More on security cameras

Couple of weeks ago, I blogged about security cameras. Rather, I blogged to ask about them because I know nothing. I got some very good info, including the chance to look through the “eyes” of several security cameras. (Thank you, S and D — and D, I just love the doormat that says “Leave.”)

MJR, who knows a thing or three about security systems, posted a link to a company called 2MCCTV.

Somebody at 2MCCTV was watching their Web traffic. That quick, I heard from a friendly 2MCCTV rep named Clint Henderson, offering guest blogging. Who am I to turn down an offer to do my work for me? Especially when I might also learn something.

I asked Clint a few questions, and here are his answers:

Q: Until recently, I’d have thought of security camera systems as being only for rich people, businesses, or perhaps homeowners with high-crime problems. Suddenly it seems that lots of ordinary homeowners and renters are getting them. Who is your typical customer and why are they buying your equipment?

A: Our clientèle includes corporate and enterprise-level businesses as well as individual homeowners looking for complete security camera systems.

Our typical homeowner clients are middle-class, not overly wealthy, who are primarily using the equipment for live monitoring inside and outside their homes.

Many have recently been robbed. By buying a security system, they hope to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future. Other customers just like to know what’s going on at their home at all times.

Q: What is a realistic minimum cost for setting up a security-camera system in a typical home?

A: For a small 4-camera system, they typically start out at $500. That would include cameras, DVR recorder, and CCTV cables. This would of course not include the installation.

If you’ve looked around the web and seen these $150 pre-packaged systems on Amazon or eBay, remember that you get what you pay for. The quality is very low, but more than that, surveillance systems are not one size fits all. I would never recommend getting any sort of low-cost pre-packaged system, as you’d more than likely find yourself getting frustrated and look to something else anyway.

PRO TIP: You can lower your overall cost by using an old monitor you already have, instead of purchasing one included in a system.

Q: Backwoods Home people tend to be do-it-yourselfers and my readers tend to be tech-savvy. Is it reasonable for people to set up their own systems or do you think this should be done by a professional?

A. With a standard analog security surveillance system, running wire, mounting, and connecting cameras is very straight-forward. There are plenty of how-to guide videos on the internet (for example, here is a video on how to run wire by eHowTech). It is my belief that a person with any type of intermediate DIY skill-set would be able to figure it out. Here is a basic guide for powering your cctv equipment you may want to check out.

But like any DIY project, speak with a professional before committing yourself fully.

PRO TIP: Connectors are inexpensive, but rare. You won’t be able to find them at Home Depot or Wal-Mart, so make sure you order more than enough when buying your system.

Q: What are the advantages/disadvantages of wireless (wifi) systems vs wired systems?

A. We almost always recommend getting a hard-wired system. Here are just some of the advantages of wireless security cameras:

• Hard-wired systems have virtually no interference. With wireless security camera systems, there are always concerns with possible video signal interference.
• Hard-wired CCTV surveillance systems will be less expensive. Granted, wireless cameras have come a long way, but you’ll still find yourself spending quite a bit more for them.
• Hard-wired systems have extra features that most wireless cameras won’t have.
• Hard-wired will have better resolution.
• Hard-wired cameras will have a much longer range. For wireless, there are significant distance limitations.

The only advantage to wireless, literally, is that you do not have to run a wire.

One thing to remember is that the “wireless” part refers only to the video signal, the actual data transmission. The camera still needs to be powered electrically through a wire.

Q: Personally, I would like to have features like motion-detection, night vision, and sound capture (and not just when using Windows as a control system). I would also like motion-detection to be selective, so the camera wouldn’t be catching my dogs going in and out their doggie door. How possible is all this? And especially how possible is it on a budget?

A. For night vision, you want to get a camera with infrared LEDs. The LEDs emit an infrared light which is captured by the camera lens in black and white. Even the least expensive cameras can come with infrared LEDs.

Sound is best captured using a separate microphone component piece for the audio surveillance. They are not terribly expensive. Most DVRs support audio, but the number of channels is often limited. If you need more than one channel, select a CCTV DVR with the number of audio inputs you will require.

Motion detection is built-in for all standalone DVR recorders. Consider it a standard feature for all these systems. As far as blocking out the unwanted movement, it’s called standard “masking” and this feature also comes standard with pretty much all standalone DVRs. You just need to select which area on your screen that you want to mask. Another feature for the doggie door is sensitivity. Sensitivity settings control at what threshold a unit will be activated. For example, you can lower the sensitivity so that a bird flying across the screen would not be detected, but a man walking would be.

These features all come standard and shouldn’t affect your budget.

PRO TIP: Computer-based DVRs have far more functionality and features than standalone DVRs.

Q: Your website has a dizzying array of products, including more types of cameras than I knew existed. (I’m particularly fond of the hidden camera/alarm clock in the shape of a puppy.) What’s your best advice for helping people sort through all the choices without becoming completely confused?

Call us. This is paramount. It’s free to get our professional input.

Every case is unique and everyone’s application is going to be different than the next person’s.

The product is not most important. The application is. So you need a professional who can match the product with your unique application.

Speaking to the categories listed on our website, here’s a little navigational tip if you want to look around yourself: The most popular cameras are infrared bullet, infrared dome, vandal-proof dome, and PTZ (pan/tilt/zoom), especially at consumer level electronics. (Here’s a link to 2MCCTV’s main security camera page)

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NOTE: I have NFI in any products from 2MCCTV.