Helicopter crash kills 1, injures 5, caught by CCTV system

The other passengers were able to make it out, but 61 year old Gilbert Botelho de Almeida Ramalho was burned to death in the fire that resulted from the crash at a farm property in São Paulo Brazil. It is suspected to have been caused by a mechanical failure.

Security Cameras - For Peace Of Mind

Security Cameras of course get a lot of attention in the news when they catch scenes of horrific crime or accidents. But as important as that is we all hope, do what we can to be safe, and play the odds that those things will never happen to us. So then why do people use security cameras at their homes such as seen in this clip of a security camera watching the driveway?

Well for many of us it’s for the little things. Such as peace of mind knowing why your packages always arrived smashed. Or perhaps knowing how that tire mark ended up in your yard. Or in my case, who left that baby stroller by my front door. Beause after all it's the little things that can drive us crazy.



Click here to read more about how Bullet Cameras are used for Discreet Outdoor Surveillance.

Dog Shoplifting caught on Security Camera

Dog Shoplifts rawhide bone from a grocery store was caught on the store's security camera. He was even confrunted by the store manager but managed to excape. He has not been caught as of this posting.

The Research Triangle

The Research Triangle is often referred to as “The Triangle.” It is a region in the Piedmont of North Carolina. The Research Triangle Regional Partnership (RTRP) began in 1990 and was created by community leaders from Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill. They all decided to market their communities together.

The leaders knew that in order to strengthen their individual community initiatives that they would need to take a regional approach to marketing. The RDA was funded by the chambers of commerce in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and the Research Triangle Foundation.

The Research Triangle provides many services to help companies grow and expand in the region. A few examples are Leading Regional Strategy. This allows coordinating economic development planning for the 13-county Research Triangle Region, promoting regional collaboration, supporting regional improvement and supporting local economic development agencies.

Click here to discuss the Research Triangle.

What is a Perfect Bullet Camera

When thinking of a security camera, there are a few core essential traits that immediately come to mind when we picture a "perfect" security camera. The perfect camera must be durable, discrete, affordable, and of course, functioning as a surveillance unit and monitoring specific areas while recording data. In my opinion, the type of camera that meets all the needs of a perfect camera is of course the Bullet Camera. And here is why.

1. There are several models of bullet cameras that come with a high durability rating and have been designed for outdoor use. When looking for how "durable" a camera is look for their IP (Ingress Protection) rating which will tell how suitable a camera is for outdoor use. When models fail to list this detail look for the description of a camera as "Waterproof", "Weatherproof", or "Outdoor" as an indicator of how durable it truly is.

2. Bullet Cameras are by conventional standards small. While there are a few that come in large sizes a truly perfect bullet camera must not be big and lack of size is a very good thing. Small bullet cameras are hard to spot by intruders, easy to mount and install, and provide all the functions of a standard security camera.

3. When dealing with bullet cameras low light environments are ideal for their use and typically operate in a .05 Lux. Low light bullet cameras however do need some ambient light, but the positive side to this is that they do not require their own infrared illuminators which can produce an easily noticeable red glow.

4. Finally, the perfect anything for anyone involves a low cost solution. Why spend more for features you don't need when you can save money or possibly buy more cameras. This is why Bullet Cameras are perfect for any security system under a budget.

GeoVision Software Upgrades

One of the many features we like about the GeoVision DVR product, and the PC based solution in general, is that the software can be upgraded. In the case of GeoVison, a company that has been a world leader in the manufacture of professional grade DVR cards for decades, the software upgrades are 100% free.

Some of the cool new features we have seen added to the surveillance software over the years include, people counting, object tracking, missing object notification, face detection, 3G mobile phone support and on and on and on.

We think the level of dedication GeoVison puts into their software and its continued improvement is just one of many reasons to consider a quality PC based DVR. If you are already in agreement with us and own a GeoVision DVR we hope you find the above link to the upgrade process to be helpful.

If you have any question on the GeoVision software or its upgrades please give us a call today at 877-422-1907

Gas Station Security Camera Systems

In today’s times almost all gas stations have security cameras, but most of these gas stations have been using the same security camera solution for years now. Many stations still use old tape based security system and others just use a monitor with no recording device at all.

