Identifying Security Failures

Posted on: 31 December 2017

New and enhanced features are part of almost every electronic device on the market, and security systems are no different. Although security cameras have been around for decades, a lot has changed to make them not only cheaper, but cost effective, through enhanced storage and better video quality. Here are a few benefits of newer home surveillance systems, along with some expanded features for people with decent computer skills.

The New Age of Video Quality

High Definition (HD) is a common marketing term, but some people are unaware of how common. HD is now the new normal; if you're getting a standard definition video device, you'd better be making a deep space exploration probe that needs to conserve power. There's almost no other practical reason to go below the HD norm, and especially no reason when it comes to home surveillance.

The lowest quality for HD is a standard called 720p. You can visit websites, such as YouTube, and change the quality from HD to something lower, such as 240 or 144 to see the difference, and the difference will be obvious.

Since video surveillance systems need to record facial features, hair, clothing, and other distinguishing features of moving objects, you may want to consider a camera that has 1080p video quality. Although 720p is fine for most situations, higher video quality ensures you can see everything on camera clearly.

Video Storage and Sharing Options

The only reason not to go for the highest, most robust video quality on the market—such as 4k video—would be storage concerns. Higher detail means more pixels used to create an image, and this means a bigger video file.

You can balance quality issues by simply buying bigger storage, but you will need to test the file size, first. A home surveillance professional can tell you more about specific recording settings, but if you connect your home surveillance system to a home computer, you can record a file to see how big it gets after an hour. Multiply that by 24, and you'll have a good 24-hour estimate.

The questions become simple: how many hard drives do you want to buy, and can you connect them on your own? If you're computer savvy to the point of adding and configuring different devices, it shouldn't be an issue. If you'd like help with the configuration, or advice on a middle ground investment for good quality and reliable storage, contact a home surveillance professional.

For more information, talk to companies like All Pro Security Inc.