When it comes to home security, outdoor surveillance cameras are ultra trendy. But when it comes to protecting your home, you are faced with several options: turn to a remote surveillance company for a complete solution or do it yourself by purchasing the necessary equipment in store or online. But you still have to think about everything, to avoid creating an illusory feeling of security…
Why install it?
Concretely, these surveillance cameras connected to your smartphone or your computer allow you to receive notifications in the event of movement in front of your home and to see entrances and exits in real time. In the event of a burglary, the images recorded by the cameras can provide valuable evidence to the police (on a voluntary basis) or even be used for insurance claims. “Generally speaking, public cameras allow us daily image analysis, which is widely used and very useful. It is a very effective and generally productive element of investigation. And if we are not drowned out by video images of individuals, the fact remains that these images can be useful,” explains Kim Alexandre, head of the Prevention department of the Liège police.
Where to install it?
First thing to know: there is no question of filming public roads with your security camera, underlines the main police inspector. The camera must be visible and aimed to cover the front door, the windows at the bottom of the building or even the garage if possible. Place it 2 or 3 meters from the ground to maximize image capture while preventing it from being easily reached. And don’t hesitate to place a second one at the back of the house to complete the perimeter.
In the city, it’s obviously a different story. “Since you can’t film the public road at all, there’s no question of turning the camera towards the sidewalk. You can install it above the front door: it will then fix the threshold.”
For the rest, avoid having the camera turned towards the sun or another source of strong light (to avoid glare) and make sure to choose your viewing angle carefully. Same principle for connected doorbells with a camera.
How to choose it?
When buying a surveillance camera, avoid opting for a low-end camera. Choose one with night vision (some cameras have LED and infrared lamps), good image quality (if it’s ultra-pixelated, it’s useless), an angle adequate view, zones for motion detection and favor models that swivel and can be controlled remotely. Obviously, choose a weather-resistant outdoor model.
“Don’t turn to equipment that is too low-end, because when you realize that the filmed image is of poor quality and that it is impossible to identify the unknown correctly, it’s too late. And it gives a false sense of security,” notes Kim Alexandre.
What price ?
Concretely, it is therefore better to avoid cameras that are too cheap and without a brand, offered on platforms such as Wish, AliExpress, Temu or even Amazon. “These sites are difficult to trace and the products are more vulnerable in terms of security,” recalls Lisa Mailleux, spokesperson for Test-Achats, the Belgian consumer organization. Not to mention the sometimes non-existent after-sales service… Instead, turn to well-known and recognized brands, which can be found in stores or highly rated on the internet (consumer reviews are your ally in your research). For a quality outdoor camera, count between 70 and 250 euros for the best models, indicates Test-Achats which offers a comparison of surveillance cameras in 2024 on its website.
What diet?
If you’re using a wired camera, make sure you have a power source near the ideal spot to install it. For wireless cameras, it will then be necessary to regularly check the status of the batteries, via the application. “For surveillance cameras, it is better to connect them to a wired system and not Wi-Fi, which is more efficient and reliable,” advises the police officer.
Inside too?
Whether to maximize the capture of images in the event of an infraction or simply to keep an eye on your pets when they are absent, indoor cameras are ideally placed in a corner of the room to completely cover it. In the city, placing it in the entrance hall is a good plan, since the shots from exterior cameras will be less interesting. Some models offer to turn off when they detect your smartphone at home, so as not to feel constantly being spied on, by other family members for example, in your own home.
Store images
Some cameras have local backup via a USB card, others offer to save images in the Cloud, on a secure server of the manufacturer or that of a third-party service such as Google Drive, iCloud or Dropbox, based on subscription.
Obviously, the recorded images must be used exclusively for the security of your home. Any other use, such as public distribution without consent, is completely illegal.
3 things to do to be in order if you install an outdoor camera
Installing surveillance cameras outside your home involves respecting certain rules to protect the privacy of individuals and comply with current legislation.
1. Declare it
“The current Camera Law provides […] that any installation of a surveillance camera must be notified to the police services, at the latest the day before the day the surveillance camera is put into service. Any modification made to the camera system must also be notified,” indicates the Data Protection Authority on its website. It is therefore obligatory to declare your exterior surveillance cameras via the site www.declarationcamera.be
2. Install a pictogram
It is imperative to inform people likely to be filmed, by displaying a pictogram clearly indicating the presence of surveillance cameras. These signs must be placed at the entrance to the house, to be visible and readable by all visitors as soon as your surveillance cameras come into service.
3. Keep a record
A register describing the image processing must be kept available to the Data Protection Authority and the police services.
