Thursday, August 20, 2009

How Having Outdoor Security Cameras Protect Your Home

By Mike Ward

It has become really important to protect you home and family from intruders and those who intend to harm you. Outdoor security cameras are an effective way to secure your home and protect those you love.

Even criminals, who have been interviewed, admit that seeing some sort of security device on a property is a definite deterrent to them; a good enough reason to install a device of some kind. Security cameras have the distinct advantage of being able to record who the intruder is, which acts as an even greater deterrent, because it means that the police are more likely to catch them. A visible camera would be more of a deterrent than an invisible alarm.

Security cameras at the external doors of your house make it easy for you and your family to see who has come to the door. With cameras that are fixed on the doorway, they need only open the door to people they know, and reduce the risk of letting a criminal into the home.

Another great use for outdoor security cameras is allowing you to monitor the backyard. When the children are outside playing, you are able to be indoors continuing with your work, but are able to supervise the children at the same time.

There are a few decisions you need to make before you invest in security cameras for your home. Do you want to be able to photograph the person at the door, or do you only need to see who is there? This will determine the type of camera you need to have fitted at the entry points. You will need to decide between color or black and white pictures; black and white will be cheaper but color gives a better detailed picture if the person needs to be identified.

You will need to choose between different systems - there are wired as well as wireless. Again, wireless tend to be cheaper and often come in a DIY kit, but a wired system is the more stable and efficient option. Wireless cameras have the advantage of being able to be placed in areas where running video cables may be difficult or undesired.

A security digital video recorder will be needed if recording of the security cameras is desired. These can be in the form of a standalone unit and resemble a VCR. A DVR unlike a VCR records onto a hard drive which provides longer recording times and better quality playback. They are available with 4 to 16 camera inputs and have a variety of features with motion detection and remote viewing being the most popular. Personal computers can also be used if equipped with DVR capture cards and will have many of the same features.

By using the motion detection feature you can set the DVR to record only when someone passes into view. This will work with any security camera since the DVR and not the camera determines if it should record. This will also reduce the amount of video that may need to be reviewed if a crime were to occur.

By fitting outdoor security cameras to your home, you are protecting your family, your home and possessions against theft and potential damage.

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