By: Arthur Cooper
Submitted: 2010-07-28 02:54:41 | Word Count: 664
Nothing can give new parents the sense of comfort and peace of mind like a child room infrared camera. Innovative technology in the security camera field has produced high-tech cameras with sophisticated features for a variety of uses while maintaining affordable prices. Child room infrared cameras are not only great for use with newborns and infants but with toddlers and all young children. They also work great as nanny cams to help you monitor your child your child’s care giver while you are away.
A child room infrared camera system can be set up in a variety of ways but there are two methods that are most often used. The first is simply as a monitoring camera that allows you to view in real-time (live), video images of your child’s room. This method is often used as a day/night baby or child room monitor.
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When using this method there are basically two pieces of equipment that are required; an infrared camera and a monitor. The camera is simply mounted in the child’s room normally in a corner or other vantage point that will yield the greatest field of view. If used as a nighttime child monitor it is normally mounted in a place that provides a field of view that encompasses the bed, crib or other sleeping area
Modern digital video cameras create digital video images using one of two sensors. Either a Charged Coupled Device or CCD or a Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor or CMOS is used. Both of these devices convert the light focused on them by the lens into electrical energy that is then converted into a digital video image.
One nice feature about these sensors is that they are inherently sensitive to infrared radiation in the near infrared spectrum. That means they can be excellent candidates for making infrared video cameras. They do this by illuminating their target area with infrared light; light which is invisible to the human eye but easily seen by the sensor. This light is normally created by an array of several infrared Light Emitting Diodes or LEDs that either surround the camera lens or are next to it so the light is aimed in the same direction as the lens.
These cameras can be set up in the child’s room with the monitor in another area of the house that is convenient for the parents. A coaxial transmission cable may be used to transmit the video camera’s images to the monitor. However there are also wireless child room infrared cameras.
Wireless child room infrared cameras can transmit their video images using the 2.4 or 5.8 GHz radio band frequency. They contain a built-in transmitter and antenna that they use to send the signal to a corresponding receiver. The receiver is then connected to the monitor, or in some cases, the receiver and monitor may all be in one unit. This system is incredibly easy to setup and install. Just mount the camera and plug it into a power source. Plug in the receiver and monitor and connect the two together and away you go.
There’s even a simpler and possibly more convenient wireless option. New IP (Internet Protocol) ready wireless child room infrared cameras contain their own server. This means if you have a broadband internet connection, you can simply connect the IP camera to the internet and use any computer anywhere in the world there is internet access to monitor the child’s room. This amazing versatile feature allows parents to use child room infrared cameras not only as night time monitors, but as daytime “nanny cams” as well and they can be easily monitored from any computer with an internet connection and a web browser, like Internet Explorer.
The second method which is also frequently used, employs the same basic equipment above, but in addition to monitoring the system creates a digital video file and actually records the video footage for later viewing or archiving. These child room infrared camera systems have Digital Video Recorders or DVRs that store the digital video file. Some systems allow you to use your own personal computer to store the files instead.
Whichever method you choose, a child room infrared camera has the versatility to be used in most all situations and can provide 24/7 monitoring that gives you peace of mind that your child is safe and well. In addition these systems are very reasonable priced so as to be affordable on almost any budget.
