In this day and age, sad as it seems, more and more homeowners are choosing to install home security alarm systems. While choosing a home security alarm system may seem like a straightforward task, there are actually many considerations involved in choosing the correct alarm system for your home.

Your home alarm system can be as simple as a few relatively inexpensive devices placed at each door and window, or as complicated and as expensive as you wish to go. You can choose monitored services and unmonitored. You can choose to have security cameras, not have security cameras, or put up fake security cameras. You can choose home security systems which alert you in case of fire or carbon monoxide, or again, you can have a monitored system where someone on duty is alerted to your danger before you even become aware and calls emergency personnel for you.

As you can see, one factor which WILL have to be considered is cost.

HOME SECURITY SYSTEM COSTS

Obviously, it is difficult to place a price on the peace that comes with knowing that you have adequately protected your home and your family. However, in the real world, we often have to evaluate the costs of things we desire or need, and this extends to home security systems. Parts and pieces for a home built security system are available from such sources as Radio Shack, which you would expect, and Wal-Mart, which you might not! Even do-it-yourself systems such as these can cost a few hundred dollars and, while providing basic home security, usually will not provide monitoring in the event of your absence. Some do-it-yourself components can be found which will notify emergency response activities without you having to take action yourself, but with every bell and whistle (literally) which you add, the cost will go up.

Now, when I was talking about a do-it-yourself home security system, you probably thought I was giving the good news first. As you read about how expensive this can get, you probably thought that was either the bad news, or the good news going sour.

Wrong. I started off with the BAD news.

The two major advantages I see to do-it-yourself security systems is that you can buy one unit at a time for a relatively low cost, and, if you are the handyman type, you can have the joy of installing the stuff yourself.

Here’s the good news.

There are many good quality home security companies out there. You may or may not have heard of ADT, Brinks, and Great Alarms, but you may NOT be familiar with their services and costs. While offers change from time to time and vary from company to company, prices are actually quite reasonable considering services provided. At the time of writing this article, a quick survey of just a few companies found installation costs ranging from free to a little over $300.00. Since these generally are monitored systems, you can expect to pay a monthly fee for the monitoring service, but it usually is only about $30.00 per month. Again, this may vary from company to company, so by all means, shop around.

I personally believe that when you consider what you get with a professionally installed and monitored home security system, you will probably skip the trip to Radio Shack or Wal-Mart and hire one of these companies to install your system.

COMPONENTS AND SERVICES OF A MONITORED HOME SECURITY SYSTEM

Actual components and services will vary from company to company, but here is an overview of the components and services you might expect to get from a home security system.

Home Security System Components

*Command Stations: This may be referred to by various names depending on the service provider. Great Alarms calls it a “command station”, ADT a “touchpad”, and Brinks a “keypad”. From this command point, the system can be armed or disarmed, help can be summoned, warnings can be given to others in the house by means of a device such as a horn, whistle, chime or similar item. It is often possible to get more than one station or keypad installed, such as one in the living area and one in the bedroom.

*Door And Window Sensors: These are generally simple devices, but when you buy them one by one yourself, their cost can really add up. Many professional companies expect to make their money off the monthly monitoring. Home security companies can acquire these items in bulk at much lower prices than you or I would pay, and that is why installation as a package, is often much less than what you would have to pay just for the items, if you bought them individually yourself.

*Motion Detectors: Should an intruder approach your home or by some means gain entry, motion detectors can be used to sense their presence and activate alarms or summon help.

*Remote Controls: In addition to the command station, touchpad, or keypad, many systems include a remote device which you may carry with you. These range from small units suitable to be carried on a keychain to larger units intended to be carried from room to room within your house.

*Sensors: There are sensors available to detect fire, carbon monoxide, heat, moisture, breaking glass and flex.

*Alarms And Other Warning Devices: The old familiar “alarm” is almost pass

Tags: family, home, home security, home security camera, home securtiy systemfamily, home, home security, home security camera, home securtiy system

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This article examines business security and provides some practical advise on protecting your business. Unfortunately as any new business knows it isn’t long before opening that the first break and enter occurs or another security issue raises it ugly head. Dealing with insurance companies reveals that often the business person is own their own, particularly if the business is targetted numerous times. The more successful your business, the more interest it tends to generate amongst low lifes, and once they have struck they will be back again unless you do something about it.

In order to protect your business one of the first things you need to do is establish safe cash flow practises. This includes the basics like not leaving out large quantities of cash in tills or petty cash, ensuring you have a descent safe and/or strongroom. However it goes much further than this. Ensuring correct cashflow includes correct recording procedures with regular audits. Often one of biggest hits a company takes is when its own employee steals from the cashflow. Without tight auditing procedures an employee can easily rake up $1000’s of dollars in fraud and the chance of you or your company seeing that money again is limited. Know your staff and managers, particularly avoid like the plague anyone with a drug or gambling problem. A quality camera system not only protects your staff, it also protects you, letting you know whats happening when your not there. A small investment in quality equipment can save you heartarche later. Requiring your employee to provide some basic background and criminal history has become standard fare for major corporations.

Whilst installing an alarm won’t guarantee your business safety, a monitored one does limit the amount of time an offender is on premises and therefore limits potential loss.

