Home security cameras provide essential protection for your property, family, and pets, providing you with peace of mind that cannot be found anywhere else. This guide will provide you with the information you need to select the most OK home security camera for your needs. We will examine the concept of a home security camera, including the features you should seek, as well as why you need it in the first place. So let’s find how to select a CCTV camera for your home without encountering any difficulties.
What Is the Function of a Home Security Camera?
A home security camera system is a surveillance system that allows you to keep an eye on your property from anywhere you are by transmitting live or recorded footage to your smartphone or camera via an internet connection. There are several characteristics that set home security cameras apart from the competition. They are, in particular,
- Provide either standard-definition or (more often) high-definition video resolution.
- When motion is detected, the recorder may be set to record constantly 24/7.
- With the ability to broadcast footage and be managed via a smartphone app.
- Can digitally zoom in on footage by employing a digital zoom lens.
- Communicate either wirelessly over Wi-Fi or via wired connections.
- Powered by cables, batteries, or a wall outlet, depending on their design.
- Intended for usage indoors, outdoors, or in a combination of the two.
- They should have “night vision” so that they can see in the dark. They should also have two-way audio and an alarm built-in.
- Wide-angle lenses and/or pan/tilt capabilities may be included in order to look beyond the conventional field of view.
Investing in a Home Security Camera System
Buying a security camera system is a very straightforward procedure. Follow these steps to ensure that your CCTV camera system is the best fit to your needs.
- Take into consideration your privacy.
- Estimate your budget for buying a security camera system.
- Make a decision on the areas of your home you want to protect.
- Choose the proper features of your home security camera system.
- Choose which power source you wish to use. (an uninterrupted power source would be the best)
Take into Consideration of Your Privacy.
It is technically possible for other individuals to watch the footage captured by wireless cameras since the data is sent over the internet and stored on a cloud-based server. To minimize this danger, always purchase cameras from firms you know and trust, and from which the security of their cameras is advertised. Look for privacy measures built into the camera, such as geofencing (which turns your cameras off while you’re at home and on when you leave based on your phone’s location); or a physical camera shutter that can be used to cover the lens from being visible.
For added protection against hacking, only consider Wi-Fi cameras with two-factor authentication (which sends you a text or email with a specific code after you enter your password).
Estimate Your Budget for Buying a Security Camera System.
The cost of a single wireless camera can range from as little as $40 to as much as $499. (Source: Amazon) The typical cost of comprehensive security cameras for home protection ranges depending on your property’s size and the kind of camera you want to install.
If you require several cameras, the purchase price and the recurring video storage expenses might rapidly mount up. You may, on the other hand, install these cameras yourself to save money on installation fees. Compared to wireless cameras, wired cameras are often less expensive upfront, and there are no monthly video storage costs. If you decide to hire a professional to install your cameras, CoolWind Experts are here for your service.
Make a Decision on the Areas of Your Home You Want to Protect.
Always be sure to cover all of the potential entry points into your house, as well as the major passageways that an intruder would have to pass through. In addition, decide if you want inside cameras, outdoor cameras, or both, as well as where you want to place them in your home or business. When placing cameras both indoors and outdoors, make sure they’re installed high enough so that an attacker cannot grasp the camera or hide it in any manner.
Choose the Proper Features of Your Home Security Camera System
Motion-activated recording, smartphone notifications, high-quality resolution, and night vision are all important features to look for in a home security camera system. These will aid in the protection of your property. A broad field of vision, which allows you to record more areas with fewer cameras, is another feature that might be beneficial. Other features to look for include two-way audio, built-in sirens and lights, and a two-way audio system. To consider are sophisticated software features like cameras that can distinguish between people and animals and cameras that monitor specific activity zones to help filter out false alarms.
Also, consider if you require a camera that will record continuously or only when anything happens in your environment. Continuously recording will ensure that you don’t miss anything, but it will consume a significant amount of Wi-Fi bandwidth and video storage.
Selecting a Power Source is Also Very Important!
Decide on whether you want wired or wireless cameras. Although wire-connected cameras do not require a power source to be nearby, they require a cable connection to a central recording device (NVR or DVR). To properly install them, they are generally done by a professional contractor such as CoolWind Experts. It is common for wireless cameras to require an outlet outside or inside; the latter would necessitate drilling a hole in your external wall to route the power cord, but it will prevent someone from unplugging or cutting the connection. The camera battery in specific wireless cameras will need to be recharged on a regular basis, either by plugging it into a wall outlet or using solar power if the camera is built to do so.
The primary advantage of wire-connected cameras is that they can constantly record to a local device, eliminating the need to pay monthly cloud storage costs or be concerned about being hacked, as with wireless cameras. When it comes to installation, wireless camera systems are considerably easier to operate than wired systems, and many of them offer more advanced capabilities such as facial recognition, activity zones, and more user-friendly mobile applications for watching footage remotely.
Is it Necessary to Install Home Security Cameras?
Protecting our houses and the people and things that live in them is something that we all desire. This may be accomplished in a straightforward and very affordable manner with the use of home security cameras. Installing a home security camera inside or outside your house allows you to monitor what is going on at any time from anywhere in the world using your smartphone. Because of the motion sensors incorporated into the camera, it can also notify you if there is any activity on your property.
When you’re away from home, though, effective home security cameras may provide you peace of mind that your home is protected. The captured videos may be used to warn authorities or prosecute a criminal, and studies have shown that the mere existence of a CCTV camera can prevent a potential thief from committing an act of theft.
What to Look for When Purchasing a Home Security Camera System
When purchasing a home security camera, the following are the most important characteristics to look for:
- Active Motion Detection: When motion is detected, a camera should begin recording immediately and save the film in a location that can be retrieved for an extended length of time. The event-based recording is a term that is occasionally used to describe this type of recording.
- Alerts delivered to a smartphone or tablet: An advanced CCTV security camera should be able to send customized alerts to a smartphone or a tablet.
- Resolution: The better the quality of the resolution video recorded by a camera, the more information you will be able to view. The majority of today’s cameras are capable of recording in full high-definition. In recent years, high definition (HD) and Ultra HD (8M or 4K) videos have gained popularity due to their ability to generate crisper, clearer images. The majority of people will be satisfied with full HD video; but, if you want to zoom in close on a person’s face or license plate, opt for super or ultra HD video together with a digital zoom lens.
- Infrared/Night Vision: Outdoor security cameras should be equipped with infrared/night vision with a long-range. When it comes to night vision, cameras don’t see nearly as far as they do during the day, with a range ranging from around 10 to 100 meters. A camera with night vision and a range of at least 20m should be your first choice. Some higher-end cameras are also equipped with color night vision as an option.
- An integrated microphone: You can hear as well as see what is going on in your environment. A speaker with two-way audio is excellent since it allows you to communicate with anyone on your property through the camera.
- Storage: The vast majority of cameras save their footage on the cloud. Local storage is also an option for some, which may be stored on a microSD card in the camera or on an external hard drive that is linked to the camera.
- Wider field of view: This means fewer cameras will be required to cover your entire property, therefore the more cameras you have, the less money you will spend. Look for a field of view that ranges between 130 and 180 degrees in diameter.
- Type/Design: You want your cameras to be visible to prospective criminals while also being visually appealing when they are installed indoors or outside.
You may like to read: Most Popular Types of CCTV Cameras in Australia
Ask for Professional Advice?
Hope you’ve learned how to select a CCTV camera for your home through this article. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact CoolWind Experts support. We are always glad to help you with our best.
