burglar alarms
We’ve all dealt with photos that are too dark to make out any details. It’s frustrating when it’s a wedding photo, but it’s nerve racking when you’re trying to capture a face or license plate after a break in. Pay attention to the existing lighting in the areas where you want to install security cameras. Look for the night vision range of each camera and consider how much area you want to cover. And beware of using an indoor camera to look outside; they can’t usually capture images through a window or after dark. You cannot use cameras alone for home security. That needs a different approach of boots on the ground, regular patrols and guard dogs, proper perimeter fencing, security floodlights, sirens, physical access barriers, electronic barrier breach detection with security cameras being one of the devices used. Considering just the camera part, a security audit is needed to identify weak points, and how to address them one by one with the optimal number and
placement of cameras. Apart from physical security, one issue with wireless cameras, and in particular IP cameras is whether they can be accessed from an external network, how frequently vulnerabilities are patched so the window of available
exploits remaining viable is short, and how to secure the vast amount of data generated, all to ensure that someone isn’t using it to monitor a range of targets over time to learn patterns/routines. One often sees comments about unexplained “voices” over the camera two way speaker speaking to the kid when the parents are away, and the suspicion that if that’s the case, someone is also watching. This focus on security is missing from this write up.
Posted by Anonymous at 3:19PM | (2 comments)
office alarm systems
If you live in a small apartment and want to keep tabs on things when you're not home, a security camera can get the job done for a lot less money than what you'll pay for a full security system. Nearly all standalone security cameras connect to your home's Wi Fi so you can see what's going on from your phone or tablet, and most have built in sensors that detect motion and sound and will send push and email notifications when those sensors are triggered. You can usually tweak the camera's motion sensitivity to prevent false alarms due to pet activity or passing cars if the camera is near a window, and you can create a schedule that turns the sensors on and off during certain hours of the day. A smart lock is typically part of a robust smart home security setup, but you don't have to invest in a full blown system to use one. If you're using a home automation hub to control things like lighting and thermostats, you can add a Z Wave or Zigbee smart lock to the system without much effort. Alternately, if you don't have a home automation hub, look for a Wi Fi or Bluetooth lock that
comes with its own mobile app. Smart locks use standard pre drilled holes and are fairly easy to install. Some models use your existing keyed cylinder and deadbolt hardware and attach to the inside of your door, while others require that you remove your existing interior and exterior escutcheons and replace the deadbolt and strike hardware. Smart locks can be opened and closed using a mobile app and will send a notification when someone locks or unlocks a door, and most allow you to create permanent and temporary access
schedules for family members and friends based on specific hours of the day and days of the week. Features to look for include geofencing, which uses your phone's location services to lock and unlock the door, voice activation using Siri HomeKit, Google Assistant, or Amazon Alexa voice commands, support for IFTTT, and integration with other smart home devices such as video doorbells, outdoor cameras, thermostats, smoke alarms, and connected lighting. The biggest reason a homeowner should consider installing a home security system is that it offers protection to family members from intruders.
Posted by Anonymous at 3:19PM | (2 comments)
home security tips
What level of video quality or resolution do you need?My usual recommendation of at least 1080p 2 Megapixels applies. There are tons of substandard 720p HD Ready systems you can get, but none of them will have the resolution needed to
allow law enforcement positive identification of an intruder. Do you
want the ability to use wireless cameras as well?While I generally do not recommend using wireless for critical home systems such as security, there are some situations where a wireless camera makes sense. Now you don’t need a WiFi enabled NVR to use a Wi Fi camera – this is a common misconception. A Wi Fi camera can simply connect to your Wi Fi router and thus be connected to the NVR. Do you intend to upgrade by adding more cameras later on?If you think you need only 2 cameras now, get a 4 channel system. If you think you need just 4 cameras right now, go for the 8 channel. Once you start enjoying the security provided by your spanking new CCTV system, you will enjoy the option to add more cameras. But if you want that luxury, plan ahead. Do you want automatic redundant storage?Most NVRs can record only to one hard disk. This means data storage is not redundant – a hard disk failure or theft of the NVR would mean that you lose all your recorded footage.
Posted by Anonymous at 3:19PM | (3 comments)