When you are in the market for a surveillance system, knowing which cameras you need can be quite perplexing. When you talk to dealers, they tend to throw security industry buzz words around like confetti, PTZ this, Megapixel that, bullets, domes, DVR, Wah wah woh wah wah, Varifocal! Why is Charlie Brown’s teacher selling me security cameras? If you are one of the uninitiated, you most likely feel the same way. So in an effort to help you gain some understanding about surveillance cameras, we are starting a series of articles called surveillance cameras for beginners. So let’s get started. Please feel free to comment or ask questions; any experts reading this, please feel free to share your wisdom with us.

We’ll start off with Questions to ask yourself before you start shopping for surveillance cameras.

1) Application

What is the intended purpose of your surveillance system?

*Recording and Storing video, Monitoring one room or multiple rooms, Monitoring Entry doors or all access points

2) Indoor or Outdoor

Will your cameras be used indoors or outdoors?

*If outdoors, cameras need housing and enclosures to protect them from environmental conditions, such heat, cold, humidity, glare, rain, and snow.

3) Fixed Lens or Zoom Lens

Do you need to be able to zoom in and out of a scene?

4) Fixed Mount or PTZ (Point-Tilt-Zoom)

How important is it for you to be able to move the camera up, down, or side to side?

5) Real-time or Later Viewing

Do you want to be able to view video images as they happen or is storing images for later preferable?

6) Resolution

Do you just need an overall view or do you need to see details? This will help determine whether you should go Analog or Megapixel.

7) Local Viewing or Remote Viewing

Do you want to be able to monitor your cameras from anywhere?

Asking yourself these questions before you start shopping around for surveillance cameras will help get you thinking about what you really want and need in a surveillance system. Check back with us for Pt.2 of the Surveillance Cameras for Beginners series.

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In 1943, Abraham Maslow proposed the human pyramid of needs. The interesting thing about these needs is that, with the exception of your physiological needs (food, water, etc), your body will not give a physical response in the absence of higher level needs, other than being anxious or nervous.

One definition of the word “security” literally means freedom from anxiety or fear. It got us thinking, “Why feel anxious or live in fear? Everyone should feel safe and secure, and have peace of mind.”

The Basic Needs of Security

Safety and security are pretty basic needs when you really think about it but often overlooked. For example, a few weekends ago I woke up craving a burger (level 1 needs), so my boyfriend (level 3) and I set out to find the most perfect burger in Chicago. Later that day, I was scheduled to shoot a photo shoot for a theater company (level 4 and 5 needs). When I returned home and eventually went to bed, guess what? I had forgotten to lock my front door (level 2 skipped over). It dawned on me as I lied in bed that something wasn’t right. My level 2 internal alarm bell was ringing, and I immediately got out of bed to check my front door.

Safety and security, as a basic need, are easy to overlook. Security means to be free from danger, but to be free from danger, we must take necessary precautions to protect ourselves. Before we skip over to our self actualization, make sure the front door is locked.

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The frightening facts:

1. The lock bumping technique can be used to open 90% of American homes. This is because most homes use an old-style cylinder lock. Additionally, when a lock bumping key is used to break in, there is no sign of a forced entry or damage to the lock. This lack of evidence makes insurance companies very leery about paying for the claim. Furthermore, you could lose everything and not get compensated.
2. Anyone can make bump keys in 5 minutes or less. Hence, children as young as ten have been caught.
3. Safety experts say it’s time to change. Additionally, they are clear about this new digital home security threat. Its time to update your home protection!

Click here to watch a demonstration of this technique.

What can you do to protect your home?

Update your locks  to a high security residential deadbolt.

Features and Benefits

1. A bolt mechanism accommodates both mortise and drive-in applications. This design provides greater flexibility and ease of installation.
2. Steel shroud protects against “ice pick” type attacks. Avoid other items. Additionally, use high security strike plates. They have a special box design with 2 screws that anchor the strike directly to the building structure behind the frame. Furthermore, these will prevent kick-in type attacks.
3. A hardened steel bolt is surrounded by a heavy-gauge tubular steel so it houses maximum resistance to crowbar attacks.
4. A solid brass design is secured with high-tensile steel mounting bolts. Therefore, it has maximum resistance against hammer and prying attacks.
5. Elevate and rotate pin tumbler design. It has false slots on the bottom pins, mushroom top pins, and a sidebar mechanism together provide superior pick resistance.

Take action now! Protect your home from the lock bumping attack its easy and relatively inexpensive.

Learn more at www.lockbumping.com

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We all agree it takes more time and money to obtain a new client than to satisfy a current customer. When a company looses a client, they lose approximately $33.00 for every dollar the client was paying. You would think that at this price CS would be off the charts, but it’s not.

One reason is many business models are based on volume. This occurs where the focus is catching more fish will cover for those that die, which may look good on paper, but has catastrophic repercussions. Unfortunately, this far telling fact only reveals itself after a problem exists.

