Speaking of others watching...
 
There was a news article here a few months ago here they were talking about a robber being caught by a neighbors security cameras. They then went on to describe a new program where you could register your system with the police so they could get instant access to your cameras.
 
Within the context, and at first blush, it seemed kinda reasonable and perhaps a good idea. But geez, talk about inviting in big brother to crash on the couch.

Robbers came by but, when they found I had nothing worth stealing, they took my security cameras... 

SO... I haven't read the other threads since page one....
 
But I see where you're thinking about a camera system of sorts.
 
The cheap way to go is with deer or trail cameras.  Hide and secure a few in strategic locations and you can record pics as well as video clips day or night.
 
A more professional way to go is using a CCTV system with a DVR or NVR recording to a hard drive. Some record to the cloud off site.  Some even have "in camera" storage as well as dumping the video stream to the DVR/NVR.   So the perp thinks they got the evidence by swiping the recorder....? Think again buddy, we have the camera memory chips. 
 
This allows you to record motion events and there is no delay or reset of 10 seconds from one to the next video clip. The systems I install  record all the time but dump the video about 30 seconds after it's recorded if there is no motion in the frame. When motion is detected, the system starts "Saving" the video 15 seconds before the motion event on it's time line and records through the end of the motion plus an additional 15 to 30 seconds after the motion has stopped. 
 
As with most things... you can buy consumer grade gear that works fairly well from many online stores. It's generally plug and play and in many cases wireless for easy installation. The expected lifetime of that gear is a year or two.   Professional security dealers tend to not sell and install that kind of gear. We install and service professional quality gear which also tends to give better resolution of the pictures and much longer lifetime performance. I have cameras in customer's businesses that are still working well after 10 years.... some longer than that.
 
I have several residential customers who have asked for and installed professional recording cameras and DVR's in and around their homes. It isn't cheap but it's what they wanted and it has lasted for a very long time giving them quality video to use when things happen that they need to look back at.  We input the video to one of their unused video inputs on their wide screens and also have a small 19" monitor for them to use.
 
There's a number of really nice, and affordable options if you do some research.  
 
Edit:  one last note.... even if the cameras say they have infrared "night vision" .... be sure you have plenty of light from spotlights or yard lights.  For a camera, you can rarely have enough light to make it happy.  You can have the lights on a motion detector or let them run all night on a photocell, but the cameras need light. 

Guitarhacker
 
 
I have several residential customers

What should a person look for in a professional security system installation company?

Beagle
Or actually burgled is a more appropriate term!
 
Guess I did not heed Dave's advice!  I was reading his story as it unfolded and all the crap he had to go through...and all the time thinking "yeah, I need to install security cameras and yeah, I need to record my serial numbers on my equipment..."
 
lazy arse didn't do it tho!
 
we left about 5:30pm to go to a movie (Independence Day Resurrection) and after we got out, we went to meet family in a parking lot on a hill overlooking the city for fireworks.  after the fireworks, we got home about 11pm to notice there were lights on in the house and we didn't think we left lights on in the house!
 
they damaged more than they stole, but it really could have been MUCH worse than it was!  they threw a rock through a back window and literally picked up our 55" TV and just dragged it and all the cords ripping them out of walls and sockets and connections to the DVD player and stereo system - ripping plaster from the ethernet and cable connections!
 
found my DAW on it's side and my monitors laying face down in the hallway where they dragged them and finally dropped them.
 
all of our bedroom drawers were gone through.  they left my 2 class rings (which are worth a little, I would think) and left my Social Security card lying on the floor, didn't even go into my wife's closet where her jewelry is.
 
My acoustic guitar was laying in the living room floor, face down, but otherwise unharmed.
 
but they did steal ONE of my keyboards and left the other 4 alone!  I had one of them in a gig bag standing up in the hallway next to my studio room and they didn't touch it!  it's the one I take to church every week to gig with!  but my 88 key weighted Casio stage piano (cost me $750!) they stole!  they did NOT take my Hammond Organ!!!!  of course it weighs 50 pounds, but they didn't even try!  it's still undisturbed sitting on the keyboard stand in my studio!
 
they stole my vocal mic I've had for years and they don't make any more of them!  Shure KSM-44.  That's probably what I'll miss the most!
 
not sure of anything else - but I had a lot of gear in my studio that they left behind and didn't even touch.  a p-solo preamp, a roland duo-capture, a MOTU MKIII Ultralite, two mackie mixers, a keyboard amp, several rack pieces.
 
didn't touch my camera gear either.  I figure it was probably a kid.  had small shoes the police and I found footprints in the dust on the back porch.
 
