You need to engage in electronic warfare to counter threats to your security.  Catching an intruder on camera can provide evidence in court.  A video record also provides intelligent data mining and information retrieval if you want to know exactly what happened in any place or situation you want to monitor.

Originally, video surveillance was done using closed circuit television.  This technology uses analog video cameras, coaxial cable and video tape recorders.  The cameras transmit a signal to a specific, limited set of monitors.  CCTV systems typically involve a fixed communications link between cameras and monitors, using wires and cables.  This method records what is happening, but does not send you alerts.  CCTV works like a VCR, you have to change cassettes, image quality is average, storage tapes wear out over time, and storage is bulky.  Also, the cameras, monitors, and recorders must be physically close enough together to be connected by cables.

A web camera is connected to the PC, most often via a USB port, and uses the PC to make video available to other viewers.  Images from a web camera can be accessed over the Internet with the help of monitoring software.  Web camera images can be uploaded to a web server, either continuously or at regular intervals.

With the Internet revolution, there have been great strides in video surveillance.  IP cameras are stand-alone devices that connect to your Ethernet or wireless network.  An IP camera acts like a computer on a network, allowing you to view its video feed from anywhere in your network or over the Internet.  You can monitor multiple cameras at multiple locations from one remote site.  The digital picture quality is superior to analog.  Recordings are highly compressed for easier storage

Let's look at the benefits of an IP camera over CCTV.

• Live Remote Monitoring: For a company with operations in geographically dispersed locations, monitoring multiple locations becomes easy and economical with IP cameras.  The camera doesn't need to be connected to a PC.  You can view the camera images from any place that has an Internet connection.  All you need is a PC with access to the Internet to view all the activity live.

• Motion Detection and Alarms: When IP cameras are used with motion detection software such as Webcam Monitor or Security Monitor Pro, you will be informed and alerted instantly when motion is detected.  They trigger sound alarms, sends SMS and e-mail alerts when motion is detected, allow you to view cameras remotely, and much more.

• Better View and Control:  Some IP cameras have features like Pan, Tilt and Zoom (PTZ).  You can control the camera remotely, adjusting the focus, angle, and field of view without being actually present at the camera site.  You can track and zoom to reveal more about the exact person, place or thing you are concerned about.

Even IP cameras that may not be listed here may work with Security Monitor Pro.  The program will work with most cameras that stream MJPEG over HTTP.  It's easy to find out whether your camera is compatible.  Security Monitor Pro can search the network for IP cameras, and detect compatible ones and install them automatically.  You can download the free trial version of Security Monitor Pro and test it with no risk.