Smart Home for Beginners: Security Cameras and Video
March 13, 2017 | by BlancoSecurity
Wouldn't it be great to know what's happening at home, anytime, from anywhere? It's easy to do with a smart video camera. Just take out your phone, open your app, and you have an instant view of activity inside or outside your home.
Smart video cameras can enhance your peace of mind, keep you connected to loved ones at home, and even prevent crime around your property. They also come in many shapes and sizes, which makes choosing the right model a confusing task.
What defines a smart video camera?
1: Watch from anywhere. Smart video cameras give you an instant, real-time window into your home. You can check in on your kids from work, or watch your yard's wildlife from bed, just by taking out your smartphone and opening your camera's app.
2: Watch your footage anytime. Most smart cameras have built-in motion sensors so they can record activity like a person coming home or knocking on your door. You can review these recorded clips anytime.
3: Know when something's happening. As well as capturing a motion-triggered clip, a smart camera will let you know about it with a smartphone alert, enabling you to quickly view your footage and act if necessary.
Tips for buyers:
Are you looking for a connected camera, or a true security camera?
If you just want to check in on a pet at home, any connected camera will do—but if you're depending on a camera for true peace of mind, there are two important things to consider:
1: Does it understand context? If security is your main reason for buying a smart video camera, you'll want to enable smartphone alerts.
However, if you have a busy family with lots of activity at home, you won't want to be overwhelmed with alerts every time your kids run through the house.
This situation can be avoided with cameras bought as part of a smart home security system, which allow you much more customization of the alerts you get. For example, you can opt not to get video alerts if your security system is disarmed. You'll get the peace of mind without the information overload.