The other day I was walking down a street in Manhattan and I saw a guy selling watches. There was one watch that looked just like an expensive Rolex but it cost only $50. What a deal, I thought.
I think everyone tries to find the best deal. Unfortunately, we sometimes forget that old maxim, “you get what you pay for”. I know I do. How many times have we gotten burned by this?
I’m not sure how to tell if the watch is worth $50, but I can provide some guidance about what to consider when purchasing an IP camera.
IP Cameras range in price from under $50 to well over $1000. What is the difference? As you may guess it’s the functionality and quality. The low-cost cameras are usually sold to the home consumer market and are not designed for commercial security and surveillance applications. The more expensive camera lasts longer and allows you to see things clearer. So how does this relate to getting the best IP camera for your money?
One of the most important components in a paging system is the speakers. So before we define any paging system, we start by determining the amount of sound required at each location.
Once we know the type of sound required, we can select the right speaker. After we have defined the speakers, we can determine the right amplifier to use.
What’s the best speaker for you? Well it depends on a number of things.
For example, do you want to hear music or just voice paging? The type of speaker also depends on how large an area you want to cover with sound. The background noise and where you want to place the speaker is also important. It may be necessary to select a different speaker for each location. This article reviews how to select the right speaker for the job. We will review the sound output which is measured in decibels (dB), the sound quality (or frequency range), and the power required at the speaker.
The latest IP cameras have much better video quality than the early analog CCTV cameras. Even though they both capture video, IP cameras do it dramatically better. The reason; they contain high performance digital processing computers. The computers provide reduced noise, improved wide dynamic range, reduced smearing, and enhanced low light performance.
This article reviews how these processors work and why they are important to the total IP camera system performance.
Do you want to be able to read a license plate over a mile away? You can do it with the latest very long range PTZ IP camera systems. There are long range camera systems that are best for daytime operation and others that can be used day or night.
Be careful about low priced systems that claim long range capability. They don’t have the high quality zoom lenses or laser illuminators that are used in professional camera systems.
In our previous article How Far Can We See with the PTZ IP Camera, we reviewed the difference between detecting a person or vehicle, recognizing the type of object, or identifying who the person is. Each criteria requires a different amount of resolution on the target.
This article reviews the components that make up a long range camera system, and shows how total system performance determines the price.
IP Door Access Control Systems are easy to install and provide excellent flexibility, yet many people who are used to the older type systems have concerns about using them. This article tries to take the mystery out of network attached door access control systems, and describes how very easy they are to install and use.
You will find that all the signals that were on multiple wires, are now encoded on the single Ethernet network cable. They are just as secure as the older technology. Here’s how they work and how to install them.
All the jokes are from famous comedians. If you remember Groucho, you are probably in the baby boomer generation, and if you know Ellen DeGeneres then your’e probably a member of the Millennials.
Here’s some from George Carlin. He was an American stand-up comedian, social critic, actor, and author.
I’m not into working out. My philosophy is no pain, no pain.
Why do they lock gas station bathrooms? Are they afraid someone will clean them?
I’ve always wanted to be somebody, but I should have been more specific.
Why is the alphabet in that order? Is it because of that song?
We have seen more and more incidences on school campuses that involve active shooters. In the wake of this violence many colleges, universities, and elementary schools are searching for ways to respond to this threat.
There has been a lot of discussion about how to react. With the latest tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, the discussion continues. Emma Gonzalez, a senior at the high school, provided excellent perspective on the situation when she said, “Since the time of the Founding Fathers and since they added the Second Amendment to the Constitution, our guns have developed at a rate that leaves me dizzy. The guns have changed, but our laws have not”.
Of course, the best way to prevent these tragedies is to prevent the gunman from getting the guns. Unfortunately, it is not easy to do. The only thing we can offer is advice on how technology can help.
(This article was updated to reflect new IP cameras, 10/16/2017)
When selecting cameras for your IP camera system, one of the most challenging situations is when you have very little light. When it’s dark, there can be motion smearing and amplifier noise that degrades the image.
All IP cameras handle low light by opening the lens iris, increasing amplifier gain, increasing shutter time, and switching to day/night mode. But, what is the best IP camera for low light operation, and what are the correct settings? This article provides guidelines for selecting the right camera and adjusting the image settings.
