With the increasing quality and decreasing price of video surveillance systems, they are popping up in more and more homes and businesses around the country. Many buildings go up with systems integrated, while wireless systems make it possible to retrofit existing buildings as well.
The most common problem many property owners cite with these systems is their visibility. As a rule, people like a subtle, non-mechanical look in their homes and workplaces. They don’t want big clunky thermostats, bulky vents, or even exposed stairwells, so they create all kinds of clever ways to conceal them.
The same holds true when it comes to cameras. They either dislike the “Big Brother” look the cameras create, or they hope that would-be criminals don’t realize they’re being watched. Either way, it calls for a more low-key method of installing cameras.
Fortunately, necessity is inventing all kinds of clever ways to conceal cameras and keep the premises safe and secure without looking like a fortress. Whether you want a contractor to take care of things or you’ve chosen to do your own security work, you can protect against intruders without letting cameras intrude instead.
Calling On Expert Installers For The Tough Jobs
The first step most people take is simply to let a company install their cameras for them, with instructions to keep them as low-key as possible. Black Hat Security systems has been very effective in getting gadgets into functional but subtle locations.
There are two main advantages here. First, you are taking advantage of their experience to get an outcome that only they can create for you, with camera placement that will make you say “I never thought of that.” And second, they’ll have the tools and equipment to do so safely, climbing over and around whatever is necessary to get the camera to the right spot.
That’s how you can end up with cameras ensconced high on a light pole, peeking through soffit trim, or peering between the trophies in a cabinet. They can monitor the broadest, highest, brightest spaces with optimum aim and angle to capture relevant movement.
Embedded cameras are effective too. The units are so small that they are in picture frames, desktop items, and even television sets. These placements are ideal for smaller areas where clear views of faces are necessary.
Saving Money & Privacy By Doing It Yourself & Thinking Outside The Box
If you do choose to complete the installation yourself, you actually have a bit of an advantage over the professionals. Ironically, it’s your lack of experience.
While what we just stated about the experts is true, there can also be a pattern that emerges. Criminals learn patterns. When one person started hiding a house key under the floor mat, everybody thought it was a great idea and did likewise. When a company tucks a camera behind the wisteria on one house, they will probably tuck it behind a boxwood on another house.
When you’re starting with a blank slate, you just might think of places that companies won’t, and you’ll definitely avoid following their patterns. You may be able to get a camera under the folded edge of the carpet on an exposed staircase, or peeking through an artificial plant atop kitchen cabinets. When you check the products available and understand their capabilities, you can take them almost anywhere.
Surveillance cameras are proven partners in preventing crime and identifying perpetrators. But they are only as effective as the views they provide; if light, dust, insects, building contents, plants, or any of countless other obstructions find their way in front of the lens, the images and videos will be worthless.
For some situations, completing the camera installation yourself is the best choice. It’s cheaper and requires no intrusion into secure areas by unfamiliar people. Other applications call for a professional’s service. Either way, video surveillance can make a real difference in protecting property and people.