Here’s the full version of our June newsletter
Security Cameras – Why hard wired camera systems are better
There has been a lot written about the ease and convenience of setting up wireless camera systems and the popularity has led to many different brands popping up and there are so many online videos to show you how to do it, especially from the USA where online product evaluation, unboxing and installation videos have become big business for the presenters.
So, if they are as good as they seem online, why do professional, licensed security camera installers cringe when you ask them to do wireless camera installations and does this matter to you?
Well, I can’t speak for all installers, but speaking for myself and my team, as well as the many professional installers I have worked with over the last 20 years, I can say that there are some very, very good reasons why we prefer wired over wireless and in fact we won’t do wireless installs.
Let me clarify that I am not saying there isn’t a place for wireless cameras for temporary and non-critical applications and the technology continues to improve, but right at this moment there are some key points you need to understand so you can evaluate for yourself.
1. Security cameras are supposed to be a 24/7 monitoring and recording device and it should work and continue to work for years with little maintenance (like cleaning the lens periodically, removing cobwebs, etc.) Wireless battery-operated systems require continual frequent charging and reconnecting, which becomes so painful that after a while many get switched off and left off.
2. A Security camera system may work for months and months recording nothing of interest or concern until the day (or night) something actually happens and you need the footage – so it ideally needs to be run with 240v power and a backup battery (UPS)
I have had so many clients who have set up long life battery powered wireless cameras that worked beautifully at the start, only to discover that in 2 months times when something happened, the camera was flat or the wireless link had dropped out and as a result – no recorded footage.
3. Wired security camera links cannot be easily hacked and they definitely can’t be jammed (like you see in the movies) It is not impossible to hack into the recorder itself, as it is on the net, but in the 20 years that I have been doing Security, this has never happened to any of my customers or anyone I know in the industry where a recorder has been installed. They are very secure, and the wired link is reliable.
The wireless cameras use wireless frequencies that are common, known and used for many other services and they can a) be jammed, b) be accessed through your wifi (hacking into home and business Wifi is very easy and quite common – there are apps that can do this!)
4. Wired Security Cameras can be set to happily record at higher definitions so that on playback and zooming in you have so much more detail. Whereas with wireless cameras the resolution is lowered to reduce the load on the Wifi network (it really can slow your Wifi down to a crawl if streaming 4 HD cameras for example)
5. Wired Security cameras go to a local, high capacity, 1 – 3TB recorder, which while you can access it remotely from your phone, the data is recorded and kept at your place and you control it. This avoids the problems associated with wireless cloud based systems that charge ongoing monthly data storage fees and wipes the data frequently, some as short as 7 days.
6. Lastly, more to do with professional installation, is the setup of the cameras themselves; angle, lighting, cross coverage, correct location, as well as the correct set up of the recording and detection system. (I have seen many DIY systems that record all the time, so you use huge amounts of data, but you also can’t search and find any events because there is just a continuous unbroken line of recording instead of proper stop start detection recording that helps you find where something happened) If you have ever had to scroll through 2 hours of continuous footage to find just one minute of activity you will understand the value of a correctly set up recorder!
Note: Sometimes, due to physical limitations for cable access we will use a wireless camera in conjunction with a fully wired system, as long as we can get permanent power to the camera, but only in the rarest of circumstances.
I hope I have helped you understand some of the main reasons why we do wired camera systems and why we recommend it to our clients. If you would like some advice or an estimate on setting up a professional security camera system for home or work that is tailored to your needs then give us a call. We would love to put our experience to good use for you!
TV Channel changes Alert !
As of 19 July 2023 the WIN Channel 8 and 9GO on Channel 82 transmission method will be upgraded from MPEG2 to MPEG4 making High Definition channels just in time for the Ashes cricket series! and as a result many of the older Digital TV’s and Recorders will no longer be able to receive this channel. We believe this change will also occur to WIN GEM on Channel 81 around the same time.
How will you know? When you go to the channel after the 19th of July you will get either a black screen or a black screen with an “Audio Only” message on it. Read more….
Most of the newer TV’s will simply update the new channel automatically so you won’t even know there has been a change. Some of the new TV’s will lose the channel and then you have to do a rescan to get it to update. A word of caution about doing a retune – It best to do this as a manual tune in if you can as sometimes doing an autotune can muck up your other channels.
The channel numbers affected are – local channels WIN Channel 8, Win Channel GO (82) and WIN Channel GEM (81)
Channel 7 local are also reportedly upgrading their remaining channels to MPEG 4 HD this year but we don’t have exact dates.
So if it looks like it is time to either upgrade the TV but that is out of the budget, then an inexpensive new HD set top box can be installed with your existing TV.
If you need help with this then give us a call and we can get you sorted with a minimum of fuss.
Latest Starlink Satellite internet news for homes, business and travelers
Well, Starlink is definitely the talk of the town as far as solving internet problems for travelers and for anyone rural or semi-rural. It is also a solution for those Sunshine Coast locations that get poor NBN speeds or unreliable NBN. Every person I have spoken to who has switched to Starlink has been impressed with the speed and reliability. So here is a quick update on Starlink.
There is a lot of Starlink news and after market products coming through so this month I have picked out some of the key ones for you. PLEASE NOTE we do not sell Starlink but we do install it!
1. Home and home office Starlink – the monthly cost remains $139 and the equipment is $599 plus shipping with speeds from 90 to 250 Mbps
2. Installations costs for Starlink start at $550 but can vary greatly depending on the design of the home and cable access.
3. Business Starlink costs start at A$374 per month with a one-time hardware cost of A$3,740.
4. Travelers Roam Starlink is $174 per month with a one-time hardware cost of $599 plus shipping with speeds from 90 to 250 Mbps
5. Mobility in Motion Starlink is $399 per month with a one-time hardware cost of A$3,740.
6. From Space Tek (Australia) there are a number of accessories for travelers including:
• an adaptor box so you can change from the Starlink cable fitting to normal data connector without cutting the cable. starlink-ethernet-adapter-official
• A carbon fibre pole and clip locking mount that fits to the side of the van for the Starlink dish to mount to. carbon-fibre-telescopic-rv-mount-for-starlink-gen-2
• A simple roof mountable mounting block that you can plug in and remove your Starlink dish from. (not yet on website as under evaluation)
• A flat mount kit that can have your Starlink dish fitted into, to permanently mount the dish on the roof of your van. (not yet on website as under evaluation)
• Weatherproof wall access plates so you can easily plug and unplug your Starlink cable with adaptor into the van when you set up. starlink-parts-and-accessories and weather-resistant-cable-access-bung-portal-for-starlink-cable
These are just some of the most relevant items and we will keep you updated as we find them.
We hope you found this helpful. If you need your Starlink system installed for your home or office then give us a call.
Stay tuned for our upcoming promotions and exclusive offers as we enter the summer season. We’re dedicated to providing you with the best antenna services and keeping you informed about industry updates and tips to enhance your television viewing experience.
For any antenna maintenance, repairs, or storm-related concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. We’re here to ensure that you stay connected and stay safe.
Phil and the Sunshine Antenna Service Team