1. What is a home network camera?
Home network cameras are network monitoring solutions designed for families and other civilian users. They are also a new generation of products that combine traditional network cameras with IoT cloud technology. It uses network technology to centralize monitoring systems such as video, audio, and alarms, and saves and sends useful information to other data terminals such as mobile phones, iPads, and computers through server processing. As people's safety awareness increases day by day, more and more people, especially those who travel frequently, begin to consider installing home network cameras.
2. Should families install network cameras?
So should they install network cameras at home? Under what circumstances do they need to install network cameras?
Generally, when we consider installing monitoring, we have more realistic needs, either to protect property, or to take care of family members and pets, etc. Basically, there are probably the following scenarios in life where we need to install monitoring:
Security and anti-theft are our most common needs. When no one is at home for a long time, for safety reasons, we need a pair of "eyes" to help us take care of the situation at home at any time.
- There are elderly people at home, and we need to pay attention to the elderly's condition in time and be able to contact them at any time.
- There are babies at home alone or need to ask a nanny to take care of them alone.
- There are cats and dogs at home, and you want to pet them online and keep them company remotely.
- You want to observe other special areas in real time, such as balconies, courtyards, and parking spaces at home.
3. Classification and usage scenarios of home network cameras
3.1 Classification by appearance
Classified by appearance, there are mainly gun cameras, ball cameras, hemispherical cameras, pan-tilt cameras, etc.
- Gun cameras. The appearance is rectangular or cylindrical, the monitoring position is fixed, the waterproof grade is generally high, and the focal length can be selected in a wide range. It can be used for both long-distance monitoring and wide-angle monitoring. It is more suitable for outdoor roads, underground warehouses/warehouses with low illumination, and outdoor environments in communities.
- Ball cameras. The appearance is spherical, usually integrating multiple functions such as cameras, zoom lenses, pan-tilt cameras, decoders, and protective covers. It has comprehensive functions and can rotate 360° horizontally, which is suitable for monitoring open areas.
- Hemispherical cameras. The appearance is hemispherical, small in size, beautiful and hidden, and is mostly used in relatively fixed locations such as office areas, corridors, and elevators.
- PTZ. A surveillance camera with a PTZ can rotate the camera horizontally and vertically, thereby maximizing the surveillance range. Some smart cameras also have an automatic tracking function.
At present, most home surveillance cameras use PTZ cameras indoors. They are easy to install, can be hoisted or placed at will, and are more flexible to operate.
3.2 Classification by power supply method
Classification by power supply method mainly includes power supply, network cable power supply, battery power supply, solar power supply, etc.
- Power supply, that is, using the home power supply external power adapter to power the camera. This is also the most traditional and commonly used power supply method. The only disadvantage is that it may be inconvenient and unsightly to pull power in some environments.
- Network cable power supply, also known as POE (Power Over Ethernet) power supply, uses a network cable to connect a POE switch that supports Ethernet power supply to power the surveillance camera, and at the same time realizes surveillance data transmission. POE power supply can support longer transmission distances, but since our general home optical modems or routers do not support network cable power supply, it is necessary to configure an additional POE switch or POE hard disk recorder that supports Ethernet power supply, and the cost will be relatively high. If you have multiple surveillance cameras at home or have additional requirements for the monitoring distance, you can consider this method.
- Battery power supply and solar power supply have the advantage that there is no need to consider wiring issues and the installation is simple. But the disadvantages are also obvious, the cost is high, and the stability is relatively general. It is more suitable for field operations or short-term monitoring needs. This method is generally not considered for home indoor monitoring.
3.3 Classification by network supply method
Classified by network supply method, there are mainly three types: network cable, wireless, and traffic card.
- Network supply method is relatively easy to understand. Both network cable and wireless WiFi need to be based on home broadband to be used. Network cable connection is stable and reliable, WIFI connection is simple and convenient, and traffic card requires a separate 4G network card or mobile phone card.
- Wireless WiFi is easy to use and does not require wiring, but it is limited by the coverage range of the router WiFi, and it is also easily disturbed and unstable.
- Network cable connection, the network speed is relatively more stable, and the data transmission distance of the general network cable can reach nearly 100 meters, with a longer range, but it requires additional wiring and is not very beautiful.
- It is simpler to use a data card to access the Internet. After inserting a 4G Internet card, you can monitor remotely as long as there is electricity. However, there will be a monthly rental cost for using a 4G Internet card, and the price of cameras that support 4G Internet access will be higher.
At present, most mainstream home surveillance cameras support wireless WIFI connection. Some surveillance cameras also provide built-in WIFI hotspot function, which can be viewed directly through the APP without Internet access. The specific situation can be considered comprehensively according to the home situation.
3.3 Classification by storage method
According to the storage method, there are mainly three types: memory card, NVR storage, and cloud storage.
