Gang, I've just finished a full product review on the CV0204DVR by SVAT. This is a pretty sweet system for under $600 dollars.

The system comes with 4 cameras that can see up to 15 feet in complete darkness. Plus you can access your cameras or the DVR recordings over the internet at anytime.

SVAT has also made this system RoHs compliant. This means they have made an effort to reduce the hazardous material in the making of the equipment, great for you and I and great for the planet.

Click this link to read the full review - CV0204DVR Review

We all know what a dummy security camera is, it is a security camera that is made to look just like its real counterpart but which actually is not able to record anything at all. There are both advantages and disadvantages to using a dummy security camera, all of which you should be well aware of before you go ahead and buy one to use inside or outside of your own home or office.

Advantages

One of the most major advantages to choosing a dummy security camera is that you will not have to spend nearly as much money as you will if you go for the real thing. Dummy security cameras basically max out at $30 tops, while real time security cameras can cost up to hundreds of dollars. So not only are you able to save more to begin with, but you also are freer to get more cameras, so that you can give the idea that more of your home is safeguarded.

Dummy security cameras are especially great to use if you mix them in with a few real life models, so that in case any would be thugs are somehow able to determine that a few of the cameras are fake, they will automatically assume that they are all and therefore are more likely to get caught on the actual cameras and therefore make it easier for you to have proof and report and identify them to the police.

Disadvantages

There are also many disadvantages to using a dummy security camera as well however, such as the fact that they are often very easy to spot. Especially for the experienced criminal, spotting a dummy security camera is a very easy feat, especially if it is a particularly cheap model.

As well, dummy cameras really do nothing but provide a false sense of security, as if your residence or business were to actually get broken into, you would have no form of proof and no way of finding out who was at fault. One of the biggest components of an effective security system is the active monitoring that it offers, and so without this, you are really at quite a loss.

There is also the important fact that once a dummy security camera has been discovered, criminal activity actually tends to increase even more than what it was before. It is believed that this is because a weakness in your security system has been exploited, and so criminals are only going to be that much more willing to take a chance on the rest of your security system as well.

It wasn't all that many years ago that people would never have considered having a surveillance camera installed in their home. For the most part, people only thought of commercial and government applications of using surveillance cameras, primarily because they were only seen in malls, casinos, large retail stores and public facilities, such as airports. But, technological advancements has made it possible for businesses of all sizes to be able to install video surveillance systems and now they are also becoming more common in home settings as well.

People are motivated to provide secure environments for their loved ones. A security camera can be a deterrent to crime, often stopping a criminal from intruding onto your property or into your home before they have a chance to commit a crime. The last thing a culprit wants is to be caught on tape. If you have posted the fact that you have a home security surveillance system, then no doubt the offender will move on to easier targets.

But in case the criminal is not discouraged by the warnings about your home surveillance camera, or simply can't read the warning sign, then at the very least the cameras will have captured the perpetrator's image on video. And, most all of these security cameras are part of larger burglar alarm systems which will also sound the alarm.

If an intruder is scared off by the burglar alarm, then you will be able to review the video taken by the camera so that you know exactly who has been skulking around your premises. And, of course, you will be able to share that evidence with the authorities so that they can track down the offender.

A security surveillance camera that takes in the view of the street in front of your home can also serve as a good neighborhood deterrent to crime and mischief by errant teens who might be bored and looking for what they think might be harmless fun. There are many situations that can be avoided if the kids in the neighborhood simply are aware that their actions will be caught on tape. It can be a good way to encourage thinking before acting.

Since most people are away from their homes for a good portion of the day, a video surveillance camera can also be very helpful in taping unauthorized people who are coming to, or lingering near your home or property. If your surveillance videos show unknown, suspicious people hanging around your home or neighborhood, then you can alert your neighbors to be observant and also let the local police know so they can send a patrol car through the neighborhood.

No one in a family wants to feel like they are being watched, but a surveillance camera can also come in handy in the home as well. This is especially true if you are dealing with a rebellious teenager who is home alone for periods of time. With a network of unobtrusive video surveillance cameras you can easily see who is coming and going from your home, and when, and you can even check up on things from an internet connection if that is the type of system you have chosen