As we come to the end of another year, we anxiously await the latest advancements in technology. The leaps and bounds that have been made this year include the Digital Video Recorder with remote access capabilities. So your hidden cameras for home are now viewable on any internet connection or iPhone! These are a hot item and are flying off the shelves for people who travel and like to check in on their property, mothers returning to work with the child and nanny at home, and business owners checking in on their employees. There are limitless applications and uses for this new technology, so don't miss out!
I hope you all have a wonderful New Years and a fresh start to the next year ahead of us!
Showing posts with label home network. Show all posts
Showing posts with label home network. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Sunday, September 27, 2009
Best Thief Deterrent!
When you think of home security, do you think of the best deadbolts and locks on the windows? Well, it's time to come out of the stone age!
Now don't get me wrong, these are essential to have, but there are so many other things available that can protect your home in more effective ways. And the majority of us probably don't think to install these extra security measures until it's too late and our homes have already been violated in some way.
The best thing you can possibly have to scare away a thief is a high-pitched alarm. There are many different ways to install a burglar alarm. You can opt to install it yourself, which, if effective enough, can usually scare away a thief.
And, of course, there are alarm companies by the dozen that will offer to set up your chosen system for you. These companies often require a monthly subscription to a service they provide, and this service will keep them apprised of any disturbances in your home. Usually your security system is set up to call the monitoring service automatically. The company then gives you, the homeowner a call to inform you that your alarm has been activated. Assuming you are at home, this situation can be an easy one to deal with. You check your house and surrounding area, then inform the security company that it is a false alarm. Alarm is silenced and no further action is taken. Usually if they don't get a response from your house, police will be dispatched to your residence to check out a potential break in. Sounds great, right? Well, sure, except when you stop to calculate the time spent on all these phone calls.
Suppose your alarm goes off and it sends an immediate trigger to the security company monitoring your account. The representative most likely has to look up your account to find your home phone number, right? 2 minutes tops. Then they place the call to your house. If you're not home, this phone call will last less than 1 minute. So then the security company tries your cell phone. There's another minute or two if you don't answer. The logical next step is to call the police, right? Assuming they dial 911 and are not put on hold, this call should take no more than 2 minutes. The dispatcher then gets on the radio to find the closest unit or dispatches someone that should be in that section of town. Now, we all love and respect our boys in blue, but we also know that they are only human and can only get to your house as fast as the traffic around them will allow.
So let's tally this up. We're looking at at least 7 minutes until the actual officers closest to your home are notified that there could be a crime in progress. If you live in one of the larger cities, the response time will vary, but on average it will be at least 5 minutes. So there are at least 12 whole minutes for your burglar to run through your house grabbing your precious keepsakes and antiques. If you have the patience, sit looking at a digital clock for a full minute. Now multiply that time by 12 and imagine yourself doing absolutely nothing for that period of time while your home is being vandalized.
The alternative? Absolutely have a burglar alarm connected to a monitoring service! My advice? Have your home equipped with hidden security cameras connected to a stand alone DVR that is remotely accessible via cell phone or internet.
So let's try this scenario again. Your security company calls you within 2 minutes of your alarm activating. You then take around 1 minute to access your cameras from your cell phone or internet connection. Assuming you see a burglar or broken window in your video feed, you can immediately call the police on your cell phone directing them to your house.
Well, let's see, we made that call within 3 minutes! So you have saved around 4 minutes and have been proactive in the process. You could even place a call to your neighbors and direct them to yell outside that the police are on their way!
I don't know about you, but I would definitely opt for the remote access cameras!
Now don't get me wrong, these are essential to have, but there are so many other things available that can protect your home in more effective ways. And the majority of us probably don't think to install these extra security measures until it's too late and our homes have already been violated in some way.
The best thing you can possibly have to scare away a thief is a high-pitched alarm. There are many different ways to install a burglar alarm. You can opt to install it yourself, which, if effective enough, can usually scare away a thief.