But money security goes beyond your safe, do you have safe banking practises? If you can’t afford a security company to collect money do you ensure you regularly bank takings. Bank with a varying schedule and ensure the money is disguised. Don’t be so stupid as to take cash to the bank with the bank provided bags visible in your hands, you are just asking to get robbed.

Security goes beyond just money. Security is about people. Giving them safe environments in which to work and providing a safe atmosphere for your customers. You want security that whilst highly effective does not take over the running of your business, it should be in the background, visible but not overbearing.

CCTV only work if you have quality footage. There is no point having cameras unless that video quality is high. New computer systems provide a greater number of camera links with better quality than the one video tape you’ve recording over twenty times.

Obviously security nowdays always extends to the online world, but that is a seperate topic. For now ask yourself does your business or even home security come up to scratch?? If not what value are you placing on yourself, your family, your business, your money?

Original site at http://australian-security-online.blogspot.com for great security links

At getfinancialfreedom4u we publish both profit and not for profit sites on the internet. We are a growing internet business specialising in affliliate marketing, web hosting provision, sourcing investment opportunities and general education.
http://getfinancialfreedom4u.ws

This article remains the property of Alastair Harris and his immediate family, it may be republished on the net but must remain unchanged and include original links and resource box.

Tags: alarms, business security, protecting business, protecting money, safes, security, security camerasalarms, business security, protecting business, protecting money, safes, security, security cameras

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Shani Alexander is the founder of Relocations Made Easy (www.relocations-made-easy.com) which produces an interactive website and CDROM tool that advises people on how to make a stress free relocation to a new city.

To create her interactive product, Shani needed camera vision of herself explaining to viewers how the product worked in front of a cityscape backdrop.

We interviewed her to find out her experience of using a video production company for the first time.

1. Why did you decide that you needed a video component in your website tool?

I am selling a virtual personal service product and the video component was needed to introduce a real person from which my virtual product could springboard.

The video component showed a real person, a company owner. It gave the personal touch and introduced what the customer was going to receive from their purchase.

2. What were you looking for in a video production company?

I really needed a company that could understand what I was trying to achieve. I really needed them to get inside my head and make real what I was imagining, what I was dreaming up.

It had to be cost effective with no cost blowouts. It also needed to be applied to the media I was using - the internet and CDROM. I needed clear picture quality that could be viewed across those mediums without any picture quality loss.

3. How difficult was it to compare proposals between the four providers?

Everyone told me how it is difficult to compare. All the production houses said they could do the same thing, but the prices were extremely different.

When I spoke to Digicast they went to great lengths to explain the type of camera that they used. Whilst I would have liked to think that everyone could produce the same job, I realised that the big differences in prices reflected the different types of camera quality being used.

Digicast also took me on board as if I was a client already. They gave me suggestions about how to do the shoot the best way and started treating me like a client before I even made the decision to go with them. From there, we were able to develop a relationship and work together on the project.

4. As someone new to being filmed, how did you find your shoot?

I found it really long, really tiring and boring! I was really surprised at how dependent you are on the weather to be right - you have to keep waiting for the right light and the sky. It can add hours to the shoot.

Andrew Ross from Digicast who filmed me was incredibly professional. He’s passionate, technical and knows what he is doing and has to keep the poor person on the other end of the camera still interested. He did a good job managing that. I really thought he worked well with me as the presenter. Andrew got me to look at the vision on the shoot and gave me options as to how we could re-shoot it to make it better. He controlled everything but I didn’t feel like a pawn. His suggestions were worthwhile.

5. What did you learn about the television production process?

I really learnt something from it and I can now look at all the different shows on television and see how good, and bad, those presenters are. I have a healthy respect for an industry I took for granted before. It was a fantastic experience at the end of it all.

6. What advice would you give to anyone looking at starring in their own video?

I advise anyone who wants to take this on to do lots of preparation.

Digicast gave me some suggestions before the shoot about how I could get myself ready and get the most out of the day. I took those to heart and I did put a lot of preparation into the script. I re-edited the script, timed it, practised it and rehearsed it in front of a lot of people beforehand.

I even hired a professional to give me a training session on hand gestures and facial expressions. My preparation even extended to my personal grooming and I had my hair coloured beforehand and bought a new suit.

I also went to a lot of trouble to get the right location. We had to let the City of Melbourne know beforehand about the shoot. The liaising with the council was a much bigger component than I imagined. I checked out the site with a council employee and took some digital shots which I then emailed to Digicast. It was a real team effort to work out the right place to shoot.

7. Would you do it again?

You bet. I’m hoping I don’t need to, as I should get a few years of mileage out of it. After all, it was made to be timeless and dateless. But I’d do it again because I achieved what I set out to achieve. I’m very happy about the experience and I would do it again if I needed to.

About The Author

(c) Marie-Claire Ross 2004. All rights reserved.

Marie-Claire Ross is one of the partners of Digicast. Digicast works with organisations who are not satisfied that their marketing and training materials are helping their business grow. She can be contacted on 0500 800 234 (Australia wide) or at mc@digicast.com.au. The website is at www.digicast.com.au.

Tags: Camera, marketing, media, producers, Video, video presentations, Video production, video shootCamera, marketing, media, producers, Video, video presentations, Video production, video shoot

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