A surveillance camera is a camera which is used to monitor an area for security purposes. The footage from the camera may be reviewed continuously to look for potential security breaches, or examined after the fact in the hopes of getting a glimpse of a criminal or a situation. There are a number of different environments in which a security camera can be used, and surveillance cameras have grown increasingly common in many parts of the world.
In some cases, a surveillance camera is simply a static camera which is frozen in position and mounted in plain sight. Other cameras can be remotely operated to pan an area for more information, and some are hidden so that people are unaware of their presence. Signs indicating the presence of surveillance cameras are commonly posted around security cameras.
How Does a Surveillance Camera Work?
A surveillance camera can be placed in strategic locations throughout a home or business, and depending on its size, can remain anonymous. Mountable surveillance cameras can be placed in ceilings and on walls, while stand-alones offer more flexibility and can rest on shelves or even bookcases. Ideally, several surveillance cameras, placed independently in various locations, can work together to capture video. Connected to a central system, the surveillance cameras send footage back to a monitor that displays what the cameras see. Unlike traditional television broadcasting, CCTV sends a closed signal to the receiving monitor, allowing viewing to be strictly observed by the connected equipment, only. Surveillance cameras are capable of wide range viewing, so placing them in a corner area of the room will enable them to view a good portion of the room that is unobstructed. Picture quality has become quite impressive, with the monitors receiving video in high resolution, from the surveillance camera's eye. VCR's can also be connected to permanently record the transmitted material for future reference. Commonly, coaxial cable ties all of the relevant hardware together, but higher-end systems have incorporated wireless technology that eliminates the need to hide or bury wiring in walls, floors, and ceilings.
Features of Surveillance Camera
One of the greatest tools in home security is the networked security camera. They come in an array of sizes and shapes, and they have a laundry list of features that can make choosing just one rather difficult. Here is a breakdown of some of the more common surveillance camera features you should consider before biting the bullet.
Motion sensing
The importance of motion sensing for security cameras cannot be overstated, especially if you want to record any suspicious activity that may go on while the camera is active. Rather than recording 24-7, which can quickly fill up a local or cloud storage drive, with motion sensing, you can pause recording until something moves in the frame. You can also receive alerts on your computer or phone if something moves when it shouldn't.
Arguably even more effective is audio sensing, which can alert you or prompt video recording when audio is detected in the area around the security camera.
Two-way audio
Speakers on a security camera enable two-way communication between the person monitoring the video stream and the person in front of the camera. With this, you could communicate with a person knocking on your front door when you're home alone or away, or you could also notify an intruder that law enforcement is on its way and that they have been caught on camera.
Field of view
Field of view (or viewing angle) is an important factor to consider when both purchasing and installing security cameras. The viewing angle will determine where you position the cameras and exactly how much they can see at a time. A camera with a narrower field of view will capture less, but it also offers greater detail, as it will appear closer to the subject. A wider viewing angle will make the camera appear further away and allow you to see more without having to reposition or rotate the camera.
Video quality
One of the most important features of a security camera is its image quality. For years, security camera capabilities lagged far behind recording resolutions found on common video cameras, producing choppy, pixelated video with slow refresh rates. Most modern security cameras offer at least 720p resolution, and many even offer as high as 1080p for recording and streaming.
Power source
Most security cameras simply plug into a standard outlet, meaning they can be placed practically anywhere, so long as you have a long enough extension cord. However, some security cameras, such as Homeboy, Netgear Arlo, and Flir FX are battery operated or offer it as an option. This dramatically expands the possibilities when it comes to positioning the cameras around the house, but adds the hurdle of constantly replacing or recharging batteries. Having the option of battery power, however, can be very helpful.
Low-light or infrared mode
Low-light cameras use image intensifiers to amplify very small amounts of ambient (visible) light and create a significantly brighter image with discernible details. This is the same technology used in night-vision goggles, but it also comes with limitations. Namely, if there is no visible light around, a light amplification camera won't see anything. Many cameras which use this technology will emit near-infrared energy to try and improve the effectiveness of the camera at night without drawing too much attention to itself.
Thermal imaging, on the other hand, works in an entirely different way. It requires no visible light to work, only heat. Thermal imaging sensors detect tiny differences in thermal or infrared energy (heat) and depict those differences through various levels of gray. While thermal imaging can work in total darkness, it also has a limitation of its own: a noticeable lack in finer details and color.
Cloud or local storage
A security camera that doesn't save or record what it captures isn't very effective, especially if you're hoping to prosecute an intruder. That's why most security cameras offer either local or cloud storage.
Local storage is a surefire way to capture everything that happens. The video feed is saved directly to a nearby storage drive as a video, but there's a catch. If you record everything (as opposed to only when motion is detected), you might fill up the drive and no longer be able to save footage until you empty the hard drive.
With cloud storage, you can sidestep that conundrum, but there are even more caveats. Could storage options typically charge a per-month or annual fee and limit the amount of footage you can store, either to several days or by the number of video clips saved to your account. If you don't want your footage lost forever, you will need to regularly offload footage from the cloud account to a local drive or another cloud storage service.
Benefits of surveillance cameras
Prevent Theft and Illegal Activities
The primary purpose of installing surveillance cameras is to act as deterrence to robbers, criminals, petty thieves and unscrupulous elements from indulging in theft, illicit and criminal activities. Security cameras are installed in bungalows, townhouses, apartment buildings, condominiums, schools, university campuses, offices, stores, malls and other public areas. These cameras monitor suspicious activities; stop theft, vandalism and shoplifting; and alert stationed security officers about real-time thefts. Staff monitoring cameras and centrally manned systems in large businesses can also inform county and state law enforcement officials about developing dangerous situations.
Ensure Security Management at Malls
Owners and developers of malls have installed surveillance cameras that can be managed from centrally controlled rooms to monitor security aspects on a micro level and especially parking lots and outlying areas. Boutique and shop owners at various malls also install these cameras as a second-level protection measure.
Shore Up Legal Aspects/Cases
Surveillance cameras and extended central command systems can also record audio, sound and voice. Sexual harassment, other forms of veiled threats and rough behavior at the workplace and on college campuses can be spotted and records maintained on security camera systems. Audio records can be used to buffer legal cases during sexual harassment cases.
IT and Data Centers Surveillance
Monitoring security at large IT and data centers has become mandatory in the Computing Age. Every commercial enterprise, large business and federal government agency, and even small- and medium-size businesses, now maintain large, back-room IT centers to facilitate smooth running of business operations. Gigabytes and terabytes of mission-critical data reside in these IT hubs and data centers. To monitor the movement of authorized personnel, workers and other IT staff, and prevent pilfering or theft of critical storage devices, data and other digital files, high-tech and comprehensive surveillance camera systems are installed at these IT facilities and centers.
Reduced Insurance Premiums and Taxes
Security cameras, video surveillance and allied systems can reduce insurance premiums over a long period depending on contracts drawn up with insurance companies and insurance agents. Public records of these systems can also protect insurance companies from fictitious and fraudulent claims about thefts and robberies. Businesses can claim relevant tax deductions on the purchase of security camera and surveillance systems.
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