Normally we put Scooby in the back yard when we're away and he probably would have barked at them, but since it was 4th of July we put him in his bed and zipped him in.  poor boy was in our bedroom while they were ransacking our drawers in the bedroom and master bath!  but he was unharmed, at least.  if he had been out, they might have hurt him.
 
so they didn't wipe me out like they did Dave (bitflipper) but they still VIOLATED me and still have taken some things which I need for recording.  but it's just stuff!  we're safe and OK.
 
I'll be ordering that security system I've been procrastinating ever since reading about Dave's woes and I'll be recording serial numbers of my more prized keyboards as well as contacting insurance and a glazier tomorrow!!!

 
WOW! haven't been around here much -- sorry to hear this Beagle and I am sorry to here about Dave  - 
 
I should probably check in with you guys more often  Glad no one was hurt -- of course cowards did this 
 
 
Paul 

DrLumen
Speaking of others watching...
 
There was a news article here a few months ago here they were talking about a robber being caught by a neighbors security cameras. They then went on to describe a new program where you could register your system with the police so they could get instant access to your cameras.
 
Within the context, and at first blush, it seemed kinda reasonable and perhaps a good idea. But geez, talk about inviting in big brother to crash on the couch.

Interesting, thing is, in the state I live in it is Illegal for your neighbor to point or fix a camera watching you or your house, they can face a 10,000 dollar fine or up to 5 years in prison. So in my state if the police tried such a thing they would be breaking the law without the proper warrants. 
 
Some might view that in various ways, I mean "If your not breaking the law then what are you worried about", but then again "Why are you so concerned, what are you trying to hide from me by watching me" and such things. Lot's of opinions there. 
 
They really need to fix a lot of these laws. Nobody want's their neighbors spying on them or keeping tabs on them, that's not freedom. And there is no quick fix to such problems like that I guess. 
 
 

JohnoL

Guitarhacker
 
 
I have several residential customers

What should a person look for in a professional security system installation company?

If your state has licensing, obviously, they need to be licensed. The licensing board will have a list of complaints filed against the companies it licenses. Call the board. Also BBB may or may not have complaints on file. 
 
The main thing is how they do their work. Is it competitively priced? Do they do neat and workmanlike installs?  Do they have other satisfied customers? Do they respond quickly to issues with the equipment and service what they sell? Are they new to the biz or have they been around for many years?  You don't stay in business if you're not doing the right things for your customers. ( I've been in business now for 25 years)  Another thing, and this is hard to find out but you can ask the other companies bidding on the work..... do they use quality gear or the cheapest stuff on the market to make a maximum profit on the sale?  In security and CCTV, from my POV.... you do tend to get what you pay for when it comes to quality. I can buy a camera for $100, or I can buy one for $450. The higher priced camera has better components and quality and will do a better job and last longer.   I always explain this to my customers and tell them that I'm not trying to be the lowest price and why. But I do tend to lose sales to the guys hawking the cheap gear because even though I explain it to the customer.... all they see in the end is the price tag.
 
To find this information out... get several bids from at least 3 companies. Ask for references and call those references.
 
From time to time I have customers who had other companies install their systems call me up and switch to my company.   Just the other day, I completed repairs from lightning damage on a burg system. I had been called to quote that system when it was a new house. The owner rejected my bid as being "high".  When the system went down from lightning, he called me to fix it. I asked why he didn't call the installing company. His reply violates the TOS on profanity, then he finished by saying he should have gone with my price. Let's just say, he'll never let them set foot on his property again.  I got the system up and working with the repairs.... but the windows didn't seem to work. I traced the wires under the house to identify them properly. I soon discovered that the windows had NEVER worked from day one due to the incorrect way they were wired. The home owner wasn't aware of the issue and the installing company never told him or fixed the issue.
 
Often, I hear other company's customers state that they can't get timely service when the system has problems. One customer said they had been trying to get a technician out to look at a broken contact for several months. That company lost their customer to me over a $6 door contact.
 
So you definitely want to talk with customers of the company to see how they handle service calls. Ask for a list of their "more long term" customers. New ones probably haven't needed service yet. As a side note.... I have used the same alarm manufacturing company's gear since the beginning.  It's good quality gear and lasts. In fact, the very first alarm system I installed is still out there working 25 years later with only the occasional system battery change.  That's a good system.
 
Hopefully, this will help in your search for an installing company.