Outdoor Security Camera Pro

CCTV Security Camera

I happen to live in the Metro Atlanta area and it can be a pretty dangerous city to live in.  Every time I watch the local news there is another murder, an armed robbery, a rape, a burglary and a multitude of other crimes.  Last night the anchorman suggested that an outdoor security camera would be a wise investment, especially if you live in… and he proceeded to name the areas that are most targeted by violent criminals.  I started thinking about it and decided that, yeah, an outdoor security camera might not be a bad idea after all.

To tell you the truth, I didn’t know the first thing about outdoor surveillance cameras or outdoor home security cameras or whatever you want to call them.  So I did what any well informed, technologically inclined modern person would do.  I searched the internet!  What I found was that there is a wealth of information out there; some of it informative and some of it kind of funny.  Listen, when you are learning about anything that is new to you, information is a wonderful thing.  But humor is so much better.  I guess I better explain this so let me tell you first what I found out about an outdoor security camera system.

I learned that security systems can be hardwired or remote.  If you have any way at all possible to hide or disguise the wires then a hardwired outdoor security camera beats a wireless remote hands down.  This is because they generally “see” in the dark better because most of them have infra-red capability.  There are no batteries to replace so you don’t need to worry about whether or not you remembered to replace them before they die.  Well, there could be a battery if you have a battery back up in case the power goes out, but that only needs to be checked every few months.  I learned this stuff mostly by reading the online security camera reviews.

Unfortunately, some of the things I found when I searched triggered my over active imagination.  One of the related terms that popped up was outdoor spy camera. Now that made me laugh.  I mean, I imagine there is a practical purpose for them like if plants keep disappearing out of your garden, or neighborhood kids keep stringing toilet paper from you shrubs.  But the first thing that came to mind was a melodramatic scene out of a James Bond 007 movie or a hilarious clip from an Inspector Gadget cartoon.  Talk about living in a fantasy world!  And what about a fake outdoor security camera ? It would be just my luck to try to save a few bucks by setting up a dummy and to really get robbed the next day and have no way to identify the robber.  I know that protecting your safety is no laughing matter, but if you’re going to do it, do it right.

While you may not live in a huge city like Atlanta, an outdoor security camera would be a good investment, especially if you live alone.  The first company I am going to talk to is ADT.  They have a great reputation and 24 hr tech support.  Even if it turns out that it will cost more money than I can afford it will still be a good place to start.  One thing I know for sure, I am going to get an outdoor security camera system ASAP.

Outdoor Surveillance Cameras

Recently you decided to purchase an outdoor security camera system but you just do not know where to begin.  There are so many makes and models to choose from that you are overwhelmed.  While the outdoor security camera itself may be relatively inexpensive, the rest of the system can be quite costly.  Also, you are trying to figure out just how many cameras you will need to get good coverage of the area you are trying to monitor.  Probably the best place to start is to take a look at your budget and then weigh that against exactly what you need to accomplish.

There are several styles of outdoor surveillance cameras such as:

• • Bullet
  • Dome
  • C-Mount
  • Infrared
  • Day / Night
  • Varifocal
  • Hidden
  • Network / IP
  • Wireless

If you need to monitor nighttime activity then you should look at Day/Night or Infrared cameras.   Perhaps you don’t want to reveal that you have an outdoor security camera system installed for a particular reason then you would probably choose a hidden or wireless system.  There are times when you will be away and you will want to be able to view remote, live shots of your property.  This is where a Network/IP setup would be ideal.  Kind of like live cam shots on the local news, only you hope there is no news in the making at your place!

As for the style or model of the outdoor security camera you will need to determine where you are going to mount it.  Do you need a Bullet, a Dome, a C-Mount or a Varifocal?  For instance, a Dome camera looks like a tiny little igloo with a lens in it.  They are best installed on a flat surface like on an overhang or ceiling.  A Bullet or Varifocal can be hidden more easily, as can a Wireless obviously because there are no wires to betray its existence.

The entire outdoor security camera system can run into quite a bit of money if you need several cameras, a monitor and/or a computer system.  If it is accessed remotely through a network there may be a monthly or annual charge as well.  You may very well be so overwhelmed that you get a professional security company to setup and monitor your system.  Whatever road you decide to go down, do a little research first.   You can go online, do a search and read some outdoor security camera reviews.  You will find a wealth of information on the camera systems as well as companies who do the installations and/or monitoring.  A well informed consumer is a safe consumer.  And safety, after all, is the main idea here.  Isn’t it?

House Alarm or Outdoor Security Camera?

If you own a small company building, it is recommended you have an outdoor security camera, an indoor security camera, and obviously you will need to have a few security guards in case anything happens. Although hopefully nothing will ever happen, you can never be too safe. You can find good security cameras for around $300.00 to $400.00 easily online.

To set these up, all you need are some wires and the package you buy will provide everything else. You should have at least a few of these for a proper outdoor security camera system, and you will need to place them near the doors of your building to capture footage of everyone coming in and going out. If anything should happen to take place, like maybe a robbery, you will be able to videotape the thieves running out of your building. You can then provide that footage to the authorities, so that they can identify, and in turn, catch them. You will need cameras at different angles near each door, because if there is only one security camera, you may not be able to capture the face of everyone. Set up your outdoor security camera system so that it covers your parking garage, if you have one, and near the front door of the building. This will do the same thing as the indoor security cameras – capture those going in and out.

Having a security camera system WILL keep your business safe, and it will provide evidence in case of anything happens to occur. The safety that you provide for your business and your employees will sure outweigh the small investment for your outdoor security camera system. This is why almost all business buildings have many security cameras. Nowadays, it is rare to find a business building without some sort of surveillance. In fact, outdoor security cameras are a must-have, to protect every asset of your business.

Normally, if you don’t own a business, you don’t really need outdoor security cameras. They are not really used in housing communities because neighborhood watch is usually enough to prevent bad things from happening. Then again, that’s not always the case. If you don’t feel safe in your housing community, yet you don’t want to set up and outdoor security camera system, it is strongly recommended that you get a house alarm. A proper house alarm system can still provide you with a safe living environment. Either way, your safety and your family’s safety should be one of your top priorities!