Jake's Blog Posts
Bill Gucfa, a customer of Supercircuits, shares his story and discusses the advantages of using infrared technology for outdoor surveillance. Read More»
A new report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) confirms that thefts of copper and other metals are occurring all over the nation. The NICB report reviews over 25,000 claims for the theft of copper, bronze, brass, or aluminum that were submitted to ISO ClaimSearch from 2009 to 2011. Of these, 96% concerned copper theft. Read More»
Tom Campbell, a customer of Supercircuits, shares his story about how he uses video cameras to capture and measure asteroids as they eclipse stars. Read More»
Answers to frequently asked questions about the legality of covert audio and hidden video. Read More»
I recommend employing covert video equipment in tandem with traditional security approaches to aid in the apprehension of criminals that leverage the remote nature and natural seclusion of parks. Part 3 of a 3 part blog series. Read More»
Learn how covert video equipment such as video-based devices can help law enforcement agencies to monitor and secure parks and recreational areas. Part 2 of 3 of a 3 part blog series. Read More»
Learn about the correct choices of covert video gear which are designed specifically to meet the field surveillance needs of law enforcement who are tasked with monitoring and securing parks and rec areas. Part 1 of 3 of a 3 part blog series. Read More»
Law enforcement agencies tasked with providing enforcement activities for parks and wildlife refuges have always had a tough job given the vast expanses of land and the tendency for criminals to exploit the natural seclusion. I recommend employing covert video equipment in tandem with traditional security approaches to aid in the apprehension of these criminals. Introduction to a 3 part blog series. Read More»
The simplification of an installation of hidden cameras into a bait car utilized by a law enforcement agency. Read More»
Jake had the opportunity to share some tips with Brian Brinkerhoff of the Backcountry Radio Network for a series of home video security segments. Read More»
As technology advances, so do the techniques that criminals use to steal products, services, cash, and even the identities of retail customers. It is incumbent upon these businesses to have effective security measures in place to protect not only its investment, but also those of its customers. Read More»
As a small business owner in an uncertain economy now is the right time to take security and protection seriously. How do you protect your assets and go about making sure that your company is not just another statistic? Read More»
Infographic showing the history of video security CCTV cameras and their impact on video surveillance. Read More»
Compare the features of some of the most popular Supercircuits dome security cameras. Read More»
Proper setup, maintenance and care for your security system will not only ensure you get maximum life out of the equipment, but also maximum use and value. Read More»
Mike Klassen, a customer of Supercircuits, shares his story and discusses some his personal benefits of owning a bodyworn surveillace system. Read More»
Collin Dimick, a customer of Supercircuits, shares his story and discusses some of the tradeoffs and tough decisions you may have to make when choosing a video surveillance system. Read More»
The flooding has halted the hard drive production of many major manufacturers. In addition, many companies that supply hard drive components are under water, and unlikely to resume operations for the foreseeable future. Read More»
Low light video capability is the number one requested feature from customers of all walks of life, especially from those charged with security, public safety and investigations. Over the past decade, video imagers have vastly improved the ability of agencies to conduct low light surveillance from cameras that work well under the cast of a street light to, more recently, cameras that harness the faint reflections of street light. Read More»
The adoption of IP continues to grow worldwide, and in the video surveillance industry it is predicted that implementation of IP video surveillance will grow over 200% from 2010-2012. To keep up with this growing trend, you are going to need to understand some of the most common terms being used in the industry: Read More»
Having the correct amount of light is vital for capturing useful footage from your video security camera, but light cast in the wrong direction can also render a camera useless. To combat this, Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) video security cameras are employed in situations where there are varying lighting situations. Read More»
SMART IR addresses common challenges found with standard IR cameras by taking the guess work out of setting up IR surveillance cameras. They automatically adjust the infrared light required in a scene as the subject moves closer to or further away from the camera, resulting in a clear image that is not washed out or too dark. Read More»
Nearly every law enforcement agency warns of increased crime during the holidays. To make sure you and your home don't make the next crime report, let's look at what burglars are looking for and how to improve security for the holidays and all year long. Read More»
It's easy to predict that an economic recession will result in a rise in crime. So it comes as no surprise that this prediction is unfortunately coming true. Law enforcement agencies from parts of the country hardest hit by the recession are already reporting increased levels of theft. Read More»
Churches today are no longer sacred but instead are easy targets for property theft, false allegations and violence. These are crimes that can be stopped with a sensible investment in video security equipment. Read More»
Cameras and infrared illuminators are a great duo for covert surveillance. However, there are things you should know before you purchase and deploy. Read More»
Since the introduction of micro video recorders, many new advancements have been developed, making them ideal choices to replace larger recorders typically used for mobile or security applications. Read More»
The 23rd annual retail theft survey by Jack L. Hayes International reports that shoplifters and dishonest employees stole over $7 billion from 23 major US retailers in 2010. These 23 surveyed retailers also apprehended over one million shoplifters and dishonest employees and recovered more than $148 million from them. Read More»
Camera lenses are perhaps the most overlooked component of any surveillance systems, but are without a doubt the most important. With incorrect lenses, the whole system is at minimum not performing to its full potential or capturing useable video footage. To help point you in the right direction, I’ll cover some of the important terms and features about lenses. Read More»
The use of solar power as an alternate power source is getting a lot of attention these days, and rightfully so. Its ability to provide electricity in remote locations where running cable would be overly expensive makes solar power a feasible alternate power source – especially for CCTV and other surveillance applications. Read More»
