I live in Ottawa, the second coldest capital in the world. In Canada, we have four perfectly balanced seasons, which makes our climate the perfect testing ground for outdoor security cameras.

I have several outdoor cameras both at home and at work. All of them have been subjected to temperatures as low as -35c, and as high as 32c. Despite these extremes, I have never had a single outdoor camera fail.

You must be thinking that I am using fairly high end cameras with heated enclosures. The truth is, these are typical outdoor security cameras which can be purchased in the 0-0 price range. None of them are protected by an enclosure. The cameras are all made of metal (as opposed to plastic which can crack or warp in extreme conditions) and feature infrared illumination. They are usually mounted under an eavesdrop, so while they are exposed to some precipitation, the are rarely pelted by intense rainfall.

Documentation included with most CCTV security cameras usually specify a range of temparatures at which the camera can safely operate. If the documentation says a camera can operate in cold weather up to a temparature of -10c, it does not mean that the camera will cease to operate at -11c. These are operational guidelines which do leave some wiggle room.

Some cameras are rated with the International Protection Rating code, or as it is often referred to, an IP code or IP classification.

The code classifies the level of protection provided by an electrical enclosure against the intrusion of solid objects, dust, accidental contact, and water. Many outdoor security cameras are rated IP55 or better.

The International Protection Rating consist of the letters IP followed by two numbers. It is the numerical part of the code which is imporant. What follows is is an explanation of the IP rating codes:

The first digit of the IP code documents the level of protection that an enclosure provides against access to hazardous parts (electrical conductors, moving parts, etc) and the penetration of solid foreign objects.

Level 0 Offers no protection against contact and penetration of objects.

Level 1 Offers penetration protection against any large surface of the body, but no protection against deliberate contact with a body part.

Level 2 Offers penetration protection against fingers or similar objects.

Level 3 Offers penetration protection against tools, thick wires

Level 4 Offers penetration protection against most wires and screws sized objects

Level 5 Penetration of dust is not completely prevented, but it cannot enter in sufficient quantity to interfere with the performance of the equipment; this level offers complete protection against contact

Level 6 Offers complete protection against dust penetration; complete protection against contact

The second digit of the IP code refers to the equipments resistance to water intrusion

Level 1 Offers protection against dripping water

Level 2 Offers protection against dripping water when the enclosure is tilted at an angle up to 15°

Level 3 Offers protection from water falling as a spray at any angle up to 60° from the vertical

Level 4 Offers protection from water splashing against the enclosure from any direction

Level 5 Offers protection from water projected by a nozzle against enclosure from any direction

Level 6 Offers protection from water projected from powerful jets against the enclosure from any direction

Level 7 Offers protection from water when the enclosure is immersed in water at a depth of less than 1 meter

Level 8 Offers protection from water when the enclosure is immersed in water at a depth exceeding 1 meter, as specified by the manufacturer

Always verify the IP classification of a camera your are planning to use outdoors.

Home security is of utmost importance to everyone and home security cameras are the best way for protecting your home against burglars and thieves. With rise in criminal activities, more and more people are resorting to this method of security for safety of their family and property. Home security cameras guarantee peace of mind of owners because they know that their apartments are well protected. The home security cameras offer following advantages:

- Home security cameras ensure 24×7 security of your homes, whether you are at home or out of town.

- You can easily attach home security cameras to your computer system at home without worrying about wire hassles.

- They reduce the risk of burglaries and thefts by making the anti-social elements known that they are being watched.

- They enhance the outdoor security by keeping log of all the activities happening outside and also by recording who is entering and leaving the house.

- The indoor security can also be taken care of by installing indoor security cameras to keep an eye on untrustworthy people and guests in the house.

- Nanny cams assure the security of your children in your absence by keeping a tab on the actions of nanny. This ensures that the babysitter is not mistreating the child.

- Pet cams can also be used which ensure the owners of the well being of their pets and that pets are not damaging the valuable belongings when owners are not at home.

- The recorded footage can serve as an evidence in case of any crime. It can also help police to carry out further investigation.

- They are easy to install and available at affordable prices.

- Home security cameras enable you to look after those places of house which are detached like garage and outhouse.

A variety of hi-tech security cameras are available today that are extremely affordable. Some popularly used CCTV security cameras are indoor security cameras, outdoor security cameras, dome cameras, hidden cameras, pan tilt zoom cameras, bullet cameras, vandal proof cameras,etc. These security camera systems vary a great deal on the basis of size, design, price and usage. You can easily select a CCTV surveillance camera that suits your needs and fits your budget.

Before going for a particular CCTV security camera, you should first address issues like the exact purpose of buying a CCTV camera, place of installation, whether you need an indoor or outdoor security camera, wired or wireless camera, colored or black and white and of course the type of CCTV camera you want to get installed. You can browse through http://www.closeoutcctv.com/ for more information on various types of home security cameras.

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Although a home security system is essential to keeping your property well-guarded, it can also be very costly, depending on what service you ask to install your system. The problem is that not only will you be spending money on the various components for a home security system; you will also be spending on the labor for having those components installed in your house. But security doesn’t have to be expensive and you can actually get a home security camera kit to get you started on good protection for your home.

Starter

There are some brick-and-mortar stores which offer starter kits for you to help you set up your home security system by yourself The home security camera kit includes a camera and some software that you need to put into your computer. Of course, there are some specifications that your computer must have in order for the camera to be able to connect to the home security camera kit. But with all the requirements complete, all you have to do is install the software and the camera will automatically connect itself to the computer. This is especially helpful for those who do not want to go through the technical hassle of having to install cameras into their homes.

A typical starter home security camera kit will probably set you back about 0 to 0. This is quite a big difference from the usual systems that will probably cost you over 00. The neat thing about the starter kit is that you can buy more cameras of the same brand and install those using the same software. Some kits will allow the PC to handle up to 6 cameras at one time.

What You Get

What’s good to know is that, because we’re more and more leaning to digital technology, a typical home security camera kit from years ago is now definitely a long way off compared to the typical kit that we have today. Starter kits have cameras that can do a variety of things.

First of all, they can cover high-resolution color video for you to playback after recording for some time. It’s digital so the feed should be very smooth and clear.

These home security kits have also cameras which works both as a surveillance and as motion detectors! Once movement is detected in a room where the camera is placed, the camera will start to record. You can have the camera send you email or cell phone alerts and you can view the footage of the camera from anywhere in the world over the internet, provided that your system is connected to the Internet as well. The software that comes with it is usually very simple to use and you can also download third-party software that you can find on the Internet which will probably be able to communicate with your home security camera kit as well.

With the development of home security camera kit, your home and family’s safety need not be too costly for you to afford now. With computers and services going digital, anything is possible in the realm of wireless cameras and other surveillance equipment.

If you are clueless as to how to keep a watchful eye on precious things – and precious ones – at home, buy yourself a starter home security camera kit and see the possibilities of home security for yourself.