How Home Video Surveillance Works

The first video surveillance systems were used by large and medium-sized businesses to monitor for shop-lifting and to keep an eye on cash-handling areas.

They have been very effective in identifying and prosecuting criminals. Today, though, more homeowners are installing video surveillance systems. Also called closed circuit TV (CCTV), home video surveillance systems allow homeowners to monitor specific areas and keep an eye on potential thieves, burglars, and vandals.

The monitor is the defining characteristics of video surveillance systems. It receives a live picture from the camera. Normally black and white, the monitors boast higher resolutions than most home televisions, standard resolutions being between 500 and 1000 lines.

Of course, the camera is an important component of the video surveillance system. During installation, the cameras are located strategically outside the home in vulnerable areas like entry ways, porticos, and where landscaping hides access to windows. For a more effective system, cameras should be placed where they are difficult to see. They work continuously, feeding images to the monitor either constantly or at timed intervals.

Coaxial cables tie the video surveillance systems together. Available in many different sizes from local electronics retailers, they transmit the video signal from camera to monitor. These cables come with the video surveillance systems, but there are times when extra longer cables must be purchased for far-away cameras.

Home video surveillance systems also include switchers that allow the user to hook up several cameras to one central monitor. Automated switchers normally cycle through camera stations until it detects movement. When that happens, they lock on the camera where movement has occurred to monitor possible security breaches.

Some home video surveillance systems can be used with VCRs to record the live video feeds. Particularly useful when the family is away on travel, the VCR can record a break-in as it happens, saving a picture of the criminal for later investigation and prosecution. Your home video surveillance system then provides a critical piece of evidence for law enforcement.

Home video surveillance systems make it possible to get the level of security for your home that, in the past, were available only to businesses with large security budgets. Today, they are so affordable that they are used in homes across the country.

If you've been looking for a way to better protect your home and belongings, a video surveillance system may be the way to go.

One cautionary word: remember that video surveillance systems do not automatically sound an alarm or notify the police or fire department of emergencies when they occur. You'll still want to have a reliable burglar alarm system. What they will do is provide a permanent image of the crime in progress to make arrest and prosecution more likely.