Q: What is the difference between a wired and a wireless
camera?
Q: How do hidden cameras work?
Q: How far can a wireless hidden camera transmit?
Q: How many wireless cameras can you have in one location?
Q: What is an Infrared Camera and how does it
work?
Q: Do color cameras work with Infrared lighting?
Q: Do the cameras require extra wire to
run the signal back to the DVR?
Q: How do I record what the camera "sees"?
Q: What is the difference between a DVR and a VCR?
Q: How many hours will a DVR record?
Q: What is a DVR card?
Q: Can I plug one of your cameras into my computer for
watching and/ or recording?
Q: What is a varifocal lens?
Q: What is a fixed lens?
Q: What is the difference between a
wired and a wireless
camera?
A: Wired cameras have a video cable that runs from the camera to
your recording or viewing device such as a DVR or monitor. Wireless cameras
have a built-in transmitter that sends the video signal to a receiver, then the
receiver connects to your recording or viewing device. Standard analog wireless cameras due to their limited resolution are being replaced by WiFi cameras. They use network protocol to send their signals wirelessly, usually to a wireless router where their signals can be picked up by smartphones, DVRs and NVRs. Keep in mind while wireless cameras don't need any cable to transmit the video they still need power to operate whether from batteries or plugged into an outlet.
Q: How do hidden cameras work?
A: A small board camera is built into an
everyday item. Some hidden cameras have a built-in recorder that use Micro-SD cards to record what the camera sees and are sometimes referred to as DVR Cameras. Other hidden cameras have no recording ability and are connected to an external DVR using a cable for recording. Hidden WI-Fi cameras are becoming increasingly popular due to their wireless ability and smart phone viewing. Wi-fi cameras generally transmit to your wireless router then use an app installed on your phone or other mobile device for full functionality, however some can connect directly to your phone or other mobile device if only local viewing is required.
Q: How far can a wireless hidden camera transmit?
A: Most standard wireless
hidden cameras and WiFi cameras can transmit up to 300 feet line of sight. Longer distances can be
achieved by using higher powered transmitters or high gain panel antennas with wired IP cameras. We offer a
number of IP wireless panels to fit your needs.
Q: How many wireless cameras can you have in one location?
A: Most standard
transmitter and receivers sets have 4 channels so you can have up to four
wireless cameras in one location. With WiFi cameras the number that can be used in one location is generally tied to the amount of bandwidth available in the network or wireless equipment being used.
Q: What is an Infrared Camera and how does
it work?
A: An
infrared camera uses infrared light instead of the regular lighting spectrum in
order to produce better images in complete darkness or low light conditions. The
infrared LED illuminators on a camera work much like a flashlight but the light
produced is invisible to the human eye. However with most infrared cameras you
will see a slight red glow if you look directly at the LED array. How far you
can see in darkness is dependant on the number, size and nanometer (nm) rating
of the LED's. Most infrared security cameras use LED's in the 840nm range since
they are the most effective. Some use the 940nm LED's which are completely
invisible but produce far less light than the 840nm type so they require a lot
more LED's to light up the same distance. When choosing a camera keep in mind
that the light given off by the LED's is similar to a flashlight in that the
closer the object the brighter they will appear on you monitor. So if you want
to be able to see someone or something clearly at 30 feet it's best to go with a
camera that has an IR illumination of 40 feet or more.
Q: Do color cameras work with Infrared lighting?
A: No, color cameras have image sensors
which are designed specifically for the visible light spectrum. When you see a
camera which is described as Color Infrared Camera it has a dual imaging chipset
which will automatically turn B/W at night or low light conditions. This allows
the camera to provide a full color picture in daylight or adequate light
conditions and switch to B/W to make use of the infrared illuminators to give
you a usable B/W picture in low or no light conditions.
Q: Do the cameras require extra wire to
run the signal back to the DVR?
A: Yes, most of our cameras only
come with a 2ft or 3ft starter cable. You need to buy the length
of cable you need. We offer video and power
cables in 25ft, 60ft, 100ft and 150ft. We also carry some with video, audio
and power.
Q: How do I record what the camera "sees"?
A: To be able to record what your camera sees you will need some type of
video recorder. Security DVRs and NVRs are available in a variety of recording resolutions and channel inputs. DVRs (Digital Video Recorders) are generally used with HD analog cameras while NVRs (Network Video Recorders) are used with IP cameras. They record the video from the cameras to a hard drive and can have many security features such as motion recording, facial recognition, smart search, event tagging, email and push notification to name a few. Most all DVRs and NVRs today also allow remote viewing and playback from PCs and mobile devices.
Q: What is the difference between a
DVR and a VCR?
A: A Digital Video Recorder (DVR) system records high resolution digital images
to a hard disk drive (HDD) and eliminates the requirement of maintaining VHS
tapes. Since the video images are stored digitally, the image quality will not
degrade overtime, as would a VHS tape when recorded over multiple times. The
time-saving search capabilities of a DVR will enable the user to locate the
desired video clips via user defined parameters (camera, event, time/date, etc.)
versus the fast forward and rewind functions of a VCR. Other advantages of a DVR
include multiple camera inputs, motion recording, view all cameras at one time
or individually and they can be accessed
remotely from anywhere in the world using the Internet.
Q: How many hours will a DVR record?
A: The amount
of time a DVR will record for is based on a number of factors. The size of the
DVR hard drive, the
number of cameras recording, the quality setting (highest, high, medium...), the
compression method and the number of frames per second it is recording
at. For Stand Alone DVRs a frame of high resolution video will be approximately
6kb to 10kb in size so one camera recording in Real Time (30fps) continuously will use about 16
to 20 GB per day. This usage can be considerably less by
adjusting frame rate, quality and using motion detection recording.
Q: What is a DVR card?
A: DVR Cards or video
capture cards enable the user
to convert their computer into a Digital Video Recorder. The DVR Card(s) is
typically installed in an available PCI slot of a computer. DVR cards are
bundled with video surveillance software which allows the user to record and
display multiple cameras simultaneously from the camera site or a remote
location. Keep in mind the performance you get will depend on your computers
speed, memory and video card.
Q: Can I plug one of your cameras into my computer for
watching and/ or recording?
A: Most cameras produce composite video for use with analog monitoring and
recording equipment. Therefore to use your computer you will need a PCI video
capture card or similar USB device to view the images. We do carry such devices
however the performance you get will depend on your computers speed, memory and
video card. If you have a fairly new computer you should get good results. Most
capture cards come with software which will allow you to view, record and
playback images on your computer screen as well as over the internet.
Q: What is a varifocal lens?
A: A varifocal lens is
one where the focal length of the lens can be varied.
This lens may be effectively used as a wide angle,
standard, or telephoto lens by varying the focal length of the lens.
Q: What is a fixed lens?
A: A fixed focal length
lens cannot zoom. The focus is fixed. A fixed focal length lens usually allows
more light to pass through the lens at a given focal length than a varifocal, or
zoom lens. This can be important in low light situations.
