Enhancing Your Home Security With Custom Options

Home surveillance and general home security have improved exponentially in the past decade. This is thanks to the same advances in home computing and internet that led to convenient desktops, a new culture surrounding smartphone use, and the ability to communicate with increasingly higher quality across the world. You can use many of those other industries to boost your home security options, and a few of these customization tips can help you along the way.

Recording And Monitoring With Computers

Many home security suites with surveillance systems will include a recording deck. This is necessary because although the following customization tip is fairly simple for anyone with computer skills (or access to any computer hobbyist), many customers may want to just unpack the security system and let it run without major changes.

This recording deck is basically a computer in a customized box that is dedicated to just recording. You can save information from most recording decks with USB devices or SD (Secure Digital) cards that are used in smartphones and cameras, but you can automate some of the techniques to make using your recording easier.

Many modern surveillance systems can be connected to home computers with little or no modification. Surveillance cameras and/or decks usually include video connections that computers already have or can easily get with a video card, such as HDMI, DVI, or VGA. If those connections aren't available for a specific model, simply ask the manufacturer if adapters are available to make the cameras work with your computer.

Once connected, you will need recording software. Many surveillance systems that are already computer-compatible and advertise as such will include software, but you can use any camera recording software — including webcam software — to get the job done.

Internet Broadcasting And Saving

Computers fail and backups can be lost. Another backup option would be to save the information to the internet.

This can be done with multiple online storage and streaming sites. You can basically take any saved surveillance footage and upload it to the websites, or set your cameras to stream or live record the surveillance footage.

Streaming can get a bit complex for people who aren't involved with internet technology and broadcasting with sites such as YouTube. Every site will have some sort of process where you need to select an active camera that is connected to your computer, and you may need to check with the manufacturer if you can't clearly see what should be the surveillance option.

Be careful, as you could accidentally broadcast your in-home, privacy-facing cameras to the internet. Make sure that you know which cameras you want to use, and that you're not making your security situation worse with privacy broadcasting.

Contact a home surveillance professional like All Pro Security Inc to discuss other ways to customize your video surveillance systems.