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CCTV for the Home
By Owen Gerrard
Securing your property is one of the growing domestic issues in the UK today.
Some research suggests that at least one home is broken into every minute.
Therefore, protecting homes and properties has become a priority and the
advent of Closed Circuit Televisions or CCTVs is timely to say the least
and can be employed for this purpose.
What is CCTV exactly? CCTV is a surveillance technology used initially to
monitor commercial properties and public places, but has been adapted to
the residential property to help home security. It is basically a camera,
or a network of linked cameras, that produce viewable and recordable images.
It would be quite unusual for a comprehensive security system to be without
CCTV. The cameras can interface with other systems such as alarms i.e. the
cameras can start recording when an alarm is triggered either automatically
or by human intervention. Nowadays, wireless CCTVs systems are gaining popularity
as they obviously do away with wiring systems and they are also easier to
operate and maintain. They are also easier to protect from being compromised.
The wireless cameras also allow for more flexibility and mobility, as it
is much easier to install wireless cameras, even in the most inaccessible
areas.
Another important development is that CCTV also facilitate remote monitoring
i.e. you do not have to be on site to view the images. So it is possible
to view real time images of what is happening back home from your work place
or on holiday, you need to type in the URL of the server that controls the
wireless cameras from any browser. You can see these images just as easily
on your mobile phone. Some security companies will also provide a service
that monitors the premises for you, so you effectively are renting the equipment.
That way you can keep up with any major technical advances.
Speaking of advances in technology, CCTVs now provide a new level of
sophistication, such as infrared night vision. The ability to monitor in
the dark is obviously fundamental to a comprehensive home security system.
Another development is the Passive Infrared motion detection facilities and
Pan Tilt Zoom cameras. These cameras are able to rotate horiszontally through
360 degrees, vertically through 900 and have zoom lenses capable of giving
more than ten times the current optical zoom.
Adding a further level of security are the covert CCTV cameras available
in the market. Also known as miniature cameras, these CCTV cameras are very
small or easy to disguise thus enabling so called covert surveillance. Normal
CCTV cameras still prove effective, but are vulnerable to tampering and damage
by any would be offender. These hidden or mini CCTVs offer an extra level
of security to your property.
Apart from the obvious merit of monitoring your home and valuables while
away from your home, CCTV Images have also been used as evidence and so offer
a greater chance of catching the culprit should any offence take place. These
cameras provide the visual evidence of the offender’s crimes. Once people
know they have been videotaped there is little, they admit to the offense
immediately. Such benefits, advance technology and easy availability make
CCTVs the most widely used and relied upon security measure used in not only
homes but also banks, offices, hospitals and other commercial enterprises.
Further work by Owen Gerrard can be found at
Home Security
and CCTV cameras.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/
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