And, of course, there are alarm companies by the dozen that will offer to set up your chosen system for you. These companies often require a monthly subscription to a service they provide, and this service will keep them apprised of any disturbances in your home. Usually your security system is set up to call the monitoring service automatically. The company then gives you, the homeowner a call to inform you that your alarm has been activated. Assuming you are at home, this situation can be an easy one to deal with. You check your house and surrounding area, then inform the security company that it is a false alarm. Alarm is silenced and no further action is taken. Usually if they don't get a response from your house, police will be dispatched to your residence to check out a potential break in. Sounds great, right? Well, sure, except when you stop to calculate the time spent on all these phone calls.
Suppose your alarm goes off and it sends an immediate trigger to the security company monitoring your account. The representative most likely has to look up your account to find your home phone number, right? 2 minutes tops. Then they place the call to your house. If you're not home, this phone call will last less than 1 minute. So then the security company tries your cell phone. There's another minute or two if you don't answer. The logical next step is to call the police, right? Assuming they dial 911 and are not put on hold, this call should take no more than 2 minutes. The dispatcher then gets on the radio to find the closest unit or dispatches someone that should be in that section of town. Now, we all love and respect our boys in blue, but we also know that they are only human and can only get to your house as fast as the traffic around them will allow.
So let's tally this up. We're looking at at least 7 minutes until the actual officers closest to your home are notified that there could be a crime in progress. If you live in one of the larger cities, the response time will vary, but on average it will be at least 5 minutes. So there are at least 12 whole minutes for your burglar to run through your house grabbing your precious keepsakes and antiques. If you have the patience, sit looking at a digital clock for a full minute. Now multiply that time by 12 and imagine yourself doing absolutely nothing for that period of time while your home is being vandalized.
The alternative? Absolutely have a burglar alarm connected to a monitoring service! My advice? Have your home equipped with hidden security cameras connected to a stand alone DVR that is remotely accessible via cell phone or internet.
So let's try this scenario again. Your security company calls you within 2 minutes of your alarm activating. You then take around 1 minute to access your cameras from your cell phone or internet connection. Assuming you see a burglar or broken window in your video feed, you can immediately call the police on your cell phone directing them to your house.
Well, let's see, we made that call within 3 minutes! So you have saved around 4 minutes and have been proactive in the process. You could even place a call to your neighbors and direct them to yell outside that the police are on their way!
I don't know about you, but I would definitely opt for the remote access cameras!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Recall for Home Products
Well, the latest scare would be fire hazards in the home. Back in August, there were more than 200,000 Frigidaire and Kenmore smooth top oven/ranges recalled. This was due to the fact that over 100 reports were made about the stove tops coming on all by themselves! Even more astonishing was the fact that this wasn't some short where it would come on and go off immediately. The elements will just turn on without being switched on, and they will stay on! Talk about a fire hazard! Several people have even been burned, not realizing the burners were on.
What if you weren't home? Suppose there was a dish rag or paper towel in contact with the stove top? How long do you think it would take for that paper towel to get hot enough to ignite? Not long enough, in my opinion!
Access to your home's security cameras via a streaming DVR would save thousands if not hundreds of thousands in getting fire officials to your address sooner! If caught early enough, a neighbor could even break in for you and hose down the fire.
While I hate to be obnoxious about the usefullness of security cameras, they are a definite necessity!
What if you weren't home? Suppose there was a dish rag or paper towel in contact with the stove top? How long do you think it would take for that paper towel to get hot enough to ignite? Not long enough, in my opinion!
Access to your home's security cameras via a streaming DVR would save thousands if not hundreds of thousands in getting fire officials to your address sooner! If caught early enough, a neighbor could even break in for you and hose down the fire.
While I hate to be obnoxious about the usefullness of security cameras, they are a definite necessity!
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Reduce your risk!
We all want to keep our homes as safe as possible, right?
So put yourself in the mind of a thief. Unusual concept, I know....
But try it. If you were casing a house wanting to break in somehow, what would you look for? What specific features about a house would you avoid?
OK, I'll state the obvious. I would avoid the well lit house with close neighbors, barking dogs, or the place that had a sign posted for a specific security company.
Let's touch on the first issue.
