Increase the security of your home or business with wireless security cameras

Installing wireless security cameras in and around your home or business can greatly increase security. Wireless security cameras are fairly easy to install, and thanks to advances in technology, prices have never been more reasonable. This article will briefly discuss what to look for when purchasing wireless security cameras and what you will need in order to use them effectively.

Wireless security cameras consist of a camera/transmitter combination and a receiver. Look for a transmitter that uses the 2.4GHz wireless frequency for maximum signal strength and minimum interference with other devices. Cordless phones and some wireless computer networking gear use this same frequency, so you may have to experiment with the channel number that the wireless security cameras use within the 2.4GHz band. To minimize interference with other wireless devices, look for a camera/transmitter combination where this channel is either selectable or the transmitter automatically selects a free channel.

Some wireless cameras are battery operated, while others will need power run to them. Most that require power typically require a 12VDC source. The receiver for the wireless camera is mounted near the display or recording device used to view or record the images from the camera. The receiver uses a short wired connection to connect to a spare video input on the display/recording device. Look for a wireless cameras that come with free receivers for maximum cost savings.

You will need a display to view the images from the cameras, and/or some type of recorder to keep a record of the images. This is useful in helping the police to find the perpetrator if you have a break-in or are vandalized. You can use a TV with a spare video input to view the images, or get a special display monitor. Some wireless cameras come with a USB receiver that allows you to view the images on the monitor of your personal computer and record the images to your hard drive. You can also purchase DVRs (Digital Video Recorders) which are standalone devices or computer-based. Or you can buy a kit that turns your existing PC into a sophisticated DVR and display device.

DVRs usually feature a built-in quad, which is a device that allows you to view the images from up to 4 cameras on the screen at the same time. In addition, these devices can be used to cycle the view from more than 4 cameras. This cycles through all the cameras and shows the images from each group of 4 for a short time, then starts the process over again. This allows you to keep an eye on a much larger area with just one display device. These quads can be purchased separately if you do not use a DVR in your system, but just use it to view the images in real time.
You can also purchase a bundled system that includes the wireless security cameras, the receivers and a PC-based DVR. Usually you can save money on a system such as this over the cost of buying all of the items separately.

Now that you know a little about what to look for, this might be a good time to start shopping for wireless security cameras to increase the security in and around your home or business.