Cut Through Hype and Narrow Down What’s Important to You
When it comes to evaluating technology products, you will encounter many technical terms, and often, much-hyped features. The trouble is, technology products tend to have lots of features, and the reality may be that only a few of those will make a difference. As you look into smart security systems, you will find this to be the case.
How do you figure out what’s important to you? If you are primarily concerned with surveillance for your home and property, we’d like to point out three aspects that could make a significant difference for your usage in Bountiful, UT, and surrounding areas.
A veritable host of smart security systems and cameras are available from both large companies and many you have never heard of. Keep reading to learn about critical features that could make the difference for you.
Local or Cloud Storage?
Most consumer surveillance systems store video in the cloud. In many cases, if you want to review footage, it's only stored for a short period – or not at all – unless you pay a monthly subscription for added storage. There are two aspects of this which may concern you. One is whether you want video footage of your home stored in the cloud, as there have been some highly publicized security breaches with some of these platforms. The other is having to pay recurring fees for storage.
What's the solution? You can get a professionally installed system with a video recording system that resides in your house. You can still access footage remotely when not at home, but you are accessing it directly from your own system. Typically these systems can be upgraded so you can have continuous video monitoring with weeks of footage. They are secure, and none of your data is in the cloud in another company's hands.
HD or 4K?
Like TVs, cameras are moving to 4K resolution and even HDR (high dynamic range) recording. Most consumer cameras are HD still, although more top-end models are going to 4K. What to get may depend on the level of detail you want to capture. Higher resolution cameras will capture more detail which may be necessary, like the ability to zoom in on a license plate and identify the number. A 4K camera might also catch a better image of a face in the dark with night vision that is far easier to identify. If this level of detail is essential, look for cameras with 4K capabilities.
Smart Home Integration
A surveillance system should not be an island unto itself. Smart security should integrate seamlessly with other intelligent systems in your home. For example, what happens when the system detects a person? With a feature like face detection, the system might simply tell you that your child is home. With a real intruder, you should get notified, have the option of calling the authorities or have the system do it after a specified time. Your system could also turn on all the lights, flash the outside lights, and turn on the siren as well.
If you have a smart home control system like Control4, your surveillance system should be a part of it. When you are ready for bed, your Control4 system can turn off lights, arm the alarm system, and start surveillance cameras at your chosen locations. If you want to use your surveillance system to keep an eye on kids and babysitters, your system should integrate with your smart home system to activate those cameras for that purpose.
SEE MORE: Monitor Your Home from Anywhere with a Security Camera System
Let Show and Tell AV Solutions show you all the options for smarter home security. Just give us a call at (801) 444-3200, fill out our contact form, or chat with us below – we look forward to working with you.