Security cameras are a very popular topic for discussion and placing on social media, websites, and messages about communities and peoples’ experiences with home security cameras are prevalent.

Many people are looking into this technology due to its efficacy in assessing house security needs and/or for their own personal safety. Others look at it as another way to protect their homes and/or people in them.

There are many different types of home security cameras. Such as ones that monitor rooms or houses, ones that record motion footage (such as a person walking into the room or sitting down), and ones that collect data.

Plug-in security cameras

If you are looking for a camera that needs a power source, then plug-in cameras are for you. These cameras use an electrical charge to function. This means that you need to have a power supply or a USB port to put the camera into mode.

This is the most cost-effective solution for security cameras as they require little or no ongoing maintenance. All they need is a storage battery which lasts about six months and they are ready!

Of these four types of security camera, the monitor server device is probably the least understood. Most people do not talk about this piece of equipment at all, which is fine!

Yet, if you know what it does and how to activate it, this piece of hardware can give you some powerful insights into what is happening behind your home.

Motion detection

Another key feature that has to be have on a home security camera is motion detection. This is where the camera can detect when someone or something is in the frame of view.

This can be a worthwhile feature to have as some people may not always feel safe jumping out of a hiding place to steal your goods or to protect themselves if they are attacked.

When a motion alert goes out, many systems will send out an email or phone call immediately which is frustrating and inconvenient. With more advanced systems, you can choose between an audio and/or an image notification.

Image notifications are very clear and detailed, sometimes making it hard to decide if it’s a good fit for your home. They may not work with all cell phones so they must be sent via email or phone message services.

Live streaming

Another key feature of a home security camera is how it handles live streaming. This feature allows users to broadcast their camera’s view outside of their home. This feature allows you to have your neighbors or other homes in your neighborhood see and monitor your home.

Many models offer this feature through a dedicated app, or through an easily connected external device. Once this feature is added, it is always added as needed. Some models do not offer this capability default, though!

When using this capability, be aware that you need a powerful machine to stream. Most modern computers, even on the high-end models, only support low-quality video and images. You will need enough power for the camera and computer system to communicate with each other.

Lastly, when using this technology ensure that your camera is located in a secure location.

Video recording

Photo by Scott Webb on Pexels

As the name suggests, video recording provides additional recording time during active periods such as sleeping or hiding away in your room before the day starts off.

This feature allows you to see what is happening in your home while you are not, giving you more confidence in your home and property. It also makes it more difficult for someone to breach your security system by not showing what is happening outside of your house.

Some systems even have automatic recording mode which will switch on the camera and record whenever motion is detected. In this mode, you do not actually get a record immediately but rather over the course of several minutes.

Proper installation and set-up of a video recording system is key. You want to put it up where people can see it, but also within range of where motion might be detected. Because no one wants to be notified of every movement, that is an important part of the setup.

Zoom feature

Photo by Jan van der Wolf on Pexels

Having a home security camera that features a zoom feature is a great feature to have. This allows you to get a clearer image of the entire room or area you are monitoring.

The zoom feature can also be used for surveillance and sales situations where you need more detail. In this case, it is invaluable!

Some cameras do not have the zoom feature, while others may not offer as much privacy as those with the zoom feature. Regardless, having this feature will help you achieve your goal of being more secretive about your security system.

Running a system with no quality issues is not real security andheitcamera is best for private homes where there are no neighbors or only minor neighbors nearby. Having a high quality system will help achieve your goal of being secretive about your system.

Indoor vs. outdoor camera

When it comes to choosing a home security camera, the main question owners should ask is outdoors versus inside camera. This determines whether or not the camera can see anyone within the house or yard.

Aside from this, there are other factors that determine what kind of camera you want. For example, do you want a general view or one that specializes in a room or areas you intend to let people inside. Do you want motion detection or both together so you can look at both during the day and night.

We will talk more about these things later on in this article, but for now think about which type of cameras meets your needs and what need they might have today.

Smart home integration

As the name suggests, home security camera refers to it as smart home integration. This refers to the ability of a security camera to communicate with a smart home system.

This is something that gives you more flexibility as a user as well as additional features such as preset actions or alerts.

Some examples of smart home integration are having your security camera send notifications when someone enters your property, or having your security camera notify you if it detects any activity.

Since most people are not aware of these types of updates and requests, they are usually limited to emergency situations only. Having the ability to respond quickly and effectively to alerts is able to give you an advantage in your homes protection.

As stated before, there are some functions that have built in controls for a security camera. This includes sending video and audio recordings, setting up motion alerts, and setting up crashes & intrusions (C&I) policies.

Support for Amazon Alexa

Having a home security camera that features the Amazon Alexa skill is a great way to make your system more accessible. You can just say the skill will watch your home and it will!

This is not the case with most systems, which only have the ability to talk to their system and ask for actions. With the Amazon Alexa skill, you can add it as a speaker and it will respond!

This feature is amazing as it makes this system even more customizable than before. You can now add motion sensors, or not if you want security without cameras!

As stated before, this system needs a power source so it can operate.