A common occurrence we see is owners do not want to spend the extra money on new equipment because they think their old equipment suits the job just fine. Well an easy cost saving solution that many people do not ever look at is that in most instances you can use your old security camera wires. Your CCTV security cameras are most likely using is a common coax cable still used today. This allows a great deal of the old infrastructure and sometimes the cameras themselves to be easily incorporated into a new PC Based DVR security system. Depending on the size of the facility you can save easily up to 30% on your total cost by using the old wires.

A new Gas Station Security Camera System can be a great way to cut down on stolen merchandise inside and outside of the store, it can also help deter and prosecute drive-offs. A great tool for store owners is the ability to remotely view your security cameras via a live feed across the internet and even playback previously recorded incidents.

Wireless Cameras for Your Island

This afternoon I took a very unusual call. The request was for wireless cameras, which is nothing that uncommon, but the caller wanted to install the cameras all across a little island in the Florida Keys. Unfortunantely the caller was not with the local government but was instead calling from a Home Owners Association (HOA).

I say unfortunately because the caller had apparently been watching to much CSI and spent to much time in the U.K. Which is where he told me he kept his primary residence. To confess after a five minute update on life in the CCTV obsessed British Isle, which was proceeded by a five minute gripe about our phone system, I was ready to say "thanks for your call and have a nice day".

But somewhat like a dear in the headlights I just kept listening. With the history lesson and grandiose dreams aside the caller impressed me in so many ways as a classic uneducated consumer who wanted some one to come out and tell him how it "all works".

Not having the time to explain it "all" I just took the callers name and number and offered to get him in touch with our local affiliates.

However had I had the time I would have pointed out a few problems with a HOA installing cameras all across a six mile long island.

First lets start with the budget. Quality outdoor wireless CCTV hardware capable of spanning one to four miles has it's place. And in the right context it can be a very affordable solution. But spending tens and tens and tens of thousands of dollars to watch cars cross the bridge as they dive onto and off of your island is not something most HOA's are going to have in the budget.

Secondly a HOA with such a grad project has a problem with infrastructure. That problem is quite simply they don't own the infrastructure. They don't own the light pole with the best view of the bridge, they don't own the land that is immediately borders the road, they don't own the land over which power lines would have to be run to get to the land that somebody they know owns with the cruddy view of the bridge, etc., etc., etc.

What HOA's do however own are homes. But is there really anyone on a HOA Baord that would trust thousands of dollars worth of CCTV hardware being placed in the home of a HOA member? Or is there an HOA member that would really want to have the responsibility of that expensive hardware? Or is there a home owner who really wants who knows what number or size of antennas or wireless receiving equipment mounted to their house our installed on their property? Or for that matter does anyone who owns a well kept property in the Florida Keys want to have an industrial grade camera, and transmitter mounted to the side of their house? Is there anyone who lives in what looks like their own little paradise who want to turn that look into something more akin to a maximum security detention fatality?

This goes back to something the caller said about his time in the U.K. and how big brother was always watching. Well perhaps this was lost on the caller but in effect he and his HOA are tying to be, on their own little island at least, their own version of "big brother". And that is where in my opinion CCTV security camera systems fail.

Instead of trying to put cameras all over the island in some grand scheme that will never get funded or implemented the HOA should use it's power to recommend a standard CCTV technology that all HOA members could purchase on their own to make the right security choices for their own needs. If the individual HOA members saw fit they could share internet access to selected security cameras with other HOA members and create a web of watchful neighbors.

But to centralize such a project through an ever changing membership in an HOA would only lead to problems and ineffective use of funds.

As evidence to this the story ends with me taking the time to get the contact information for 4 local CCTV installers in the area and calling the customer back to pass on the information. My calls have gone unanswered and and my messages unreturned. That's no surprise and no problem from where I sit.

20th Century Fox uses CameraSecurityNow.com

The Unit TV Show will apparently be using products sourced from CameraSecurityNow.com on one of their upcoming episodes. They ordered 2 – 5” Fake Dome Cameras and needed them shipped overnight for Saturday delivery. We will keep an eye out to see which episode the show up in.

