HD Solutions vs Cheap Security Cameras – Do’s and Don’ts of Surveillance
We can’t blame you for typing “cheap security cameras” into your search engine. You want to secure your home as well as save money. This doesn’t, however, mean you should resort to bottom-of-the-barrel, low-end options. There are plenty of ways to be judicious about your purchasing process. Even with a little bit of research, it is easy to separate the cheap quality from the economically responsible solutions.
The Downside of Cheap Security Cameras – Visuals
So, you decided to go with a cheap security camera system. You saved money. Great. But when you set up the camera system you will likely notice at least 1 of 2 things:
The picture quality is below 1080P. Or, the picture quality is blurry with general issues with lighting as well as visual disturbances.
Think about that; you saved money, but you sacrificed the main function of your security cameras. The whole reason you wanted to implement visual security in the first place was to keep an eye on your property. If you can’t see details within your footage, then what is the point?
Sure, security cameras have other important functions (which we will discuss), but if you can’t see clearly, why even install cameras?
Think of the worst-case scenario. Your home is broken into while you are away for work.
If your cameras can’t pick up the crucial details of the intruders, then you don’t have much to offer the authorities. Low-end cameras won’t show things like defining facial features, hairstyle/color or even important markings on clothing. Lack of visual evidence leaves you defenseless against these types of invasions. You won’t have much of a case without good evidence.
Take for example, our client. He had cheap cameras in his optometry practice and look what happened:
If you want to save money while maintaining exceptional visual quality consider our HD 1080P 4-Camera System. With this system, you get the clarity of HD 2MP resolution plus the convenience of both dome as well as bullet cameras.
Check out our blog on best security camera systems under $500. This is a great guide to securing your property while keeping within your budget.
Night Vision Camera – Read Firsthand Client Feedback
The Downside of Cheap Security Cameras – Night Vision
Our client testimonial above makes for the perfect segue into the next crucial point of consideration: Night Vision.
This goes hand-in-hand with the section above. If you cut corners on costs and sacrificed your overall daytime visuals, it is basically a no-brainer that you are going to suffer in the night vision department.
IR night vision functionality is what keeps you secure at night. Most good quality security cameras are equipped IR LED’s that turn on when visibility becomes too low for the cameras normal sensor. These LED’s bathe the surrounding area in infrared light that allows the camera to provide you an image in black and white. In some cases, however, the cameras are optimized for color night vision. This provides even more crucial detail for your capture image.
Cheap security cameras often fail to provide any night vision imagery whatsoever. For your nighttime coverage as well as budget purposes looking into our HD 5MP Color Night Vision line. These cameras record in 5MP resolution, which more than doubles the already formidable 1080P, as well as provides full color night vision in extreme low light conditions.
Check it out in action below:
As the video suggests, color night vision provides the best nighttime view of any surveillance camera. Cheap security cameras will never have this function.
Cheap Security Cameras – Subpar Weatherproofing
Most high-quality security cameras are suitable for both indoor as well as outdoor usage. This is certainly not the case for most cheap alternatives.
In fact, many cheap security cameras have little or no weatherproofing standards. This leaves them subject to the elements. When it comes to any form of precipitation meeting the inner camera components, you are in for trouble.
If we think along those lines, you really aren’t saving money when spending less on low-end units. If you constantly have to replace them, you could be looking at an overall cost that is much higher than you would ever want to spend on your security.
Our solutions, as well as other top-end cameras, have an IP rating associated with the unit. This is used to show a given unit’s weatherproofing standards.
Generally, our cameras range from IP65 to IP67. These numbers denote the camera’s protection against both small particles and liquids. In our case, our cameras are sealed dust-tight to protect against dirt and other small particles. Along with that, they are sealed against the ingress of liquids and can handle up to severe amounts of precipitation in most cases.
Cheap Security Cameras – Lack of Detection Capabilities
Another important point of security cameras is their ability to detect when there are intruders as well as any other significant motion around your property. This can be particularly pertinent when we think about the time you are either asleep in your home or away at work.
The best cameras out there right now at least have motion detection capabilities. They scan their image for significant changes in their individual pixels. If enough pixels pick up enough motion, they either start recording (if they aren’t on a continual recording cycle) or they alert you. Most good systems have free apps that can alert you right to your mobile phone when there’s a motion event.
Many cheap cameras won’t have reliable motion detection; some won’t have motion detection features at all.
If you look at our Ultra HD 4K System, you’ll find that we take detection standards a step further with this kit.
Instead of functioning like normal motion detection, where they pick up the movement of everything, these cameras only recognize the motion of humans and animals. They detect thermal signals given off by intruders and alert you.
This higher tier of motion detection eliminates false alarms that may occur by the movement of inanimate objects (power lines in the wind, swaying tree branches, etc).
You certainly won’t find any cheap security cameras with PIR thermal detection. We made ours (even though they are top-of-the-line true 4K) affordable while including these advanced detection standards.
Want to see Ultra HD 4K resolution in action? Check out the footage below:
Want more updates on HD solutions vs cheap security cameras? Check back as we update this blog with more info and more important specs!
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