If you’ve got any homeowners (or renters) on your shopping list this holiday season, consider gifting them a new piece of video surveillance equipment. Sure, video surveillance doesn’t exactly scream O Come, All Ye Faithful, but for anyone looking to keep a closer eye on carolers, it’ll be a much-appreciated gift. Here are some of our favorite video surveillance cameras to gift this holiday season.
TP-Link Tapo D230S1 Video Doorbell
Video doorbells offer triple the security by combining the functionality of three different devices: a doorbell, a surveillance camera for monitoring your front door or entryway, and an intercom that enables two-way audio communication with visitors. That’s tremendous value for a single item.
Currently, one of our favorite video doorbells is the TP-Link Tapo D230S1, which offers plenty of top-tier security features and surveillance functionality. The Tapo includes a battery-powered doorbell that captures 5MP video and a hub with chime functionality. Additional features include up to 25’ of night vision, Wi-Fi connectivity, microSD card storage, a built-in speaker and microphone for two-way communication, and voice commands via Alexa and Google Assistant.
Lorex Fusion F461AQD-E Pan-and-Tilt Camera
The Lorex Fusion F461AQD-E is an IP66-rated outdoor 4MP pan-and-tilt Wi-Fi camera that features smart deterrence functionality. It is equipped with dual motion-activated LED warning spotlights and a remotely triggered siren to keep intruders and unwanted activity at bay. The LED warning spotlights track movement on your property to ensure that the captured video at night is visible in full color.
Additional features include IR LEDs for up to 33’ of night vision, two-way audio via a built-in microphone and speaker, voice commands via Alexa and Google Assistant, and an included 32GB microSD card (expandable up to 256GB) for storing video footage. A multi-way mounting kit is included for even more flexible panning and tilting coverage.
Dahua Technology N83BU82-B TiOC Camera
Dahua Technology’s three-in-one (TiOC) camera series delivers a proactive video surveillance solution that enables users to prevent or deter an incident before it occurs via smart illumination and live warnings.
TiOC cameras feature perimeter protection and smart motion detection. They can be configured to activate red and blue flashing lights the moment motion is detected after a perimeter threshold, or a defined line has been crossed. A siren with can be activated for an additional layer of deterrence. Together with the siren, pre-recorded messages or voice prompt commands can be sent through the camera’s speaker as a live warning to any intruder or unwanted visitor.
A fantastic TiOC option that can be added to an NVR system is the IP67-rated N83BU82-B outdoor network camera. This camera captures 8MP resolution video at 30 fps. It delivers white LED illumination and night vision up to 98'. Additional features include a 2.8mm fixed lens, two-way audio, ONVIF compliance for interoperability with other surveillance devices, and an integrated heater.
Brinno EMPOWER TLC2020-H Time-Lapse Camera
While it may not be required for security purposes, time-lapse video is critical for documenting long-term outdoor projects. From construction jobs to gardening, seeing the progress (or regress) made over time is necessary.
Most of us are familiar with shorter duration time-lapse video like sunrises and sunsets, but time-lapse video can be applied to longer projects like the evolution of a construction job, home renovations, growth of the plants and flowers in a garden, decomposition of fruits and other foods, or any project where visible changes occur over a prolonged period of time. It’s a type of surveillance that is often forgotten.
One of our favorite time-lapse cameras is the Brinno EMPOWER TLC2020-H. The EMPOWER comes with the TLC2020 time-lapse camera, a waterproof housing, and bungee cords. The camera records 1080p video from a 118-degree angle of view. It features a 2.8mm fixed lens, a 2” TFT LCD screen, HDR and night mode support, a flexible interval and schedule setup, and a daily timer setting.
Speco Technologies ZIP16N1 NVR Kit
Finally, there’s the traditional network video recorder (NVR) kit. A network video recorder and some network cameras are the most conventional way to implement a surveillance solution if you need coverage across multiple areas, points of entry, and vantage points. It’s necessary for larger properties and businesses. This option is not the most cost-effective, but larger applications mean more devices which obviously require a larger financial investment.
A great choice is the ZIPK16N1 16-Channel NVR kit from Speco Technologies. The kit includes a 16-channel NVR and 12 5MP turret cameras. The NVR can manage and record footage from up to 16 cameras. It has two HDD slots that each support an HDD up to 10TB, for a maximum capacity of 20TB. 4TB of storage is preinstalled.
The bundled dozen cameras capture 5MP resolution video. They have a 2.8mm fixed lens and are IP66 rated for outdoor use.
If you have any questions or comments about video surveillance products, please drop us a line down below. We’ll do our best to answer all of your comments and questions.
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