Wireless Home Surveillance Systems

With more than 2 million burglaries occurring in the U.S. each year, with an average dollar loss of more than $1,700 consumers, advances in affordable home security are welcome by many.

When used as part of an integrated security system, wireless home surveillance cameras are providing owners with a positive new alternative for protection. These cameras are cost-effective as they operate from a phone jack or radio frequency and do not require a monthly monitoring fee. These systems offer simple set-up and installation and are also easy to hide and to relocate.

Once a home-owner has secured the camera in position, they simply plug in the receiver to being receiving live feed, either from their TV or computer. High-end systems can be monitored remotely, allowing you to keep an eye on your home from the workplace or while on vacation.

Because there is a wide range of prices and features available, you will need to give some careful thought to why and where you want the system to avoid purchasing unnecessary upgrades. Depending on your motives, you may want the camera to be small and inconspicuous, or big and noticeable so as to act as a deterrent.

Take some measurements of the area around the house and map out the camera placements that will provide the most critical viewing. This will help determine where it will be more efficient to invest in a wide angle camera and where a camera with a long monitoring range is needed.

Also review the systems recording and playback capabilities-options include manual operation, a preprogrammed schedule or through motion sensors. DVR technology is not just for recording football games or late-night TV anymore. It can also be a valuable tool for recording a high volume of surveillance footage, an ideal tool for the home where the live feed can't be monitored continuously. It's even possible to set-up a system to be viewed remotely, from a laptop or a cell phone.

These systems can come equipped with all of the alarm features one would expect from a security system including: sirens, panic buttons, motion sensors, light sensors, glass-break sensors, window and door sensors and voice-dialing when an alarm is triggered. Additional safety feature options such as smoke detection are also available.

By taking the time to carefully consider your needs, you will ensure that you find the right system within your budget from the many available options.