Introduction
The application of the home security camera has not changed significantly over the years, but the tools and equipment used have seen tremendous changes. Home security cameras have become a lot smaller, cheaper and offer better performance. There has also been a lot of improvement in recording equipment. Shopping for a home camera security system can be a bit daunting, due to the hue variety of them. Hopefully, this article should enlighten you on the major aspects to look for while searching for the right home security cameras for your house:
Step 1
There are different types of home camera security equipment, suited for needs and houses. They can be broken down into three categories: professional grade cameras, bullet cameras and board cameras.
Step 2
Professional grade cameras are one of the most adaptable and widely used cameras for commercial installations. They can be fitted with different types of lenses, so as to monitor objects from just about any distance. While they are mostly intended for indoor use, they can also be used in outdoor home camera security systems, when combined with a waterproof housing.
Step 3
Bullet cameras, as their name would suggest, are designed with a bullet-like housing. Most models are weatherproof and cannot be adjusted with different lenses. Some bullet camera models will be equipped with Infrared capabilities, which make it possible to view the scanned area even in complete darkness. This type of home camera security system is very easy to install and with have an aesthetic design, making them suitable for residential houses.
Step 4
Board cameras, on the other hand, are simply fixed lenses mounted to a circuit board. They can either be packaged in a dome, small case, or even unpackaged for mounting by the owner. The lenses found in this type of home camera security system are either normal industry aperture or pinhole sized. Pinhole lens cameras are quite small and can be used for covert purposes. The most common application for this type of camera is in smoke detectors and motion sensors. Since their lenses are pre-mounted, have fixed irises and have a short focal length, board cameras have a fixed level of flexibility and use. However, this type of camera can act as a low cost solution in the right circumstance.
Step 5
Home camera security systems will also require additional equipment to capture and store the recorded footage. You will require digital recording equipment, which will transfer the analog video feed from the camera and store it to a hard drive. There are two major types of digital reorders: PC based recorders and stand alone systems. A PC based system is standard computer that is equipped with a special board and software, to allow for camera inputs and to store the footage.
Tips
A stand alone home camera security recording system looks very similar to a standard VCR recorder, except that it is equipped with a special video processing hardware. This type of system is a lot more reliable and offers better performance than a PC based system.
Sources and Citations
You will also require a security monitor, to display the images captured by the home camera security system. A regular TV monitor will suffice for a residential installation, where image quality is not a big priority.