IR135 Infrared Weatherproof Bullet Camera

The IR 135 is a top quality Infrared Camera. The first thing you might notice is that it is a full sized bullet camera with 36 LED’s on it. These “Super Powered” LED’s are capable of providing enough infrared light to see out to 110 feet. The IR135 is also completely weatherproof and boasts an IP66 rating. The IP66 rating is something you must have if you expect your camera to work outside. IP stands for Ingress Protection and it is a measure that all quality camera housings are rated. If you are looking at a camera and it does not boast an IP66 or higher then it is not a camera we would recommend for use outside.

Another Great feature of the IR135 is its varifocal lens. The varifocal lens allows you to adjust from a setting of a wide angle 3.3mm all the way up to 12mm wide angle. This is easily adjustable and allows you to easily fit any subject area inside the cameras viewing angle.

The IR 135 is one of the better IR cameras out on the market to date. Follow this link to see a live demo of the IR135 and to learn a little more about infrared cameras.

Security Cameras for Cash Registers

So are you a small business owner running one or more cash registers and thinking about a Security Camera System for your store or restaurant? Have you been kicking around the advantages of security cameras and weighting them against the cost of the system?

Well before you make up your mind: Did you know that it is estimated that 20% of every dollar a US company makes is lost to employee theft? Did you know one out of three US companies that file for bankruptcy can trace their failure back to employee theft? And did you know that a GeoVisoin Security Camera system can directly integrate with your registers to make sure that you keep every penny of every sale that your employees ring up.

That’s right the GeoVisoin DVR software supports a video overlay of your register receipt so that you can see what an employee is ringing up as each transaction takes place. The software even keeps a searchable database of the transactions so that you can quickly find a video event of any given sale.

To learn more about how to protect yourself from employee theft at the register visit our Security Camera website or call us today at 877-422-1907.

Are Your Employees Stealing from the Till

If you own or operate a business, its in your best interest to ensure that you are properly monitoring your businesses cash flow. Employee theft is rampant in businesses across the board from gas stations, restaurants, and grocery stores and anywhere cash is handled. It is estimated that 20% of every dollar the average US company earns is lost to employee theft. With this in mind can you afford not to have adequate protection?

Efficient methods for preventing employee theft revolve around adequate security camera systems and proper placing. A traditional method for preventing theft is to have 1 camera per cash register, i.e 4 cash registers 4 cameras, as well as cameras watching the entrances and exits. This ensures that all transactions are being monitored and employees will have a hard time simply walking out of the establishment with merchandise.

Other popular methods include point of sale (POS) capturing devices, also known as "POS video overlay", and cameras which utilize zoom lenses for clearer pictures. If you are interested in other options to prevent employee theft, find out How to Protect Your Cash Register for more information.

DVR Card - Under Four Hundred Dollars

Recently someone asked the question: “What’s a good 4 port DVR card for under $400”. That’s a good question because a quality four port DVR card at the right price can give a small business or a home user a lot of options for a security camera system.

To help our readers answer that question, so they don’t take our word, or the word of any vendor as gospel, let me explain the thinking has lead to our decision to sell the GeoVision brand of DVR cards.

1.Dependability – GoeVision DVR products are used worldwide and their years of digital surveillance system design and commitment to manufacturing excellence are reflected in their DVR cards. With hardware failure rates so low that you can rest assured you are buying a quality product.

2.Features – Offering one of the most diverse and continually updated software packages in the industry every model, from the most entry level, to the top of the line GeoVison DVR card uses the same quality software. Popular features include Hardware Image Compression, IP camera support, Point of Sale Integration, Access Control Integration, Online Monitoring, and even License Plate Recognition.

3.Ease of Use – Being a PC Based Security Camera Solution the menu driven GeoVision software is easy to upgrade, maintain, and use. Offering all the network connectivity and remote access options as any business class computer system the GeoVisoin DVR solution offers total network flexibility.

4.Value – As subjective as this is I think most will agree that a quality product, from a reliable name brand manufacture with a lengthy history in the security business, along with state of the art software designed for serious business security applications, and a reasonable price, would constitute good value.

So with that being said we at www.camerasecuritynow.com would recommend the GeoVision 650 four port DVR card as a great solution to the under $400 dollar DVR question. As mentioned above this card offers the same software as the GeoVision models selling for double its price and with the card operating at 60 Frames Per Second you are guaranteed to get at least 15 Frames Per Second Per Camera even if all four ports were recording simultaneously.

