Today, almost everyone is walking around with a digital camera on a smart phone. These cameras utilize either CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) or CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) chip technology to capture images. While they may have different resolutions and features, the bottom line is that they all function in a similar matter. Digital cameras allow people to […]
If you're not familiar with Infrared, it's what grants CCTV security cameras the ability to see in the dark. Unlike true "night vision", Infrared LEDs emit their own source of light instead of using existing sources; these LEDs essentially become a spotlight for your camera. While this is a magnificent feature to have in a […]
We've been pleading people for as long as we've been around to commit to changing their usernames and passwords and not to use the default accounts. Why? TechCrunch, among many others now, has recently published an article that demonstrates exactly why.
Glare is a very common problem for security cameras. Due to the environments in which they are commonly installed, it’s a frequent occurrence to be dealing with or adjusting for glare. Regardless of the surface or source that’s causing the glare, the fix to the problem lies in a particular feature that not all security […]
Standard definition (SD) and High definition (HD) systems that run over coaxial cable have already had their cameras measured by frame rate. Once we understood what it was, it provided us with a good idea of what kind of capabilities a camera may have. Network camera, or IP cameras, are measured differently; instead of a […]
Where more traditional standard definition (SD) analog CCTV cameras wouldn't do the job, people needed to start looking to high definition (HD) security cameras. With HDSDI being a flop for the industry, IP cameras have been almost unopposed in the HD market since it began. HDCVI cameras are becoming much more commonly known about and […]
There a lot of things that can go wrong with security cameras. The most noticeable are going to be problems with the image itself. The good news is that identifying the problem isn't as difficult as you may think. For as many things that can potentially going wrong, each one of those problems presents themselves […]
Simply put and as it pertains to security cameras, a lux rating is a way of determining a cameras ability to see in various degrees of darkness. It’s very important to note that lux ratings for IR cameras are rated differently from cameras without that Infrared capability; be careful not to compare these two side […]
Tribrid video recorders are very new to the market. If you're not already familiar with them, we encourage you to read our previous article first outlining what Tribrid DVRs are all about. From here on out, it's essentially going to be a grudge match between Tribrids and Hybrids to see which one will come out […]
“Tribrid” digital video recorders (DVR), as they've come to be known, aren't exactly a new thing. Previous to the release of Tribrid DVRs, there were Hybrid DVRs. If you recall from previous articles, Hybrid’s are capable of streaming and recording both standard analog and IP/network cameras. The Tribrid simply introduces the ability to now have […]
We saw High Definition Serial Digital Interface (HDSDI) hit the market in 2012. With it finally came the possibility of high definition (HD) over coax. The only option in the past had been IP/network cameras via network cable. While IP camera systems are a fantastic direction to go in, they require a whole new knowledge […]
Consultations are quickly becoming a lost art form in the CCTV security camera industry. There is an ever widening gap in our understanding of what a consultation in this industry actually means. In the spirit of educating ourselves, let’s begin.
The type of cable you're either able to or should be using has been under debate since HDCVI cameras hit the market. While it was originally stated that solid copper RG59 should be used, there have been more than a few people to state that it's not required; installers and retailers alike. We're going to […]
Having a sales person prompting you to spend more on another product is nothing new, but have you ever considered that they might be trying to save you? Admittedly, not every product that a company sells performs and incredible as you’d like. In defense of those companies, it’s what the market and consumer demands. If […]
You'll usually hear us recommend opting for a wired system over wireless. Most of this stuff is all about speed, and hard wiring your system is just always going to be faster. What happens when running cable isn't an option? Whether it be structurally impossible, or can't work without creating an eyesore, sometimes wireless is […]
High Definition Composite Video Interface (HDCVI) is brand new to the CCTV and security camera industry. With it, comes a few new, and very cool capabilities. While you may not see any great advancements in the high definition (HD) resolution, these new features that come at a pretty incredible price do more than impress.
It may seem a bit basic, but most people aren't in love with the idea of possibly defacing their home. Not only is it a matter of not creating an eyesore, but also the effective placement of surveillance cameras. There are times you may need more cameras than you think, and sometimes you may not need […]
It's not uncommon for people to inherit CCTV systems. The problem is that most of the time, the previous owners aren't very forthcoming with information and people normally don't know to ask. More often than not, you'll find yourself needing to repair, or wanting to upgrade these systems. You'll soon find that not knowing the […]
Security cameras are much more diverse than you may think. The purpose we have in our head for our CCTV systems is the surveillance of people and property, but the truth is, they're used for a lot more than just that. We don't always have to look at them as a way to avoid disaster […]
Google Glass hasn't been around long enough yet for us to form much of an opinion about it. The fact of the matter is that people are already saying that it's opening the doorway for all other kinds of wearable tech, even though it already has users being labeled as "Glassholes." Whether you've formed an opinion […]
