For those wanting to protect the assets of their home or business, the price of video surveillance equipment has, in recent years, fallen enough to make it worth the investment. Not only does installing it serve as a deterrent to crime, but also offers an effective measure to offer undisputable evidence in the event a crime is against you or your property.

The good thing is that today’s equipment not only works together, it can be connected to your home computer network for monitoring from a remote location. For example, if you are away on vacation and have access to a computer, you could access your computer network and observe what is happening at your home or business.

The two main parts of video surveillance equipment are the cameras and the recording device. Cameras are available in many sizes and designs and some are offered in everyday items you would have around the home or office such as built into smoke detectors, flower vases, light fixtures and light switches. For those who want to deter crime, they can be left obvious to make people aware of their existence.

Cameras can be mounted inside or outside, in special weatherproof housings, with as many as 16 individual cameras connected to one recording device by using what is called a multiplexer. Through a typical multiplexer system, the individual camera views can be seen one at a time, or in individual pictures on your monitor screen. When played through a computer, the views can also be copied to the computer’s hard drive for later distribution to the proper authorities.