Situational awareness is a subject that’s discussed constantly in the self-defense community, and rightly so. If you’re unaware of an impending threat, you’ll be unprepared to deal with it. However, modern-day awareness should go beyond your human senses. No matter how many cans of Red Bull you consume, you can’t be fully alert 24/7. Nor can you be in multiple places at once, see clearly in total darkness, or instantly and reliably detect the slightest hint of movement after watching a static scene for hours. Security camera systems can meet all these needs, effectively amplifying your awareness in and around your most valued environment — your home.
While it’s easy to make a phone call and have a company send technicians to your house to install an array of cameras, it’s certainly not the most cost-effective option, and ceding this responsibility to a third party might leave you unaware of gaping holes in your system (or in rarer cases, deliberate backdoors). It also means you’re more likely to be reliant on outside assistance to repair any faults or conduct maintenance. Fortunately, it’s not difficult to assemble a do-it-yourself system that meets your family’s needs and doesn’t break the bank. In this article, we’ll take a look at some important characteristics of a DIY security camera setup and some noteworthy offerings in each
