The Beginner’s Guide to Security Cameras

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ContentsIntroduction.............................................................................2

The Point of Security Cameras.................................................3

Uses for Security Cameras.......................................................5

Types of Security Cameras.......................................................6

Tips for placing security cameras.............................................9

Maintaining Security Cameras...............................................10

Security Companies Offering Security Cameras.....................11

A Word on Fake Security Cameras.........................................12

Conclusion..............................................................................13

About SafeWise......................................................................14

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IntroductionSecurity cameras can be a powerful force against burglars. Just the sight of security cameras might scare off an intruder, because criminals don’t want to be seen or leave behind evi-dence. If your home is burglarized, security cameras can help police identify and find the burglar, and retrieve your stolen possessions. Aside from helping to prevent burglaries, secu-rity cameras can help you simplify your life and take control of your home.

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The Point of Security CamerasIf you already have a security system, it may seem redundant to also have security cameras. After all, if a security system is supposed to keep out intruders in the first place, ideally, you wouldn’t have to use cameras to catch any burglars. Unfortunately, intruders can still break into your home, even when you have a security system. Beyond security surveillance, there are many other uses for security cameras, such as seeing who’s at your door or checking up on kids or pets. Let’s take a closer look at some of the instances in which security cameras have been useful in theft cases.

Security Cameras at WorkIn some cases, security cameras catch intruders right away, and in other cases it takes more time and police investigation to catch an intruder. Here are a few examples in which home se-curity cameras have proven useful in catching and preventing burglary:

Catch doorstep thievesIn December, a UPS worker in Texas was caught on a security camera stealing an iPad, which was a father’s Christmas gift for his daughter. This savvy dad, had installed a cam-era to monitor his front door, and when he later reviewed the footage, it was clear what had happened. When UPS didn’t respond to customer service calls, he posted the video on YouTube, which got their attention, and ulti-mately, the iPad was returned.1

Nab burglars almost

instantlyWhen you have a live camera feed that alerts you when it senses motion, you may catch burglars in the act. One day, New York City resident Levent Centiner was sitting at his of-fice desk when he started receiving emails with live images from his motion-activated camera. Upon receiving the images, Centiner called 911 and the burglar was caught then and there. Centiner is now an open advocate for everyone setting up security cameras in their homes.2

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Give solid evidence to the policeIn March, security cameras helped crack a string of home bur-glaries in North Carolina. A thief had been breaking into homes in the town of Wilson for over two months, stealing money, jewelry, and flatware. Puzzled and frustrated, the police could not find any clues, until one day a victim came forward with surveillance footage. Once the police viewed the footage, they were able to quickly arrest the culprit and solve the case. All in all, the police reported that the burglar stole over $44,000 in property before he was put behind bars.3

When it comes to home security, extra measures never hurt. Sometimes, a thief will complete-ly avoid a home because of the dreaded security cameras and a home security system. Other times, a more arrogant burglar might try to break into your home anyway, but with a full secu-rity camera setup that sends alerts to your phone, you’ll know about it immediately, you can notify the police, and you’ll have video evidence in case it’s needed. Of course, there are other uses for home security cameras besides break-ins, which will be discussed in the next section.

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Uses for Security CamerasThere are two main situations where you’ll need a security camera: when you’re at home and when you’re away. In both cases, there are a variety of ways that security cameras can make life a little easier and safer.

When you’re home: You may not think you need security cameras when you’re at home, but you’d be surprised how useful they can be.

• See who is at the front door from any room in your house. This is especially conve-nient in the middle of the night or when you’re not on the first floor.)

• Use it as a video baby monitor.

• Know what’s going on with all family mem-bers throughout the house, and monitor areas that are off-limits, like the workshop or cleaning supply closet.

• Care more easily for an elderly family member by setting up a camera in the area where they spend the most time. You can keep an eye on them from another room, or while you’re away from home.

• Identify the creepy noise coming from downstairs, without even getting out of bed. If you hear suspicious noises in your home, especially at odd hours, check the cameras to see what is happening before going directly to the source of the noise.

When you’re away: Security cameras aren’t just for catching bur-glars in the act— they can give you peace of mind when it comes to your family, your kids, and your property by letting you see what’s going on at all times.

• Catch a burglar or intruder on tape while they try to break in.

• Check on the pets while you’re away.

• Know when the kids come home from school.

• See what’s going on if your alarm sounds and you’re out; then determine whether it’s a false alarm or something more seri-ous.

• Keep an eye on the nanny or babysitter while you’re away.

• Watch for any suspicious behavior around your house. This may include strangers that have been lingering or scoping out your home.

• Check on the maintenance crew or any-one working on or around the home when you’re not there.

As you can see, whether you’re home or away, security cameras can be used for more than just catching burglars.