Lighting for a house can be one of the best deterrents against crime. And, you don't even have to break the bank with a large electric bill either. Your best bet are any kind of security lights that have a built in motion sensor/detector. This way, your property doesn't always have to be lit up like a Christmas tree, but can still be secure. Just make sure the switch is always on or hard wire the light.
It has been proven that crimes are much less likely to happen when an area has sufficient lighting. This is one of the most cost effective ways to secure your home, as no criminal likes to be exposed by light.
Your best bet for positioning your lights are to keep them high with a wide range of visibility. It's a good idea to place them on several different areas of your home so that all access points will be thoroughly covered with light. It is also smart to put these lights high enough so that the average person cannot reach them and ruin the motion sensors.
Now, if you have money to burn, any kind of outdoor floodlight kept on all night will suffice. HID or High Intensity Discharge lights are somewhat energy efficient and will last quite a while. This will emit a blue-green looking light similar to Incandescent or Halogen lights. There are also high pressure sodium lights, these are the yellowish looking lights you often see in commercial parking lots. Instant on fluorescent lights are a great choice and you could also opt for metal halide lighting.
The latest development is LED lighting, of course. I have seen motion sensored LED lights, but they are battery operated. Why anyone would want this is beyond me. Yes, the LED is the most efficient type of lighting, but the batteries could fail you at a very inopportune time!
You could also go with the solar powered lighting, although I'm not sure if they would be consistently bright the entire night.
I'm partial to LED just because they are 85% more efficient than other lights, so whenever I can save a dollar here or there, I'm game! I also love the way the LED's look, but that's my personal opinion.
So what method of lighting will serve your home the best? Take care to select a security light that has adjustable settings of "ON" time. You don't want your lights going dim too soon after motion is detected. A well planned robbery can work around this. But, some neighbors will get a little agitated if your nice bright light shines right into their bedroom window any time the cat prowls around at 3 a.m. If your lights are positioned to shine downward instead of outward, you will alleviate a lot of this hastle. Remember, you care more about your house being invaded than your lawn or carport!
The lives of you and your loved ones are more precious than anything you could possibly own!
So put yourself in the mind of a thief. Unusual concept, I know....
But try it. If you were casing a house wanting to break in somehow, what would you look for? What specific features about a house would you avoid?
OK, I'll state the obvious. I would avoid the well lit house with close neighbors, barking dogs, or the place that had a sign posted for a specific security company.
Let's touch on the first issue.
Lighting for a house can be one of the best deterrents against crime. And, you don't even have to break the bank with a large electric bill either. Your best bet are any kind of security lights that have a built in motion sensor/detector. This way, your property doesn't always have to be lit up like a Christmas tree, but can still be secure. Just make sure the switch is always on or hard wire the light.
It has been proven that crimes are much less likely to happen when an area has sufficient lighting. This is one of the most cost effective ways to secure your home, as no criminal likes to be exposed by light.
Your best bet for positioning your lights are to keep them high with a wide range of visibility. It's a good idea to place them on several different areas of your home so that all access points will be thoroughly covered with light. It is also smart to put these lights high enough so that the average person cannot reach them and ruin the motion sensors.
Now, if you have money to burn, any kind of outdoor floodlight kept on all night will suffice. HID or High Intensity Discharge lights are somewhat energy efficient and will last quite a while. This will emit a blue-green looking light similar to Incandescent or Halogen lights. There are also high pressure sodium lights, these are the yellowish looking lights you often see in commercial parking lots. Instant on fluorescent lights are a great choice and you could also opt for metal halide lighting.
The latest development is LED lighting, of course. I have seen motion sensored LED lights, but they are battery operated. Why anyone would want this is beyond me. Yes, the LED is the most efficient type of lighting, but the batteries could fail you at a very inopportune time!
You could also go with the solar powered lighting, although I'm not sure if they would be consistently bright the entire night.
I'm partial to LED just because they are 85% more efficient than other lights, so whenever I can save a dollar here or there, I'm game! I also love the way the LED's look, but that's my personal opinion.
