Thirty years ago hidden cameras were for government agencies, large corporate
businesses, and a few exotic millionaires who could afford them.
Today, surveillance equipment is affordable and available to just about
anyone who wants it. Over the years, surveillance cameras have become smaller
and more affordable and contrary to popular belief, hidden cameras are not
exotic luxuries, available to only a privileged few.
Small businesses and retail stores can tape employees and customers overtly
or covertly to counter theft, violence, vandalism or sabotage.
And homeowners can now afford to keep an eye on their homes or even vacation
property while they're away.
Many businesses will place surveillance cameras in plain view to deter
criminal activity, but this article is more about hidden cameras.
A hidden camera is a video camera used to film people without their
knowledge. They are small enough to be placed in plain view without anyone even
noticing that they are there. Hidden cameras have become very popular for
household surveillance, because they can be built into common household objects
such as smoke detectors, clocks, table lamps, radios, plants, etc. In fact
surveillance cameras can be built right in to just about any household item you
can think of, so they will blend flawlessly into your d辿cor while monitoring
everything in the room.
Nanny cams are becoming more popular every day for good reason. It would be
nice to think that you can trust a baby sitter with your most precious of all
things (your children) while you're away, but that's not always the case, and
for a few hundred dollars you can see exactly what's going on and either confirm
your suspicions or put your mind at ease once and for all. Many hidden
surveillance systems can even allow you to view what the camera is seeing in
real time, right over the internet from anywhere in the world.
A hidden camera can be wired or wireless. The wired cameras are connected to
a TV, VCR, or DVR, whereas a wireless surveillance camera can be used to
transmit a video signal to a receiver up to mile away
For mobile-covert surveillance, hidden cameras can even be disguised as
clothing such as a necktie, ball cap or even a button on your shirt. Miniature
DVD recorders that are small enough to fit in your pocket can record everything
the hidden camera sees for later viewing, or with a wireless receiver, you can
transmit the video to a remote location where someone else can be viewing and
recording in real time.
Hidden cameras may also be used commercially as security cameras, although
most businesses would prefer to use visible cameras that can help to deter crime
as well as record it.
