How to install video surveillance cameras at your home or office

Video surveillance can be as effective in deterring crime as it can be in solving it. Modern surveillance cameras can offer recording in total darkness, motion detection with motion based alarm and recording, hours and hours of recording with internal DVR, backup recording to external hard drive, remote monitoring via internet, and audio monitoring.

Many businesses suffer more from internal theft than external. Video footage is practically irrefutable.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Surveillance camera kit
• Drill and drill bit for mounting
• Fish tape coil if routing wires
• Television for monitoring (or at least for installation)

1. Mount camera mounts. Hold up cameras to approximate location and connect cameras to television to make sure angles are correct.

2. Once mounting locations are determined, mount camera mounts first by marking hole locations on wall with a pen, using the mounting bracket as a stencil. Remove the mount, drill the holes with the drill (use screw anchors if drilling into sheetrock), then screw the mount onto the holes.
   
   Repeat for all of the remaining cameras.

3. Connect one side of the cables (I always connect to the cameras first), then route the other end through the wall to the control box.

4. Configure control box (recording schedule, picture quality, camera titles, etc.).
   
   Replace ceiling panels, and press RECORD.
   
   Record for five minutes, then play back to check.

Tips & Warnings

• Always leave one end of the cables connected when routing wires so you don't realize that you've threaded the wrong side of the cables after you've threaded them.
• See tip above (this was learned the hard-way of course).

[antiplagiarism]

on 8/30/2009 Wow. Really?

Such insight. So glad I read this.