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| These days, security for your home or office usually means more than just an alarm system. Now, you can create your own surveillance system to monitor your premises and record events that occur day, or night. These surveillance and recording systems can use either wired, or wireless cameras. Our security product manager takes us through a few steps on how to make use of wireless cameras in your home, or business using MCM's products. |
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Site Survey
First, determine the indoor, or outdoor areas to be observed and recorded. Try to limit the distance between your wireless transmitter and receiver to 100 feet (open-air). If you need to reach further, you may need to use a signal-boosting antenna on the transmitter. Finally determine if an AC power outlet is located close enough to each camera location (wireless cameras still need power).
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Select Cameras
Most wireless cameras suitable for residential and small business installation are for both indoor and outdoor use. Choose a wireless camera suitable for day or night time viewing, and then choose the camera resolution and lens required to view objects at desired distance and with an acceptable field of view. Note: you can integrate a conventional analog box camera into a wireless application by using a wireless transmitter and receiver (Don't forget a housing for outdoor applications). The combination of the transmitter and receiver basically replace the video cable in between the camera and the monitor, or DVR.
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Select a Monitor to Observe Events
If recording events is not required, and only simple observation is necessary, up to four wireless cameras can easily be installed in various locations around the premises (near AC power) within 100ft of a four-channel receiver that connects directly to the composite input on a standard analog, or LCD TV set, or the composite video input on a security monitor. Each of the four cameras can be set to transmit wireless video on a unique channel that matches one of the four channels on the receiver.
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Select DVR to Record Events
If recording events is required, then choose a DVR (Digital Video Recorder) capable of connecting the total number of required cameras to your recording system, regardless of whether the cameras are wireless, or wired. Most DVRs (even the DVR cards that go in your desk top PC) allow the connection of a minimum of four cameras. The camera connections on the back of the DVR are the same for wireless, or wired cameras (BNC male connectors). Most users choose a DVR capable of recording a desirable length of time (usually one week or more). Keep in mind that recording capacity is primarily dependant upon hard drive size, video compression (H.264, MPEG-4, MJPEG, etc.), and frame rate (30fps is the highest maximum frame rate for recording). You can still observe the camera video signal from each camera on a monitor connected directly to the DVR. Finally, DVR/Camera kits help make the system equipment selection process easier and faster, and wireless cameras can be integrated into kits that include only wired cameras.
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