How to Hook Up An Easy Home Security Camera

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By Brent Saltzman
eHow Contributing Writer

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Home security cameras are no longer luxuries that only the rich can afford. Instead, with the ever-declining cost of technology, they can be found virtually everywhere. Homeowners across America are using security cameras to keep watch over their homes and to deter intruders, and thanks to the newly inexpensive nature of cameras and surveillance systems, this is not only an affordable but a simple endeavor.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Wireless surveillance/security camera
Wireless camera receiver
Composite video cable (yellow)
Monitor

Hooking up a Security Camera

Step 1

Place the camera in the location or room in which you wish to observe. It's typically accepted that the best vantage point for a camera is high and angled downward. This angle will ensure that the most action can be captured.
Step 2

Using the composite video cable, which should have a yellow plastic or rubber head, connect the video output of the wireless receiver to the video input of your monitor, which may just be a television.
Step 3

Turn on all three of the devices and set your monitor to the proper video channel (this is typically labeled as VIDEO 1, but may have alternatives depending on the brand on monitor).
Step 4

Synchronize the wireless camera to the wireless receiver by tuning through the wireless receiver's frequencies until the image captured by your surveillance camera appears on the screen.

Tips & Warnings

This is a simple setup for an easy security camera that will allow you to monitor the section of your household where you'd placed the camera. If you wish to record images, simply connect the video output of the receiver to the video input of a recording device, like a VCR or DVD recorder, and then connect said recording device to your monitor using the same method. From here, you'll be free to keep records of the images your camera has captured by recording them onto a blank tape or DVD. If you wish to use multiple cameras, you may have to employ multiple receivers (one for each camera) all wired to a video switcher, allowing you to change which images are being transferred to your monitor/recording device.
Before hooking up a surveillance camera, make sure you consult with your local authorities to ensure that you're not breaking any privacy laws. Do not use security cameras with any malicious intent, as doing so may result in legal penalties.