Technology Advice from an Electronics Guru

When I was a teenager, I collected broken electronics and repaired them in my free time. I greatly enjoyed making broken electronics work again. However, as I performed research on how to fix new broken electronics I found, I became fascinated at how quickly technology was changing. While I still fix up broken electronics here and there in my free time, I enjoy learning about the latest technological advancements even more. It seems like there is always a new "gadget" on the market that helps solve a problem that many people have. I recently decided to create a blog to share my technology knowledge, tips, and research on, so come back often if you enjoy technology as much as I do!

Customize A More Robust, Flexible Security System To Your Home

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There is a lot that you can do with a security system, and it's more than just setting off alarms or recording the bushes outside of your home. Many advances in home computers, video recording, audio recording, and internet technology have come together to give you a flexible and swappable set of options if you take the time to understand each part of the system. You don't have to be a subject-matter expert, but at least review a few of these concepts to understand what you can do with modern security systems.

Video Recording Options

While blaring alarms are the most iconic part of the security system industry, video surveillance is a close second. Entire TV shows and meaningful crime reports have been based on the black and white, sometimes grainy surveillance footage on Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) throughout the 1980's to the early 2000's.

The early 2000's saw one of many boosts in cheap, but exponentially higher quality technology, and that train of innovation hasn't stopped in the 2010's. High definition is now basic, a standard that begins with a quality level called 720p and continues to greater detail. Being able to see strands of hair and highlights in hair dye at a few dozen yards is now the norm.

You can deliver that level of quality to your home surveillance system, but you should have a few supporting pieces of technology to go with it. Most modern video surveillance systems include a recorder box that is basically a computer that saves video as files, which can be easily copied with a simplified computer interface. This is helpful for people who don't use computers often, but if you know how to copy and paste files or manage folders, the next technique is within your skill level.

Hardware For A Customized Video Surveillance System

Get a cheap desktop computer or laptop. No need to spend more than $200; anything with a quad-core processor and about 4GB (gigabytes) of memory listed on the box should be fine. What matters is the storage space, and you should get an at least 1TB (terabyte) hard drive, which can be as low as $35-$60 if you're looking at new, but budget drives.

An external drive is the best choice for most people, as it can be connected to the USB (Universal Serial Bus) connections on the back, front, or sides of most computers without digging into the internal components. If you know how to work on computers or know someone who can, you can get bigger internal drives that slide into a slot with just two cable connections at a lower price. It's not lower if you're paying for installation, so if you're hunting for savings and can't get a drive installed for free, just go with an external.

Most security cameras will use a set of standard cables with as RGB, component, or DVI, or HDMI connector. All of these cables have affordable adapters that can connect to whatever the video input for your computer may be. For computers, you'll usually have VGA, HDMI, or DVI.

You can connect your camera either directly to your computer, or use an adapter. The camera will appear as a webcam of sorts, and can be recorded on your computer as files that you can save, upload, or even stream live video the same way that YouTube personalities and Twitch.TV gamers do.

Contact a security systems professional, such as from American Wireless Alarm Inc, to discuss the types of cameras available, and to ask about cameras, recording boxes, software, and other equipment that can connect to computers easily.

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4 November 2017