Hidden Camera CCTV Systems: What to Look For

One of the first decisions to make when you’re looking at CCTV systems is whether you need a visible system or one with a hidden security camera or cameras. An obvious surveillance camera has its place. Among other things, it serves as a deterrent to bad behavior. People are far less likely to shoplift, burglarize or vandalize if they know there’s a CCTV camera trained on them. If your intent is to discourage those things, a visible camera is the obvious choice.
On the other hand, if your intent is to catch someone engaging in bad behavior, you won’t do it with a security camera in plain sight. In that case, you should be looking at CCTV systems with hidden cameras. You’ll find plenty of these on the market, from the ubiquitous “nanny cam” that can be hidden in a wide variety of household objects to complete CCTV systems with cameras set into recessed ceiling domes or behind mirrors and walls. These tips can help you find the right surveillance camera for your needs.
Quality First
There are lots of “gadget” security cameras on the market. You know the type: pen cameras that fit in your pocket, teddy bear cameras and the like. They’re inexpensive for a reason: they’re cheap. If your intent is to capture evidence of wrongdoing on camera, you need to pay attention to quality. Look for a CCTV camera that delivers good quality images above all else.
Fit to Your Needs
Will your camera remain in one place permanently? Consider a wired CCTV camera that can be hidden behind an object or wall. A wired camera offers one distinct advantage over wireless cameras: they’re not prone to interference from other electronic frequencies. If you don’t want to run wires, look for a wireless security camera that can transmit to a nearby computer or DVR.
Hide-ability
Consider where you’ll be placing the surveillance camera when choosing the size, shape and casing. You can choose from small cameras that you can hide inside or behind objects or cameras that are fitted into casings that look like everyday objects – for example, no one would think twice about a second smoke detector affixed to the ceiling or high on a wall. Do keep in mind that many hidden cameras are meant for indoor use only, so if you’re buying a camera for outdoor use, your choices will be considerably more limited. On the other hand, your choice of hiding places may be much wider.
CCTV systems can provide open security, surveillance or both. When choosing cameras for covert use, consider where, how and why you’re using them to help you pick the best security camera for your needs.

Connecting CCTV Systems to Your TV

When it comes to security and surveillance, CCTV systems are the obvious choice for most property owners, even homeowners. A CCTV camera typically connects to a security monitor with a BNC (British Naval Connector) cable. These security monitors can be pricey, and while they do deliver high-quality images, they may be overpowered for the typical homeowner. It’s not difficult to connect a single security camera to a TV, but did you know you can connect entire CCTV systems up to a single television? You don’t need an expensive security monitor to keep an eye on your property. You can connect 4 or more surveillance cameras using an adapter and a video switcher. Here’s how.
You’ll need a BNC-to-RCA adapter, an RCA male to male cable and a video switcher.
Connect the output of each security camera to one of the inputs on your video switcher.
Connect the adapter to one of the outputs on the video switcher. You’ll use the second output, if the switcher has one, to connect a DVR to record your feed, or to display the video feed to another television.
Connect one end of the RCA cable to the adapter and the other end to one of the video inputs on your television. You’ll generally have a choice of Line In or several AUX lines.
That’s it. Your CCTV system is now physically connected to the television. From here, there are a few steps involved in setting up the video feed. Turn on the video switcher, then turn on your television.
Turn on your television and bring up the onscreen menu. Select the video input to which you connected the video switcher and follow onscreen prompts to set up the amount of time the switcher displays the view from each security camera. You can also choose to view just one camera.
Remember in terms of the actual recording that the DVR will only record the images that are shown on your screen and set up your dwell times accordingly.
This is a quick and dirty way to bring all of your security camera equipment together to mimic basic CCTV systems. It will work with just about any modern television and many older ones that have an RCA jack. A CCTV security system helps make your home, your belonging and your family safer. Whether you choose to monitor one camera or many, this simple trick will make it easier for you to keep an eye on your home.