VinTech grows its business with customer referrals. That puts a greater responsibility on us, as a company, to fulfill the concerns of security, not only for the referral, but the client recommending us. Give us call today at 773-388-1208 and find out why customers recommend us.

You can also read our reviews on Google.

The post Good or Great Customer Service. VinTech Reviews! appeared first on VinTech Systems.

21 Things A Burglar Won’t Tell You

1. Sometimes, I carry a clipboard. Sometimes, I dress like a lawn guy and carry a rake. I do my best to never, ever look like a crook.

2. The two things I hate most: loud dogs and nosy neighbors.

3. I’ll break a window to get in even if it makes a little noise. If your neighbor hears a loud sound, he’ll stop what he’s doing and wait to hear it again. Nonetheless, when he doesn’t hear it again, he’ll just go back to what he was doing. It’s human nature.

4. Why would you pay all that money for a fancy alarm system and leave your house without arming it?

5. I love looking through your windows. I’m looking for signs that you’re home, and for flat screen TV or gaming systems I’d like. Usually, I drive or walk through your neighborhood at night before you close the blinds. That’s how I pick my targets.

6. Avoid announcing your vacation on your Facebook page. It’s easier than you think to look up your address.

Did you Leave your Door Open?

7. To you, leaving that window open just a crack during the day is a way to let in fresh air. To me, it’s an invitation.

8. If you don’t answer when I knock, I try to open the door. Occasionally, I hit the jackpot and just walk right in.

9. Of course I look familiar. I was just here last week cleaning your carpets, painting your shutters, or delivering your refrigerator.

10. Hey, thanks for letting me use the bathroom when I was working in your yard last week. While I was in there, I unlatched the back window to make my return a little easier.

11. Love those flowers. That tells me you have taste, and taste means there are nice things inside. Those yard toys your kids leave out always make me wonder what type of gaming system they have.

12. Yes, I really do look for newspapers piled up on the driveway, and I might leave a pizza flyer in your front door to see how long it takes for you to remove it.

13. If it snows while you are out of town, get a neighbor to create a car and foot tracks into the house. Virgin drifts in the driveway are a dead giveaway.

14. When decorative glass is part of your front entrance, don’t let your alarm company install the control pad where I can see it. That makes it too easy.

Do you Have a Security System?

15. A good security company alarms the window over the sink. And the windows on the second floor, which often access the master bedroom and your jewelry. It’s not a bad idea to put motion detectors up there too.

16. It’s raining, you’re fumbling with your umbrella, and you forget to lock your door- understandable. But understand this: I don’t take a day off because of bad weather.

17. I always knock first. If you answer, I’ll ask for directions somewhere or offer to clean your gutters. Don’t take me up on it!

18. Do you really think I won’t look in your sock drawer? I always check dresser drawers, the bedside table, and the medicine cabinet.

19. Helpful hint: I almost never go into the kid’s rooms.

20. You’re right. I won’t have enough time to break into that safe where you keep your valuables. But if it’s not bolted down, I’ll take it with me.

21. A loud TV or radio can be a great deterrent. If you’re reluctant to leave your TV on while you’re out of town, you can buy a device that works on a timer and simulates the flickering glow. You can find these at www.faketv.com.

So how do they do it? What neighborhoods do they target? 

All burglars preferred upper and middle class homes. The “yuppie” neighborhoods. They would target homes by knocking on the front door. When there was no response, they entered through an unlocked window or door. Others use the basement, sliding glass doors, and even window AC units locations.

All four of the burglars claimed the master bedroom to be their favorite room. They check closets, woman’s lingerie drawers, and under the mattress for cash and jewelry. Furthermore, they know all about those secret hiding spots people have, like a tin in the closet. A surprising hot spot is the junk drawer in the kitchen. This is because typically, it becomes a storage drawer for a lot of your information like your checkbook, inactive credit cards, etc.

How do they sell/get rid of YOUR stuff?

The burglars typically would just carry stuff our or even load up your own car. Keys can sometimes be found in the house. Additionally, they could have already entered your house by using your garage keyfob after breaking into your car.

They bring your stolen goods to a “fence man”. This person trades in the stolen items. Nonetheless, they rarely use pawn shops.

How can you protect yourself?

The more layers of protection you have, the better. Burglars rather get things easy so setting up multiple deterrents works. Therefore, you can include lighting, an intrusion alarm, a privacy fence, a loud dog, etc.

One of the most beneficial things you can do to protect your home is to communicate with your neighbors. In every case with these burglars, they were caught by a concerned neighbor who later called the police or identified them.

Don’t forget to set your alarm. More often than not, people have a security alarm, and do not use it.

Will your dog protect you?

Maybe. Some burglars claimed that most dogs were just happy to see someone at home. On the other hand, they have no problem killing a dog that tries to attack them. Dogs are more useful for alerting a neighbor something is amiss.

Above all, take simple precautions like locking your doors, closing your blinds, and setting your intrusion alarm.

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