So what method of lighting will serve your home the best? Take care to select a security light that has adjustable settings of "ON" time. You don't want your lights going dim too soon after motion is detected. A well planned robbery can work around this. But, some neighbors will get a little agitated if your nice bright light shines right into their bedroom window any time the cat prowls around at 3 a.m. If your lights are positioned to shine downward instead of outward, you will alleviate a lot of this hastle. Remember, you care more about your house being invaded than your lawn or carport!
The lives of you and your loved ones are more precious than anything you could possibly own!
Friday, September 18, 2009
Help! How do I set this DVR up?
So you just got your new hidden camera and DVR in the mail! Congrats!
What do I do with this thing now?
Well, first off...read the instructions if there are any! I'm so helpful, right?!
* Power
First thing you need to worry about is how to power your device. Many come with a cord you can plug into any standard electrical outlet. But many are portable or wireless and require batteries. Check to see what size batteries are needed and install.
* Wireless Receiver
Most often, your device will come with a receiver if it is wireless. This is something that needs power itself and will need to be plugged in. Then you will connect this device to your TV, VCR, DVR, or Computer Monitor for viewing and/or recording. Connection requires a RCA cable which usually comes with your hidden camera. This will fit into the usually tri-colored plug-ins on any TV, VCR or DVR and some Monitors.
Note: Make sure the antenna is in place on your receiver and check the frequency to be sure there isn't any interference!
* Wired Hidden Cameras
These units are fool proof. They will usually come with an RCA cable to attach directly from your hidden camera to your TV, VCR, DVR or monitor. The other cord will be your power cord, which is usually your only power source. These units obviously will have a little more restrictions on where you can place them since they will need to be within reach of an electrical outlet.
* Remote Access DVR
This is where the fun part comes in! Some DVR's may be different but the ones I sell at www.premiumnannycameras.com are set up as follows:
Your DVR will come with software to be installed on your computer. This will allow you to set up a user name and password for logging in remotely (from somewhere besides your home) to see your cameras. Your DVR must be programmed with your computer's unique IP (internet protocol) address (basically your computer's thumb print) in order to send this streaming video from your hidden camera to anywhere else.
* Required elements for your streaming video to work
Internet Explorer
Windows 2000, XP and Vista
If you are accessing video via cell phone, you must have Java 2.0
and an internet plan with your wireless carrier.
This means you have to have the latest cell phones what will support internet access.
Some of these phones are the iPhone, Symbian OS, and the Windows Based Smart Phone.
This technology is nothing short of amazing since it allows you to zoom in and pan while viewing your video!
I hope this was a little helpful in your attempt to set up hidden cameras with a DVR.
What do I do with this thing now?
Well, first off...read the instructions if there are any! I'm so helpful, right?!
* Power
First thing you need to worry about is how to power your device. Many come with a cord you can plug into any standard electrical outlet. But many are portable or wireless and require batteries. Check to see what size batteries are needed and install.
* Wireless Receiver
Most often, your device will come with a receiver if it is wireless. This is something that needs power itself and will need to be plugged in. Then you will connect this device to your TV, VCR, DVR, or Computer Monitor for viewing and/or recording. Connection requires a RCA cable which usually comes with your hidden camera. This will fit into the usually tri-colored plug-ins on any TV, VCR or DVR and some Monitors.
Note: Make sure the antenna is in place on your receiver and check the frequency to be sure there isn't any interference!
* Wired Hidden Cameras
These units are fool proof. They will usually come with an RCA cable to attach directly from your hidden camera to your TV, VCR, DVR or monitor. The other cord will be your power cord, which is usually your only power source. These units obviously will have a little more restrictions on where you can place them since they will need to be within reach of an electrical outlet.
* Remote Access DVR
This is where the fun part comes in! Some DVR's may be different but the ones I sell at www.premiumnannycameras.com are set up as follows:
Your DVR will come with software to be installed on your computer. This will allow you to set up a user name and password for logging in remotely (from somewhere besides your home) to see your cameras. Your DVR must be programmed with your computer's unique IP (internet protocol) address (basically your computer's thumb print) in order to send this streaming video from your hidden camera to anywhere else.
