A New World of Surveillance Has Arrived
Let’s talk about surveillance. A topic that is near and (unfortunately) dear to our hearts these days. There are many options out there making it hard to keep track of what’s best. Traditional systems with a localized hard drive (DVR) and cameras are being replaced with those offered by Nest and Ring.
An easier interface for reviewing camera footage makes everything better.. right? Not exactly. These cameras come with recurring recording costs. With annual subscription costs for Nest around $50 per camera and Ring around $30 per camera, it can add up quickly for a new construction or a retrofit camera upgrade of 6-8 cameras.
This has been the recommended path in recent years because ease of use and image quality being similar to what was being offered by the former DVR systems. Until now. There is a new camera in town and it simply blows the imagination.
Let me ask you a question – when does most of the bad stuff happen? At night when we are sleeping. For this type of surveillance, we needed cameras with infrared night vision, enabling you to see where you would not have been able to in the past.
This is great until you actually try to review footage at night and see that the infrared cuts down significantly on the resolution until you can barely make out the make of a car much less the model on a close up view.
About four months ago, a new technology came out, called Starlight, ColorVu or whatever proprietary name each vendor is using. It’s A GAME CHANGER and is actually a reason why every person with an existing surveillance system should consider upgrading.
Imagine full HD (up to 4K ) resolution in the dark. See the video below for a great example of what color night vision can offer.
ARVE Error: Mode: lazyload not available (ARVE Pro not active?), switching to normal mode
Can you see the difference?
One caveat with this new technology. There needs to be SOME ambient light. In total blackness these cameras will still resort to infrared black and white mode. In this case, even that seems better honestly. These cameras show an improved infrared image.
In most cases that we see in Los Angelenos’ landscapes, there is some ambient light available which is why we think these cameras truly provide a new way forward.
In order to take advantage of these new cameras it may require an upgrade of your local DVR as well – some up front costs. What you gain in the end is no subscription fees, a much better (up to 4K) image than offered on the subscription based systems and color night vision. If you are thinking of upgrading an existing wired surveillance system, this may be the time to do it. Even old analog systems can be upgraded to HD using this technology.
Call Haustech at 877-797-HAUS (4287) to talk about your surveillance needs.
Photo © Hikvision © Lorex