While I have owned and reviewed quite a few outdoor IP cameras and pan-tilt indoor cameras regular readers will note that my DIY CCTV system does not include a Pan-Tilt-Zoom (PTZ) camera. I have even got a few emails asking me why I don't write much about PTZ cameras. This was not deliberate, I ...

Hikvision and Dahua are two of the most popular IP camera brands among DIY enthusiasts. I am personally a Hikvision fan and all my cameras are Hiks, but that's more due to my ignorance when I first got into DIY CCTV. Whenever I saw recommendations being made online, it often went like this: "Avoid ...

There's been an explosion of hidden cameras in recent years, with cameras now available in nearly every shape and form you can image. Everyday stuff such as clocks, desk alarms, computer speakers, power plugs, even kids toys have been discreetly turned into high-tech high resolution spy cameras. ...

It's all well and good being able to monitor motion and temperatures changes around your house, but your home truly becomes a smart home only when it can then respond to those changes. This can be done by controlling lights, home appliances and other security gadgets in your home. After I got my ...

This article by William Wetzel was the best entry in the 2017 VueVille Future Technology Scholarship winning $1000 towards his college education. Looking at the most ubiquitous IoT device, there are 204 million smart phones in use in the United States((Anderson, M. (2015, October 19). ...

As my baby son suffers from a mild case of dry skin, we need to ensure the environment in his nursery is always at optimum levels. The main factor that I need to monitor and control is the humidity. That's where the Aeon Labs Aeotec Multisensor 6 comes in. You can use the Multisensor 6 with ...

I have always wanted a smart home. Even back when I was a kid, I dreamt about being able to just say things and then have it happen. A bit like Knight Rider, but with my house. Thanks to the rapid advancement of technology resulting in amazing gadgets like the Vera Plus, that dream is now coming ...

When I started using my NAS as my DIY NVR, it was more of an experiment than anything. Here I had a NAS that I primarily purchased for backing up all our devices and media serving, but which could also serve as an NVR. So why not try that before buying a dedicated NVR like a Hikvision? But over ...

There used to be a time when a professionally installed home security camera system was the only option for most of us. But in 2017 we live in the golden age for DIY enthusiasts. Why pay a 'professional' when you can select, buy and build your build your own home security camera system for far less ...

If you have outdoor security cameras with night vision, you must have come across this pesky problem. Lovely, beautiful (yeah, right) spider webs right in front of your cameras lens obscuring the whole view! Add in a little breeze and you have the perfect storm - spider webs setting off false ...