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Types of Security Cameras There is a wide variety of security cameras, and each one serves a different purpose. From fixed cameras to pan and tilt cameras, night vision cameras to motion detection cameras, there are security cameras for nearly every scenario.

When researching security cameras, keep in mind that many will have compound features, for ex-ample: “outdoor, night vision, pan and tilt cameras” or “fixed, dome IP cameras.” The list below will help you understand your options and pick the right camera for you.

Here are the most common security cameras featured on the market today:

Basic or Fixed

Security Camera A fixed camera is a general purpose camera that does not move, change direction, or zoom.

Pan and Tilt or Pan-

Tilt-Zoom Camera Pan and tilt cameras can be adjusted quickly, change di-rection, or zoom, and can even lock in on and follow a moving object that shouldn’t be in an area—depending on the model you buy. Pan and tilt cameras have the ability to spin and angle up and down due to a motorized interior mount. Many security com-panies allow you to remotely control where the camera looks from your smartphone or other web-enabled device.

Wireless Camera

These days, most security cameras are wireless. Wire-less surveillance cameras connect to your security sys-tem through an internet con-nection and are very easy to set up. Usually, you can cus-tomize your wireless security cameras and control them from a smart phone or com-puter. The benefit of wireless security cameras is that they do not have to be wired into the home to communicate with the alarm system.

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Night Vision Camera

Night vision cameras use in-frared technology to illumi-nate poorly lit areas and re-cord footage at night.

Exterior or Out-

door Camera Exterior cameras often have night vision elements and are weatherproof. These camer-as are important for observ-ing who is at the door with-out opening it, seeing what is going on outside the home, or viewing your front or back yard.

Motion Detection

Camera Motion detection cameras can start recording—or start taking pictures—when they sense movement, so you don’t record hours of useless footage. Some motion detec-tion cameras, like some pan and tilt cameras, can lock in on a moving object and fol-low it.

Hidden/Covert

Camera Hidden or covert cameras, also known as nanny-cams, can be concealed in secret places (bookshelf, cookie jar, centerpiece, etc.) and used to spy on or catch behavior that might be hard to detect otherwise. The cameras can allows you to keep an eye on your babysitter or watch the kids when they are home alone to make sure every-thing is alright.

Dome Camera

These cameras are dome-shaped and often used in-doors. Some dome cameras have infrared lighting and can be designed to be tam-per-proof. Dome cameras are commonly pan-tilt-zoom capable and, because of the tinted dome that shields the camera, most people are un-able to tell if the camera is currently facing them or not.

IP Camera, Netcam,

or Webcam An Internet Protocol camera is a digital video camera that can send and receive data via a computer network or broadband connection. Most cameras with this capability are called webcams— howev-er, the names ‘IP Camera’ or ‘Netcam’ are generally used when talking about surveil-lance cameras specifically.

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Once you’ve looked over the list and you’ve got your options all laid out, think about why you’re looking into security cam-eras and what purpose a camera would fulfill. Many times, cameras will have compound features, and if you’re getting a camera for security purposes there are a few that stand out as being especially useful. Cameras with motion detection, the ability to view a live feed remotely, and email and text alerts tend to work best to help prevent burglaries.

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Tips for placing security camerasIf you’re installing security cameras yourself, it’s easiest to buy wireless cameras. Since there are no wires or cables to worry about, it’s a snap. Also, with most wireless cameras, you can re-motely view footage from a smartphone or other internet connection. With that in mind, here are some common places where people put security cameras in their home:

Back and front

doorMany people put cameras at their front door, but then they neglect the back door. According to famous jewel thief Walter T. Shaw, burglars will often favor breaking into the back door rather than the front. Shaw says that, “The No. 1 way into a home is through the French doors or sliding doors in the back.” So, he is puzzled when he sees homes that only guard the front door with security cam-eras. He goes on, “I went to a guy’s house yesterday—his $5 million mansion—and he had [security cameras] only in the front of the house. What burglar is only going to go to the front?”4

Areas of high foot

trafficInside your home, you’ll want to place cameras in areas of high foot traffic, places where an intruder would have to walk through to access other parts of the house, such as hallways, entryways, and liv-ing areas.

BedroomsBurglars often ransack master bedrooms first, so it’s a good idea to put at least one cam-era in there. Additionally, if you want to use cameras to keep an eye on your kids or an infant, put cameras in the kids’ rooms. Imagine being able to cook dinner, work at your desk, or watch TV in an-other room, while being able to easily check on your sleep-ing baby or children from your smartphone.

PlayroomsIf you want to keep an eye on your kids while you take care of work around the house, set up a camera in the playroom. You can periodically check on them from your smartphone, no matter your location, for peace of mind.

Point your

camera in the

right directionMake sure to place your cam-eras at the most effective angle. Cameras with motion sensors will better detect mo-tion when an intruder walks past it and not directly to-ward it. That’s why hallways and entry points are great places to put cameras.