- Memory card, usually Micro SD card, TF card, is used to insert into the camera to realize local storage of video recordings, and is also the most commonly used storage method for home monitoring. The advantages are simple use and low cost, and the disadvantages are that it is easy to be damaged and taken away. Once a problem occurs, the local video recording cannot be viewed. Another point to consider is that high-definition video requires a lot of storage space every day. The capacity of mainstream memory cards on the market is within 512G, which cannot support large-capacity and long-term video recording storage.
- NVR (Network Video Recorder) storage, that is, network hard disk recorder storage. Receive the video transmitted by the surveillance camera through the network and store, manage and play it back. The advantage is that it supports multi-channel video signal access and supports large-capacity, long-term high-definition video storage. It is more suitable for places that require centralized video surveillance and have high requirements for the recording cycle, such as shops, supermarkets, offices, factories, villas, etc.
- Cloud storage is a network cloud storage service provided by security manufacturers. The advantage is that it is safe and reliable, and the video recording will not be damaged or lost, which is convenient for subsequent investigation and evidence collection. However, cloud storage is a continuous expenditure, and there is an additional layer of usage cost. Cloud storage is usually purchased according to the storage cycle, and different manufacturers charge different fees. The figure below is a reference to the official cloud storage charging method of EZVIZ and LeCheng.
4. What factors should be considered when choosing a home surveillance camera?
4.1 Camera resolution
Usually, the first condition we think of when choosing a camera is high definition. Here, high definition refers to the resolution size of the camera.
There are generally two ways to say the resolution of a camera. One is 720P, 1080P, 2K, 4K, etc., and the other is 2 million, 3 million, 4 million, 5 million, 8 million, etc. In fact, there is no essential difference between the two, just different names for resolution. The P here refers to the pixel value Pixel, which is the basic unit of the picture. The resolution is the height * width of the picture.
Simply put, 1080P means that the resolution reaches 1920*1080=2073600P, that is, the resolution is 2073600P, which is about 2 million pixels, so generally 1080P can also be called 2 million pixels. 4k means that the resolution reaches 3840*2160=8294400P, which is about 8 million pixels. Generally, pixels above 8 million can be called 4K high-definition.
Generally speaking, the higher the resolution, the higher the pixel value, and the clearer the image. But for home monitoring, the higher the resolution, the better. The higher the resolution, the more storage space is needed, the higher the bandwidth of the home network is occupied, and the cost will increase accordingly.
The resolution of mainstream home surveillance cameras on the market is generally around 2 million to 4 million, which is enough to see faces and movements clearly in indoor environments. Of course, if the budget is sufficient and there are higher requirements for the clarity and monitoring distance of the surveillance video, you can choose a higher resolution as needed.
4.2 Lens focal length
The lens of the surveillance camera is the most core part, which determines the monitoring angle range and monitoring distance. Usually, the larger the focal length of the lens, the farther you can see, the smaller the viewing angle range, and the smaller the focal length, the closer you can see, and the larger the viewing angle range. The focal length of the lens of the surveillance camera on the market is generally between 2.8mm and 12mm.
- Lenses with a focal length of 2.8mm are mostly used in monitoring environments in small spaces such as storage rooms, and the best monitoring distance is within 3m.
- Lenses with a focal length of 3.6mm can be used in larger indoor environments, such as living rooms, small shops, etc., and the best monitoring distance is 3-5m.
- 6mm lens can be used in home courtyards, balconies, doorways and other scenes, with the best monitoring distance of 5-10m.
- 8mm lens can be used in outdoor roads, alleys and other scenes, with the best monitoring distance of 10-20m.
In addition, some camera lenses are zoomable, and the lens size can be adjusted according to the monitoring scene range, which is more flexible and convenient, but the cost will also increase accordingly.
At present, most home indoor surveillance cameras use 2.8-4mm lenses, and with the pan/tilt, they can monitor every corner of the room at 360° horizontally without blind spots.
4.3 Night vision function
Currently, mainstream surveillance cameras on the market support infrared night vision function, and there are also starlight night vision, full-color night vision, and black light night vision.
- Infrared night vision
Infrared night vision refers to the function that in a dark or dim light environment, the camera uses an infrared transmitter to actively project infrared light onto an object, and the infrared light is reflected by the object and enters the lens to obtain the image. It is also the most commonly used night vision method.
The infrared night vision distance can generally reach about 10 meters. Some cameras can increase the night vision distance to 30-50 meters by increasing the transmission power. However, the biggest problem with infrared night vision is that the picture is black and white and cannot show more details.
- Starlight night vision
Starlight night vision means that the surveillance camera can still show color pictures in low-light environments. Generally, large aperture lenses and high-sensitivity sensors are used to make the light intake more and the photosensitivity better. The night vision effect is clearer and the picture is more delicate than that of ordinary infrared night vision cameras.
However, when the external light illumination is lower than the threshold of the infrared switching of the starlight camera, the starlight camera will still switch to infrared night vision and become a black and white picture.
