Last time, we touched on security lighting, so with this update we’re going to talk a little more about protecting your home, but this time on a slightly different topic – CCTV.
More and more of us are realising that there are affordable options to keep our belongings safe when we’re away from home, and security systems can help us sleep more comfortably when we are around. The internet has made this even more convenient, with home surveillance systems now widely available that can stay connected to the internet permanently, so we can even check on things while we’re on holiday abroad.
Perhaps this technology is a little over the top, as we probably shouldn’t be spending time on our precious weeks off checking up on the living room, but if it solves a little anxiety, why not? I’ve spent many hours wiring in so called wireless CCTV systems, as people buy them thinking they literally need no wires at all. While some are battery powered or charge up with solar panels, some need to be connected to the mains even though they’re described as wireless. The wireless part actually means they’re connected to the hardware that stores the videos and images over the air, much like your ipad or kindle connects wirelessly to the internet but still at least needs to be recharged via a power cable from time to time.
Quite rightly, some people feel this is badly described, but I think most now accept wireless to be a term associates with getting online, and not necessarily relating to power. So that does get me a lot of business, finding a way to get power to an external CCTV installation can be a challenge, especially it they’re not attached to the home.
Of course, that bargain £30 set from the local hardware store suddenly turns out to be less bargain like once my fee for wiring it all in is added on, so I’d highly advise people to take a look at some of their local installation companies. For example, near me in the West Midlands, there are plenty of companies that can supply and install CCTV systems with minimum cost and inconvenience.