Guide to CCTV Cameras

According to police and home security experts, the mere presence of a CCTV home security camera in your home can prevent your family from becoming the target of a break-in – in addition, when a home security camera is in the home, police are far more likely to be able to make an arrest in a home burglary.

CCTV cameras are used to monitor infants in their cribs, keep an eye on the front and back doors, identify people before they enter and allow security companies to monitor your home in your absence. The facts make a compelling case for protecting your family with a CCTV camera system.

CCTV cameras (closed circuit television) were developed for use in security – bank security, to be precise. Rather than broadcasting what they see to an open network, they broadcast over an enclosed circuit that is wired together. A CCTV security system can be as simple as one camera and one monitor, or as complex as dozens of cameras relaying the images they see to a bank of monitors – or a personal computer.

CCTV cameras are often wired into a VCR or other recording device to allow the recording of what they monitor for later viewing. To allow them to capture as much time as possible on one tape, they may use time lapse recording – where only a few frames are recorded over a lapsed period of time – or be activated by motion to begin recording. Using one of those methods, it’s possible to fit as much as 90 hours of surveillance onto one VCR tape. There are other options for recording as well. A digital CCTV camera may record images to a DVR, or to the hard drive of a personal computer.

Modern-day technology has made it possible to create CCTV cameras that are small enough to fit into an alarm clock radio, that can be submerged underwater for long periods of time, that are weather proof for mounting outdoors – in fact, for nearly any use and positioning you can imagine. It has also brought the cost of a CCTV home security system within reach of the average homeowner – it costs far less to protect your home with CCTV cameras than it does to install a swimming pool or a Jacuzzi.

A consultation with a home security firm can help you determine the best kind of CCTV cameras and system to use in your home. Your options include 1-8 cameras, digital or video cameras, digital recorders and entire PC systems. Some of the things you should consider when choosing the CCTV cameras for your home security system are:

Colour vs. Black & White CCTV Cameras
Until recently, black & white CCTV cameras were the usual choice for security cameras because they were less expensive and have a higher sensitivity to light levels. However, better technology and falling costs have made colour cameras a more popular choice. The bonus payoff – it’s far easier for most people to identify someone from a colour security tape than a black and white one.

Fixed vs. PTV CCTV Cameras
A fixed camera is focused on one spot and doesn’t move to capture other parts of the room or area. PTV (pan, tilt and zoom) cameras can move to focus on different parts of the area by panning (sweeping the entire area), tilting to change focus or zooming in on details. Fixed cameras may be suitable for uses like monitoring a front door or an infant in a crib, but most people choose a PTV camera for its flexibility.

Number of CCTV Cameras Needed
A consultation with a professional home security company can best help you determine how many and what kind of CCTV cameras will provide the best security for your home within your price range.