For more information on the GoeVison software visit out GeoVison Brochure page or our main website on Security Cameras.

Or contact us direct at:
Phone: 877-422-1907
E-Mail: sales@csn1.com

How to Open Ports for a GeoVision DVR Server Firewall

When your GeoVision DVR server becomes up and running, the next step you need to do will be to connect the server to your local network in order to allow intranet or internet access. Connecting to a network will allow you utilize the remote viewing and playback feature of your CCTV DVR server through the use of any internet web browser. The problem that comes with utilizing this unique feature of remote access, however, is that you must "teach" your server how to deal with these incoming signals

It is important to remember that if you are behind any type of firewall, without the proper configuration, it will block your incoming requests for remote access. In order to solve this issue you will have to configure your router to accept incoming requests from the internet. This requires the opening of ports on your router in order match up the incoming requests of your web browser to your DVR server.

If you are interested in learning how to properly configure your router for use with a GeoVision server, see our Opening Firewall Ports on a GeoVision DVR Server page for a step by step walk through tutorial and other information.

Security Cameras In Hotels

A hotel has always been a hotspot for security cameras. In fact most of our business actually comes from hotels wanted to install or upgrade security cameras. The last time you stayed in a hotel you may have noticed the cameras placed hallways in the hotel and maybe some around the front door, but did you ever see the security camera monitor that is usually placed behind the front counter. They mainly place the security camera monitor behind the front counter so to make sure guests can see they are being watched in order to deter crime and also to allow the staff to watch the security cameras with ease.

If you are like me you may have noticed that many of the security camera systems you see behind that desk look very old. Many times you will see the security cameras are black and white, the monitor is in a metal case and looks similar to an old tv, and if its really old you might even see an old VHS tape recorder.

These old security camera systems are being replaced daily in hotels throughout the country. The newer modern Dell based GeoVision DVR is what many hotels are opting to upgrade from there older Recorder. A DVR can easily replace the old VHS unit. If you just replace your old recorder to a newer DVR you will notice a great improvement in video quality and functionalities. This is a nice alternative to getting better video quality without having to upgrade all of your hotel’s security cameras.

Many hotels finally end up replacing their old VHS system to take advantage of the extra ports (camera connections) that a new GoeVision DVR can bring. Available in 4, 8, or 16 ports, a GeoVision DVR is both a smart upgrade to the old technology and a great way to give you additional connectors for even more cameras. For installations above 16 cameras multiple DVR's are used and simply joined to the internet to create one virtual system.

Also a Dell based DVR has the capability to be hooked up to any high speed internet. Once connected to the internet the DVR can provide a secure remote view of the security cameras in live time. This remote live view can be made available to the property owners, management, or other authorized accounts set up in the GeoVision software. This online view can be accessed through any Internet Explorer browser with no charge to you.

If you would like to learn more about our GeoVision security camera solutions for your hotel or hospitality related property visit our CCTV Learning Center or ask a question on our discussion forum entitled Ask a CCTV expert.

Chicago Homeowner Links Cameras to Police Surveillance Center

After suffering over $3,700 in damages due to vandalism from local neighborhood kids, Charles Hill has become the first private homeowner in the city to directly connect his private surveillance cameras straight to Chicago's 911 emergency center. However, Hill is not the only one who is taking advantage of Chicago's unprecedented offer to connect privately owned cameras to the 911 emergency center which was made available two months ago.

Since the announcement nearly two dozen universities, businesses, colleges, and high-rise complexes have agreed to share their video with the Chicago Security Center. Most notably, DePaul University has elected to hook up at least 15 on-campus cameras due to its campuses being in the heart of residential and commercial districts.

DePauls director of public safetey, Bob Wachowski, had this to say about the security measures DePaul has decided to implement. "If something happens on a city street where we have a camera and the city has access to it, they can tell what they're sending first-responders into. . . they can see what the person is doing and describe it to first-responders."

This new network of public-private internet connections will transmit the fully encrypted video data that will not be compromised by any outside connections, a feat made possible by software used in Operation Virtual Shield.

