Motion Detectors for Security Cameras
For many companies, security needs to be on alert
24 hours a day. Retail outlets, for example, never know when someone may be
trying to shoplift from their stores, and with a high amount of traffic,
they need to have security cameras that are always on alert, able to catch
the perpetrator in action. For them, the security camera is about constantly
monitoring those that are going to be coming in and out, looking through the
lawful people in order to find lawbreakers.
But not everyone has this type of traffic. Some
people are trying to keep an eye on areas of the home or business that
rarely, if ever, have visitors. If anyone is seen inside of these areas,
chances are they are looking to take some important possessions.
For these types of people, it may be best to get a
motion detector security camera, rather than one that is running at all
times of day. Motion detector cameras will be able to save energy when it is
not needed, and will not create a great deal of film or files on an empty
room. Motion detectors will be able to turn on automatically, and only
create tape or data when it is likely that someone has entered into the area
uninvited.
Types of Motion Detector Cameras
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Infrared Motion Detector
Infrared cameras are designed to turn on as soon as
there is anything that stimulates its sensor. The most common is when a
person or persons moves within the infrared camera’s spectrum, resulting in
a change in radiation that ultimately turns the camera on and starts
recording. These are best in areas of no or little lighting, and are able to
capture images fairly well, often without the intruder’s knowledge.
·
Ultrasonic Motion Detectors
Unlike infrared cameras, which respond to
radiation, the ultrasonic detectors send out small, inaudible pulses that
bounce back to the camera, letting it know that something has changed and
that someone or something has entered the room. The main problem with these
cameras is that they are too precise – and thus will turn on when there is
something simple blocking the path of the ultrasonic pulses, such as a box
or even a kitten. They are best in empty rooms, which may not be ideal for
your uses.
·
Microwave Motion Detectors
Similar to the ultrasonic devices, these cameras
tend to be too sensitive to changes inside a room. You need the camera to
turn on when there are human being intruders, and not simply when the
landscape has changed due to something disrupting the waves. Microwave
motion detector security cameras send out small waves into a room in order
to generate a response. Still, though they suffer from the same problems as
ultrasonic devices, they do tend to be more reliable.
Each of these types of security cameras can be
useful for watching your home or business. However, infrared cameras
currently have the least problems with regard to turning on prematurely, and
thus wasting energy and data. There are also several hybrid machines that
work more effectively – combining the sensitivity of the microwave or
ultrasonic with the reliability of the infrared. These devices are better at
discerning real threats, but may also be more expensive.
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