Learn about the top reasons why you should consider wireless along with some points you should consider before you buy a security system. Read More»
There are a multitude of micro DVRs in the video security market, and each one touts unique features and specifications to set it apart from other micro recorders. This often makes selecting a micro recorder for your application time consuming and frustrating. Below we will address different features and benefits of some of our popular micro recorders. Read More»
The evolution of raid-camera media formats from VHS, to 8mm, and now to new mass media storage formats has driven the cost of securing officers down while, at the same time, delivering a wider range of benefits. Agencies seeking to replace failing UFCs, need to be aware of the benefits and even some pitfalls of these new form factors. Read More»
As a gateway to graver crimes vandalism is the target of many law enforcement organizations to take vandals off the streets and prevent more serious offenses. This is easier said than done, especially as vandals must be caught, not simply discouraged. Read More»
The Bataan Memorial Death March honors the sacrifice of the service men that defended the Philippines during World War II with a challenging 26.2 mile trek through the challenging high desert terrain of the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. Read More»
Schools upgrading existing systems or starting from scratch should consider newer, cellular capable, mobile surveillance technology. This delivers the needed evidence that traditional systems provide along with additional benefits such as real-time, remote monitoring and the ability to provide rapid responses to incidents. Read More»
Digital Noise Reduction (DNR) is a method by which the camera’s imager digitally removes noise from the image. 3D DNR is an advancement of this technology which enables noise to be filtered even more effectively from the image, even in low light conditions. Read More»
Transporting prisoners is always a high risk mission due to the many variables associated with moving prisoners through public areas, highways, and cities with limited support. Thankfully, reliable and affordable technologies exist today that give officers a helping hand and provide them with the back-up they need no matter how far they are from their target destination. Read More»
The chip in your camera is constantly picking up noise (fine static) in your images, especially in low-light modes. DNR technology compensates for this, correcting imperfections in the image by removing a large percentage of this noise. Read More»
A video security system certainly fits with many New Year’s resolutions. Video cameras are not just for local banks, convenience stores, and retail chains anymore. Thanks to easy installation and dramatically lower prices more homeowners are using video surveillance systems to protect their home, and many are discovering unforeseen benefits. Read More»
As a police officer, seeing which crimes are not reported on the news changed my personal security posture from being nearly worry-free to being prepared. Today, it's still my business to know current crime trends in order to counter them through technology. Find out where I obtain this data so that you too can be informed and can take relevant precautions to secure your home. Read More»
Retailers large and small are more vulnerable to retail theft and shoplifting during the holidays. How well do video surveillance systems work in preventing this problem? Read More»
Securing vast expanses with video surveillance while minding the budget and delivering actionable information, can seem like a daunting task. Let's look at three main options for providing effective wide area coverage, and the peripheral devices and physical measures that can be used to enhance each of these. Read More»
All too often, video surveillance footage is useless as evidence due to the poor quality of the image. Consider these 11 tactics in order to ensure your security video is usable when you need it the most. Read More»
Thoughts and commentary on our experience of ASIS 2010, which is one of the largest security trade shows in the world. Read More»
Together, an old tactic and new wear are causing difficulty properly identifying criminal suspects. In recent years, the problem has been easy to recognize thanks to evening news programs all across the country. From banks to convenience stores, criminals have thwarted the purpose of many excellent, high resolution cameras by simply wearing a hoody. Read More»
Did you know that less than 19% of thefts ever result in an arrest?. So, how do business owners turn the odds in their favor? Augment traditional CCTV with covert video equipment — covert surveillance is the single tool that gives YOU the advantage over those crooks, and the power to finally put a stop to your losses. Read More»
IP cameras and recorders offer the latest in security technology but are yet to be widely adopted. Why? Two common reasons are it is too expensive or hard to use. Here are 10 advantages of IP video to make you reconsider this position. Read More»
PTZ video security cameras have many benefits that you may not realize. Besides being able to cover large areas, PTZ video surveillance cameras are able to autonomously track, utilize alarm inputs, capable of powerful zoom magnifications, and much more. Read on as Jake clearly outlines the hidden benefits to PTZ CCTV video cameras. Read More»
Mobile video has long been employed by law enforcement to provide an unbiased account of police interactions. When mounted in plain view – whether on the side of a building, in a store front or on the dashboard of a car – video cameras have a tendency to keep all parties on their best behavior. Read More»
Over the past 20 years, literally thousands of customers have told us: “I can’t understand how I’ve lived without a video security system for so long.” In addition to catching criminals, a well-designed system offers countless benefits that will protect your assets, result in a safer environment, and help you more effectively manage your business or home. Read More»
Infrared with video cameras has been used for decades by the military, law enforcement, aviation and scientific communities. In recent years, there has been explosive growth in use of infrared products by the general public, driven by more affordable price tags, easy-to-use form factors, and designs that meet the needs of nearly any application. What's more, consumers continue to benefit from the many technology advancements paired with tried and true components to produce superb surveillance. Read More»
Today, covert video surveillance systems are available that are specifically designed for urban field surveillance. These systems allow law enforcement professionals to get "eyes-on" without raising red flags and provides an easy way to surveil important leads without having to sideline other active investigations. Covert video systems are available in a variety of undetectable disguises and offer a wide range of advanced features – up to and including real-time wireless world-wide monitoring.