Security cameras should be placed in areas where there’s enough light to get a good, focused shot. Although, night vision cameras can help you see footage in dark areas they’re usually grainy or difficult to see.

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Maintaining Security CamerasLike anything else in your home, cameras require a little bit of maintenance and care. They don’t need a lot of attention, but you don’t want to set up your cameras and then forget about them, either. Check your cameras periodically to make sure they’re working properly and to make sure they have a clear line of sight. Here are some tips for making sure your security cam-eras work to the best of their ability:

Keep them cleanTry to wipe down your video camera lenses on a regular basis, ensuring they don’t get covered with dust or debris. A camera with blurry vision is less helpful than a clean one. You want to keep your lenses sharp, so the police will be able to clearly identify someone if they break into your home.

Mind trees and bushesWith outdoor cameras, be aware of the trees, bushes, or other items or furniture around your home that might obstruct the vision of the cameras. A camera may be in a good location when you set it up, but you need to make sure to keep the camera’s line of sight clear.

Beware of elementsWhen placing cameras outside, make sure to use outdoor cameras that have been weatherproofed. If your home sees some heavy rain or a snowstorm, check your cameras and make sure they’re still working properly and that nothing is covering the lens.

Check batteries regularlyIf you have motion sensor cameras, they will only record when motion is detected, thus saving energy, and you won’t have to sort through hours of useless footage. Still, be aware of your camera’s battery life and change them out when needed.

Follow simple steps to take care of your cameras and they’ll last a long time, and be in top-notch shape in case you need them for spotting intruders.

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Security Companies Offering Security CamerasFor quick reference, here’s a list of security companies that offer various security cameras:

Vivint• Fixed indoor camera • Pan and tilt indoor camera

FrontPoint • Fixed indoor camera• Indoor pan and tilt camera• Outdoor camera

LifeShield• Fixed indoor wireless camera

Protect America • Pan and tilt indoor camera

Devcon• Offers security cameras but do not specify which kind.

Smith Monitoring• Outdoor night vision camera• Indoor night vision camera• Indoor fixed camera• Indoor pan and tilt camera

Protection 1• Fixed indoor camera

XFINITY Home• Fixed indoor camera• Outdoor/indoor camera

Pinnacle• Fixed indoor camera• Pan and tilt indoor camera

AlarmForce• Indoor/outdoor camera with intercom

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. . . a word on fake security camerasFake cameras may scare potential burglars away by giving the impression that intruders are being watched. They’re a cheap alternative to actual cameras, but a fake camera may not give you the same peace of mind as a functioning camera.

The perks of a fake cameraOf course, a real camera is better than a fake one, since you’ll have real help on the way and real camera footage if something goes awry. But if you can’t afford a real camera or if you can’t afford as many cameras as you’d like at first, you can use some fake gadgets as a temporary fix. After all, it’s better to have a fake camera system than none at all.

Choosing a fake cameraAlthough the whole point of buying fake security components is to save money, you don’t want to buy the cheapest fake security camera available because it will look just that: cheap and fake. Spring for a good-looking model and ask yourself if you would be tricked by it, if so it’s likely to trick potential intruders as well.

Placing a fake cameraSavvy thieves may be able to tell the difference between fake and real security equipment, so it’s a good idea to place fake cameras amidst your real ones to make it look like your home is more fortified. If it looks like most of your security system is legitimate, a thief probably won’t want to take any chances.

In a pinch, fake security cameras may scare off burglars, and it’s especially useful as a tempo-rary fix or to bolster your existing security system components. Just remember: there are a lot of smart thieves out there, so take the time choosing a fake security camera that will really fool people.

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ConclusionAt SafeWise, we hope to help you find the security cameras that best suit your family and life-style. Check out Safewise.com for more details on specific security companies and to compare security companies side-by-side. If you have additional questions about security cameras, we’d be happy to help: email info@safewise.com.

Sources:1. http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/watch-ups-thief-caught-tape-stealing-gifts-article-1.12255502. http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/burglary-victims-catch-thieves-home-surveillance-cameras/story?id=16016822#.UVDJERyG2n83. http://www.securityinfowatch.com/news/10909308/security-camera-helps-crack-string-of-nc-home-burglaries4. http://money.msn.com/insurance/a-master-thiefs-home-security-tips-1

Photo Credits:1. “Razor - NIght Vision” by diveofficer: http://www.flickr.com/photos/diveofficer/3267103809/2. Hidden Smoke Detector Camera image used with permission, courtesy of TechPro Security Products: http://www.securitycameraking.com/420tvl-smoke-detector-hidden-camera-59121-prd1.html*All other images licensed under creative commons or we bought them off random people on the internet.

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