic to their websites, but also improved the return rate of their customers and saw a boost in customer referrals. Storage facilities have used cameras, to install into specific high-rate storage units, and provided customers with a login through their website. By being able to view their storage facility with an Infrared Night vision camera at any time through their website, their customers were more confident in the security of the facility.

Restaurants and Bars, especially in popular destination locations, have used publicly accessible video surveillance cameras on their website for years, to allow their customers to call their friends and family and see them on the web. These web cameras can easily be tied into a PC-Based DVR Surveillance camera system to provide features to countless customers and help increase traffic to the restaurant or bar by patrons.

Pet kennels are also a business that deals with the public trust. Clients have to trust the facility to provide adequate food, water and love to their pets while they are out of town or on vacation. By placing strategic cameras in the kennel areas, as well as in the areas around the building, and providing logins to their customers, these dog kennels can provide their customers with the ability to watch their dogs over the internet, from their PDA Phone, Windows Smartphone or Laptop from anywhere in the world. Now customers not only have a greater peace of mind about leaving their pet, but they trust the facility more, and are more likely to not only use the service again, but also refer additional clients.

Every day, millions of people leave their children with daycare facilities, despite the fact that nightmares about how children have been mistreated at some facilities still spatter across the news. This makes it very difficult for parents to choose the facility that they can trust with their children. It is easy to show parents that your daycare center can be trusted, and provide value-added service to the parents at the same time by installing a remote viewable CCTV security camera system. Not only will this show the parents that you are serious about the security of your facility, but you can also set up a user account for the parents, so that they can connect in and view their children over the internet using a web browser, or even with their PDA Phone or Windows Mobile Smartphone. This makes the choice of where to entrust their children an easy decision.

The above examples are in no way the only extended application of security cameras for improving your business model. They are just meant to show some of the limitless possibilities of a quality DVR surveillance camera system. Once cameras are in place, it is time to simply ask yourself, how you can use the content to improve upon your business model, improve customer trust and loyalty, and improve sales at your facility. It is time to stop looking at security camera systems as just security devices, and to start considering them as genuine business assets that can be used to improve your overall business model.

By: Michael Dunteman

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Wireless security cameras offer the flexibility that wired cameras do not provide. These are easy to install and uninstall. What’s more, these can be hidden effectively to lull intruders and nosy neighbors to carelessness. So catch them on camera.

Living Next Door to Impossible People

It is terrifying to live next to an idiot neighbor who goes goes berserk on your property while you are away. There are also those next door kids who make such a ruckus every night playing basketball that you can’t sleep.

Why some people behave this way is perplexing. To catch them in their own game, you either return the same favor or record their shenanigans on your wireless security cameras and present proof of their behavior to the police to settle the issue.

There’s this case of man who had to endure a broken window, a bashed mailbox, and other destruction caused by an unknown entity. He suspected nobody in the neighborhood. But these rampages only happened on his property and the nearest neighbor was a jobless man who always stayed at home.

Unknown to the neighbor, he installed covert wireless security cameras in the back and front yards. He also made sure that he had cameras facing the side of the suspect neighbor’s house.

On target, the wireless security cameras caught the crazed neighbor dumping garbage on his front yard. The evidence was presented to the police and the neighbor was charged for trespassing and vandalism. That settled the issue right there and then.

Let Them Think Twice

People always think twice before doing anything rash when they know they are being observed. Visible wireless security cameras mounted outdoors can warn intruders and destructive neighbors that they are being watched.

If you are new in the neighborhood, the best thing you can do is protect your property by installing security cameras indoors and outdoors. As long as these cameras are used for home and office security, there is no legal catch here.

Creative Surveillance

There are several varieties of wireless security cameras. These come in different shapes and sizes and you can place them anywhere around the house. Slip these into inconspicuous apertures or ordinary household items and toys to fool everybody to complacency.

When installing them, place them in areas where signals cannot be blocked when these cameras transmit the signals to the computer, TV, or console they are linked to.

You can fool intruders by placing dummy cams in obvious places (where these are usually mounted), or give them the impression that you’ve got several wireless security cameras.

You can imagine them freezing when they notice dummy cams thinking it’s the real thing. Whether it’s the real McCoy or not, people will think twice before behaving rashly or foolishly.

For a small unwired thing, these wireless security cameras can record in the dark and in color too. But this is just the beginning. Technology will be improving these security cameras to provide newer and more efficient features. For now, catch that idiot neighbor rampaging on your property.

By: Nahshon Roberts

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Business security camera is an advanced way of securing your employees and business against robbery, vandalism, or shoplifting. Usually, security cameras are used to prevent intruders from breaking in. And in case that could not be prevented, then the video recorded by the camera can be used for the identification of the criminals. Other areas, where business security cameras can be used successfully are drug related crimes, frauds, and small businesses.

Some professional companies use business security camera as a part of employee monitoring system. It is generally seen that this type of monitoring process, increases productivity in employees.

Wireless technology has made the installation of business security cameras very easy. Even many small business owners have also started using security camera due to easy installation. Business security cameras can be mounted on the wall, on the ceiling, or on any other desired location. After mounting the camera you only have to plug it and connect it to some video receiver.

The output of business security camera can be viewed either on a dedicated monitor or on a desktop computer. Using a desktop computer has an advantage. Desktop computer can store the video sent by the security camera. And if some criminal activity happens, the video can be used as a record. Data saved on a desktop computer can also be burnt in a CD or DVD.

Position or location where the camera is placed is one of the most important aspects of installation and providing safety. You can mount the camera on a location where it is easily visible to all those people, who are entering or leaving your premises. Or the other option can be hiding the camera, so that no one should know that you are watching them. In both the cases, it is advantageous for you and your business.

With so many security cameras available in the market, it is really difficult to decide which camera will be suitable for your needs. Some of the points are given here under, which may help you to decide the camera you should buy:

Color or black and white: Black and white cameras are cheaper and works better in low lighting conditions. But now days, the price of colored cameras has also decreased and in fact, they work as black and white camera only in low light conditions. Format: Format is the size of the image processor in the camera. The size of the processor can range from