To secure and monitor a home, a video surveillance kit allows you to follow what's happening around during both day and/or night. Reliable and self-sufficient, video surveillance systems are now accessible for all budgets.
A video surveillance kit consists of a network of cameras placed in well-chosen locations and connected to a recorder with a monitor that receives, displays, and saves the images on a hard drive or an SD card. Depending on the recorder's mode of connection with the cameras, various cables and plugs are part of the equipment.
Video surveillance uses wired or wireless technology to connect with the digital recorder. The wired connection provides a stable and uninterrupted image, but requires significant cabling work, while the wireless connection can be done quickly and allows connecting more cameras but with a limited range of 200 m or more. Connected to the internet, the video surveillance kit can be controlled remotely via a browser or an application, and send email or SMS alerts if the cameras offer motion detection.
Camera options are the most important criteria in choosing a video surveillance kit. The image resolution is among the important parameters. The higher it is, the finer and better quality the image will be. There is a choice between QVGA, 480p, 720p, 960p, or 1080p quality.
The camera can also have fixed or mobile vision using small motors that rotate its lens. The view angle of the cameras is also important, as the higher it is, the wider the field of view. The lens or camera objective is also to be considered. The smaller it is (less than 4mm), the wider the field of view, covering the immediate surroundings.
Outdoor cameras must be resistant to bad weather (rain and dust). They are recognized by the mention IP66, 67, or 68 which indicates their degree of protection, with IP68 being the highest. The camera's power supply also needs to be checked. Some wired versions can be powered through the network cable linked to the recorder if they have the PoE option. The wireless cameras generally come with a rechargeable battery with variable battery life. A power source is to be planned for.
Night vision is made possible by infrared LEDs around the camera, allowing it to film during the night displaying a black and white image.