- Full-color night vision
Full-color night vision means that the surveillance camera can always present a clear color shooting picture in low illumination or even no light. When the ambient light is low or even no light, the fill light will be automatically turned on to achieve full color day and night.
The full-color night vision function is not suitable for indoor installation because it will turn on the fill light. It is more suitable for places that still require high-definition image quality in dark or no light environments, such as home courtyards, roads, warehouses, underground parking lots, parks, etc.
- Blacklight night vision
Blacklight night vision is a night vision method that has only appeared in recent years. It mainly solves the problem of image color loss in dark night environments. Blacklight night vision cameras generally use a dual sensor architecture. Based on the principle of human eye bionics, it solves the contradiction between color and brightness, greatly improves the night imaging effect, and can also provide an excellent color image visual experience under extremely low illumination.
Due to its relatively high cost, blacklight night vision function is generally not considered for home monitoring. It is usually used in squares, parks, scenic spots, streets, stations, highways and other scenes that require night color monitoring and capture.
4.4 Storage capacity
From the perspective of cost-effectiveness, indoor surveillance cameras generally use memory cards to store video files. So how to choose the appropriate memory card size when choosing?
Here is a brief introduction to the calculation method of surveillance video capacity. The video storage capacity of surveillance cameras is related to many factors such as video resolution, bit rate, frame rate, compression format, etc., among which the most important parameter is bit rate.
Bit rate, also known as bit rate, is a parameter used to indicate the amount of video data in a unit of time. Under the same resolution and frame rate, the larger the bit rate, the higher the video quality, and the larger the storage space occupied. Conversely, the lower the video quality, the smaller the storage space occupied.
The current mainstream storage capacity calculation formula is: the storage capacity of a day of recording (unit: G) = bit rate (Mbps) / 8 (byte-to-bit conversion) / 1024 (converted to G) * 3600 seconds (per hour) * 24 hours (per day).
Taking the 2-megapixel H265 compression format as an example, the default bit rate is set to 2Mbps, then the storage space required per day for uninterrupted recording is: 2Mbps/8/1024*3600*24 ≈ 21G.
Simply put, the default bit rate of 3 million pixels is 2.5Mbps, and the daily storage space is: 2.5Mbps/8/1024*3600*24 ≈ 26G. The default bit rate of 4 million pixels is 3.75Mbps, and the daily storage space is: 3.75Mbps/8/1024*3600*24 ≈ 40G.
So when choosing, you can roughly estimate the required space size by doing a simple calculation based on the camera's resolution and expected storage cycle.
It should be noted that different brands of cameras have different video encoding and calculation methods, and the bit rate itself can also be adjusted in the camera settings. For example, for a 4 million pixel camera, we can also set the bit rate to 1Mbps, so that the storage space occupied per day is about 10G, which can greatly save memory card space.
4.5 Intelligent functions
With the development and popularization of AI, many intelligent AI technologies have also been applied to surveillance cameras, including: human detection, face recognition, mobile tracking, crying detection, abnormal sound detection and other functions, which make surveillance cameras have a larger application space.
- Human detection function. It can accurately determine whether someone breaks into the house, and there will be no meaningless alarms for any disturbance, making the alarm function more practical.
- Crying detection function. A great tool for watching babies. When the baby's cry is detected, an alarm message will be issued immediately. Family members can open the APP in time to check the situation on the scene, and can also comfort the baby through remote voice.
- Mobile tracking function. When a stranger enters, the camera will automatically track and capture more of the intruder's actions, which is convenient for evidence collection. It can also drive the intruder away through lights and voice shouting.
4.6 Others
Other factors that need to be considered include installation method, waterproofing, privacy protection, etc. We can choose according to our own preferences.
- Installation method. Common installation methods include placement, hoisting, bracket, pole, etc.
- Waterproof function. Indoor surveillance cameras usually do not require waterproof function.
- Privacy protection. Some cameras have a custom mask function, which can be controlled by the APP to hide the camera. Friends who care more about security and privacy can pay attention to this function.
5. Precautions for installing home network cameras
There are five points to note when installing home network cameras at home.
- Do not install cameras in bedrooms, toilets, bathrooms and other places involving privacy, both to avoid embarrassment and to be prepared for emergencies. The installation location can be selected in key locations such as facing the entrance door, living room, balcony, etc.
- The access password of the surveillance camera should be changed frequently. Although this cannot eliminate safety hazards, it will reduce the level of unexpected situations.
- Keep monitoringCamera firmware update. Responsible manufacturers will often fix sensitive issues and bugs. Timely upgrades and updates will make the security of surveillance cameras more secure.
- Try to turn off the camera when adults are at home, or set a timer to turn it on and off. The simplest way is to physically block it.
- The installation of surveillance cameras at home must be approved by the family to avoid unnecessary family conflicts.
