Turn your home computer into a surveillance system

A great way to protect your home is to install security cameras. However, a multi surveillance system with recording, night vision and professional installation can easily run upwards of one thousand dollars or more. A relatively inexpensive option is to use your home computer or parts as the central point of the home based surveillance system.

Computer

If your home computer was purchased in the last 5 years or so, then it is probably a good candidate. A Multi Channel Digital Video Recorder (DVR) PCI Card is the main component that you would need to add to your computer. The minimum specifications for a computer candidate would be 500MB of RAM (memory), 60 GB or more hard disk space (memory video recording), 1 GHz processor, video card (with 32 MB or more video memory) and one PCI slot Available.

PCI DVR Card

A DVR PCI card can be purchased at most consumer electronics retailers online like Amazon, Newegg, Tiger Direct or even eBay. Which card you choose depends on the characteristics and functions of your willing to pay for -. A basic 4-channel card, supports up to 4 cameras, usually costs less than one hundred dollars.

Camera Selection

There is a wide variety of quality consumer cameras at low cost on the market today. Select the cameras to suit your needs -. If you plan to install cameras outside then consider the elements, in color or black and white with night vision capability with infrared light. If the installation of cameras in the house, you might consider the cameras ability to capture audio -. Security cameras also come in flavors wired and wireless. If you're going with wired sure you have enough length of cable from the computer to the mount point -. You must also consider the power. The cheaper cameras-have the power and video wiring integrated into a single cable to the camera. The power source usually connect to a cable break at the end of the output video output (at the end that connects to the DVR card). Make sure the card PCI DVR and cameras both use the same style and video connectors that match. The most common connector for home use is the style RCA. The camera-video-end output is usually while the male RCA DVR PCI Card has RCA female.

Installation

Mount cameras outside or inside and wire it back to your PC. Make sure you have more outlets for the camera, if necessary -. If you can remove the computer cover, then most likely you can automatically install a Digital Video Recorder PCI card. In some cases you will need a Phillips screwdriver to remove the PCI slot cover -. Locate a PCI slot, and insert the card. With the DVR PCI card installed use the same screw to secure the card (some computers may have a bracket or some type of pressure clips instead of screws). Replace the lid, connect the cameras and lighting. Install the DVR software to capture and playback, test your cameras and start recording. - ......