* Required elements for your streaming video to work
Internet Explorer
Windows 2000, XP and Vista
If you are accessing video via cell phone, you must have Java 2.0
and an internet plan with your wireless carrier.
This means you have to have the latest cell phones what will support internet access.
Some of these phones are the iPhone, Symbian OS, and the Windows Based Smart Phone.
This technology is nothing short of amazing since it allows you to zoom in and pan while viewing your video!
I hope this was a little helpful in your attempt to set up hidden cameras with a DVR.
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Wow! Talk about smart!
Our latest technology is advancing in leaps and bounds!
So you think remote viewing from your new DVR is cool? Try an entire network for your home that allows you to completely control your home remotely! With your cell phone you can now view your security camera's current video, adjust the temperature on your thermostat, turn on or off almost anything in your house, or even preheat your oven for dinner!
These new home control networking systems are the next step up in convenience. In fact, new home constructions are adding the necessary elements to new buildings to accommodate this exciting development.
Basically, there are three major companies that are coming out with this new technology: Z-Wave Alliance, ZigBee and Insteon. What they've done is take the everyday item such as a thermostat, keyed entry, garage door, etc. and put their mark on it. What this mark means is that no matter who manufactures it (and at present there are over 150 different manufacturers involved), every product bearing it will be compatible with each other.
In computer terms, it would make Windows and Linux compatible.
So, say you have a washing machine made by LG, a thermostat made by Honeywell, a garage door by Raynor, a Schlage keyless entry, and a security camera with dvr, these products will all work together on the same home network accessed by your cell phone! You won't even have to program it!
These networks work on low-power, low speed digital radio waves and can even be routed through your home's existing AC power wires!
The great part of it is, it will save you money in the long run. Think about it.
When you leave the house in the morning, you turn the AC up to 80. Half and hour before you get home, you get on your cell phone and tell your thermostat to turn on and get the house temperature down to 75 by the time you get home!
Not to mention, if you're watching your security cameras at the office and see something suspicious, you can start turning on lights, which in most cases will scare off a burglar. You can even alert a neighbor and have them check your house. Worst case scenario...you can call the police immediately and possibly nab the intruder in the act. It may mean a window broken, but they won't run off with your great-grandmother's antique pearl ring or the big screen TV.
More next time...
http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping
So you think remote viewing from your new DVR is cool? Try an entire network for your home that allows you to completely control your home remotely! With your cell phone you can now view your security camera's current video, adjust the temperature on your thermostat, turn on or off almost anything in your house, or even preheat your oven for dinner!
These new home control networking systems are the next step up in convenience. In fact, new home constructions are adding the necessary elements to new buildings to accommodate this exciting development.
Basically, there are three major companies that are coming out with this new technology: Z-Wave Alliance, ZigBee and Insteon. What they've done is take the everyday item such as a thermostat, keyed entry, garage door, etc. and put their mark on it. What this mark means is that no matter who manufactures it (and at present there are over 150 different manufacturers involved), every product bearing it will be compatible with each other.
In computer terms, it would make Windows and Linux compatible.
So, say you have a washing machine made by LG, a thermostat made by Honeywell, a garage door by Raynor, a Schlage keyless entry, and a security camera with dvr, these products will all work together on the same home network accessed by your cell phone! You won't even have to program it!
These networks work on low-power, low speed digital radio waves and can even be routed through your home's existing AC power wires!
The great part of it is, it will save you money in the long run. Think about it.
When you leave the house in the morning, you turn the AC up to 80. Half and hour before you get home, you get on your cell phone and tell your thermostat to turn on and get the house temperature down to 75 by the time you get home!
Not to mention, if you're watching your security cameras at the office and see something suspicious, you can start turning on lights, which in most cases will scare off a burglar. You can even alert a neighbor and have them check your house. Worst case scenario...you can call the police immediately and possibly nab the intruder in the act. It may mean a window broken, but they won't run off with your great-grandmother's antique pearl ring or the big screen TV.
More next time...
http://rpc.technorati.com/rpc/ping
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