Recently Filed in Surveillance

Over the past several weeks the yard at my friend’s home has been the target of teenage horseplay. Toilet paper has been tossed among the trees and egg yolks have stained the finish off their siding. Needless to say, they’ve had it—so much so that they’ve decided to invest in a surveillance camera. It’s something they’d rather not have to buy … I wish they didn’t, too, but the unfortunate circumstance has inspired me to track down the top features to look for when shopping… View this story
Safety and Security • Surveillance • Web Cameras • Security • Info and Answers

Having basic audio in the backyard that you can set up from inside and leave alone is fine for most. Being able to fully control it, and integrate other important controls back there (like security and intercom) is another ball of wax. At first, this pool area in the backyard was just going to have rock speakers around it. The homeowners could program from inside the house what music will be played on it. “That was fine, but they really wanted to be able to… View this story
Multiroom Audio • Home Security Systems • Surveillance • Lighting Control Systems • Outdoor Lighting • Home of the Year Awards 2009 • Cool Homes

Having a decked out home theater and audio and video spread throughout the house is always fun. But does that ever make you wonder if anything bad will happen to your house when you’re not around? If someone knows about your electronics obsession? What about when the family is gathered around the theater, the surround sound blasting, popcorn popping. Do you want to scare away intruders? Security products may never be as sexy as other gadgets, but they can give you peace of mind that… View this story
Safety and Security • Security Sensors • Smoke and Fire Detectors • Surveillance • Web Cameras • Security • Slideshows

We’ve all had that sinking feeling that something bad is happening to our home while we’re at work, on the road or on vacation. Call it paranoia, but there’s no denying that disasters can and do strike when you least expect it. It happened to my family and just a few months ago. Arriving home from a weekend ski trip, we were welcomed to standing water in our rec room. A pipe had burst, ruining the floors and walls. We’ve since gutted and remodeled the… View this story
Surveillance • Cell Phones • Security • Product News

D-Link has added three new web-enabled home monitoring products to its security line. The D-Life Internet Surveillance Camera Starter Kit (DHA-390), D-Life Internet Surveillance Camera Expansion Kit (DHA-310), and D-Life Internet Surveillance Video Player (DHA-330) are now shipping to dealers. The DHA-390 is a surveillance camera that can monitor rooms from anywhere over the Internet. It has two color-coded Powerline adapters that use existing wiring to connect to the Internet. Up to four cameras can be viewed and controlled simultaneously. Other features: E-mail notification of… View this story
Safety and Security • Surveillance • Web Cameras • Security • Product News

Need to do some spying around the house? Swann’s ADW-330 doesn’t disguise its spying eye inside a bear or even a pen. However, it does have the nifty moniker of “FamilyCam” to make you feel better about your prying eyes. The set features a wireless monitor and camera with Swann’s Advanced Digital Wireless technology, which basically means it can capture and transmit video without any interruptions. The video can go pretty far, too—up to 165 feet. “For parents, our Advanced Digital Wireless technology represents a… View this story
Surveillance • Web Cameras • CES • Security • Product News

The days of popping a CD into your single-tray or multi-cartridge player and simply sitting back and enjoying a few tracks or entire album are so last century. We’re seeing movies trend that way too. It’s far too easy to store everything on your PC or a media server these days than keep track of all of those loose discs. Ripping, downloading, streaming and serving are where it’s at when it comes to media. Storage is getting cheaper to purchase in mass quantity, and even… View this story
Digital Media Servers • Digital Media Stores • Multiroom Audio • Multiroom Video • Surveillance • Products of the Year Awards 2008 • Multiroom AV • Networking • Product News • Slideshows

Home monitoring systems don’t get much easier to set up than this. Swann Communications has introduced its Advanced Digital Wireless (ADW) technology, so your DIY surveillance project is a snap to set up and use. The first product Swann has put out there in its ADW range is the ADW-300 Security Camera and Receiver, with simple plug-and-play installation. The ADW-300 color camera can record clear video during the day, and it switches to bland and white, with infrared night vision in low light situations, so… View this story
Safety and Security • Remote Monitoring • Surveillance • Security • Product News

Need to add a little protection to your home? Instead of ripping up the walls, Lorex can make the addition easier with its Ultra Digital Wireless product line. Just announced, this portable digital wireless monitoring system uses encrypted frequency hopping technology to deliver secure, quality video. It also has a rechargeable lithium battery, so you can take it anywhere. The Portable Digital Wireless Monitoring System (LW2002) has a 2.4-inch LCD monitor/receiver, which can be hooked into any TV for big-screen viewing. It can also be… View this story
Remote Monitoring • Surveillance • Web Cameras • Security • Product News

InGrid boasts an easy setup with its wireless home security system. Now they can tout an easy purchase as well. The company just announced that starting today, the system will be available through Amazon. “As one of the top leaders in online retailing and consumer electronics, we are very pleased that Amazon.com will make InGrid’s Home Security products available for purchase to consumers,” said Louis Stilp, InGrid’s CEO. “This online distribution strategy not only compliments our existing sales efforts but also helps increase brand recognition… View this story
Home Security Systems • Remote Monitoring • Security Sensors • Smoke and Fire Detectors • Surveillance • Web Cameras • Security • Product News

The advent of Internet cameras is making it easy for anyone to install a surveillance system these days. The latest IP-based offering in this category comes from D-Link, which is kicking off its D-Life product family with the DHA-390 Internet Surveillance Starter Kit. The kit includes an Internet camera and two Powerline networking adapters—does it get any easier than that?—which let you monitor your home from a simple web-based interface. You’ll get email alert snapshots, live video monitoring over the web and the ability to… View this story
Safety and Security • Remote Monitoring • Surveillance • Web Cameras • Security • Product News

It seems very James Bond to pack a digital video recorder into a flashlight. Maybe that was the inspiration behind Swann’s FlashlightDVR. OK… the Bond version would probably be smaller than the kind that hangs off your keychain, but this isn’t a movie—this product is actually available. Also, this sidekick DVR isn’t designed so you can catch up on “Lost;” it can catch burglars, kids, or varmints in the act. The FlashlightDVR packs a color camera and DVR into a working flashlight for covert surveillance,… View this story
Digital Recorders • Surveillance • Weird Stuff • Security • Product News