Can Surveillance Cameras Really Help Catch Criminals?

February 15, 2014 By Leave a Comment

We have all seen the TV shows.   A crime of some kind occurs and from some office some law enforcement agency logs on to every surveillance system in the area, and they all have high quality video, and in a matter or minutes identifies the criminal that committed the act.

Well, reality is quite different. Here is what usually happens. The police look around and see if any of the buildings in the vicinity have surveillance systems.  They then contact the building owner and ask them for the footage from a specific time. They then look at the footage and determine whether the cameras saw the event. If so they have to determine if the quality is high enough to ensure an identification. Often times, it isn’t.

If the footage is decent, there are some techniques and software available to improve the quality, but no where near the scope that TV shows make you believe.  You can’t take a fuzzy image of a car and end up with a sharp picture of the license plate.

The quality of the surveillance system has a lot to do with this. Many analog systems just don’t have the lines of resolution to produce a sharp, clear picture. Over time, the camera loses focus and the overall picture quality can deteriorate.

The new IP systems, with megapixel cameras, can greatly improve this but focus is can still be an issue. It is also very important that all settings are correct, like motion detection and white balance, so you get the image you need.

Below the image on the left is analog and the image on the right is a 1.2 megapixel camera.

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The difference is striking.

So the answer is yes, surveillance cameras do help catch criminals.  But, it requires a lot of legwork to get the job done. Megapixel cameras are helping to up the odds of capture.

If you live in Central or Northern New Jersey and would like information on any of the topics discussed above, or if you would like us to perform a Home Safety and Security Audit, absolutely free, please call 800-369-3962 or simply click the link below.

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Filed Under: Business Security Systems, Home Security Systems Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Adding Cameras To A Security System

January 12, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Video surveillance cameras are now easier than ever to add to your overall home security package.  You can simply add a camera to your interactive service such as alarm.com.  The camera is learned into your account and then you can use the camera either via Wi-Fi or with an Ethernet cable. Indoor and outdoor cameras are available, and they come with IR to see at night.  You still need to power it with a wire, however.  Once learned into your system, you simply go to your app, click video and you see a live view from your camera.

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The camera also records into the cloud and you can view recorded clips either via your phone, tablet or computer.  The thing to remember is typically cloud storage is not as large as if you have a recorder on premises, but then again you didn’t have to buy or maintain it.  To cut down on recording, we recommend cameras be set to record only on motion detected in the field of view, rather than all the time.  Typically with this type of set up, and basic service, you get 4 to 7 days of recorded information stored.  More storage space is available at additional cost.  This solution is becoming more and more popular due to low initial cost and low monthly service cost.  The cameras are high definition and quite sharp and the images load within seconds.  You can also be notified when your camera records something, though you may end up with a lot of notification emails.

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A negative is that if your internet is down, the cameras can’t be viewed or record, though in the near future there will be a reasonably priced solution to this problem.

Many people find the ease of installation, and relative low cost, roughly $195 per indoor camera and around $300 for exterior cameras plus installation makes this a good solution to residential video.

Video adds $5 to $10 dollars to your monthly interactive service.  Video also is available as a standalone service.  Monthly service charges start at $20 per month.

If you would like more information and live in Central or Northern New Jersey, please give us call at 800-369-3962 or simply click the link below.

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Filed Under: Business Security Systems, Home Security Systems Tagged With: , , , ,
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