The Basics of a High-Quality Home Surveillance System

As Encore Audio Video’s Clark von Trotha and Jeff Grove told the host of Northwest Business radio show on a recent podcast episode: they never intended to get into home surveillance. But as they received more and more inquiries about surveillance cameras, they realized it was a solution their Portland, OR, customers wanted.

So Grove and von Trotha set out to design and install home surveillance systems that would empower people to have 24/7 visual access to everything going on in and around their homes. Keep reading to learn what they want you to know — or listen to the home surveillance podcast episode for yourself!

SEE ALSO: 3 Ways Smart Automation Makes Home Security More Effective

A Hardwired System Is More Reliable and Secure

Most surveillance systems from big-box stores transfer footage over your home’s Wi-Fi. But a Wi-Fi enabled solution is less reliable and less secure than a hardwired system installed by Encore Audio Video. Wi-Fi cameras are more prone to glitchy or spotty video quality, depending on your network’s stability, and they’re more easily hacked.

Hardwiring eliminates communication and security issues. Wi-Fi enabled cameras are often plagued with latency issues — a delay in data transmission that causes video lags and jumps in motion. Hardwired systems aren’t affected by bandwidth or signal fluctuations, meaning they deliver reliable, consistent video quality without latency. Additionally, hardwired systems are much less susceptible to hacking.

Integrate Surveillance With Home Automation for More Benefits

Integrating surveillance with your home automation system expands the ways you can use your surveillance cameras. For one thing, access and control are simplified — you can pull up your cameras, watch footage and make changes from the same interface (like a touchscreen or mobile phone app) that you use for your audio/video, climate, lighting and security devices. And you can receive alerts straight to your mobile phone when a camera detects motion or an event.

What if you’re not home when your surveillance camera alerts you that someone is on your property? First, you should call the authorities right away. But you can also use your home automation system to turn on outdoor or indoor lights, or a TV, to scare an intruder away. The biggest deterrence to burglars is creating the illusion that someone is home.

For the Highest Quality System, Turn to the Professionals

For a surveillance system that makes you feel safe and secure at home and away, working with a professional like Encore Audio Video is the way to go. All our home surveillance systems are hardwired for reliability and security. We only work with cameras that have HD video quality or higher and excellent focal range — some can pick up details from up to 30 feet away. Additionally, most of the cameras we work with are designed for full day and night use, with good night vision to pick up prowlers after dark. We also have a selection of 360° cameras that can monitor your entire porch or deck outside.

Encore Audio Video is here to answer any questions you have about home surveillance and help you find the right system to meet your needs. Call us at 503-224-9400 or fill out a contact form to set up a consultation.