The Value of Video Surveillance in Public and Private Spaces

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Terrorism: Doing Our Part to Protect the Homeland

If you listen to the news every day, you get the idea that there’s a terrorist around every corner here in the United States, but is there? While it’s true that there are terrorist cells here in the U.S., it’s also true that terrorist events are the exception on a daily basis and certainly not the rule.

It’s not my intent to demonize the popular press by telling you that they are to be ignored, but a recent headline on Wired, which caught my attention, says it all, no matter which side of the US/terrorism fence you happen to be: How to Beat Terrorism: Refuse to Be Terrorized.

According to Spencer Ackerman, author of the Wired story cited above, published on 9/11/11, “In case you haven’t noticed, hysteria is what the terrorists want. In fact, it’s the only win a decapitated, weakened al-Qaida can get these days. The only hope that these eschatological conspiracy theorists possess for success lies in compelling the U.S. to spend its way into oblivion and pursue ill-conceived wars.”

No matter if you agree with Ackerman’s assessment or not, it’s important for you and I to remain vigilant in our daily work and personal lives. It’s equally important for us to avoid a knee-jerk reaction by balancing hysteria and a level-headed approach to the matter at hand. We should do whatever we can to thwart terrorism in the homeland while having enough faith to allow the authorities to take care of the rest.

So, what can you do to assist the authorities in their quest to keep the homeland safe—be it a large city, small town, or a quaint country berg?

As a business owner or the head of a government office building, one of the ways that you can assist is to install a quality video surveillance system inside and outside your facility and to make the recordings thereon available to local law enforcement whenever they require help. If possible, add Internet connectivity to your video surveillance system and provide outside access to local law enforcement.

A quality outside video surveillance system has also assisted law enforcement authorities many times in solving local criminal activities, such as murder, vehicular hit-and-run accidents, and much more. It’s not uncommon for police to knock on the door of a business, government facility, or even a residence to ask for help in this manner.

Do your part by giving them access to your recorded video.

John Larkin

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What Does Video Surveillance and Crime Prevention Have in Common?

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Video: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

A few months ago one of our clients sent in a question regarding the difference between analog and IP (Internet Protocol) cameras (click here).

The question came up, "What's the difference between analog and IP cameras? I've been hearing a lot about them lately. What makes them better than the older ones I installed in my shop more than 20 years ago?"

In that special ESC article we discussed the technical differences between the two. Although that's probably good for some of our more technically oriented readers and clients, it may not be enough for others. As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, and so, in this short article, I'd like to show you the difference between them.

There are three different videos. I suggest that you watch each of them. The first two offer a visual comparison between analog and IP so you can actually see the difference where the third is more of a discussion about the differences. After the third, I'll say a few additional words and then we'll close.

1080P IP Cameras vs Analog CCTV Security Cameras

Analog vs IP CCTV Camera System - Analog vs Network Camera

Analog vs IP Cameras - Video Surveillance Systems

What you saw in the first two videos should convince you that there is a huge difference between the two technologies. The third went into some of the additional benefits derived from IP cameras.

If you are interested in knowing more, or you have an application where you believe IP would be better than analog, or if you have analog and you want to replace them with IP models, please contact me at your convenience. I'm only a phone call away! Call today: 614-754-1393!

Have a great Monday!!

John Larkin, ESC Senior Partner

Copyright©2015
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Remote Viewing of Video Surveillance

Electronic Systems Consultants LLC, a MBE certified company, offers more than just security and fire products, we offer service, and that includes answering your questions. The following query comes from one of our clients. If you have a question, please send it along and we'll have our experts provide the answers you need (Click Here).

We have a video surveillance system in our place of business that records to a time-lapse tape recorder that we purchased many years ago. The recorder works great and I’d like to keep it if possible, but I'd also like to view the cameras from my home as if I were there in the office. What do we have to do to make this happen?

There are several ways in which Electronic Systems Consultants LLC (ESC) can help make that happen. Probably the most simplest and sensible of all of them is to replace your old time-lapse tape recorder with a new DVR (Digital Video Recorder). Although your time-lapse tape recorder still works, the quality of the video usually is so poor that law enforcement is often unable to use it to identify a perpetrator(s), let alone get a conviction.

DVR’s offer the most for your money and they make it relatively easy to view your video cameras from afar. Using a DVR, we can plug it into your Internet router using Category 5e cable. If you are using a static IP address in your business, it’s then a simple matter of bookmarking the IP with submask address to your browser at home.

If you happen to be using a dynamic IP at your business, you can still make this work. There are services that allow you to glean any change in IP address that may take place at your facility. Some of them do not cost money while others do. As they say, you get what you pay for. Dynamic IPs do not change that often and so you also can send yourself an email everyday and check the header for the IP address where it came from. Using this address, you can gain access to your DVR.

John Larkin, Senior Partner

Copyright©2015