Surveillance Camera Tips for Protecting Your Driveway

The use of Security Cameras at a private residence is becoming more common place. While not a new concept, recent advances in technology, the lowering of the cost of camera hardware, and the increased need for security in many areas due to the bad economy, have spurred this trend to record levels over the past year.
Whether you are new to the world of surveillance cameras or are just looking to update your surveillance system below are a few guidelines to consider from spycamssite.com.
The first thing to is, obviously, what’s in your driveway. Why, for example, would you want to watch your driveway in live time from inside your home or even in live time while on vacation? Is the need serious enough to justify the cost of a professional grade security system? Then, consider whether or not you would have the need to keep a recorded copy of the driveway activity on a DVR or PC..
Many people simply want to keep an eye on their driveway because it contains some very expensive items. Use of cameras in your driveway can also record who is there where you are not. For example some people may park their boat in their driveway during the off season, and others may have a work truck or classic vehicle parked there with valuable tools..
Modern PC based DVR security camera systems allow a concerned home owner to custom configure their system in order to fill all of the above needs. With a connection to the internet, modern DVR’s allow for complete remote access and viewing through a web browser. Newer advanced security cameras have features such as Night Vision, PTZ (Pan, Tilt, and Zoom) controls. There are even cameras designed to capture license plates.
Of course, being PC based, the system can retain almost any amount of video you need. All surveillance systems from SpyCamsSite.com come with warranties. If you choose to use your own computer verses a system with an embedded dvr, or dvr storage then the amount of video you could keep would of course depend on the size of your hard drive.
What do you Need for a Driveway Security Camera System:
The minimum driveway security system in our professional opinion would be the Night Vision Driveway Surveillance Kit – Motion Activated ( http://spycamssite.com). This system being both affordable and incredibly good quality has all the bells and whistles. Night vision, motion activated and to many others to list.
Single Channel High Resolution Driveway Monitoring Kit With Night Vision The DRIVEWAY-KIT is a 1 camera high resolution video surveillance kit which installs into your own PC turning it into a digital video recorder. The kit includes everything you need to have your driveway surveillance system up and running in your home quickly and easily.
The remaining component of the system is, of course, a PC monitor. And yes any PC Monitor will do, and, yes you can connect your big screen TV to the system. Also required are power supplies for the cameras and the cable to connect the cameras to the DVR.

The IP Camera Alternative:
As an alternative to the above cpmplete system a home owner may chose to use an outdoor IP Camera to watch their property. This type of camera, IP based, simply connects to the home owners router and then becomes accessible via the internet for viewing. A quality IP camera will come with it’s own recording software that can be installed on any existing PC or used on a new dedicated PC purchased just for the driveway surveillance project.
The benefits of an IP camera include the fact that, being digital in nature, they are capable of much higher resolutions than a CCTV camera. Also, if you have no desire to record the video, they do not require a DVR to allow remote internet access. Being an IP camera, they have all the necessary electronics built into the camera that allows them to act as their own “Web Server”.
Unlike analog cameras, IP cameras can plug directly into your computer or DVR. They use an IP address to transmit video through a network using Ethernet/CAT5 cable. Because IP cameras can connect to any computer, DVR or existing network little to no additional hardware is required, reducing your system cost. All of the IP cameras include set-up and viewing software. Included IP camera software will support up to 16 cameras. Because IP cameras can connect into a network you can login remotely and view or playback video. You can also set-up email to notify you of motion. Power adaptor included with all IP cameras. spycamssite.com
One last trade-off that everyone should be aware of when it comes to IP cameras is that they trade Frame Rates for Resolution. That is to say that as the resolution of any camera increases, the ability to transmit and store that data becomes more of a challenge. A typical high resolution IP camera might at best be able to transmit and record one to four frames per second which can have its place in certain applications but it can also make for very choppy video. This compared to even an entry level CCTV driveway security solution such as a High Resolution Day-Night Color Camera – 540 TV Lines.
Conclusion:
Driveway security using professional grade security camera equipment can be a worthwhile project for many homeowners. The very same equipment used to monitor banks, warehouses, and even government institutions can be scaled back without sacrificing functionality to provide an affordable home security solution.