Due to enthusiastic response in the first two months from residents and businesses alike in Chicago, City Hall is confident that hundreds of privately owned cameras will eventually be added to the city's network. If you are a resident or business owner and are considering installing a Chicago Camera Security System, consider contacting a Tech Travel Agent. Tech Travel Agents can help guide you in the right decisions about camera security and even install and network your cctv cameras.

Australia plans on installing 5000 ANPR Cameras

In Australia, state and federal police want to upgrade and put in ANPR (Automatic number plate recognition) cameras that will be able to capture a front image of a vehicle that will be clear enough to indentify the driver and passenger so that I can be used in court as evidence. The plan calls for 5000 around the country that will be able to capture the high speed shots. The 5000 ANPR will be taking pictures of every car that drives past them and then recording the data for up to five years. Each day the 5000 ANPR cameras will be taking a combined total of 70 million pictures a day. Law enforcement agencies will also use mobile units of the ANPR cameras that will be used in criminal investigations. The plan is to mainly focus the cameras in large cities, with over 1000 being placed in both Sidney and Melbourne, and the rest around other major cities.

ANPR cameras are not a thing though for Australia, currently an estimated 300 fixed ANPR cameras and 100 mobile units are placed in Australia. Upgrading this number to 5000 is a big proposal, but the security benefits are definitely there. ANPR cameras will be able to play a key roll in helping with criminal cases in any of Australia’s major cities.

What is Wide Dynamic Range

Wide Dynamic Range is a technology employed by cameras in order to provide a clear picture in situations where there is a large dynamic range in lighting. This typically occurs when a camera is pointed towards a large window or entrance that lets in large amounts of light. For cameras not implementing WDR (Wide Dynamic Range) technology the images that the camera records will be washed out and hard-to-see.

These hard to see images are produced because of the large dynamic range from the dark and bright elements of the room which the camera has trouble processing. WDR cameras implement two Charge-Coupled Devices and take two scans of the same image and process them together to provide clear images. For more information on dynamic range and how they effect security cameras, check out our Wide Dynamic Range camera page.

Security Cameras for Sports Fishing

The days of the big fish tales could be coming to an end. As more and more Sports Fishing Charters are taking advantage of security camera systems to document that “one that got away”.

With standard GeoVision / Dell DVR systems from www.cameraseucitynow.com going out to sea, charter sports fishing services are now offering video of their customers entire fishing experience. Hopefully including that once in a lifetime catch.

With the exception of taking care to use a CCTV camera that is rated to withstand the salt water environment the DVR systems themselves operate just as they do back on land. The charter service simply installs the cameras in any and all vantage points to watch their guests spend a leisurely day fishing. The DVR is of course always watching, always recording, and when a customer gets back to dock with a catch worth keeping the charter service offers the client a DVD of all the action.

Of course having a security camera system installed on the boat also gives the captain and crew great live time information. Even on a boat the benefits of real time and recorded video information across multiple areas cannot be overlooked.

So remember if you are prone to telling tall tales be sure to ask if your next deep sea fishing charter is equipped with a camera system. If so… just hope you really do catch that 300lb. Grouper.

For more infomration on Security Camera Systems in Sports Fishing call 877-422-1907.

CCTV Has More Than One Meaning

Closed circuit television or CCTV is the industries standard in surveillance cameras. CCTV is often a single network of cameras, multiple networks of cameras linked together via switches or the internet, or wide area computer technology. In the instance of using CCTV online, the video is digital and therefore possible to be managed and stored automatically by computers and network storage devices. This technique is often used in areas that require constant monitoring such as banks, casinos, airports, military installations and convenience stores.

Another meaning CCTV takes on is the China Central Television. This network provides news and information to the majority of China, and is currently broadcasting the Olympics that are being held Beijing. When you Google CCTV more search results come up for the Olympics rather than closed circuit television because it is much more popular and relevant to what is going on in the community.

When the Olympics are over and much of the hype dies down, the closed circuit television (CCTV) will come back up as number one in Google searches. Google always shows the most recent and up to date news first, even if what you are looking for is a more popular search term. In this case, the Chinese Central Television holds more weight in Google due to its relevancy to the Olympics.