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Return To Surveillance Article Archive   What to Look for in Choosing IP Surveillance Software By Wes Fernley Most IP network cameras do not include free recording software. If you are looking to record from your camera, you will need to purchase additional IP surveillance software. Finding the right software can be time consuming and a headache considering there are many software companies out there. What should I look for in choosing an IP surveillance software package for my camera? Features Are Everything The first aspect of choosing your surveillance software will be the features that the software offers. Every installation of security cameras is different so your selection of software will be different as well. Your first step should be to sit down for a few minutes and think about what you want to accomplish with your software. Do you want the software to record when motion is detected? Will you be connecting the camera to an alarm, door access panel or security system? Do you need to setup specific schedules? Or, will you need the software to involve Video Analytics and Intelligent Video Surveillance (IVS) Algorithms which offer intelligent motion tracking along with object recognition? These are just a few questions you will want to ask yourself. Your second step should be to view the website of the company who designed the IP surveillance software. With each of their software packages they should offer a brief overview of the software, a list of features and even a PDF showing how their software stands out from the rest. This should help you figure out if the software will give you the features you need. Download a Demo Most IP surveillance software companies offer a trial download allowing you to test their software. It is usually risky purchasing a software package that you haven't tested to make sure it does what you need. I would highly suggest that you get your hands on a demo of the software before you pull out your wallet. After you download a demo, try it out. Test every feature you need and see how easy it is to setup. You will also want to see how reliable it is. Let it run for a few days without interruption to see how it handles considering the last thing you want is the software crashing while you're away. Do a Background Check If the demo looks good, see if you can find any information on the company. Look into reviews of the software or browse forums that discuss IP surveillance software. www.NetworkCameraReviews.com offers a forum that allows you to post questions regarding software. I would also check into the technical support offered by the software company. Some questions you can ask yourself about the company are, do they offer online guides? How long does it take to get a response from their tech support team? Is their tech support department available by phone? Are free updates offered or is there an annual fee to download updates? Looking into the IP surveillance software company can sometimes bring things to light that you are glad you noticed before you purchased the software. When All is Said and Done If everything looks good, you have found yourself a good piece of software. I always like to recommend to customers that you look into the software you are considering purchasing and test it before you buy. Some software can get very costly and the last thing you want to do is spend money on a software package that will not do what you need. If you need advice on IP surveillance software or have questions regarding your current software, check our website or contact us at via email in the signature below. Wes Fernley runs a website called NetworkCameraReviews.com, a free online resource for users to learn about IP Network Cameras. He provides free consultation and advice. His roles include tech support, web design and sales. He can be reach via email at wes@networkcamerareviews.com. keywords: ip camera | network camera | internet camera | video server | ivs | video analytics | security Internet Usage Monitoring

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