Security Cameras and Remote Video Surveillance

Security cameras make it possible to check in on your home or business remotely, even while you’re on vacation. The presence of cameras also helps deter crime by frightening thieves, vandals and trespassers.

Choose a camera with a wide field of view and night vision for maximum utility. Other desirable features include two-way communication to address delivery drivers or pets and remote arming and disarming for convenience and peace of mind.

Real-time Monitoring

Using cameras to monitor property is an excellent deterrent that can prevent incidents, but the key is to take action based on this real-time monitoring. This is where remote video surveillance makes a big difference from passive security services that simply record footage without the ability to react in any way.

Visible cameras and signage indicating that a site is under surveillance will deter potential criminals, but it’s difficult to keep watch over a large property 24/7. With live remote security monitoring, a trained professional can instantly respond to any intrusions, suspicious activity, or emergencies detected by camera feeds. This results in quicker response times and can help prevent or minimize damage.

This is made possible thanks to the power of artificial intelligence and the algorithms that make it work. Modern security cameras are incredibly smart and can detect movement in low light or even at night. This enables them to avoid false alarms and can also be used to identify individuals.

Often, the easiest way to view your security cameras is with a free smartphone app. This is ideal for people who are away from their home or office but still want to monitor their site. For those who prefer a more powerful experience, PC software offers a variety of viewing and management options. The software is easy to use and is available for both Windows and Mac computers.

Detection

Security cameras that use motion detection can alert you via your smartphone when someone moves in or out of view. This feature is useful if you want to know if your kids or pets are playing in the yard without you or if they have entered an area of your home that is off-limits, like a bedroom or bathroom.

Motion detection works by comparing the current state of pixels in a frame to the previous one. If a significant number of pixels are changed to new images, the camera logs a motion event and triggers the recorder to start recording. This feature helps reduce false alarms caused by animals, weather, or other environmental factors.

Some AI-powered cameras ip camera can recognize abnormal behaviors, such as loitering or sudden crowd formation. This can help prevent suspicious activity from going unnoticed and can be an excellent deterrent to crime.

While these types of devices are useful, they can also be a threat to your privacy. Many people feel uncomfortable with constant surveillance and would rather not have their every move watched by a hidden observer. To help keep these cameras from being used against you, make sure that yours are hidden in a way that they cannot be seen or tampered with. Also, check the manufacturer’s security policy and history of data breaches.

Deterrence

Security cameras are a great tool for deterring crime by showing criminals that their property is monitored. However, they can also be used to identify criminals and gather evidence. But the most effective security cameras are proactive, rather than reactive.

Active deterrence uses visible, bright lights that are activated when motion is detected. This kind of technology is ideal for businesses and homes that are concerned about internal threats like employee theft, vandalism, or trespassing. In addition to flashing lights, active deterrence can also send notifications via phone or computer to alert property owners that their cameras have been triggered, making them more likely to catch the bad guys in action.

Passive deterrence is a good option for anyone looking to protect their home or business from unwanted intruders, but it’s not enough to prevent all types of crimes. For example, someone who is determined to break into a building will be undeterred by a camera. In these cases, high-resolution cameras with color night vision are a must.

Security cameras can be hacked, but only if the device is vulnerable. Major professionally-monitored systems and reputable individual-sold devices use advanced encryption to prevent hackers from tracking video or uploading it to the internet. It’s important to always keep your camera’s software and apps up-to-date, as updates fix bugs that could be exploited by cybercriminals.

Recording

Most security cameras have storage capacity that holds a certain amount of footage. They may record continuously, or the video is saved based on specific settings configured by users. The recorded footage is then either overwritten or deleted, depending on the settings. Depending on the camera, a user can also customize how long a recording can last before it is overwritten.

Whether the footage is stored in the cloud or on-site depends on the system, with different wholesale smart camera benefits and drawbacks to each option. Cloud storage allows the footage to be protected against data breaches that can impact local storage, as well as natural disasters and physical tampering. However, it does require an internet connection to access the footage.

For on-site storage, a central NVR (network video recorder) or DVR (digital video recorder) can be used. These are often located within a home or business and store the footage on their own storage. These devices are able to keep footage for a longer period of time than standalone cameras, but they’re subject to connectivity issues and the potential for data loss, depending on the size of the video file and other factors.

In private areas, like bedrooms, bathrooms, and dressing rooms, it’s illegal to record without a person’s knowledge. However, in public spaces, reasonable expectations of privacy aren’t quite as enforceable.