Things to consider when installing an IP based camera system.
There are currently a number of different camera systems on the market. If you are thinking about purchasing one of these systems to beef up your home security, here are a few different things you may want to consider:
Powering the camera - After you decide on a general area you want to surveil, one of the first things you will want to consider is how exactly the camera will be receiving power. Many of the camera systems on the market are battery powered, which is great for installing in remote locations, but will also require regular battery changes. If you are doing a remote camera install, and do not want to worry about battery changes, you may want to consider a solar powered camera. If you would like to eliminate battery changes or charging altogether, POE (power over ethernet) cameras are one of the best options. Although these cameras require a dedicated line to the camera as well as a POE enabled switch or router to power these devices, they are very reliable and can support high data transfer rates for HD cameras, and the necessary equipment can be purchased for reasonable prices. Although many cameras can also be plugged directly into an outlet, if you are installing the camera outside this is probably a bad idea. Without a properly protected outlet, you can end up getting debris or water into the outlet, causing the camera or outlet itself to fail prematurely. By determining how you are going to power the camera, you can get a better idea of where exactly to best place your camera.
Angle of vision - Once you have determined how you are going to power the camera and where you would like the camera installed, one of the factors you will want to consider is the camera’s angle of vision. Although many cameras do offer an almost 180 degree field of view, many of these cameras do so by using a fisheye lens that can distort the image you end up seeing. For example, a 1080p camera with a 180 degree field of view will have a worse picture at any specific location vs the same 1080p image with a 110 degree field of view, simply because the 180 degree camera has to distort the image to fit it into that same 1080p frame. Many cameras are able to correct for this fisheye effect; however, it is something to keep in mind before you go out and purchase your camera system.
Night vision - Almost every camera on the market today includes some sort of night vision mode; however, not all night vision modes are created equal. Factors such as current ambient lighting, motion sensor lights, and the power of the built in IR lights and sensors in the camera system will all affect the camera’s quality at night. Feel free to check out online reviews of a few camera systems in order to determine whether or not the model you are looking at has adequate night vision.
Data Storage - Something you will also want to consider when purchasing a camera system is how and where the videos or images from your system will be stored. Although many camera makers include some sort of cloud connection with these cameras, they often charge monthly fees for storage. If you aren’t looking to sign up for an online storage plan, consider using an old computer as a server for storing your camera’s videos or consider a camera with built in storage options. Many cameras support micro-SD cards that can store hours of videos right on the camera itself.
Image Quality and Resolution - 720p, 1080p, 4k, or even 8k cameras all options when it comes to a home camera system. Although you may be tempted to go for the highest resolution possible, remember that the higher the resolution, the more storage space and bandwidth your videos will require. Although many home wireless routers are more than capable of handling a few high resolution feeds, if you require multiple cameras with high resolution you will want to look into POE options with a local server to store your footage. Furthermore, not all cameras with the same resolution will end up with the same image quality. Options like HDR (high dynamic range) and backlight correction can have a big impact on how the picture actually ends up looking when you go to play it back. This is another area where you will want to check out online reviews to see how these systems stack up against one another.
PTZ - When it comes to more advanced camera systems, you may want to consider cameras with PTZ, or Pan/Tilt/Zoom, functionality. These cameras have motors inside the camera to allow it to be moved and focused on a specific area or even set on a “patrol” function where they will scan the surroundings periodically. One of the drawbacks to PTZ cameras is that, like any moving device, they can end up breaking or having a motor error that could potentially move your camera away from the desired area or, from personal experience, freeze the camera while facing it directly into a wall.
Although there are certainly other factors to consider when it comes to a home camera system, these are a few that should help you select the best system for you. Feel free to get in touch if you have any questions or comments regarding setting up a camera system of your own.