The first, and most important, question you have to ask is "How am I going to use this?" Is it for use as a "Nanny Cam" to make sure your children are being taken care of properly? Are you trying to stop employee theft? Are you experiencing repeated vandalism? A hidden camera should only be used to document suspected unlawful or dangerous activity when there is no other way to catch the culprit.
A big problem with hidden cameras is that too often they are used for less than ethical reasons. Just recently a news story came across my desk about a landlord of an apartment building that had wired four apartments with hidden cameras. He placed them in the bathrooms and bedrooms of the tenants. Thankfully the cameras were accidentally discovered and the landlord was arrested and is in jail. I am sure that is not an isolated instance.
One way to make sure you are not a victim of a hidden camera or microphone is to purchase and use a signal detector. They are more commonly known as "Bug Detectors". We have all seen these being used on TV and in the movies. You simply turn the handheld unit on and walk through the room or "sweep" the room. The signal detector picks up the signal transmitted by the hidden camera or microphone and helps you locate its exact position. When searching for a hidden camera or microphone, look everywhere. Bugs come in many shapes and sizes and can be smaller than a penny. If you do find a hidden camera or microphone, don't touch it. Call the police immediately and let them handle it.
If you do want a hidden camera for a good reason, there are many types to choose from. Most hidden cameras are built into everyday items you find around a home such as clocks, radios, thermostats, smoke detectors, lamps, etc. You name it and it could contain a hidden camera. When deciding what kind of hidden camera you want, make sure it will fit into the dcor of the room. As an example, I don't think I would put a nice bright neon lit clock in my contemporary living room. But, it would probably fit in nicely in my game room.
In addition to taking the dcor into consideration you have to decide what type of hidden camera you want. There are basically 3 types:
1/ Wireless
2/ Wired
3/ Self contained
With the wireless hidden camera you will have the item that contains the camera and a transmitter. This transmitter sends the video signal wirelessly to a receiver. The receiver is then attached to a recording device or a monitor or TV for viewing.
The wired hidden camera will have an A/V cord coming out of the unit that will get plugged in directly to a recording device or TV or monitor.
The self contained hidden camera will have the camera and a recording device, usually an SD memory card, hidden inside of it. In order to view what has been recorded you simply take the memory card out of the unit and place it into your computer for viewing. This type is usually the easiest to set up.
There are many options available when purchasing a hidden camera: black & white or color, low light capability, motion sensing, date & time stamp, etc. You will be able to find the camera that fits your needs and your budget.
The bottom line is that no matter what style or type of hidden camera you purchase, make sure you are purchasing it for a legitimate, ethical reason and use it properly.
Jim Wilkinson has been in the Law Enforcement and Safety profession for over 30 years. He knows what works when it comes to protecting yourself, your family and your home. He and his wife, Marion, own and operate www.YourGreatestProtection.com where they offer a full range of personal protection products such as Tasers, stun guns, pepper spray and personal alarms. They also carry high quality hidden cameras and bug detectors.
Hi Walter. Thanks for reading the article. To answer your questions; 1/ Yes, they can be very useful. 2/ As a police sergeant, whenever I arrested someone and had video prove of them committing an unlawful act, the prosecution was much easier. 3/ Hidden cameras or "nanny cams" were designed for a good purpose. However, just like anything else, bad people can use the cameras for nefarious purposes.
Good article, Jim. Hidden cameras could be a boon or a bane. I was having trouble with teenage vandals in my neighborhood. So I put a camera in our bedroom window and aimed it at the gate opening into our yard down the lane from the highway. News spread quickly through the teen grapevine about the camera--we never had any more problems with teen vandals.
For those who need a hidden camera, this writer gives good details and sound advice for considering one, plus reminds the reader that perhaps one may not need one.
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