Read More»
With minimal risk of detection, criminal acts are common on both private and public lands. Out of sight and out of mind, criminals will illegally dump trash, dispose of dangerous chemicals, vandalize property, and more. Fortunately, affordable video surveillance technology is giving law enforcement better means and methods to give criminals cause for concern. These off-the-shelf tools are easy to deploy, remain concealed even just feet away from suspects, can alert law enforcement when activity occurs and can remain in operation for days, weeks or longer. Read More»
When thermal imagers arrived on scene they were quickly welcomed but only a handful of agencies could overcome the large dose of sticker shock. Most agencies were fast to recognize the benefits but couldn’t afford the price tag and haven’t revisited the whole idea getting thermal imagers in their arsenal. If you or your agency falls into the latter group…read on, I’ll bring you up to speed with advancements that make thermal useful for nearly every function in law enforcement and debunk a few myths along the way. Read More»
CRTs are on their last leg and superior LCDs have pretty much taken over. So unless you’re going for the retro look, CRTs are out and LCDs are now the way to go even for the needs of security. Read More»
Day/night cameras offer the unique advantages of both color and B&W cameras. D/N cameras work just like color cameras during the day and switch to a black and white mode at night, using a removable IR cut filter. As daylight fades, D/N cameras sense the lower light levels and mechanically remove the IR cut filter, instantly switching to a more sensitive B&W mode. Read More»
Like it or not, your losses from employee
theft are likely to be almost double that from
shoplifters. Some employees and customers will still
be determined to steal. These individuals will look for and often find
ways around your security system.
So to deal effectively with these individuals,
consider adding one or two covert cameras to your
system. Read More»
This year you'll lose 5% of your revenue to
employee theft and
shoplifting according to the recent
National Retail Security Survey.
So if you have $500,000 in
annual sales, that's a $25,000 loss.
But you can avoid losing a big
portion of it by equipping your
store with a state-of-the-art video
security system. Read More»
The latest advancements in H.264 compression technology now deliver the best of both worlds - high quality video and a superb compression ratio. In fact, H.264 compression technology works so well, that many big companies are quickly implementing H.264 technology. Read More»
A good video security system should deter criminals, protect you when you're home, alert you to events, and provide rock solid evidence should something happen. All the while, your system should be easy to install, easy to use and definitely earn you some bragging rights of being able to say, "they picked the wrong place to mess with." Read More»
"Digital" has quickly become the latest buzz word when it comes to audio and video recording. Over the past year, I have had much discussion around digital technology with our law enforcement customers, who are looking to upgrade their interview room systems. Unfortunately, early digital recorders - and even most of today’s brand name recorders - are simply not designed to meet the unique needs of interview rooms. In fact, many early adopters have abandoned their digital upgrades, and are once again dealing with the mile-high stack of VCR tapes. Read More»
For years, when I used the term "PTZ" outside of industry circles, I got a reply of "A PT what?" Due to a hefty price tag, monstrous size and complicated use, PTZ cameras have traditionally been one of the least known types of security cameras to the general public. Today, however, PTZs are fast becoming a popular camera of choice for any application. PTZ cameras can be found at nearly every store front, parking garage, or large business area - and are increasingly used by homeowners to protect their property. As video security becomes more prevalent, many end users are finding out just how PTZ's have long added additional dimensions of security. Read More»
Optimizing your DVR security system should not stop with the selection of your recording device. Here are 10 tips to ensure that you get the most out of the DVR you purchase. Read More»
Many people are coming to the realization that covert video is a strategy that people need to better understand, and use to deliver the most effective security solutions. This blog provides an overview of this topic. Read More»
