DIY video surveillance

In view of the openness of information, and of various video instructions in particular, many people think that it is possible to install video surveillance on your own. This is true, especially when you realise that a universal solution for video surveillance via the Internet and mobile devices has appeared. This is the sole purpose of this article. We have summed up the information and want to prevent a number of classic mistakes when installing a video control system for home and business on your own. All the details are below.

What kind of video surveillance can you install yourself?

5-10 years ago, only large organizations and wealthy people could afford a video surveillance system. But even today, at the end of 2020, for most users, installation of outdoor video surveillance still seems to be something inaccessible or a technically difficult process. In fact, this is not the case. There are two simplest ways to create a full-fledged video surveillance system on your own, without the involvement of specialists.

Ready-made kits for video monitoring

Few know that the situation has changed with the advent of off-the-shelf equipment kits for indoor and outdoor equipment. There are many options on the market that can suit specific conditions.

Important things you should know when installing video surveillance yourself:

1. Initially, the user needs to determine the goals, objectives and scope of surveillance. For this, a plan or simple project is drawn up, where the technical parameters of the equipment, equipment itself and location of the cameras are determined.
2. Pay attention to lighting in the places where cameras are installed. In order to avoid overexposure, cameras should not be exposed to direct sunlight. And for night time surveillance and filming, you need to set up an additional light source, such as an IR illuminator.
3. Make a choice in favor of a system based on IP cameras. In this case, you can create a wireless system, and a special video recorder or personal computer equipped with specialized software can act as a server. Such a system can be scaled up as needed.
4. For outdoor surveillance, it is necessary to choose devices with sealed, vandal-proof cases and casings and/or options with additional heating.

Ready-made kits are an accessible and functional solution for installation on your own.

Basic mistakes of handymen

Quite often, when installing a video monitoring system on your own, the following errors and problems occur:

• distance from cameras to the server is incorrect. You need to pay attention to the technical characteristics of the equipment and voltage;
• need for additional elements (IR illumination, heating element, anti-vandal case, lighting sources) for working at night and in cold weather is not taken into account;
• you cannot skimp on the quality of cable connections. It is advisable to use cable connections with a large cross-section, to avoid bends and breaks. If your kit uses low-quality cables, it is worth changing them or looking at another option;
• cameras are installed too low. Determine the installation height of outdoor cameras – at least 3m above the ground;
• if the system uses color and black-and-white modes, then the camera must be configured in both modes. If equipment with infrared illumination is used, then it is necessary to exclude the presence of objects that can reflect the infrared light.

New solution for installation of video surveillance on your own

However, ready-made sets of equipment are not the only solution for creating a video surveillance system yourself.

In November of last year (2019), the international company Faceter officially launched a mobile application for video monitoring for the mass Russian user.

The program allows you to turn an ordinary mobile phone with a 1.3 MP camera and Internet connection into a surveillance camera. With it, you can view the broadcast of video materials online and in the cloud (for video archives).

The video stream can be accessed via the same mobile app on another smartphone or via the web interface.

It was with the advent of the Faceter cloud video surveillance system that the world of full-fledged video monitoring opened up for every Russian citizen. Download the Faceter app now and get yourself free video surveillance.

Main advantages of Faceter

Let’s look at the main advantages of the Faceter cloud service:

1. General availability.

The Russian branch management of the company notes that “Faceter is committed to the mass availability of advanced Computer Vision technology. We want absolutely all people to use it, not just large companies and government agencies.”

2. Ease of installation.

Your old phone can become a DIY video surveillance camera. You do not need any special knowledge to install the system: it is no more difficult than installing any program for your phone or PC.

3. Profitability. 

The program with a basic tariff (data storage for 24 hours) is available completely free of charge. Check out the tariffs here.

4. Multifunctionality.

The Faceter wireless cloud system is used to protect households, apartments, entrances, housing cooperatives, as well as business facilities (shops, offices, warehouses, restaurants/cafes).

5. Remote access.

Unlike stationary systems, a smartphone with the program can be set up anywhere in the world to receive information and notifications, even taken with you on vacation.

We advise you to read the articles “Cloud video surveillance service: 4 advantages and 2 disadvantages” and “Cloud video surveillance: 10 advantages of using the technology” for more information.

Conclusion

As a rule, the limited functionality of stationary video surveillance systems is combined with a high price and complexity of installation. We propose to consider the option of wireless cloud video surveillance from Faceter. The service is intuitive and accessible to anyone who uses smartphones. Do-it-yourself video surveillance via the Internet is easy.